DEBBIE WRIGHT SCHOLARSHIP AWARD RECIPIENT
2026 April Tang
2026 April Tang
For over 60 years, the Carlisle Garden Club has awarded the Debbie Wright Scholarship to support the college education of a Carlisle resident. This year’s recipient is April Tang, a graduate of Concord-Carlisle High School. This fall, April will attend Williams College, where she plans to pursue a degree in Geological Sciences or Environmental Studies.
April’s commitment to the environment began with a simple but meaningful observation: a chickadee in her front yard. Her curiosity about its behavior led her to study birds, which in turn deepened her understanding of the natural world and the importance of protecting it. Through this journey, she came to see that climate change, pollution, and deforestation are not distant concerns, but issues that directly affect the world around her.
April has translated this knowledge into action as President of the Green Team at Concord- Carlisle High School. This student-led environmental club promotes awareness, appreciation, and stewardship of the natural world through initiatives both within the school and the broader community. At the school, the team worked to improve the composting system through research and feedback and established and maintained two pollinator gardens on campus. Their community outreach included visiting local farms and elementary schools to teach about the importance of native plants in healthy ecosystems, as well as helping children and adults plant seeds to take home. April also contributed to a project to bring a pollinator garden to the Gleason Library.
To share the Green Team’s accomplishments, April presented at the Middlesex Green Summit alongside students, educators, and professionals, and she participated in the Governor’s Youth Climate Council. In addition, she took part in a RISE summer internship, where she analyzed data related to the conservation of coral reefs. What began as a simple fascination with a backyard chickadee has grown into a clear sense of purpose: to address climate and ecological challenges through research, activism, and education.
During high school, April was also deeply involved in a range of extracurricular activities. She served as captain of the varsity volleyball team, coached Gators Club Volleyball (U13) and STAR Camps Volleyball, and held leadership roles as President of the Girls Up Club and she was elected Class Government Secretary.
April’s references are exceptionally strong. Her teachers and advisors described her as passionate about the environment, native ecology, and the world around her. They noted her positive disposition, collaborative spirit, and her ability to enhance any community she joins. She comes highly recommended.
For information on our 2025 recipient, Ranai Shah, click here.
April’s commitment to the environment began with a simple but meaningful observation: a chickadee in her front yard. Her curiosity about its behavior led her to study birds, which in turn deepened her understanding of the natural world and the importance of protecting it. Through this journey, she came to see that climate change, pollution, and deforestation are not distant concerns, but issues that directly affect the world around her.
April has translated this knowledge into action as President of the Green Team at Concord- Carlisle High School. This student-led environmental club promotes awareness, appreciation, and stewardship of the natural world through initiatives both within the school and the broader community. At the school, the team worked to improve the composting system through research and feedback and established and maintained two pollinator gardens on campus. Their community outreach included visiting local farms and elementary schools to teach about the importance of native plants in healthy ecosystems, as well as helping children and adults plant seeds to take home. April also contributed to a project to bring a pollinator garden to the Gleason Library.
To share the Green Team’s accomplishments, April presented at the Middlesex Green Summit alongside students, educators, and professionals, and she participated in the Governor’s Youth Climate Council. In addition, she took part in a RISE summer internship, where she analyzed data related to the conservation of coral reefs. What began as a simple fascination with a backyard chickadee has grown into a clear sense of purpose: to address climate and ecological challenges through research, activism, and education.
During high school, April was also deeply involved in a range of extracurricular activities. She served as captain of the varsity volleyball team, coached Gators Club Volleyball (U13) and STAR Camps Volleyball, and held leadership roles as President of the Girls Up Club and she was elected Class Government Secretary.
April’s references are exceptionally strong. Her teachers and advisors described her as passionate about the environment, native ecology, and the world around her. They noted her positive disposition, collaborative spirit, and her ability to enhance any community she joins. She comes highly recommended.
For information on our 2025 recipient, Ranai Shah, click here.
