Andrew Murphy, of Prospect, recently received a scholarship for $1,000 through the High Bridge Strutters Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Foundation (NWTF) in Farmville. NWTF scholarships are set up to benefit youth with a commitment to conservation and preserving the hunting tradition, and recipients may pursue any type of degree they wish.

This year, the NWTF will make about $500,000 in educational funds available through more than 800 scholarships to graduating seniors in the U.S. To date, the NWTF has awarded more than $4 million through the scholarship program.

Applicants for the scholarship must be licensed hunters to be eligible. They are judged on their scholastic achievements, leadership abilities, community involvement and demonstrated commitment to conservation. The winners of the local chapter scholarship are then eligible for the $1,000 state award and finally state winners are eligible for the NWTF’s $10,000 national scholarship.

“The NWTF is proud to provide scholarships for students who have proven their dedication to conservation and acted as leaders in their schools and communities,” said NWTF CEO George Thornton. “Andrew Murphy is sure to serve the NWTF and his generation as an excellent spokesman for our sport in the academic field he pursues.”

The NWTF is a national nonprofit conservation organization that was founded in 1973 and has worked with wildlife agencies to restore wild turkey populations from 1.3 million wild turkeys to nearly 7 million today. Now, NWTF’s volunteers raise funds and work daily to improve critical wildlife habitat, increase access to public hunting land and introduce new people to the outdoors and hunting.

The NWTF is committed to tackling the challenges facing the sporting community through its Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. initiative by conserving and enhancing 4 million acres of wildlife habitat, creating 1.5 million new hunters and opening 500,000 new acres to public hunting.

For more information, contact Eddie Scruggs at (434) 395 8623, call 1-800-THE-NWTF or visit www.nwtf.org.