Page 52 - HSBC NYAA Youth Environmental Award 25th Anniversary

Kelsie Tan

Kelsie Tan's interest in the natural environment began
at fourteen and has flourished into a deep-rooted
passion for ecological awareness. Her journey started in
2012 when she volunteered with the Animal Concerns
Research and Education Society (ACRES), educating the
public on illegal wildlife trade concerns. In 2014, she
co-founded The Wild Side, a student interest group at
Raffles Girls' School (Secondary), to raise awareness
about Singapore's wildlife and to foster an understanding
of its ecological importance.

Kelsie's drive for change led her to compete in the
National Climate Change Competition (NCCC) and the
National Youth Envirolympics Challenge (NYEC) in 2014,
Kelsie Tan
where she and her teammates secured first place in Product Manager,
NYEC for their environmental conservation efforts. SkillsFuture SG

In 2015, Kelsie co-authored and designed a children's
book on raising awareness about common palm civets, In her professional capacity, Kelsie has continued to
an often misunderstood species in Singapore. This make impactful contributions. In 2021, as a Jobs-Skills
initiative brought attention to the effects of human- Analyst at SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG), she supported
wildlife conflict and serves as an educational resource developing and publishing the inaugural Skills Demand
distributed to schools and libraries island-wide. for the Future Economy Report, highlighting key growth
areas in the Green, Digital, and Care economies. The
Kelsie's leadership and dedication earned her the 2017 Report steers Singapore's workforce towards acquiring
HSBC NYAA Youth Environmental Award. As part of the the necessary skills for an evolving, sustainable economy.
Award, she participated in an Earthwatch expedition
to Costa Rica, contributing to pollinator research — an Kelsie has been an active member of the (HSS),
experience that broadened her perspective on global contributing to educational outreach and conservation
environmental conservation and scientific study. initiatives for reptiles and amphibians. She attended the
10th World Congress of Herpetology (WCH) in Borneo
Kelsie's academic pursuits complemented her in 2024.
environmental work. As an English Literature and Art
History student at Nanyang Technological University Kelsie continues to promote ecological awareness in
(NTU), she organised Environmental Humanities film various capacities and remains a steadfast advocate for
screenings to inspire dialogue and action within the NTU biodiversity conservation and environmental education,
community. She also co-organised book club sessions influencing future generations with her passion and
under the Herpetological Society of Singapore (HSS), expertise.
promoting knowledge exchange in herpetology and the
humanities.

50 The Journey of Sustainability: 25 Years and Beyond