Lebanon Valley Conservancy announces environmental scholarship for 2025

The Lebanon Valley Conservancy on May 21 announced the recipient of the 2025 Richard H. and Karen R. Light Memorial Scholarship.

Reed Fretz received a $3,000 scholarship to assist in his education in the field of environmental science.

Fretz is a graduate of Cedar Crest High School and a freshman at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. He is a member of the college’s outing, climbing, and herpetology clubs in addition to being a member of the honors program.

Chris W. Briggs, from the college’s department of environmental biology, recommended Fretz for the scholarship. “What stands out most about Reed is his genuine interest in the natural world,” Briggs said in a press release. “He is an active participant in class discussions and often offers thoughtful insights into how biology relates to broader environmental issues.”

Fretz’s parents were a big part of his spark for conservation. “Because I spent so much of my childhood in the living environment, I developed a connection with it and desire to protect it,” Fretz said in his application. He plans to pursue a career as a forest health specialist, with a focus on forest pathology.

“Reed’s passion to protect the environment and desire to lead by example and educate those around him, reminded us of the Lights,” Jeanne Boltz, Karen Light’s sister and scholarship committee chair, said in the release.

The Lebanon Valley Conservancy awards this scholarship on an annual basis, in memory of Richard H. and Karen R. Light, prominent residents who made a great impact on environmental conservation in the Lebanon Valley.

The 2025 scholarship was presented at the Cornwall Manor Freeman Community Center, where Fretz’s parents accepted the award on his behalf. Patrick Miller, from Miller’s Wildlife and Conservation Specialists, was a special guest speaker during the Earth Month event and scholarship award, presenting “Native Birds of Pennsylvania.”

The application process for the 2026 scholarship will begin in January. For more information, visit the conservancy online at TLVC.org. Additional details on the Lights and the scholarship are available at lebanonvalleyconservancy.org/scholarship.

The Lebanon Valley Conservancy formed in 2000 to promote the conservation of cultural, historical and natural resources through public awareness, education and land preservation. To date, more than 1,200 acres of land have been preserved.