Scholarship-winning cousins taking unique college paths

Andria and Michelle Molina are first cousins, Solana Beach natives and scholarship-winning graduates from Canyon Crest Academy. Both 17, the girls are longtime participants and volunteers for La Colonia de Eden Gardens, Inc., a nonprofit group that provides educational and social resources to immigrant families.

As much as they have in common, the cousins are charting unique paths for college.

“Our organization supports whatever path they take,” said Manny Aguilar, president and board chairman of La Colonia de Eden Gardens, Inc.

This month, the organization awarded $500 scholarships to Andria and Michelle and will work with them and their families to avoid student debt.

For Andria, the next step is pursuing an architecture degree. She is enrolled at MiraCosta College and, meanwhile, is working at a restaurant and at the San Diego County Fair.

Her interest in architecture stems from a love for visual arts. At Canyon Crest, she took sculpture classes again and again.

“Working with clay, you make something out of nothing,” Andria said.

As for Michelle, in August she begins a six-year program at Hult International Business School in London. Someday, she might open a theater. For now, she will spend the next few months reading up on her new school in the faraway city.

“What will fit in my dorm room?” she said. “How does the subway work?”

Aguilar salutes the cousins for their commitment to community service.

“They were very active, especially during the pandemic,” Aguilar said. “They’re also very academically-inclined, these girls — they’re always studying.

Learn more at www.lceg.org. — La Colonia de Eden Gardens, Inc. report/news release.