When Robin Hickerson helped release 20 Rio Grande cutthroat trout into the Rio Grande last month, the moment marked more than the end of a classroom conservation project. It also marked the beginning of a new chapter for a student whose love of the outdoors has grown into a commitment to serve rural New Mexico communities.
Hickerson, a senior at Mandela International Magnet School, was recently named the 2026 recipient of the Truchas Chapter of Trout Unlimited’s $2,500 STEM scholarship. The award supports students from Española, Los Alamos, or Santa Fe who plan to pursue science, technology, engineering, or math degrees.
According to the Santa Fe New Mexican, Hickerson plans to attend the University of New Mexico this fall to study nursing and biology. Her path reflects a powerful connection between environmental health and human health, shaped in part by the aftermath of the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire. After seeing how wildfire damage affected communities like Mora County and Las Vegas, N.M., Hickerson became increasingly aware of the need for accessible health care in rural areas facing environmental crises.
That connection between land, water, wildlife, and people is central to conservation work. Hickerson may not describe herself as an angler, but she clearly embodies the conservation ethic that organizations like Trout Unlimited work to cultivate. She has spent time building fire lines and trails with a youth conservation corps crew, thinks carefully about the environmental impact of everyday choices, and took on the responsibility of caring for Rio Grande cutthroat trout through Mandela’s Trout in the Classroom program.
When her chemistry teacher left the school, Hickerson stepped up to care for the trout herself. She maintained the tank, monitored water chemistry, cleaned equipment, and fed the fish through school construction challenges that even turned the tap water brown. In the end, all 20 trout survived and were released into the Rio Grande.
Her story is a reminder that conservation education is not just about fish. It is about helping young people see themselves as problem-solvers, caretakers, scientists, health professionals, land stewards, and advocates for their communities.
As Hickerson told the New Mexican, even if only some of the trout survive, the experience may inspire another student to remember seeing native fish in the classroom and imagine a future in conservation. That ripple effect matters.
Congratulations to Robin Hickerson on this well-earned scholarship, and thank you for showing what it looks like to care for both people and place.
Read the full story in the Santa Fe New Mexican:
https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/education/scholarship-winner-inspired-to-help-rural-communities-by-wildfires-aftermath/article_31806e22-ac85-49a1-bad0-88c10f1956d0.html
