Moorestown High School graduate Abigail Buss is this year’s recipient of the $1,000 Ellen Shiplee scholarship from the Moorestown Improvement Association.
She credits her family upbringing for teaching her the value of community service.
“I was raised in a household and community of faith where service was always put first,” she recalled. “My sisters and I were taught to be appreciative and grateful for what we have and to recognize not everyone is as fortunate.”
During her time in high school, Buss was a volunteer at the Perkins Center for the Arts and a co-founder and active supporter of the Live Civilly organization, a food pantry in town. As a member of Moorestown’s Crew, Buss volunteered to teach younger kids at Learn-to-Row camps.
She has also undertaken independent efforts to raise awareness and financial support for a variety of special causes.
“I love sewing and baking, so I began making pillows and baked goods to raise money for animal shelters,” Buss explained. “I began cycling and I chose to raise funds for children’s cancer research.”
Buss will attend the University of Delaware in the fall and pursue a STEM-related major so she can eventually concentrate her studies in either neuroscience or environmental science. She wants to find a way to build a career that combines her academic focus on science with her love of photography, travel and service.
