The generous donors who fund scholarships at the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center are getting a handsome return on their investment.

“We have some very generous citizens and organizations who help provide scholarships for area children to get outside and experience nature,” said Julie Champlin, assistant to the nature center director.

“The scholarships are awarded to children who write a short essay on why they want to attend the selected program,” Champlin said.

Early winners include Blake Ross, 9, who wrote an essay for the Radical Raptors Class, which provides an evening of “owling” with Larry Dolphin, director and naturalist, and Alex Watson, his assistant, and a day trip to Whitewater State Park and the National Eagle Center at Wabasha.

Here is Ross’ essay: “Radical Raptors Rock!”

“I would like to be in the Radical Raptors class because I love birds. I want to learn more about birds. I really love birds. Birds are very, very cool. I want to go to Whitewater State Park and the Eagle Center because I want to the see the Bald Eagle named Harriet because that’s my dead grandma’s name. I really want to see a Red-tailed hawk and an Eagle.

Love, Blake

P.S.  Whoever runs this class rocks to think of something like this for kids to do.”

“Blake just loves the outdoors. Animals and everything, hunting and fishing, too,” said his mother, Lindsay Hulet Ross.

Her son has attended Summer Adventure Program classes for the last three years. This will be the first field trip he has made.

He has a sister, Addie, 7, who has also attended classes at the nature center in the summertime.

The essays written for scholarships not only make good reading for the nature center scholarship judges, but make statements about the importance of nature:

John Langrell, 12, got the attention of the scholarship judges, when he wrote “My grandfather was a forest fireman, and I hope to protect nature as he did.”

Brendon Dunlap will be attending the Heritage Survival Class after writing, “The more I learn about our heritage and nature, the more I will want to protect it and learn about my past.”

Jon Hanson, 11, kept his essay simple. “I want to go canoeing because I have not ever done that before,” he wrote.

Olivia Stevens earned a scholarship to go canoeing, which will help her reach a goal.

“I like challenges and a five-mile canoe trip sounds like a challenge,” she wrote.

According to Champlin, the nature center gave out 38 scholarships to area children in 2008.

“In today’s economy these scholarships really help out families,” she said.

The 2009 $1,800 in scholarships were donated by Austin Audubon, Austin Izaak Walton League, Mable Hjelmen, Beverly Smith, an anonymous donor and the Friends of the Hormel Nature Center.

“The nature center appreciates all the donors for their generosity,” Champlin said.

Each donor receives a copy of the essay that is written by the child who receives the scholarship.

A complete list of summer adventure programs is available on the new Web site: www.hormelnaturecenter.org.

Full scholarships are available for day canoe trips and the Radical Raptor Class. Half-fee scholarships are available for the Canoeing the Root River-Exploring the Blufflands trip and Heritage Survival Class.

According to Champlin, “To receive a scholarship, a student must write three to five complete sentences as to why they want to attend a specific summer adventure class.”

The essays must be submitted to the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center by May 25.

The scholarships will be offered on a first come, first serve basis.

The requests and essays can be submitted to Larry Dolphin, Julie Champlin or Alex Watson at the visitor center.

They can also be mailed to the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center, P.O. Box 673, Austin, MN 55912.

For more information call 437-7519.