A quality academic record paired with a sincere interest in conservation helped earn Meghan Lenhardt of Concord entry into the Conservation Honors Program, a six-day summer course that allows students to explore career possibility in the field of natural resources, while earning one hour of advanced college credit.

Meghan, daughter of David and Bridget Lenhardt and a Mehlville Senior High School student, stated in a news release that the program enabled her to learn what a career in conservation entails.

“I was thrilled with being selected to participate in this wonderful opportunity. I am grateful to the University of Missouri-Columbia and the Missouri Department of Conservation for all that I learned about conservation and helping to shape my future career,” she stated.

Conservation Honors Program participants receive academic training and field experience in forest, fish and wildlife management, nature interpretation, outdoor skills and public speaking. Soil sampling, setting mammal traps and assisting with a plant diversity inventory are among the activities in which students participated during this year’s program that took place last month.

In addition, reading sections of Aldo Leopold’s “A Sand County Almanac” and writing reflection journal entries allowed students to make connections between their experiences and the concepts related to conservation of natural resources.

The Conservation Honors Program is offered by the Missouri Department of Conservation in cooperation with the University of Missouri. Students are selected for the program based on scholastic achievement, recommendations and interest in conservation. Student applications must be high school juniors, Missouri residents and must have taken a national college entrance exam and submit test scores.