“As an international student studying in the US, the opportunity to interact with people from all over the world as a FBYC member allowed me to learn so much about different perspectives and made my college experience so much easier!“

Ariana Piscoya is a 20 year old environmental activist from Peru who focuses on ocean preservation, sustainable agriculture, and food accessibility. She was a member of the 2023 Future Blue Youth Council (FBYC) and is excited to share what she’s been up to!

High school environmental projects and Council experience

Following the 2022 oil spills on Peruvian beaches, Ariana participated in beach cleanups and campaigns to rescue the marine animals affected by the incident. As the Student Council president at her high school, she also organized recycling competitions and tree planting activities.

During her Future Blue Youth council term, Ariana wrote several blogs and mentored three Fellowship projects: Youth Environmental Movement, Team Upcyclers, and Let’s talk about menstruation.

College and updates

After high school Ariana moved from Peru to the USA to get her bachelors degree. She shares that it was a big change for her as an international student in a foreign country, but being a part of the Bow Seat community taught her not to be afraid to raise her voice and advocate for her beliefs. It also allowed her to improve her leadership and communication skills since she got to talk to people from all over the world during her time on the FBYC.

Now, Ariana is a junior at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania. She is also the program coordinator for the Painted Turtle Farm, an on-campus community garden that grows certified naturally grown fruits and vegetables for low-income families in the county. She recruits student volunteers and organizes partnerships with other organizations.

This semester, Ariana is doing a semester abroad program in Spain, where she plans to organize beach cleanups in the Huelva and Barcelona!

An exciting project Ariana recently worked on is a collaboration with elementary school students to create grass hair pets — fun, eco-friendly crafts that taught kids to care for the environment while raising awareness about childhood cancer. She sold these grass hair pets at farmers markets and donated all the raised money to Four Diamonds, an organization that supports children with cancer and their families.

Council reflections and future plans

Reflecting on her council term, Ariana recommends never doubting oneself and always accepting new challenges.

“Every action counts, and small things together make a huge impact. Having moved countries multiple times, I can tell you that you’ll hear the word “no” many times, but you have to be strong, and understand that everything happens for a reason. Keep trying and accepting new risks!”, she says.

When asked what she would do differently during her term, she shares:

“This one is easy: booking my flight ticket from Pennsylvania to Peru in December 2023 for a different day. My flight got delayed, so I was on the plane when the last FBYC meeting happened, and I couldn’t join. 3 years later, I still regret it! Dhruv told me they played games, and it was fun.”

The last 2023 FBYC meeting was, indeed, extremely fun and we actually played Jeopardy together! You can watch a glimpse into this meeting in this video.

During her semester in Europe, she plans to travel to different countries to learn about cultures and the environmental needs of each nation. After coming back to the United States, she plans to finish her senior year and find a job that connects her two majors (Biology and Business) with her interest in protecting the environment.

As a last piece of advice she shares:

“Always keep trying! Even if at some point you feel like your efforts don’t matter, they actually do. Combine your creativity with your environmentalist spirit, and you’ll leave your mark on the world!”

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From Peru to the US: 2023 FBYC member Ariana Piscoya reflects on her council term.