![user profile avatar](https://static.bold.org/profilePictures/october20230037b9ce53682e3a4b0cbf8323152057ef94.webp)
Hobbies and interests
Art
Baking
Camping
Ceramics And Pottery
Culinary Arts
Ecology
Environmental Science and Sustainability
Graphic Design
Jewelry Making
Knitting
Mythology
Paddleboarding
Painting and Studio Art
Reading
Sculpture
Tarot
digital art
Reading
Fantasy
Romance
Philosophy
Science Fiction
I read books multiple times per month
Mia Mendez
705
Bold Points2x
Finalist![user profile avatar](https://static.bold.org/profilePictures/october20230037b9ce53682e3a4b0cbf8323152057ef94.webp)
Mia Mendez
705
Bold Points2x
FinalistBio
My goal by the end of my last year in High School is to go to college in Washington to become an Environmental Scientist! I am determined to get the funding I need to pursue this highly-needed career!
-Bookworm
-Environmentalist
-Ecology Club President
Education
Hanford High School
High SchoolMiscellaneous
Desired degree level:
Bachelor's degree program
Majors of interest:
- Botany/Plant Biology
- Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering
- Crafts/Craft Design, Folk Art and Artisanry
- Natural Resources and Conservation, Other
Career
Dream career field:
Environmental Services
Dream career goals:
Public services
Volunteering
The Arc of Tri-Cities — I created 45 large paper flower decorations for the Special Olympics event2023 – 2023Volunteering
Girls On The Run — My role was to keep the runners hydrated with cups of water at intervals in the race.2024 – 2024Volunteering
Ghana Make a Difference — My role for this opportunity was to make soft, comforting stuffed animals and dolls for the young children of Ghana.2024 – Present
Future Interests
Advocacy
Volunteering
Carol S. Comeau Environmental Scholarship
As a senior in High School I've known for a long time that I wanted a job that would help others. But that comes in a lot of different forms. Helping people could mean physically like a doctor, or educationally like a professor. I see helping others as looking at the big picture. If I can contribute to something that is experienced by everyone, I'll be able to make a huge difference. I see that opportunity through environmental science. I envision using skills I can learn about conservation and our planet's health to benefit the standard of living in eventually more places than just my city. Columbia Basin Community College is my ticket to achieving what I want to pursue. There are programs provided that cater specifically to solve problems experienced in the area. A large problem we are experiencing is Ozone pollution and hot spot areas. My area is also known for the Hanford Site, one of the most contaminated radiation sites in the world. The toxic properties once produced have left a lasting scar on our cities, and cleanup is vital to the health and safety of the hundreds of thousands of people living here. My grandfather worked in close association with the Handord Site and has been battling cancer and other health issues since. My grandfather and countless others who risk their lives day to day for the better of our community inspire me to make a difference too. I believe that I possess the dedication and raw emotion connected to helping our ecosystems recover from pollution. One reason why is because of my commitment to one school club that changed my life. Ecology Club is a club that educates its members on the importance of environmental awareness and the physical labor put into making a greener world. For each of the three years I have been in the club, we have grown, sold, and donated roughly 600 plants in total. From these intensive projects, I have gained a network of people and organizations who protect ecosystems for a living. Seeing what they do and how much joy it brings them enforces my views on this career path. Reducing these issues is a large reason why I want to work in this career field. I know that many communities are being torn apart and weakened by the poor living conditions provided to them. Water, air, and ground can all be polluted and inevitably affect a community's survival. This growing awareness drives me to make a change and to care for people and their lives personally. Hispanic communities and other people of color are one of the most exposed groups to pollutants. The thought that others are suffering without resources to aid them has inspired me to fight for those in need. Whether my education drops me into a career where I can physically collaborate with low-income communities or improve their way of life, I will be fulfilled in knowing that I made a difference. When I was a junior I always found myself answering questions about my future career plans with “I don't know yet”. That indecisiveness was hard to break out of. I have gained a huge amount of knowledge since then and face that question now once again, knowing that I want to help Hispanic communities worldwide battle pollution. With the generous aid and kindness delivered in this scholarship, I would love to pursue a career that pushes the boundaries of helping our climate and strengthening our communities.
