Mary Jane Gibson, Vice President of the NANPA Foundation Board of Trustees announces the results of a challenge grant at the 2019 Nature Photography Summit.
During NANPA’s recent Nature Photography Summit and Trade Show in Las Vegas, one bunch of photographers always seemed to be especially hard at work, energized and excited. These young people were participants in the NANPA Foundation’s Summit College Scholarship Program and their week in Las Vegas was packed with learning, growing, creating, networking and having fun.
Their assignment: develop a story-telling project which would be shown during the Summit.
While the students were shooting, editing, working with mentors and meeting other attendees, NANPA members were challenged to support programs like this through an exciting challenge grant. Generous members made more than enough donations to cover the match and the Foundation raised a total of almost $22,000. Even if you missed the Summit, you can still contribute to the work of the Foundation by making a secure donation on the Foundation website.
Why Donate? Because the Summit College Scholarship Program is just one of many activities supported by the NANPA Foundation. The Foundation’s mission is to “raise funds and provide resources to advance awareness and appreciation of nature through photography.” It does that by supporting education, conservation, photographic opportunities, advocacy, and ethical practices in nature photography. Other programs include NANPA’s High School Scholarship Program, which immerses talented young photographers in their craft during a week in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, grants to construct photo blinds and the Philip Hyde Environmental and Janie Moore Greene Scholarship Grants.
During the Summit’s final general session, we were treated to the results of the students’ efforts: a seven-minute film on Las Vegas’ Clark County Wetlands Park, a large area of hiking and biking trails and a 210-acre nature preserve. Working closely with the park authorities and employees and under the supervision of NANPA mentors, the video will be used by the park for public education and awareness outreach. At the NANPA Summit, the video received a well-deserved ovation. It can be viewed here.
NANPA_Clark_County_Wetlands_Park_FINAL from NANPA Video on Vimeo.
Time after time, participants in NANPA Foundation programs, like the Summit College Scholarship Program, say the experience was life changing. For some, the program launches their professional career. For others, it provides a rich set of experiences and contacts they’ll take with them the rest of their lives.
A big shout out to NANPA members Benjamin Olson and Michele Westmorland, who co-chair the College Scholarship Program committee, and to the other committee members Don Carter, Ted Keller, Bruce Lipsky and long-time supporter Alice Robertson for making this year’s program a resounding success. A special thanks also goes to Matthew Cicanese, Alena Ebeling-Schuld, J.P. Lawrence and Ryan Tremkamp for serving as mentors in the field to the 2019 participants.
Want to do your part to impact a young life? Make a donation now or, when it comes time to renew your NANPA membership, tick to box to donate to the Foundation. Who knows? You might be supporting and inspiring the next George Lepp?
