Garrett Hyneman is a 2025 Governor Mifflin graduate who is heading to Lehigh University this fall. “I will major in mechanical engineering, environment and sustainability, with an emphasis on green energy. I will be running division one cross-country as well. I received a half tuition trustees scholarship and an engineering scholarship of $10,000 per year from the Dearborn Foundation. I will be participating in a program to achieve my master’s degree in five years,” he explains. Looking back at his remarkable achievements leading up to his departure for college, Garrett seems destined to make his mark on the world.
In the wake of his years at high school, Garrett has impacted his home community of Shillington, and inspired fellow students to join him on an environmental mission. It is no surprise that he became environmentally aware at a young age, and attributes this to several people who have influenced him.
“I came to have these interests due to my involvement in scouting, and my parents encouragement. My mother Britta is a horticulturist and an art teacher for k-4 in the Exeter School District, and my father was involved in scouting with me and is also an elementary school teacher in the Governor Mifflin School District. My parents were responsible for helping to establish the Shillington Tree Advisory Committee. Their example helped me to keep my focus and aligned my values for how I wanted to help the environment. I also want to give a shout out to my second-grade teacher, Jane Marie McKay, who always had nature-related things in her classroom like box turtles and sea shells. Her classroom had an impact on my love of nature and my desire to help the environment.”
Garrett’s Eagle Scout project, in 2022, was a tree planting project in conjunction with the Shillington Tree Advisory Committee. He selected a visible, well-travelled street in the borough as his focus. “I wanted to keep the project close to home, so I spoke with 80 homeowners on Waverly Street. I emphasized how the trees would positively impact their property, and I received some push-back but I wanted to do a project that I could expand upon in the future. I worked with the borough arborist to use the nursery that they used for STAC plantings, coordinated members of the scout troop, community members and peers to help plant, and borough employees to pick up the trees and pre-dig the holes. After the planting, I distributed tree care information sheets to the homeowners. I was awarded the Eagle scout award for managing the project from start to finish. A thank you went out to the Shillington Tree Advisory Committee for providing funds for the project. I spent 24 hours on the planning and execution stages, and the planting of 18 trees took place on June 4th 2022.”
Garrett was inspired to continue his tree planting efforts in Shillington. “The Governor Mifflin Memorial Arboretum was inspired by my Eagle Scout project. The school had cut down a lot of trees for a renovation project. I originally wanted to fill those holes and beautify the campus, then it gradually morphed into trees planted in honor of people which were covered by donations. Phase 1 included the planting of 23 trees on the Governor Mifflin High School and Middle School campuses. Phase 2 was completed in May 2025 on the Cumru Campus. It was an opportunity for community members to come together for a common cause and make our local environment healthier. Students from Key Club and Environmental Club, Future Business Leaders of America, and National Honor Society, came together and planted approximately 48 trees. The ground operations department of Mifflin played a large part. The project will provide educational hands-on experience for students in the future.”
Garrett’s future goals are fully aligned with his passion for the environment. “I want to positively impact society as a whole. I can do that working in green energy. I am also interested in government and creating my own company, giving back through education, and giving back through teaching. While I am on campus I plan to establish an internship at the college and perform research with my professors related to my field.”
With a resume already laden with environmental projects, initiatives and leadership roles, including as President of his High School Environmental Club and member of the Youth Advisory Board of the Berks County Community Foundation, Garrett has participated in many environmental projects and clean-ups. He is currently helping to create a bill for a state-wide ban on single use plastic bags.
“We presented our bill in Harrisburg, and they were very supportive; we have seven co-sponsors. We want to put it across as a bi-partisan bill, and there are so many examples to follow. People see student advocates and get very excited. We as humans can be hesitant to change, but we need to keep taking positive steps.”