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Yellowknifer wins $100K award, hopes to study ocean science

A Yellowknife high school student has won a prestigious scholarship valued at $100,000.

Adithi Balaji has been named one of 36 Loran Scholars in 2020. She says when she got the award, her reaction was one of "complete disbelief."

"You know there's so many amazing people I met over the final selections ... I can't believe they picked me," she told Trail's End host Lawrence Nayally on CBC.

The Loran Scholars Foundation cited Balaji's work in environmental activism, including her work as leader of St. Patrick High School's Green Team and organizer of climate strikes. She also spearheaded a composting program.

Balaji hopes to do similar activism where she goes to school. "I think a lot of that's going to depend on ... where I end up moving and what kind of issues I see there," she said.

She says now that she has this award, she will be able to focus on school and on community service instead of getting a part-time job, like she thought she would have to do.

Balaji is also the squadron commander with the Yellowknife Air Cadets. And she volunteers with several youth clubs, the local food bank and the Yellowknife Public Library.

Balaji hopes to pursue ocean sciences at a university in British Columbia.

But before that, Balaji hopes to earn her private pilot's licence this summer.

Balaji says the most rewarding part of the scholarship process has been the opportunity for self-reflection. "This process has involved a lot of thinking about why I do the things I do," she said. "Whether or not I ended up getting it, I knew that I was going to come out of it and I kind of understood myself a little better."