2026 High School Scholarship

Congratulations 2026 Albany-Schenectady Chapter ADK Scholarship Winner!

We congratulate Anabel Corniel of Shaker High School who is this year’s winner of the first Albany-Schenectady Chapter HS Scholarship. Anabel was awarded a $500 scholarship and a one year membership to the Albany-Schenectady Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club. We feel that this year’s winner has shown real commitment to the protection of the environment through both her studies and her actions. Below is a sample from Anabel’s application essay.

Photo courtesy of Anabel Corniel

Hi! My name is Anabel Corniel, I am a high school senior who plans to study Environmental Science in college. I’m interested in researching energy and sustainability, but I also want to explore other topics in the environmental field. I’m pursuing an Environmental Science degree because it would allow me to broaden my knowledge of global environmental issues and embrace an interdisciplinary outlook. While I realized that I was interested in Environmental Science during my sophomore year, I wasn’t sure what area I wanted to specialize in until this summer. I learned a lot during two environmental internships, which revealed just how diverse this field is.

Over the summer before my senior year, I had the opportunity to intern at the Radix Ecological Sustainability Center. What drew me to this internship was the center’s commitment to ecological restoration and community building. Particularly in an urban area, green spaces are limited and community members might not have access to fresh produce and other locally sourced products. My time with the Radix Center exposed me to intricate systems working in tandem to help fill the nutritional void created by this neighborhood’s food desert. The center began as a half-acre of boulders and concrete slabs which has been transformed into a thriving ecosystem where organisms can coexist. This example opened my eyes to sustainable solutions and how innovation can address the needs of local neighborhoods. Driven by passion, environmental advocates can make a change even in the most hidden areas that might be overlooked.

This past summer, I also had the opportunity to work with the University at Albany’s Director of Energy Indu Lnu, an experience that exposed me to the diversity of environmentally focused fields. Through this internship, I analyzed the University at Albany’s campus High Temperature Hot Water System data from 2021. Once I completed my analysis, I was able to present my findings to three faculty members. Specifically, I focused on Sustainable Development Goal 2: End Hunger. My proposal was to utilize green roof spaces for agricultural purposes, taking inspiration from rooftop orchards in New York City. Another idea I presented was that condensation from the geothermal heat pump could be used as a water source for a green roof sprinkler system.

These two internship experiences showcased real-world applications of Environmental Science: ecological restoration and sustainability. With a diverse skill set, I can use my Environmental Science degree to solve environmental issues in my community. After college, I first plan to return to my hometown and give back by encouraging the local government to choose more sustainable options. Ultimately, I aspire to work with the United Nations on its 17 Sustainable Development Goals. I believe that with a strong background in the sciences, I could apply my analytical and interpersonal skills at the global level while studying in this field.

The experience of being a Dominican, black female who loves to swim, is committed to community service, and will always be a science enthusiast has framed how I see and engage with the world. My distinct background has greatly expanded my perspective of the world around me, and the college experience will widen that perspective even further. I believe that I can represent my Hispanic and African American heritage by pioneering, especially as a minority in STEM.