Through my personal experiences and vast education on the topics of environmental sustainability and conservation, I believe that the most pressing environmental challenge we face today is the lack of interest in rising generations to act. Growing up in Generation Z I have noticed a trend amongst my peers. Almost everyone that I know or have spoken to knows about the issues that our environment is currently facing to some degree. Most acknowledge the fact that the earth is warming, waste is building, that we are in the midst of a 6th extinction, and other negative environmental changes. People will discuss the topics, repost photos to their Instagram stories, or claim to be environmental stewards, which can all be helpful in a different ways, but few truly take their knowledge and feelings into action. I believe that our biggest chance of possibly stopping the steep and fast-moving decline of our environment is to begin educating kids at younger ages about what is impacting our globe. Though this is becoming a more popularly taught topic in school, it is still very surface level. Kids need to learn about not only what environmental issues are, but also what causes them, how they can contribute, and what will happen if something is not done soon to mitigate our impacts on the earth. I feel that we glaze over the real issues at hand when it comes to teaching children because schools and policymakers deem it too scary or concerning for kids of young ages, but that’s exactly what it is, scary and concerning. Kids need to be introduced to the reality of how humans are impacting the well-being of our natural environments so that they can be inspired and properly informed on how they could continue to turn the coming tides. I know and believe this works because I experienced it first-hand. I attended a 4-year environmental science academy in high school where we were taught exactly what I explained above. And yes, it did scare me, but it also motivated me to pursue a career where I would have an opportunity to possibly address some of these issues, more specifically in the marine aspect. I have, and currently am, participating in various projects where the goal is to educate elementary-aged kids about the importance of keeping local waterways clean and healthy. Through my 4-year internship with the non-profit organization Cape Fear River Watch, which is based in Wilmington North Carolina, I will have various opportunities just like the ones that I mentioned above. One of the more recent projects I participated in was an environmental field day for a K to fifth-grade private school where the students came to a lake, and we taught them about the importance of keeping the Cape Fear River clean and how they can help through the use of games and nature/educational walks. I also have a few projects in mind for this upcoming internship year that I am very excited to bring to life!

I was born by the sea, but my family often traveled to the mountains, so my love for nature was inevitable. I grew up collecting shells, fishing off piers and in streams, hiking, and camping on the beach or in the forest. These activities bring me the most joy, and I want to thank nature in a way for providing me with the ability to do the things I love, and what better way than to work to conserve her? I learned about conservation when I was really young from my parents. “Leave no Trace” was something that was often said in our house. My parents believed in taking care of the places we loved to visit, and I took that philosophy up quickly. We always bring a bag with us when we go to the beach, or on a hike to pick up trash that we find. We do our best to leave a place better than we found it. I want to carry this with me as I grow so being a marine conservationist is a fantastic fit. I want to focus primarily on marine conservation so that I can give back to nature and make sure that what joy it gave to me can be there for my kids, and their kids, and theirs, and so on. My decision to focus on conservation came not only from my love for nature but also from the many educational trips and jobs that I have done. I first discovered marine conservation when I was in 7th grade when we went on an overnight field trip to wallops island. I was hooked after that and have participated in many other conservation and educational activities such as Youth Conservation Corps, Rivana River Alliance education, and the environmental studies academy at my high school for 4 years. My ultimate goals and dreams in going into the career path of marine sciences is to work with east coast fisheries and wetlands. I hope to spend many internships on boats for weeks at a time and back in the marshes collecting specimen samples and studying habitat changes due to human interaction. I want to get down and dirty in the muck and sand so that I can truly be making a connection with the beautiful marine world that surrounds us. I want to gain experience and teach myself about the amazingness that is marine conservation so that I can go on to teach others. If we wish to keep the integrity and health of aquatic biomes we must teach those younger than us to love it as much as we do. Our love and dedication are what drive the environmental movement, and we have to keep it flowing. Additionally, if I could find a way to afford it, I would love to continue my education in marine sciences into the paleontology field. This year, I found my first shark tooth on a small island off the North Carolina coast and have become ever so fascinated with ancient ocean creatures and their fossils. I feel that I could still make the difference that I hope to achieve by becoming a marine paleontologist. By understanding how marine creatures from the past lived and died, I feel that we as a scientific community could better understand the life cycle and differences we see in marine organisms now. My mind is growing ever more curious and I can not wait to see what path it will take me down, whether it be with organisms from the past or present.

There are so many opportunities for me to do something that I love for the rest of my life, but whatever I do, I want to leave a mark. I want to give back to the wonderful earth and all the plants and animals that it created. My heart lies mostly with aquatic fauna and I hope to be a marine conservationist when I finish school. I am going to the University of North Carolina Wilmington this fall and I plan to major in marine biology and conservation studies. After school, I hope to work hands-on in the field. I want to spend time on boats, on beaches, in the mountains, and down in the wetlands learning as much as I can, and getting real hands-on experience while making a positive difference. This career path was truly inspired by my childhood. When I tell people that I want to be a marine biologist, many will say “That sounds like something we all said we wanted to be when we were little kids.”, and I always say that I followed through with my dreams. We all share a little laugh about it but they understand that my passion is real. I guess that’s something that I find pretty unique about myself. I had a dream and followed it, I don't think many people can say the same. I was born in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and moved to the beautiful mountains of Albemarle Country, Virginia when I was about 6 years old. My life was never a dull moment as a kid because we were always at the beach playing in the sand or taking a hike up the Blue Ridge mountains. My love for the outdoors blossomed from these experiences and I can confidently say that it is still blooming to this day. It all comes from my wanting to give back to the world as a thank-you for the wonderful childhood, and now adulthood, that it gave me. I have one main person to thank for my passion and continued love for the outdoors, and it's my mom. I know that's the classic answer but I can’t think of a better person to tell you about. My mother had a knack for outdoor adventuring far before I was born, and it most certainly continued after. She was, and still is, my fearless Girl Scout leader who taught me how to make a fire, took me hiking through snow-covered trails, and showed me what it meant to leave no trace. I truly wouldn’t be the person I am today without her. She shaped me to be a compassionate and adventurous person who always knew how to care for herself and the natural world around her. My mom taught me how to love the world and all its creatures, big or small. She has impacted my life in the greatest of ways and I should probably tell her that more often.