College Scholarship Winner

College Scholarship Winner

Pinyu Liao, College Scholarship Winner 2023

Pinyu Liao from Inglemoor High School in the Northshore School District won this year’s college scholarship. It was a difficult decision as many of the applications were excellent. In addition to being a bird watcher, Pinyu is particularly interested in “the intersection of human health with environmental impacts, particularly in antibiotic resistance.” In fact, she directed and filmed a documentary on the topic which was screened in Times Square, New York, and led to interviews with the Seattle Times and Forbes Magazine. This interest also led to her work with the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction to expand the state health curriculum to include antibiotic resistance. 

In 2019 she began a small business, Koala Earth, which donated its profits to WIRES Wildlife Rescue in Australia. Design for Change, a club she founded, followed soon after as she worked at Inglemoor High School on advocacy and activism. She is no stranger to awards: Second Place Grand Award in Microbiology at the 2022 International Science and Engineering Fair; Rising Star in Nanoscience Award and First-Author Presenter at the 23 IEEE Nanomaterials: Applications and Properties Conference in Poland; 74 Million Magazine 16 Most Accomplished Students Under 16 Years Old. 

In addition to her remarkable scientific background, she is dedicated to working for humanitarian endeavors and has the leadership skills to accomplish this: Inglemoor ASB Student Body President;  Educational Equity District Representative; Dorothy Johnson Humanitarianism Award for Leadership and Community Service. Her plans? She is still looking at colleges, but she will pursue her interest in “using computational tools for humanitarian causes.”

Thanks to the generous donations of the members of Eastside Audubon, the Education Committee has awarded this college scholarship to amazing recipients, like Pinyu, who will spend their lives dedicated to making the world a better place for all to live. We wish her the very best as she pursues her goals.

EAS Offers College Scholarships

EAS Offers College Scholarships

Do you know a senior in high school who meets our criteria for a college scholarship?

Our Education Department offers a $5,000.00 award to a senior in our area (School Districts: Northshore, Lake Washington, Bellevue, Issaquah, Snoqualmie Valley, Riverview). The criteria include the following: keen interest in the environment/nature; involvement in extra-curricular activities based on this interest; college plans; teacher or counselor recommendation. Applications are due by the end of March. The application can be found on our website here.

If you have questions, please contact Mary Britton-Simmons at marybs98272@gmail.com.

2022 College Scholarship Award Winner

2022 College Scholarship Award Winner

Written by Mary Britton-Simmons

Thanks to the generous donations of Eastside Audubon members, the Youth Education Committee awarded Connie Huang a $5000.00 college scholarship. A senior from Skyline High School in the Issaquah School District, she is passionate about the environment, specifically about climate justice. “I work to advocate for equitable solutions to intersectional issues that are caused by the warming climate. I find myself drawn to creating paths to alleviate the stressors of environmental racism, climate disasters, and global warming that marginalized communities are especially vulnerable to.”

From protesting as a toddler against pruning and mowing her backyard “plant friends” to planning Earth Day protests in Seattle, Connie has always been an activist. As the co-president of her school’s Green Team, she works in the school garden, is involved in upcycling projects, and competed in the first Envirothon chapter at Skyline where they won second place. Her activism does not stop at Skyline’s front door. Connie is a council member of the Future Blue Youth Council which focuses on youth-led environmental projects. In addition, she is a community organizer for Washington Youth for Climate Justice where she plans and leads education circles, develops webinars about climate justice, organizes protests, and helps to establish fund raisers for unhoused people. 

In spite of all her activism, she maintains an A average while taking advanced courses at Skyline High School. And her plans for university? “I plan to major in sustainable development and seek to strengthen my ability to ground environmental science in problems of human society by minoring in sociology.” 

All applicants must respond to eight questions. When asked, “What is the most interesting thing you have learned in high school,” Connie responded, “In the soil beneath our feet, the trees are talking.” She described their subterrestrial network of communication. “Trees have taught me the importance of mutual love and care in building healthy and sustainable communities where every member feels that their role is central to the community.”

In the future, the world will definitely hear more from Connie Huang. She represents the best of youth and hope for the environment. 

Photo Credit: Green Tree by Alexander Kovalyov.