2025 INDIAN PONDS ASSOCIATION AWARDS SCHOLARSHIPS
The Indian Ponds Association has awarded its 2025 scholarships of $1,500 each to Matthew Desruisseaux of Cotuit and William Penni from Barnstable Village. The Edward Schwarm memorial scholarship will be bestowed to Matt, a senior at Pope John Paul II High School, who will be attending the University of Maine at Orono, while Will , a senior at Barnstable High School, earned the Emory & Geri Anderson scholarship, and will matriculate at UConn. Both Matt and Will earned high praise from their Environmental Science teachers.​
Matthew Desruisseaux
William Penni
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At JPII, Matthew Desruisseaux was a member of the National Honor Society, a member of the ice hockey team, volunteered with the Family Table Collaborative and served as a leader of the Campus Ministry and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Matt is an avid outdoorsman, who has enjoyed fishing in all three Indian Ponds. Having seen cyanobacteria firsthand at Lovell’s Pond has been a motivation for him to protect the environment. He plans to study wildlife ecology and become a state or federal conservation officer in New England.
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At BHS, Will Penni was a member of the National Honor Society, Class Treasurer, served on the Youth Climate Leadership Committee and performed with the Jazz and Symphonic Bands. He has a passion for the outdoors, and has treasured his time at Mystic Lake, visiting his grandmother at her home nearby. He was an intern with the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce’s Blue Economy Foundation and learned about cyanobacteria blooms from the APCC. Motivated to be in the environmental justice field, he would like to return to the Cape to combat improper and unsustainable land development and protect at-risk species.
​Indian Ponds Association offers two scholarships, the first established in memory of Edward Schwarm, and a second inhonor of Emory and Geri Anderson so their environmental legacy could be honored and remembered. Their remarkablecontributions to the mission of the Indian Ponds Association and dedication to the health of our three ponds havebenefited all who live around the lakes.These scholarships continue to remind new generations that problems, no matter how difficult and daunting, can besolved in a cooperative, meaningful way. May the recipients of these awards live their lives as impactful as those ofEdward Schwarm, Emory Anderson and Geri Anderson.Winners are selected on the basis of their interest in environmental science, academic achievements, extra-curricularactivities, and community service. Each recipient receives their $1500 award at the annual IPA meeting in July. We thank the generous donors who have contributed to the scholarship fund.
IPA Scholarships
EMORY & GERI ANDERSON SCHOLARSHIP -
established in 2022
​Emory and Geri spent decades working on educating pond residents about the science behind the water quality of our three ponds. In 2001, Emery led the charge to stop the proposed dropping of the level of Middle Pond by 1.6 feet for the herring run. Geri took on the role of editor for the Indian Pond Newsletter, Vol. 1 No. 1 which she continued for another 10 years. Emory served on the IPA board for 12 years and as President for 10 of those years. Emory and Geri were active advocates and participants in many lake and pond projects. Including a three-year collaborative study of the three Indian Ponds with the Cape Cod Commission and the Town of Barnstable, the first alum treatment in Mystic Lake, and removal of the invasive species loosestrife and gray willow. Emory has authored numerous letters and testified at hearings with the Town Council and Conservation Commission regarding both the need for an alum treatment on Mystic Lake and the IPA’s concerns over the dangers of helical piles as a foundation for temporary docks.
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In 2018, Emory took on the responsibility of testing the water in Mystic Lake and Middle Pond. This testing happens every two weeks from May to October and will continue, in Emory’s words: “As long as I am able.” The accumulation of this data is critical to the understanding of the current conditions of the ponds and highlights any significant changes in those conditions.
RECENT IPA SCHOLARSHIP AWARD RECIPIENTS
