LEAF Awards 2026 Scholarships

Seeking to promote and support the future of the green industry, the Landscape Educational Advancement Foundation has awarded nine scholarships to deserving green industry students.

The nine scholarships total $$58,800.

In 2026, LEAF’s Scholarship Selection Committee reviewed 18 scholarship applications. Their selection criteria included career goals, outside activities, work experience, financial need, letters of recommendation and GPA in their major.

The scholarships — funded by donations from CLCA members and other green industry professionals — have a huge, positive impact.

“We welcome these students to the green industry and know that they will bring their unique talents, goals, creativity and passions to the future of our profession.”

Marianne Estournes, LEAF Scholarship Selection Committee Chair

The LEAF Scholarship Committee is honored to present our 2026 scholarship recipients.

Michael Barajas

Michael is attending Mt. San Antonio College. He is majoring in Horticulture Science and Landscape Construction, with a minor in Civil Engineering. He is presently employed with a landscape contractor. His goal is to obtain his C-27 license. He is also working on earning a Qualified Applicator License. He says he chose this field because he “has a passion for building things and working with my hands.” His long-term goal is to own and operate his own business and contribute to the landscape and construction industry.

Paul Crocker

Paul is attending Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, majoring in Agricultural Business with a minor in Fruit Science and Horticulture. He has participated in the National Collegiate Landscape Competition and works on campus in the Horticulture Unit. His exposure to “hands-on” projects has led him to wanting a future with a landscape contracting company utilizing his business degree and his technical skills. He is passionate about the industry and will find his future in the profession.

Madison Davenport

Madison is a junior majoring in Plant Science and Biology at Cal Poly, SLO. She also hopes to earn a Pest Control Adviser license. Her short-term goal is to be an account manager in a sustainable landscape company and, in 10 years, to own her own landscape company. She competed in the National Collegiate Landscape Competition, with an overall top 20 finish.

Cherise Hunt

Cherise, a third-time recipient, is transferring to Cal Poly, Pomona this year. Cherise’s goals have grown over the years. She is now majoring in Plant Science with the goal of becoming a plant pathologist. She has made good use of her time, focusing on sports and park turf management and Integrated Pest Management. Seeking to learn proper plant and landscape practices to limit invasive pests, she is also working toward certification as an arborist and a Qualified Applicator License.

Isaiah Lopez

Isaiah is a second-year recipient attending Bakersfield College, majoring in Ornamental Horticulture. He is skilled in CAD and is currently working for a CLCA contractor creating landscape and irrigation zone designs. He also works for a recreation district, where he is using CAD to create a digital database of the landscape and park area. His goal is to obtain a C-27 license. Isaiah lives with medical challenges in his life, but remains excited and motivated about his future, and he is appreciative of the assistance LEAF has given him.

Brittyn Menzer

Brittyn is attending Cuyamaca College, majoring in Ornamental Horticulture. She is currently employed on campus at the college nursery. Her goals are to finish her Associate of Arts degree and transfer to Cal Poly, SLO to study Environmental Management and Protection. She would like to become a landscape contractor with a focus on native plants. She has traveled the world and was inspired by the beauty in nature around the world and would like to bring that to the urban landscape.

Hannah Palmer

Hannah is a second-time recipient. She is attending Cal Poly, SLO and majoring in Plant Sciences. She is active in horticulture-related community activities and is employed at the Water Conservation Garden. Hannah would like to work as a horticulturist at a zoo, a botanical garden or a museum. Her goals remained the same from last year, and she speaks with such passion and certainty about her plans that she will make them come to fruition. She will be a good steward of public gardens needing a skilled horticulturist in service.

Maxine Peterson

Maxine received a scholarship last year and still is as committed to her education as she was then. She is a senior at Cal Poly, SLO, majoring in Landscape Architecture. She has spent time in France, Peru and in places in America and has gained an appreciation for the natural world, native ecosystems and how landscapes intersect with culture and social systems. She has worked in the field with a landscape contractor so understands the details of installation and maintenance firsthand. This makes her uniquely suited as a landscape architect to interface with a contractor in a meaningful way.

Joshua Schneider

Joshua is also a second-time recipient. In 2025, he spent a semester in Italy studying gardens and landscapes. He is still attending Cal Poly, SLO and continuing his major in Landscape Architecture with a minor in Theater. Josh is a well-rounded student with his own photography business and is forging a path to combine his passions into his career. He is working with The Nature Conservancy to redesign their headquarters, and he hopes to continue with conservation and restoration work. He will blend his photography skills, Landscape Architecture degree and his love of theater into a unique career.