The Garden Club of the Eastern Shore (GCES) awards an annual merit-based scholarship to a graduating senior who attends school in Talbot County or who is home schooled. The award is given to a senior who expects to major in horticulture, landscape architecture or design, botany, environmental science, agriculture or a related field in college. Outstanding academic achievement along with volunteer or work experience, which shows a strong work ethic and a commitment to excellence, are considered.
The scholarship committee received 11 applications this year and, after interviewing 5 outstanding students, is happy to announce that the winner of a $6,000 scholarship is Easton High School graduating senior Allyson Mueller. Allyson was interviewed by four of the scholarship committee members and they were struck by her focus and dedication to studying marine life, especially with concerns in protecting sharks.
According to her former Agriscience teacher, Ernest Burns, “Ally is the consummate student. She settles for nothing but top grades and works tirelessly to achieve them. She posses the entire package of brains, hard work, and character that we all admire.”
Photo: GCES members Lin Clineburg (left) and Maury Schneider were excited to present the $6,000 merit scholarship to Easton High School graduate Allyson Mueller, who will be studying Marine Biology at UNCW in the fall.
Ally will be attending the University of North Carolina, Wilmington in the fall as part of the Marine Biology program. She mentions that growing up on the Eastern Shore in a family involved in agriculture, she has always been interested in the Chesapeake Bay and the environment. Ally hopes to find new and effective ways for the fishing industry to continue their practices while removing the damaging effects on sharks and many marine species. Her end goal is to obtain a master’s degree and work on a research boat tracking shark populations, migration patterns, and behavior.
Allyson has been an intern at Phillips Wharf Environmental Center and will continue to work there this summer as an employee studying the growth of oyster spat in different locations on the Bay, and she will assist in the running of the Fishmobile Program taking the bus to many locations in the area and sharing information about marine life. Ally says, “A big goal of mine is to be able to speak on an episode of Shark Week!”
The Garden Club of the Eastern Shore feels certain that Allyson will achieve all of her goals and is pleased to award this year’s scholarship to her.
For more information or to make a contribution to the Garden Club of the Eastern Shore scholarship fund, write to GCES, P.O. Box 1924, Easton, MD, 21601.
Last week, we asked you about a gall produced by the wool sower gall wasp (Callirhytis seminator). A gall is an abnormal growth of the plant tissue usually due either to insects, viruses or fungi. In this case, the wool sower gall wasp lays its eggs in the plant tissue of the white oak tree and the larvae give off secretions that cause the “gall” to form. Within the gall, the larvae are protected and able to develop. This wasp is tiny (only about 1/8″ long) and does not sting humans. Interestingly, they operate on a two-generation alternating cycle, switching back and forth between laying their eggs in the stems and the leaves of white oaks.
Adkins Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum. For more information go 
Last week, we asked you about the jumping spider (Phidippus sp). This jumping spider is likely a canopy jumping spider (Phidippus otiosus), though its behavior and location was more consistent with that of a bold jumping spider (Phidippus audax), so we get to learn about both! Both have iridescent pincer-like claws called chelicerae. Jumping spiders have highly evolved stereoscopic vision and are excellent hunters. The canopy jumping spider is often found in trees and positions its eggs in the bark of oak and pine trees. The bold jumping spider is known for being, well, bold and is commonly found. Bold jumping spiders are usually black with a characteristic white triangle on its abdomen. This particular jumping spider was hanging out in our workshop and was extremely friendly/inquisitive. It had iridescent green chelicerae and did not have the characteristic triangle of the bold jumping spider on its abdomen. So, say hello to a very friendly canopy jumping spider.
Adkins Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum. For more information go