30 Jun 2020 FCS Scholarship Recipient
Lizzie Soule, Freeport High School 2020 Freeport Community Services Scholarship Recipient
Elizabeth I. Soule (Lizzie) of Pownal has been named the 2020 Recipient of the 2020 FCS Scholarship. The award is granted to a Freeport High School senior, from Freeport or Pownal, who has been involved in opportunities that benefit our community.
Ms. Soule’s FHS Senior Project was focused on helping address food insecurities in the community. She was part of a group of FHS seniors who raised chickens in order to donate the meat to both FCS’ Food Pantry and Portland’s Preble Street Soup Kitchen & Pantry. After crowd-sourcing funds in the community to purchase chicks, as well as their grain, and to pay for their ultimate processing, there were 82 chickens donated.
With leftover funds, Ms. Soule and her Senior Project team purchased additional groceries that they boxed to distribute to families and clients of FCS and Preble Street. Ever practical, she mused, “Our goal was to raise, donate, prepare, cook, and serve the chickens. Unfortunately, due to Covid-19, we were unable to do the preparation and serving. Putting the bags and boxes together and helping hand them out at Preble Street was great! It meant a lot to see how pleased people were – especially with our chicken! They were so happy to have this food to prepare for their families.”
Lizzie Soule, 2020 Freeport High School FCS Scholarship recipient
Two years ago Ms. Soule raised a lamb as part of her longtime involvement in 4-H through the Cumberland County Sheep Club. She donated that meat to the FCS Food Pantry. “I know food insecurity is real here. It’s a good feeling to know that the healthy food I’m providing is going to places where it’s truly needed.”
Community service has been a longtime focus. Her nine years in 4-H offered the opportunity to practice self-discipline, communication, and public speaking, as well as leadership as she mentored other 4-H members. Last year Ms. Soule received a 4-H Lamp of Knowledge Award for her complete portfolio and project record. She has volunteered for four years in the RSU-5 Unified Sports program as a teacher assistant, as well as supporting struggling fellow students through the SEEDS program.
Ms. Soule is the daughter of Anne and Wallace Soule of Pownal. She loves being part of the family farm and looks forward to studying this fall in the Pre-Veterinary Studies program at the University of New England. She hopes to become a large animal vet. In her scholarship application she wrote, “In the world, I hope to be a human that is kind, successful, and helpful to others.”