ELK GROVE, CA (MPG) - Pleasant Grove High School senior Lillian Hancock traveled across the country this past summer to attend the Washington Youth Summit on the Environment (WYSE), a weeklong program hosted by George Mason University in partnership with the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute in Washington, D.C. The summit offers high school students a hands-on look at environmental challenges and the forward-thinking efforts shaping the planet’s future.

Distance has never stopped the Pleasant Grove senior, who for the past two years has volunteered at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, traveling about three hours each way to learn about marine life and environmental stewardship. She is also active in her local 4-H group, where she has served as both club president and county ambassador, managing livestock.

When the opportunity arose to attend a national summit hosted by one of the country’s leading conservation organizations, she knew it was an experience she couldn’t pass up.

Each year, 300 high school students nationwide are selected to participate in the Washington Youth Summit on the Environment. Students are nominated or invited based on academic standing and demonstrated interest in environmental issues. Lillian was both nominated and invited, then completed the application and interview process to serve as a National Youth Delegate representing Wilton, California.

 

Pleasant Grove High senior Lillian Hancock was one of 300 students nationwide selected for the Washington Youth Summit on the Environment, a program giving students hands-on insight into environmental challenges and solutions. Courtesy photos

During the weeklong summit, students explored a variety of environmental topics and visited field sites such as the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, where they heard from biologists and government agency experts. Lillian said she and fellow delegates also had the opportunity to meet environmental policymakers from the offices of California’s U.S. House representatives and tour the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland.

Students were encouraged to engage with speakers, ask questions and participate in environmental simulations addressing issues such as the climate crisis.

Lillian said that, as someone aspiring to a career in the field, she found it especially meaningful to hear from professionals who didn’t initially expect to end up in their current roles.

“One thing that stuck out to me was everybody who spoke said their path was not at all what they expected to be,” Lillian said. “It was really cool to hear everybody’s different stories and how unique opportunities lead to career paths that you wouldn’t have thought about otherwise.”

 

Local teen and aspiring environmentalist Lillian Hancock, center, alongside fellow Washington Youth Summit on the Environment delegates. 

She noted that one of the most memorable moments came when she was asked to share her own expertise while touring the National Aquarium, which features a miniature replica of the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

“I actually got asked to speak about the Monterey Bay Aquarium and its national impacts around the world and their mission. That was really cool for me to get to share what I know from here over there,” Lillian said.

Reflecting on her time in Washington, she said the summit strengthened her understanding of conservation and broadened her outlook on possible career paths.

“It’s definitely inspired me to look more into environmental policy in my future as well as coming back here getting to talk about it, bringing what I learned back to community organizations I’m a part of and getting to have more knowledge about conservation,” she said.

 

Lillian Hancock is pictured at the National Aquarium located in Baltimore, Maryland, with a display that nods to the Monterey Bay Aquarium where the Pleasant Grove High senior has been volunteering at for the past two years. 

Despite recent debate and changes in federal environmental policy, Lillian said summit speakers emphasized hope and empowerment for the next generation of environmentalists.

“It was very interesting and even more inspiring because the people who were speaking to us who have been working in government and in D.C. for the environment for their whole careers said that it made them more passionate about what they do,” Lillian said. “It kind of made everybody there, including myself, feel like ‘okay, we need to step in and help.’”

Lillian’s mother, Bethany Hancock, said she was initially hesitant about the trip due to the distance and cost, but the experience proved invaluable for her daughter’s growth.

“I think the fact that she’s able to go after what she wants and show her passion makes me really proud,” she said.

Hancock said she was also impressed by Lillian’s composure amid challenges such as a heat and heightened security tensions in Washington, D.C. during the week of the summit.

“I was really proud that she overcame those uncertain times, the heat wave and being that far away from home,” Hancock said.

 

Each summer, 300 high school students from across the country are selected to attend the Washington Youth Summit on the Environment in Washington, D.C., where they learn about environmental stewardship.

As a third-grade educator in the Elk Grove Unified School District, Hancock said she encourages her students to seek experiences that push them beyond the classroom and expose them to new possibilities.

“As a teacher, I see kids who don’t have those opportunities versus kids that do…” Hancock said. “It’s just a big difference in how they do their schoolwork, what kind of knowledge they have and what their passion is as they get older.”

She noted that experiences such as Lillian’s show how persistence and curiosity can lead to unexpected opportunities for young people, a message Lillian echoed.

“When I first decided I wanted to volunteer at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, I emailed for over a year,” she said. “Just try to always go out of your way to ask if you can do something because you never know what doors can open up for you.”