It’s never too early to start thinking about scholarships.

The Peter Francisco Soil & Water Conservation District (PFSWCD), taking this thought, has made its four scholarship opportunities, adding two more scholarships this year, available to students in Buckingham and Cumberland counties. The application must be submitted by March 2, according to a news release detailing the 2018 scholarships.

The scholarships, which award $1,000, are for students “pursuing an undergraduate degree relating to natural resource conservation or environmental studies,” according to the release.

Elise Corbin, conservation education coordinator, said the application includes letters of reference, an essay and a high school transcript among other items. She encouraged applicants to find additional information at www.peterfranciscoswcd.org/scholarships.

Applicants must be residents of the two counties, Corbin said.

“It’s mainly put out to the schools,” Corbin said, though she noted the organization also puts out displays detailing the scholarships throughout the area. “But, you know, you never know. There’s homeschooled children, and private school students, that might want to apply.”

Charles Grubb of Cumberland and Emily Vaughn of Buckingham were the two recipients of the scholarships in 2017, according to Corbin and the PFSWCD website.

Concerning previous recipients, Corbin said some have even returned to the county as leaders.

“Amber Anderson was one of our scholarship recipients,” Corbin said about Anderson, a 2014 scholarship recipient who currently serves as Extension Agent, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Animal Science, in Cumberland. “She went to Virginia Tech. Now she’s heading up the Cooperative Extension Office over in Cumberland.”

Corbin noted another past recipient, Kelly Snoddy, a 2002 scholarship recipient who currently works in the PFSWCD office.

“They do come back and do great things for our area,” Corbin said.