For the fourth year in a row, Protect Geauga Parks has awarded three $1,000 Bob McCullough Memorial Conservation Scholarships to three students who are graduating from high school this year and plan to study natural or environmental sciences.
For the fourth year in a row, Protect Geauga Parks has awarded three $1,000 Bob McCullough Memorial Conservation Scholarships to three students who are graduating from high school this year and plan to study natural or environmental sciences.
With the support from the Foundation for Geauga Parks and individual donors, the PGP awards have been given to Kegan Sheely, of Kenston High School, Alexa Busby, of Kenston High School, and Ryan McMullen, of Hawken.
“We believe these scholarship awards will encourage a conservation ethic that can last a lifetime,” said PGP Trustee Dave Partington in a statement.
Bob McCulloch was the longest serving park commissioner and was one of Geauga County’s most renowned and respected science teachers, he said.
“We are pleased that the McCullough family has granted us permission to name these scholarships in his honor,” Partington said.
According to PGP, these three students won their scholarships for the following reasons:
Kegan Sheely
Kegan is a Kenston High School student who is interested in math and science.
His high school accomplishments “are impressive” and will serve him well for his future career plan, which is to become a high school science teacher. Kegan is an Eagle Scout and does volunteer work in wetlands preservation. One of his projects includes making and maintaining Wood Duck nesting boxes. These ducks are declining species in Ohio.
He has served on the Ohio Conservation Team Advisory Committee, a statewide organization which works to increase awareness of the need for conservation
Alexa Busby
Alexa attends Kenston High School where she is the president of the Kenston High School Envirothon Club. She is completing substantial course work in the environmental sciences. She is an advanced placement scholar for both 2019 and 2020. She has worked to improve and expand the recycling program at Kenston High School.
She is a small business entrepreneur, manufacturing bracelets that she sells and donates the profits to conservation groups. She aspires to study for a degree in biology or environmental sciences.
She has earned the President’s Volunteer Service Award each year of high school.
Ryan McMullen
Ryan is a senior at Hawken School, where he participated in an extra-curricular STEM summer science program studying fish migration. He coordinated this study in partnership with Chagrin River Watershed Partners and World Wildlife Federation doing stream restoration and dam removal in the upper Chagrin River watershed. As part of this research project, he learned to use satellite topography mapping to gather data.
Hawken School was impressed with his interest in diversity and sponsored his attendance at a conference at the University of Chicago devoted to encouraging freedom of expression and discourse in high schools. As a vegetarian, he worked to implemented meatless Mondays and a recycling and a composting program for uneaten food, among other projects. Ryan intends to study environmental science at college.
