Rae Byars is the winner of this year’s AHS-Flagstaff Charles C. Avery Intern Scholarship. Rae, the youngest of four children of Cheryl and Bobby Byars, was the 5th generation to be born in Arizona. Raised in Flagstaff, Rae graduated from Coconino High School in 2003 with plans to get a degree in secondary education. Rae moved to Ohio in 2004 to volunteer with a youth mentor organization, and worked as a hairstylist in Cincinnati. After returning to Flagstaff in 2009 she found geologic inspiration doing trail conservation work with the Coconino Rural Environment Corps. After working two years on trails, she was awarded an Americorps scholarship, which led her to return to school and pursue a degree in Hydrology. Rae received her Associate’s Degree from Coconino Community College in December 2012, and is currently a junior in the geology program at Northern Arizona University with an emphasis in Hydrology. She has been awarded a Hooper Undergraduate Research Award (HURA) and will be researching turbidity levels of Upper Lake Mary and will present at next year’s HURA symposium. Rae has expressed her gratitude for being selected as this year’s AHS Charles Avery Intern and is looking forward to the experience. Rae plans to participate in the Peace Corps master’s international program to learn how developing governments can apply knowledge of watersheds in planning and education of third world countries.
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