2023 Scholarship Winners
The Vegetarian Resource Group Awarded $30,000 in 2023 College Scholarships
Coda Spier - Utah
$10,000 VRG Scholarship Winner
When I'm at school my friends notice I eat no meat and they ask if I'm vegetarian. I tell them "Yes! Vegan actually." They seem surprised. I'm six foot six, a healthy, high-level dancer and weightlifter who is fit and almost never sick. "How could HE be vegan? Aren't vegans pale and sickly?" they probably think, and, in that way, I promote veganism at my school by being me.
At my high school I have encouraged my Culinary Arts Class and Food Science class to include vegan recipes as well as consider vegan nutrition. We made a vegan tomato soup that was amazing. I was voted into the position of Sous Chef in the French Club I'm in, so of course we explore French vegan food. My dream is to become a vegan chef. I'm still pinching myself that I've enrolled in and been accepted to the Plant-Based Cuisine Program at Escoffier Culinary College in Colorado.
I believe the very best way I promote plant-based living outside of school is volunteering with UARC (Utah Animal Rights Coalition) at the Volunteers of America Homeless Youth Resource Center! I put my vegan caring into action by cooking and serving 50-60 kids experiencing homelessness nourishing, tasty vegan meals. I've even been Lead Volunteer where I make a menu, shop for ingredients, and direct six other volunteers on how to cook the meal. I did Mac-n-Cheez, BBQ Beanie Weenies, corn, coleslaw, and rolls. This weekend will be extra fun because I asked a local vegan bakery if they'd donate a big birthday-like sheet cake because I don't think these kids get to celebrate birthdays much.
I'm part Native American on my mom's side, and she got me into archery. I made it all the way to the National Championships, and it's funny because many folks in the archery world are into hunting and here's this tall vegan kid with long black hair nailing bullseyes. I was voted best camp counselor at my YMCA job three times, and the kids are fascinated by my height. They always ask how they can be so big and strong, and I tell them, "Vegan food!" Speaking of the YMCA, I encouraged the kitchen to serve more vegan foods. To this day they have a tofu scramble breakfast burrito that is delicious. The reason why I'm still vegan is that I genuinely love animals, especially pigs, and it hurts me to have them suffer and be killed when they just don't need to be. After culinary college I plan to study business at Westminster College in Utah. My plan is to work in the restaurant industry to put myself through a 4-year university.
Jazz Miles - Virginia
$5,000 VRG Scholarship Winner
For as long as I can remember, I have been incredibly passionate about being a vegetarian and spreading information on vegetarianism because it benefits me, fellow humans, and the Earth. At a very young age, I combined this interest with gardening as a way to positively impact my inner circle and broader community.
I started my first vegetable and herb garden when I was in preschool, and I have been in love with growing my own food since. I helped set up garden beds, plant vegetables, gather compost, and label plants. I also wrote in my school's newsletter about the vegetarian food I eat and the things I garden. Additionally, I volunteered with the school's edible forest, which has many Virginia native fruit trees.
My influence on Ruby Scoops Ice Creams and Sweets led to their offering vegan options. The popular shop is now one of the top 10 vegan-friendly shops in Virginia. I went on to work there for two summers and helped the shop prepare to participate in the Richmond Vegan Festival.
Another way I have been able to create positive change is that I have been a member of my school system's Student Advisory Council for more than three years. I have constantly spoken up about the struggle of finding vegetarian options in the lunch line. This had led to improvements across the district.
When the pandemic hit during my freshman year, I was devastated. Being able to help others start their gardening journey is a passion of mine, and not being able to connect with people on that level hurts. Then, my mother and I discussed challenges we encountered being Black and vegetarian. We frequently experience people questioning the validity of our vegetarian lifestyle because we're Black. People constantly say rude and racist things to us since they seem to believe Black people are not traditionally vegetarian. With this in mind, over the pandemic my mother and I started a Richmond-based, Black gardening group on Facebook. The RVA Black Garden Community is a place where Black gardeners, Black farmers, and most importantly Black vegetarians, connect. In the Facebook group, which has more than 600 members, we provide vegetarian recipes, gardening tips, community resources, and information on local farmer's markets.
In five years, I hope to pursue a career in music composition. My goal is to score films and documentaries that spread more information about the benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle.
Elaina Simonsen - Texas
$5,000 VRG Scholarship Winner
During AP European History 4th period, after hearing a particularly morbid way to kill a bird, my classmate says, "This is why I am vegetarian," and I respond, "Me, too." Her face brightens at my response, and she asks me a question I will never forget, "Do you want to help me start a club?" The McKinney High School Vegetarian Club is in its third year running and has connected dozens of people around the school to the vegetarian diet. The average club membership has doubled since I became President my senior year. Through our plant-based chicken nugget taste test and delivering our prepared food to teachers, we have gotten a variety of people not involved in the diet to try vegetarian foods.
