Sustainability Chats - YCAF: Adela Piggush

Adela with City of La Crosse Mayor Shaundel Washington-Spivey during her 2025 project Extreme Weather Kits for Vulnerable Populations.

Adela Piggush is an inspiring Aquinas high school Junior who has already made a meaningful impact through two projects focused on education and community resilience.

In 2024, Adela led the Marsh QR Codes project in collaboration with Friends of the Marsh. She and her team installed QR codes at kiosks throughout the La Crosse River Marsh. When scanned, these codes provide audio information about the marsh’s history, ecology, and environmental significance.

In 2025, Adela worked on her second project: Extreme Weather Kits for Vulnerable Populations. This initiative aims to provide essential supplies to those most at risk during extreme weather events, helping communities stay safe and prepared.

Both of Adela’s projects reflect her commitment to spreading knowledge and resources where they’re needed most.

During this Sustainability Chat, we spoke with Adela about her experiences, the challenges she faced, and what drives her to take action.

About the YCAF Sustainability Chat Video & Blog Author:

Meg Erdenebat - Intern

The YCAF Sustainability Chat Series is compiled by the Sustainability Institute Program Intern - Meg Erdenebat. Meg is a college student from Mongolia who is currently at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse through their international student exchange program. Meg is working towards a bachelor's degree in Environmental Development at her main college in Japan.

"I am excited to be a part of the Sustainability Institute. I’ve just completed an academic year at UWL. My major is Environmental Development. Over the next two months, I’ll be working with the Sustainability Institute on their Sustainability Chats series interviewing Youth Climate Action fund recipients. This is my first job in the field, and while I’m both excited and a bit overwhelmed, I’m committed to doing my best to contribute."

The City of La Crosse was awarded a second round of funds in 2025 by Bloomberg Philanthropies allocating $85,000 for YCAF microgrants. This program is being coordinated by the City of La Crosse with the help of the Sustainability Institute and the La Crosse Area Community Foundation.