A headlamp, beanie, sweatshirt, and fuzzy socks. These items filled my backpack, all of which contained my favorite nostalgic smell: campfire smoke. This remained from the night before—a night filled with laughs, story-telling, and sugary marshmallow-covered faces. As long as I can remember, my childhood was detailed with the sounds of rustling in sleeping bags, the crackling of the fire, and tent zippers as people started to wake up in the morning. My dad and I finally finished our game of Tetris to fit all of our camping gear back into the van. I helped buckle my little sister in and off we went. “Gabriella, look at the trees,” my mom pointed out. I followed her eyes and, despite how accustomed I’ve grown to them, I was still left in awe by the leaves transforming hues of reds, oranges, and yellows. As I breathed in the evergreen trees’ refreshing and sharp aroma, I was brought to a place of peace and serenity. During these road trips, my family and I sang karaoke and played I-Spy, but most importantly, we discussed things like, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” My answer to this question changed every year. In the second grade, it was a teacher. This may have been because of the elementary teachers I admire for having the chance to inspire young minds while coloring and solving math questions all day. In third grade, however, I noticed something in the back of my mind calling me to the outdoors. As I read my book in the back seat, I started to overhear the work conversation my dad was having with my mom about the site he was at that week. “It was so cool. They were picking up the salmon one by one to keep them safe. They did this so they wouldn’t be hurt by the construction and environmental changes caused by the bridge,” he announced. “Who, Daddy?” I asked. “The environmental engineers! It’s their job to make sure the wildlife and environment around our sites are kept safe while we do our work.” That’s a job? I thought to myself. In school, we only heard about jobs like firefighters, doctors, and astronauts. After this conversation with my parents, I realized there were so many other careers out there: a plethora of pathways I could work and strive towards. This led to the growth of my ambitions: to reach and exceed my academic goals in order to restore the environment I grew up in. As I reminisce about the experiences I’ve had in the great wilderness, I have come to the conclusion that these beautiful moments are ones that future generations deserve to cherish. I believe it is crucial to protect and treasure the land we live and thrive on. Combining the exposure I’ve had as a young child and current young adult, my aspirations have pushed me out of my comfort zone to work towards that goal. Last summer, I took the leap and applied to become a Youth Crew Member for the Mid-Sound Fisheries Enhancement Group. I spent the warm summer days studying different jobs that embrace environmental justice, identifying native and invasive plants along the Green River, and utilizing tools to remove invasive species. While learning about the history of our environment, I built meaningful relationships with my mentors and fellow crew members. Through the memorable time I spent with my peers, I discovered that collaborating to meet a similar objective is something I aim to accomplish throughout my educational journey.

A headlamp, beanie, sweatshirt, and fuzzy socks. These items filled my backpack, all of which contained my favorite nostalgic smell: campfire smoke. This remained from the night before—a night filled with laughs, story-telling, and sugary marshmallow-covered faces. As long as I can remember, my childhood was detailed with the sounds of rustling in sleeping bags, the crackling of the fire, and tent zippers as people started to wake up in the morning. My dad and I finally finished our game of Tetris to fit all of our camping gear back into the van. “Gabriella, look at the trees,” my mom pointed out. I followed her eyes and, despite how accustomed I’ve grown to them, I was still left in awe by the leaves transforming hues of reds, oranges, and yellows. As I breathed in the evergreen trees’ refreshing and sharp aroma, I was brought to a place of peace and serenity. During these road trips, my family and I sang karaoke and played I-Spy, but most importantly, we discussed things like, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” In the second grade, it was a teacher. This may have been because of the elementary teachers I admire for having the chance to inspire young minds while coloring and solving math questions all day. In third grade, however, I noticed something in the back of my mind calling me to the outdoors. As I read my book in the back seat, I started to overhear the work conversation my dad was having with my mom about the site he was at that week. “It was so cool. They were picking up the salmon one by one to keep them safe. They did this so they wouldn’t be hurt by the construction and environmental changes caused by the bridge,” he announced. “Who, Daddy?” I asked. “The environmental engineers! It’s their job to make sure the wildlife and environment around our sites are kept safe while we do our work.” That’s a job? I thought to myself. In school, we only heard about jobs like firefighters, doctors, and astronauts. After this conversation with my parents, I realized there were so many other careers out there: a plethora of pathways I could work and strive towards. This led to the growth of my ambitions: to reach and exceed my academic goals in order to restore the environment I grew up in. As I reminisce about the experiences I’ve had in the great wilderness, I have come to the conclusion that these beautiful moments are ones that future generations deserve to cherish. I believe it is crucial to protect and treasure the land we live and thrive on. Combining the exposure I’ve had as a young child and current young adult, my aspirations have pushed me out of my comfort zone to work towards that goal. Last summer, I took the leap and applied to become a Youth Crew Member for the Mid-Sound Fisheries Enhancement Group. I spent the warm summer days studying different jobs that embrace environmental justice, identifying native and invasive plants along the Green River, and utilizing tools to remove invasive species. While learning about the history of our environment, I built meaningful relationships with my mentors and fellow crew members. Through the memorable time I spent with my peers, I discovered that collaborating to meet a similar objective is something I aim to accomplish throughout my educational journey. Ultimately, this is why I know studying Environmental Engineering will support my interest in this field of study and my post-secondary education plans.