Georgiana Mueller

  

Volume 8 | Issue IV | December 2024

Jackson Hole High School ’26

Wyoming, USA

  

My chemistry teacher once showcased a remarkable periodic table to our class. It displayed the abbreviations of all elements, akin to a standard table, but also included tiny samples of each element, such as gold, iron, and uranium, safely encased within the table’s thick glass. This experience, coupled with my award-winning National History Day project on aerial bombing and technological advancements during World War II, ignited my interest in Indian reservations and environmental injustice. The atomic bomb’s deployment initiated a race for nuclear supremacy, part of which, I discovered, had significant consequences unfolding near my childhood stomping grounds. I spent many weekends at the Wind River Reservation for basketball tournaments, admiring the scenic canyons on the way, only to be confronted with the reservation’s stark poverty. Learning about the inhabitants’ struggles, I was astounded to uncover their ties to uranium milling and the ensuing pollution, causing grave health and environmental problems. Faced with scant information on the reservation’s uranium milling, I resolved to explore further and bring attention to environmental humanities and Indigenous history. My essay delves into the lasting damage of nuclear waste on Native American reservations, underscoring the link between environmental degradation and socioeconomic inequality. The Schola was instrumental in sharing my research, providing unwavering support throughout the revision process. Outside of academia, I am committed to community service and conservation efforts in Wyoming. As a certified Nature Mapper, I aid wildlife conservation efforts and engage in local water quality initiatives. I also serve as a youth representative on the County Commissioner’s Water Quality Master Plan and contribute to the Native Art Show in my town, working alongside artists from the Wind River Reservation.