LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – For the second year in a row the Sierra Club Lake Group has awarded a pair of $1,000 scholarships to two graduating seniors from local high schools.

At the Middletown High School awards ceremony on May 23 Lake Group Executive Committee member Julie Kreis had the pleasure of presenting an award to Jacob Gill of Cobb Mountain, who will be attending the University of California at Berkeley as a society and environment major.

Gill told the Group when applying for the award, “No matter which college I choose to attend next fall, my education will continue with one goal in mind – to lead the charge on the path towards sustainable energy, safe and healthy communities, and secure wild places.”

After the presentation ceremony, Kreis reported, “Jacob is an energetic young man who has an impressive history of pursuing environmental interests since his middle school years … our group will be excited to follow his progress!”

At the ceremony Kreis also had a chance to chat with Rachel Sutton, a 2012 Middletown grad who received a club scholarship last year and who is currently majoring in environmental studies at Cal State Monterey Bay.

At Monterey Sutton is involved with the “Green Team” to promote sustainability and help achieve a carbon neutral school, serves as the Environmental Affairs Committee Service Commissioner and works as a volunteer on the open ocean with the Marine Life Studies Department of Monterey Bay.

Then on May 30 former Executive Committee member Debi Sally gave a second award to Benjamin Illia, who lives in Clearlake Park and is a member of the Lower Lake High School senior class.

Illia, who has been active in scouting since he was 6 years old and is an avid hiker and camper, did a report on solar and wind power in his high school chemistry class that inspired him “to want to use these technologies ... in a career in the construction or agricultural fields. In furthering my education I would like to learn more about incorporating clean energy into these fields.”

Lake Group congratulates all these fine young people, and wishes them every success on the next stage of their journey.

For more information on the scholarship program, and to get on the list to receive an application for next year’s awards, contact Cheri Holden at 707-263-5787 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .