Ojai and Newbury Park High School Seniors Win 2022 COSF Scholarships
Two Ventura County high school seniors, Alessandra Lucchesi of Nordhoff High School in Ojai, and Molly McNulty of Newbury Park High School, are the second set of recipients of Conejo Open Space Foundation scholarships. The $1,000 annual scholarships support students pursuing environmental-studies-related majors at two- or four-year colleges or universities for an award of as much as $4,000 in total, The application includes a 500-word essay detailing the applicant’s reasons for pursuing a career in environmental studies. The scholarships are awarded by a five-person panel that includes two COSF board members, two environmentalists, and an educator.
Alessandra Lucchesi
Alessandra Lucchesi of Nordhoff High School has made a huge difference over the past three years at the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy native plant nursery, first as a volunteer and then as a paid restoration intern. Lucchesi plans a career in botany and wrote in her essay, “I believe my ecological perspective, experience in conserving ecosystems, practical tenacity, and absolute love for sustaining the environment will be vital for all my endeavors.”
Molly McNulty
Molly McNulty has already distinguished herself with a Girl Scout Gold Award Project that educated her community on the harmful effects of rodenticide on wildlife. Her hands-on efforts included installing an owl box at her local elementary school, which housed a nesting pair of the raptors. She also developed and taught a 5th grade class on rodenticides. “Benefitting my community and putting my idea into action made me even more passionate about our environment and committed to making a change,” McNulty wrote in her essay.
Last year’s recipients, Naomi Lin and Daniel Conway, both graduates of Oak Park High School, are working toward degrees at UCLA and UC Berkeley respectively.
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