Makenna Anderson of St. Charles was one of two area students to receive a total of $7,000 in scholarships by the DuPage Foundation as part of the Paul D. Pierotti Memorial Scholarship Fund. The students were recognized by The Conservation Foundation at its Spring Membership and Awards Luncheon on June 4 at Seven Bridges Golf Club in Woodridge.

Applicants must have an interest in working in the environmental field and be associated with the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County or The Conservation Foundation. The scholarships are awarded to students from DuPage, Kane, Kendall or Will counties.

Makenna, 18, has been an animal care volunteer at the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County’s Willowbrook Wildlife Center in Glen Ellyn for nine years. She is a member of the National Honors Society. Makenna’s plans are to study marine biology, fresh water ecology, and environmental sciences.

The other scholarship was awarded to Joshua Cinnamon, 18 of Naperville, a graduate of Neuqua Valley High School. Joshua has been working as a volunteer at The Conservation Foundation’s McDonald Farm in Naperville following completion of his Eagle Scout project building five picnic tables for use at the Farm. He donated excess money raised for the project to the Foundation. Joshua will be studying environmental science/geology at Iowa State University.

The Paul D. Pierotti Memorial Scholarship was established in 2006 by former Forest Preserve District of DuPage County President D. “Dewey” Pierotti, Jr. and his wife Leslie, in memory of their late son Paul.

The Conservation Foundation is one of the region’s largest and oldest private conservation organizations — with more than 4,000 members and donors, and more than 500 volunteers who contribute 20,000 hours per year.

Work is focused in DuPage, Kane, Kendall and Will Counties to preserve and restore nature in your neighborhood. Find out more at theconservationfoundation.org.