By JULIAN YERGER – During the summer of 2018, IHS Junior Madeline Redhead-Kriston (Maddie RK to those that know her) will be attending the Washington Youth Summit on the Environment (WYSE) from June 24 to 29. Hosted by George Mason University, this prestigious conference invites 300 students from across the country to learn environmental science and conservation policy.
The conference will educate young scholars on environmental policy lobbying and provide an insider look at environmental science, policy, and conservation issues. The activities include hands-on learning with industry leaders, not only from Mason, but from international conservation experts and Washington insiders.
RK was chosen to represent Indiana because of her academic accomplishments, demonstrated interest, and excellence in leadership in the sciences and conservation studies. She received a letter from George Mason and accepted the offer because she was interested in science. “I’m very interested in science, probably something in the medical field.”
RK is strongly considering attending Northeastern University or Pennsylvania State University for the pre-medicine or physician’s assistant tracks. “I’m really set on going into medicine, but all sciences are pretty important.” The WYSE gives prospective students a few college credits for the six-day summit, encouraging them to enroll at Mason for their first semester of college, but these credits can transfer elsewhere. RK plans to transfer them, since “George Mason University is on my list of colleges, but not in my top five.”
Scholarships are offered to offset part of the cost of the trip, which can run as high as $2000 with no financial aid or fundraising. Students stay in the college dorms to reduce costs, and RK plans to use a discount of nearly $1000, earned through their scholarship program.
The WYSE is a unique student leadership conference designed to develop and encourage future leaders in the important field of environmental studies and conservation in the 21st century. The Advisory Board is chaired by Mark Bauman, Senior Vice President of the Smithsonian Institution’s Enterprises Division.
Additional members include world renown scholars, distinguished scientists and award-winning university faculty, such as Dr. Tom Lovejoy, noted environmentalist and former executive vice president of the World Wildlife Fund. Delegates gain an insider look at environmental science, policy and conservation issues.
[Photo courtesy of Madeline Redhead-Kriston]
Junior Maddie Redhead-Kriston will participate in the Washington Youth Summit on the Environment this summer at George Mason University.
