Liberty New York Water, in partnership with the New York chapter of the National Association of Water Companies, awarded six scholarships to high achieving high school seniors pursuing a college degree in a field related to the water industry.
The scholarship recipients were honored at a reception held at the Thayer Hotel at West Point on May 26 and presented with scholarships in the amount of $3,000 each.
“The interest and attention to our environment and water supply is impressive coming from high school students,” said Chris Alario, president of Liberty New York Water. “We hope that the Liberty scholarship helps these outstanding young people to pursue their dreams and make an impact in the area of water conservation.”
A senior at Wantagh High School, Emma Alexander’s love of environmental science began when she walked into her school’s hydroponics lab at thirteen years old. This sparked her interest in learning how hydroponics could better the world by conserving water. Emma will study agricultural sciences at Cornell University. She intends to research floodwater purification and how this process can be used to grow crops.
Rochelle Daniels will major in engineering at Clarkson University, where she hopes to challenge herself to come up with solutions in the areas of climate change, energy conservation, and environmental sustainability. Rochelle is a student leader at Cambridge Junior-Senior High School and volunteers her time in the community, including as the student representative for the Energy and Sustainability Committee.
Stella Kasprzyk will pursue a major in conservation biology at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. A senior at Lynbrook High School, Stella is a volunteer at the Town of Hempstead salt marsh and finds beauty in the biodiversity of the marsh. Having performed more than 200 hours of community service, Stella is committed to both community and the environment.
Stela Lewis, a Baldwin resident, graduated in May from George School in Newton, Pa. and will attend Washington University to study environmental health. She plans to create a course of study encompassing urban studies and global health and the environment.
Taina Nieves believes that engineering is the foundation of our society and will pursue a degree in this field at Northeastern University. Taina has taken engineering courses every year at Wellington C. Mepham High School, and as a senior learned to read and create schematics. Taina is an AP Scholar and will earn the Seal of Biliteracy on her high school diploma.
Seaford High School senior Rayann Ramoutar will major in engineering at Carnegie Mellon University this fall. She plans to focus on wastewater treatment systems and has been studying the topic as part of her science research program in high school. Rayann’s research on wastewater treatment plants was submitted to the prestigious Toshiba ExploraVision competition.
