The ocean has many different levels of pressure, light, and depth that separate the millions of organisms living inside the vast amount of water. Mammals such as beluga whales, cephalopods like octopuses, and photosynthetic phytoplankton all call the ocean home. There is so much life within it and more outside that depend on the ocean. Humans can travel across the world via boat, mine minerals, and ores created by underwater vents and volcanoes, as well as monitor climate change via the coral reefs scattered around the planet. I find the ocean fascinating, which is why it is so important to me to find ways to protect it. I live in Anchorage, Alaska which is located near the Cook Inlet. I am a military child but have mostly grown up in the beautiful state in which I am attending college. I first became amazed by the ocean when I was in fourth grade. My grandparents were visiting us in Fairbanks from Buffalo, New York and we had decided to take them to Seward (a town very close to the ocean). We went on a boat tour to Fox Island, a small island off the coast of Seward, and were able to see porpoises, whales, sea lions, and puffins. Afterward, we visited the Seward Sealife Center, which also acts as a conservation center for marine life. I was able to touch sea anemones, learn about the different species of jellyfish the coasts of Alaska hold, and even learned how to tell the difference between a seal and a sea lion in the wild. This is a childhood memory I hold very close to my heart. Shortly after that, my family received orders to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Although I could not learn about marine life by observation in New Mexico, I began to read books and watch TED talks about the different marine animals and ecosystems. I quickly grew a liking for deep-dwelling species such as angler fish or the Greenland shark. I even did a book report on the different types of sharks in sixth grade! Once we moved back to Alaska, I began to explore the environment more and wanted to continue learning all about it as I grew older. In high school, I took marine biology and oceanography, which was by far my favorite class. I also took environmental science and touched on the environmental impact humans have on the ocean and what to do to decrease your carbon footprint. Now that I am in college, I am working toward a Bachelor's degree in marine and environmental science. I hope to use my degree to educate the public on how the ocean's ecosystem works and why we must be careful while interacting with it. I feel as though the communities around me do not understand the importance of the ocean, or how fragile it is. Each ecosystem in the giant pool is so complex, that even the most careless and preventable action, such as overfishing a certain species, can cause the whole thing to implode. I would like future generations to enjoy learning about the ocean as much as I did, rather than worrying about how much longer it will be healthy.

Growing up a military child, I lived in many different states that had drastically different climates and ecosystems. I feel that those differences inspired me to want to learn more about the animals and plants around me and how they interact with one another. My degree is in Marine and Environmental Sciences with a concentration in Ecology. During my degree program, I will be learning about how animals behave, how they interact with their environment, and how we affect them. This is something I have been passionate about for as long as I can remember and I owe it all to moving around and being able to explore different parts of the United States. I hope that one day, I will be able to follow that passion and use my degree to explore the rest of the world.

I am pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Marine and Environmental Science with a concentration in Ecology. I feel that science is extremely important in society, especially nowadays. Science is a universal language that allows us to connect and better understand each other as well as the world around us. It is something that has adapted over time with the human race and has brought many different countries and cultures together. For example, the structure of DNA was not discovered by just one person, but rather by multiple people. Ideas were taken from other scientists on different continents and put into the reconstruction of the very first DNA model. I believe that by sharing discoveries and comparing hypotheses and data, we as people can make a lasting scientific impact on the world, but only if society works together. All of the scientifically proven facts about climate change and global warming are causing people to become alarmed. However, groups are joining together to speak up about what humans can do to slow the process and improve the planet we all live on. They are coming together to protest and educate despite any differences they may have in politics or religion. I feel that it is extremely powerful, considering how opinionated and defensive people can become. It takes a certain type of person to speak up for what they care about, no matter the backlash or slandering they may get in return.

Charles Darwin is my favorite scientist because he did not allow religion or other traditional beliefs to influence his studies. He did quite the opposite. Although he received many warnings to stop advertising the ideas of Darwinism, Charles Darwin continued to prove that evolution took place.

I volunteer around my community to help organize and host sports activities for children in middle school and elementary school. I believe sports are very important and encourage friendliness within a community. While growing up, and still to this day, I played sports year-round and met some of my best friends on my teams. I felt that they made me feel more like a part of my community and introduced me to volunteer work. For my high school basketball team, we volunteered quite a bit during the season. My sophomore year, we volunteered to put wreaths on each cross and tombstone at the local veterans cemetery. Junior year, we volunteered to watch children at an auction for charity. This year, we have been volunteering at a nearby middle school to keep score and referee at their games. My mother works at an elementary school, so I often volunteer to teach volleyball, basketball and cross country skiing as well. I remember how fun it used to be when older high school kids would come and help coach volleyball or cheer when I was in middle and elementary school. I would like other children to experience the same feeling.