My name is Benjamin Morton, I am a student at MiraCosta college and an employee at Armstrong Garden Centers in Del Mar. My educational goal is to obtain a B.S. in Plant Sciences, and I see myself working either in integrated pest management or botanical research in the future. Some of the most enjoyable things along this road to education have been restarting a community garden at the elementary school I attended, beginning to learn about coffee farming from a local coffee grower in Fallbrook, and the smiles on peoples' faces when I get to teach them something new about the way plants work. In my free time I enjoy surfing, hiking, playing with my plants, and playing music. I'm very grateful for this scholarship and I appreciate everyone who made it possible

Update by Benji in July 2026 - I wanted to share some exciting news with you, I got accepted to Cal Poly’s Plant Sciences program for Fall 2026, and I will be moving up there in a couple of weeks!