Minority/BIPOC Students in STEM Scholarship
I've known for a long time that I wanted a job that would help others. But that comes in a lot of different forms. Helping people could mean physically like a doctor, or educationally like a professor. I see helping others as looking at the big picture. If I can contribute to something that is experienced by everyone, I'll be able to make a huge difference. I see that opportunity through environmental science. I envision using skills I can learn about conservation and our planet's health to benefit the standard of living in eventually more places than just my city. Columbia Basin Community College is my ticket to achieving what I want to pursue. There are programs provided that cater specifically to solve problems experienced in the area. A large problem we are experiencing is Ozone pollution and hot spot areas. My area is also known for the Hanford Site, one of the most contaminated radiation sites in the world. The toxic properties once produced have left a lasting scar on our cities, and cleanup is vital to the health and safety of the hundreds of thousands of people living here. My grandfather worked in close association with the Handord Site and has been battling cancer and other health issues since. His dedication to his job came with many sacrifices but I have never been more inspired by him. My grandfather and countless others who risk their lives day to day for the better of our community inspire me to make a difference too. Reducing these issues is a large reason why I want to work in this career field. I know that many communities are being torn apart and weakened by the poor living conditions provided to them. Water, air, and ground can all be polluted and inevitably affect a community's survival. This growing awareness drives me to make a change and to care for people and their lives personally. Hispanic communities and other people of color are one of the most exposed groups to pollutants. The thought that others are suffering without resources to aid them has inspired me to fight for those in need. Whether my education drops me into a career where I can physically collaborate with low-income communities or improve their way of life, I will be fulfilled in knowing that I made a difference. When I was a junior I always found myself answering questions about my future career plans with “I don't know yet”. That indecisiveness was hard to break out of. I have gained a huge amount of knowledge since then and face that question now once again, knowing that I want to help Hispanic communities worldwide battle pollution.
Environmental Stewardship Award
I've known for a long time that I wanted a job that would help others. But that comes in a lot of different forms. Helping people could mean physically like a doctor, or educationally like a professor. I see my opportunity in environmental science. I envision using skills I can learn about conservation and our planet's health to benefit the standard of living in more places than just my city. College is my ticket to achieving what I want to pursue. There are programs provided that cater specifically to solve problems experienced in the area. My area is known for the Hanford Site, one of the most contaminated radiation sites in the world. The toxic properties once produced have left a lasting scar on our cities, and cleanup is vital to the safety of everyone living here. My grandfather worked closely with the Handord Site and has been battling health issues since. His dedication to his job came with many sacrifices but I have never been more inspired by him. My grandfather and countless others who risk their lives day to day for the better of our community inspire me to make a difference too. Reducing these issues is a large reason why I want to work in this career field. I know that many communities are being torn apart and weakened by pollution which inevitably affects a community's survival. This growing awareness drives me to make a change and to care for people and their lives personally. When I was a junior I always found myself answering questions about my future career plans with “I don't know yet”. I have gained a strong desire to aid in global action since then and face that question now once again, knowing that I want to help Hispanic communities worldwide battle pollution.
Ventana Ocean Conservation Scholarship
I've known for a long time that I wanted a job that would help others. But that comes in a lot of different forms. Helping people could mean physically like a doctor, or educationally like a professor. I see helping others as looking at the big picture. I see that opportunity through environmental science. I envision using skills I can learn about conservation and our planet's health to benefit the standard of living in eventually more places than just my city. A degree in environmental science has been my top goal since deciding to pursue a higher education. Help from generous scholarships like these are my ticket to achieving my dreams. There are programs in my area that cater specifically to solving problems experienced locally. A large problem we are experiencing is Ozone pollution and hot spot areas that harm our land and water.
My area is also known for the Hanford Site, one of the most contaminated radiation sites in the world. The toxic properties once produced have left a lasting scar on our cities, and cleanup is vital to the health and safety of the hundreds of thousands of people living here. I understand that my city is a long way from the ocean, but just imagining the damage radiation could do to our oceans pushes me to have an interest in this field. My grandfather worked in close association with the Handord Site and has been battling cancer and other health issues since. His dedication to his job came with many sacrifices but I have never been more inspired by him. My grandfather and countless others who risk their lives day to day for the better of our community inspire me to make a difference too.
Reducing these issues is a large reason why I want to work in this career field. I know that many communities are being torn apart and weakened by a lack of clean water provided to them. Water, air, and ground can all be polluted and inevitably affect a community's survival. This growing awareness drives me to make a change and to care for people and their lives personally. Hispanic communities and other people of color are one of the most exposed groups to pollutants. The thought that others are suffering without resources to aid them has inspired me to fight for those in need. Whether my education drops me into a career where I can physically collaborate with non-profits to clean up our oceans, I will be fulfilled in knowing that I made a difference. When I was a junior I always found myself answering questions about my future career plans with “I don't know yet”. That indecisiveness was hard to break out of. I have gained a huge amount of knowledge since then and face that question now once again, knowing that I want to help Hispanic communities worldwide battle the pollution of our oceans.