Shorecrest graduate awarded $5000 Vegetarian Scholarship

Shorecrest grad Kitty Jones wins $5,000 scholarship

The Vegetarian Resource Group is proud to award Kyana 'Kitty' Jones, a 2012 graduate of Shorecrest High School, a $5000 scholarship for her outstanding dedication to vegetarian activism. Kitty's exceptional commitment to promoting vegetarianism can be seen through the work she has done in her high school and community.

Kitty is an activist every day of her life, because, according to her, “animal and environmental rights are what my life is based around.” From passing out vegan samples in a cow suit at the local farmers market, leading a vegan bake sale at her school, handing out vegan starter packs, preparing for vegan outreach events, to leafleting to the general public, Kitty keeps herself busy with vegetarian grassroots activism. Kitty has educated countless individuals about the benefits of a vegetarian diet through hosting animal rights film screenings, dedicating many hours to volunteering, urging her school to collect more vegetarian products for the food drive, passing out recipes, collecting and distributing vegetarian food to the homeless, hosting fund-raisers, and campaigning for a district wide Meatless Monday school menu. Kitty's unyielding commitment to making the world a better place is remarkably inspiring.

Kitty has introduced compassionate eating choices to her classmates by holding vegan potlucks, passing out vegan samples with pamphlets attached, taking friends out to vegan restaurants, and inviting animal rights speakers to give presentations at her school. Kitty is founder and president of her high school's animal rights club and conducts outreach with the Seattle Animal Defense League, Northwest Animal Rights Network, Action for Animals, and The Humane Society. As campaign intern for The Humane Society, Kitty gathered over 10,000 signatures during the summer of 2011, more than any other volunteer in the history of that organization's initiative campaigns. Additionally, Kitty started a “Housecleaning for the Greater Good” business in which all proceeds are donated to animal rights organizations.

Kitty plans to pursue environmental science so she may protect the rainforest and work to alleviate the unsustainable and environmentally degrading effects of factory farming and animal agriculture. Veganism is a critical aspect of Kitty's life; in order for her to live happily, she feels she must do all she can to encourage others to take social responsibility and put the lives of others and the health of the environment before their own personal pleasures. An unstoppable catalyst for the animal rights, vegetarian, and environmental movements, Kitty's impeccable perseverance, dedication, and enthusiasm will undoubtedly promote change for the better.

A vegetarian does not eat meat, fish, or fowl. A vegan is a vegetarian who does not use other animal products such as eggs and dairy. For more information on a vegetarian diet, visit The Vegetarian Resource Group, write to The Vegetarian Resource Group, PO Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203, or call 410-366-8343. The Vegetarian Resource Group is a national non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public about vegetarianism. VRG publishes the quarterly Vegetarian Journal, and sponsors two annual $5,000 scholarships for graduating high school seniors who have promoted vegetarianism in their communities. Information on the scholarship.