by I received a press release today on behalf of the Outdoor Journalist Education Foundation of America. It was seeking entries for their Lindsay Sale-Tinney Award. This award is open to those ages 12 to 25. They will be paired with a mentor and will be given up to $1,000 in travel expenses to attend an outdoor-related trade show, conference, or workshop. Examples of the types of events approved can be found here. Applications for the scholarship will be accepted until January 31, 2024.
I reached out to Lisa Snuggs, CEO of the organization, this afternoon as I was surprised to find out they were based in Badin, North Carolina. Badin and its namesake lake adjoin the Uwharrie National Forest. Despite its North Carolina, it is actually groups from South Carolina including the SC Outdoor Press Association who are promoting the scholarship. We Tar Heels need to step up our game!
Now to more details on the Lindsay Sale-Tinney Award:
BADIN, N.C. — With school in full swing, now is the perfect time to promote scholarship opportunities for young people interested in learning more about outdoor communications. The Outdoor Journalist Education Foundation (OJEFA) is accepting applications for its Lindsay Sale-Tinney Award through January 31, 2024, for hands-on experiences next year.
“We are here to help encourage and educate the next generation of outdoor storytellers and the Lindsay Sale-Tinney Award can open up a whole new world to young people who might consider a career in this arena,” said Lisa Snuggs, CEO of OJEFA.
Funding is widely available for projects that teach young people about wildlife and the environment or for programs that actually take kids fishing or hunting, but only a few opportunities exist for those who want to learn about communications in the outdoors industry.
Recipients of an OJEFA scholarship will be able to choose from a pre-approved list of events to attend, or they may ask for consideration of something aligned with their specific areas of interest. This could include anything from shadowing a content creator at the Bassmaster Classic to accompanying a wildlife biologist in the field or attending a video editing workshop.
The Lindsay Sale-Tinney Award was first awarded in 2011. More than one-half of the recipients are still actively associated with the outdoors as communicators, guides, champion shooters, land managers, and more. The most recent recipient, Lindsey Lucas wrote in her application essay these telling words.
“My long-term goals include pursuing a career as an outdoor writer and using the stories of my outdoor adventures to inspire people of all ages to step outside their comfort zones and try new outdoor adventures. I especially hope to inspire young ladies.”
Lucas, 17, is already a featured columnist with CrappieNow and has appeared on several television shows, including “Outdoor Vigilantes,” “Living the Dream Outdoors TV,” and “MNP Outdoors.”
View all the past recipients HERE and click HERE for the scholarship information and application. Contact Lisa Snuggs for more information: mailto:lisa@ojefa.org
Special thanks go to our partners who make the scholarships possible: Stu Tinney, South Carolina Wildlife, SCOPe, Eagle Anglers, Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation, and the South Carolina Waterfowl Association.
OJEFA Mission: OJEFA is dedicated to the education and support of outdoor communicators and their efforts to promote the wise and ethical use of our wildlife and natural resources, with an emphasis on developing and implementing programs to encourage such communications among young people.