Being a member of the Vegetarian Club also enabled me to work on founding a Community Garden that provides fresh foods to people around my community. The Community Garden partners with food banks to distribute food and with the Vegetarian Club to cook the food. The Community Garden is organic and represents sustainability in food growth.
Throughout all the work I have put into expanding the knowledge of sustainable eating and vegetarianism, there have been trials and tribulations, including the need for grants to start the community garden\u2026 The generosity of the people in my community allowed us to reach our goal. With the money raised we could start planting; however, another challenge arose. The scalding heat of the Texas sun wouldn't permit us to plant. We persevered and used mulch and coverings to prevent the burning of the plants. In the end a beautiful garden was able to yield food in its first growing season. I learned that, with the help of the people in my community, change will occur. We donated cabbage and radishes to the food bank last winter, which were used by low-income students and families of our high school.
My goals for the future include a bachelor's degree in environmental science and then law school for a Juris Doctorate. With these degrees I can work as an environmental attorney, helping to protect the planet.
Kacey Fifield - California
$5,000 VRG Scholarship Winner
Kacey's activities have included Ambassador for the Factory Farming Awareness Coalition, Youth Leadership Council Member/Senior Editor for Farm Sanctuary, and Operation Lead for The Raven Corps (youth-led vegan group). Kacey wrote: My perspective on the food system shifted entirely the day I visited Farm Sanctuary (at nine years old) and learned the truth about the cruel practice of factory farming.
Thus marked the start of my journey as an activist.
I host monthly college student discussion groups to explore diverse perspectives on factory farming for audiences of more than 800 people, publish advocacy and research articles about issues related to the food system - such as zoonotic diseases and agricultural conglomeration - and present about different aspects of advocacy at workshops for hundreds of other activists.
At my school, I've met with district officials to advocate for increased plant-based options and have handed out oat milk with informational packets as part of an anti-factory farming day of action. A pivotal moment in my advocacy was last summer, when I successfully organized a meeting with the Congressional offices of Representatives Ocasio-Cortez and Schiff to discuss legislation that would expand plant-based options in schools. After speaking with me, both representatives ended up cosponsoring the bill! Seeing the impact of policy processes firsthand showed me the importance of the political systems within our nation's government.
Receiving The Vegetarian Resource Group scholarship will help me pay for a college education centered around policymaking and sustainability within the food system. It will allow me to continue the activist work I've been so passionately devoted to for the past nine years and expand my resources for plant-based advocacy. I hope to work in the legislative field and specialize in policy related to animal rights and sustainability.
Angelina Schapiro - California
$5,000 VRG Scholarship Winner
Rice, black beans, onion, red pepper, and cilantro. These are the ingredients of gallo pinto, a vegan recipe passed down to me from my mother, my grandmother, and many generations before them. Food heritage is meaningful to me: I see it as cultural preservation. From the seeds to our plates, food is more than just fuel. It's a cultural pursuit rooted in know-how, transmitted from generation to generation. Food connects us to our ancestors' stories and knowledge. To me, plant-based living strengthens my identity, reinforcing the strings that tether me to my past, my loved ones, and my legacy, despite time and distance.
I grew up on home-cooked traditional Costa Rican foods - with a plant-based twist. First made by my grandmother back in Heredia. Then by my mom in the United States. Our kitchen becomes a classroom when my mother cooks. I inherited my love for plant-based living from my mother and grandparents: descendants of farmers in Costa Rica. No one in my family went to college. Still, they taught me the power of plants and the multidimensional environmental impact on us and the planet.
I decided to go vegan when I was 13 years old after learning about the devastating impact of animal agriculture on the environment, our health, and the ethical concerns surrounding animal welfare. When I started high school, I founded a plant-based club. During the last four years, at our meetings, we exchanged books, volunteered at local farms, and attended virtual panels with speakers examining the impact of plant-based diets.
In 2019 I founded GreenMealsProject.org that provides plant-based breakfasts to people experiencing hunger in my hometown. I coordinate a group of 18 volunteers from my school, family, and neighborhoods. In the last three years, we volunteered 1,200 hours, donated 7,000 pounds of food, and raised $12,000.
We distribute the plant-based breakfasts on Wednesdays before school starts. We've partnered with Trinity Center, a daytime shelter in Walnut Creek, California, to ensure direct access to help the people who benefit from our program the most.
Last summer, I applied for an internship to develop plant-based seafood alternatives at Current Foods. As an intern, I practiced texture profile analysis and chemical tests. I help create plant-based seafood to help minimize the effect of dietary greenhouse gas emissions.
This fall, I'll attend Stanford University. While this scholarship will lessen the financial burden of my college education, it would be an honor to represent a scholarship and organization whose values align with my morals and lifestyle. I aspire to explore alternative protein classes, study Sustainable Food Systems, and research the future of agriculture at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability. But ultimately, I want to be a global citizen who recognizes and respects the cultural diversity and ethical values of others while helping sustain and regenerate the environment through the power of food.
