Salem Student Awarded $1K Environmental Sustainability Scholarship

SALEM, MA — A Salem student who attended Salem Public Schools from kindergarten through high school and now studies Sustainable Urban Planning & Design at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst was awarded this year's City of Salem and Waste Management Scholarship.

The program offers a $1,000 scholarship to a student pursuing a college or graduate-level program focused on environmental sustainability.

Jessica Valatka was awarded the scholarship for her essay in which she proposes that the city creates more community gardens, strengthens bike safety and accessibility, and increases climate change education.

"I'm pleased to offer my congratulations to Jessica on winning this award for her well-researched and forward-thinking essay, and I wish her the best of luck as she furthers her education in environmental sustainability," Salem Mayor Dominick Pangallo said. "I'd also like to thank Waste Management for making this scholarship opportunity available."

The city said Valatka hopes to learn how to add pedestrian and bike lanes, renewable energy, community gardens and other sustainable infrastructure to cities to make sustainability more efficient, accessible and affordable for people to observe in their everyday lives.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at [email protected]. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)