Much of my childhood was spent wandering along our backyard creek, full of tadpoles, frogs, crayfish, and bluegill. I marveled at the array of life, sustained by this little ribbon of water winding through our suburban neighborhood. My teenage years were spent taking trips to national parks, exploring our beaches, and hiking through the woods of northern Michigan. I learned to identify plants, berries, and insects. I learned how to fish, how to carefully scramble up rock ledges, and how to climb a tree high enough to make my parents very nervous. My AP Environmental Science class is where I truly felt enthusiastic and excited about learning. Our class visited the Grand River, and spent the morning studying microorganisms and water quality. I relished discovering new things about this critical part of Michigan’s ecosystem. Our lakes and rivers are easy to take for granted. The Great Lakes account for 20% of the fresh water on the planet. Threats such as invasive species, pollution, and climate change endanger our environment. I want to help protect our waters, and the life that depends on them. I had the opportunity to job shadow a professor and researcher studying the quality of bodies of water and aquatic species throughout Michigan. After this experience, I was confident that this was the career field I would love to pursue. We need our lakes. We need our rivers. However, as powerful as they are, they are also incredibly delicate. It is critical that we learn how to better care for our lakes, our rivers, and the environment; everything is connected. I believe I will forever notice the life around me with the same childlike sense of wonder. My goal is to give that curiosity a greater purpose, and I am excited to see wherever that may lead.