LEAF (Landscape Educational Advancement Foundation)
2009 Leaf Scholarship Winners
This year, CLCA has named 17 outstanding students as recipients of their annual LEAF scholarships. CLCA has been giving the annual awards since the organization was founded in 1952. Funded through its (LEAF) Landscape Educational Advancement Foundation, students pursuing degrees in horticulture at California's community colleges and four-year universities are eligible to apply. These students have displayed exemplary academic achievements, and CLCA is proud to help them in their pursuit of careers in the green industry.
- Fernando Bedolla of San Diego, the recipient of the San Diego Chapter scholarship, is working towards his associate's degree in landscape architecture at Southwestern College in Chula Vista and expects to graduate in 2011. He plans to transfer to Cal Poly to earn his bachelor's degree. Bedolla is presently working as an intern groundskeeper on the Southwestern College campus.
- Nicholas Chloupek of San Jose is the winner of the Associate Member Organization Scholarship, the Redwood Landscaping Scholarship, the John Redmond Memorial Scholarship and the Soto/Head Memorial Scholarship. He also received an award from CLCA's Women's Auxiliary. Chloupek is pursuing a bachelor's of science degree in Environmental Horticulture Science, with a concentration in landscape design and contracting, and expects to graduate from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, in December 2009. His future plans include working as a landscape designer at a design/build firm. He also intends to earn his C-27 license and ultimately establish a landscape design and build firm. Chloupek is currently working on landscape installations in the San Luis Obispo area.
- Brian Corcoran of Chico, who graduated from Butte College in Oroville this year with an associate's degree in Environmental Horticulture, is now pursuing his bachelor's of science degree in horticulture at California State University, Chico. He expects to earn his degree in June 2011. Corcoran was awarded the North Valley Chapter, the Sacramento Chapter, the Sigrid Raeth and the San Francisco Bay Area East Chapter scholarships. He currently works as a groundskeeper at Chico State under a federal work/study program. Recently he headed up a volunteer effort to establish an income project for the horticulture department that includes a 3-acre citrus and stone fruit orchard on the campus.
- Emily Duyst of Hanford, a student at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, is pursuing a bachelor's of science degree in Environmental Horticulture Science with an emphasis in landscape horticulture. The recipient of the Robert Kaplanek Memorial Scholarship and the John Brauns Memorial Scholarship, Duyst expects to earn her degree in June 2010. She currently works at Hofmans' Nursery in Hanford. Her future plans include earning her C-27 license and starting her own business and/or pursing design opportunities at a nursery or design/build firm.
- Joel Grogan of Santa Rosa is currently working on his associate's degree in horticulture at Santa Rosa Junior College. He expects to graduate in spring 2010, apply to UC Berkeley and ultimately earn his master's degree in landscape architecture. Grogan is the recipient of the North Coast Chapter Scholarship and the Bud Fellenberg Memorial Scholarship. His future plans include earning his C-27 contractor's license and pursuing landscape architecture opportunities at a design/build firm. Grogan presently works as an intern for the city of Santa Rosa's Water Conservation Department.
- Casey Jo Howard of Buellton has been awarded the Hi Kellogg Memorial Scholarship. A student at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, Howard is pursuing her bachelor's of science degree in Environmental Horticulture Science and expects to graduate in 2012. Her future plans include a career in sustainable agriculture and/or organic farming. She is currently working as a landscape maintenance assistant at an outdoor wedding venue in Pasa Robles.
- Cynthia Kono of Harbor City is the recipient of the Los Angeles Chapter Scholarship. A student at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, Kono expects to receive her BS degree in Environmental Horticulture Science, with a concentration in landscape design, in 2012. She plans to pursue a career as a landscape designer in addition to earning her C-27 license. Kono presently helps care for the Mediterranean garden at the Leaning Pine Arboretum on the Cal Poly, SLO, campus.
- Jeannette Rapicavoli of Clayton is the recipient of the Tom Blosl Memorial Scholarship. A student at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, Rapicavoli is pursuing her bachelor's degree in Environmental Horticultural Science, with a minor in soil science. She expects to graduate in 2012.
- Evan Rathje of Corona, a student at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, has been awarded the Stuart Sperber Memorial Fund Scholarship, the Ron Heaviland Memorial Scholarship, and the Joy and Warren Thurston Memorial Scholarship. In addition, he is a recipient of an award from CLCA's Women's Auxiliary. Rathje expects to receive his bachelor's of science degree in Environmental Horticulture Science, with a concentration in plant protection science, in the spring of 2010. His future plans include earning his C-27 license, ultimately establishing a business specializing in sustainable landscape installation and irrigation.
- Erica Lynn Guido of Stockton has been awarded the Ben Slade Memorial Scholarship. She is a student at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.
- Jeffrey Hillman of Fullerton is the recipient of scholarships from the Orange County Chapter and the San Fernando Valley Chapter. He was also awarded the Jere Driscoll Memorial Scholarship. Hillman is a student at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.
- Angela Magdaleno of Salinas has been awarded the Elizabeth Lloyd Davis Scholarship. Magdaleno is a student at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Julia Pollex of Mountain View has received scholarship awards from CLCA's Women's Auxiliary and from the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter. In addition, she is the recipient of the John Lyngso Honorarium Fund, the Herb Frank Memorial, the Bill Hayes Memorial, the Ken Jenner Memorial, the George Kunimoto Memorial Fund, the Edron Schneider Memorial and the Hans Biland Memorial scholarships. Pollex is a student at the University of California, Davis.
- Marvin Seaman of Milton, Vermont, a student at Cal Poly, Pomona, is the recipient of the Walt Young Memorial Scholarship.
- Max Sheehan of San Jose is the recipient of a Special LEAF scholarship. He is a student at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Christopher Shogren of San Jacinto has received the Inland Empire Chapter Scholarship and the Paul Shogren Memorial Scholarship, in addition to an award from CLCA's Women's Auxiliary. He is a student at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.
- Abigail Whittaker of Butte Valley is the recipient of the Tom Takehara Memorial Scholarship, the Tom Yanase Pacific Coast Chapter Scholarship and the Tom Matsuoka Memorial Scholarship. Whittaker is a student at Butte College.