I grew up in a household with parents who prioritized our environment. My early years were filled with outside adventures, my home runs on solar power, and we always bring our reusable bags to the grocery store. As a child, some of this seemed excessive and slightly embarrassing, but it started me on a journey of environmental exploration and, ultimately, shaped my interests, passions, and future goals. As a sophomore in high school, I learned about the Environmental Studies Program offered by Virginia Beach City Public Schools. I applied and was overjoyed to be accepted into the program. Through this program, I learned how important conservation and sustainability are to a thriving community and environment. This experience is something I wish everyone could experience. It changed my career path and has shown me that I can positively impact my environment. This experiential learning has shaped me, changed me, and molded me. I went from being a student who was simply going through the motions of learning, to an engaged and empowered global citizen. Encouraging my friends and family to gain in-depth knowledge about environmental issues and adopt sustainable practices is essential. By equipping themselves with knowledge, they can actively incorporate changes into their daily lives, such as reducing energy consumption, minimizing waste, and supporting eco-friendly initiatives. This proactive approach will allow them to make a tangible positive impact on the environment and contribute to creating a more sustainable world for future generations. A significant part of my impact on my local community comes through my work with the Surfrider Foundation. When I was first introduced to the foundation, I knew immediately that I wanted to be involved and that I wanted to be a leader. Surfrider tasks its participants to become good stewards of local waterways, protecting and conserving our marine resources and habitats. Sharing my passion for conservation with others is my favorite aspect of the work I do with this foundation. As a club leader for the Surfrider Foundation, I have organized and attended numerous beach clean-ups, tested water quality at local beaches, attended the mid-Atlantic regional conference, and led my clubs through myriad projects. Through this hard work, I also earned a spot on the club leadership council as one of only ten students from within the club network to help lead the direction of 140+ clubs nationwide. Each student in the Environmental Studies Program is placed in an internship for their senior year. From August to April of this past year, I interned at WPL Site Design, a local landscape architecture firm. I had the opportunity to independently design a plan for the native underbrush surrounding a man-made educational pond at the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center that was installed on January 26, 2024. This experience, while challenging, was one of the most rewarding experiences of my educational career. It tied together everything that I am passionate about - my design was sustainable, used only native plants, provided a safe haven for a multitude of indigenous wetland species, and now serves as a way to educate others. While I have gained valuable insights from my time at WPL Site Design, it has also highlighted the areas where I need to develop and expand my knowledge further. In the fall of 2024, I will be enrolling at Virginia Tech to pursue a bachelor's degree in landscape architecture from their highly selective and accredited program while also minoring in sustainability studies. Upon completing my degree at Virginia Tech, I am eager to utilize my skills and knowledge to contribute positively to society and become a better citizen.

During the last two years, I have been enrolled in the Environmental Studies Program and have had the privilege of spending many school days at a LEED Platinum and Living Building certified classroom at the Brock Environmental Center. Being a part of this program has given me an incredible chance to closely observe green infrastructure in action and understand the delicate balance that exists between infrastructure and the environment in a multitude of ways. The Brock Environmental Center serves as a perfect example of how sustainable infrastructure can be incorporated into the design of a building while also minimizing its negative impact on the environment. One of my long-term goals is to create change in areas around my community. Integrating sustainability into residential design deeply resonates with my values of environmental conservation and ethical living. Through my internship with WPL Site Design, a landscape architecture and site engineering firm, I was tasked with designing a to-scale model of a small environmentally sustainable building that incorporates all seven petals of the Living Building Challenge. I gained extensive knowledge of sustainable design practices during this research and design project. My design modeled green building techniques, efficient use of materials, energy efficiency, water conservation, and landscaping. One of the most important things I learned was the importance of designing buildings that are not only environmentally friendly but also socially responsible to aid the people who use the building. Through the coursework at the Environmental Studies Program, I learned about the “triple bottom line” which refers to the interconnectedness of people, planet, and profit. This concept caught my attention as these aspects all relate to the issue of environmental justice, which I believe is extremely important to address in my community. Historically (and even today), the under-resourced urban communities that need the most help are minority groups that are most likely to experience the worst effects from the depletion of our environment and aren’t given the tools to succeed. This leads to poor air and water quality, food apartheid, pollution, and unsustainable, inefficient use of valuable resources Unfortunately, landscape architecture is not always considered a necessity in urban areas, and many compact cities do not get planned with intention or given the green spaces they need. However, I want to be a force for change in areas that are not taken care of socially and environmentally. Creating change is not an opportunity but an obligation. The change that I want to lead in my community is rooted in intentionality. If we are more intentional about the sustainable initiatives and practices we are implementing in our homes, businesses, and communities, we will see large-scale changes. These sustainable practices are not only beneficial for the environment but also help in creating a healthier and more sustainable future for all of us. In the fall of 2024, I will attend Virginia Tech to complete its highly selective, accredited Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree program while also minoring in Sustainability Studies. With an education in landscape architecture and sustainability, I will have the skills and knowledge to address sustainability and design challenges in residential architecture.

Over the past two years, I have attended the Environmental Studies Program at the Brock Environmental Center. Here, I was given a glimpse into what is possible through education with a focus on sustainability. This experience has changed my career path and has shown me that it is possible for me to make a positive environmental impact. During my junior year, I spent more time learning outside in the wetlands and maritime forests surrounding my classroom at the Brock Environmental Center than I spent learning indoors confined by the walls of my high school. When we encountered questions, we didn't turn to Google; instead, we actively sought out hands-on experiences in the field. While exploring the challenges facing our local waterways, we boarded a boat provided by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to collect data and test water quality. This kind of experiential learning has shaped me, changed me, and molded me. I went from being a student who was simply going through the motions of learning; frequently feeling discouraged and disempowered, to an engaged and empowered global citizen. I began to feel a passion for learning as I saw how I, through my education, could begin to make positive changes in my world. A significant part of my impact on my local community comes through my work with the Surfrider Foundation. When I was first introduced to the foundation, I knew immediately that I wanted to be involved and that I wanted to be a leader. Surfrider tasks its participants to become good stewards of local waterways. As a leader for Surfrider, I have organized and attended numerous beach clean-ups, tested water quality at local beaches, attended the mid-Atlantic regional conference, and led my clubs through myriad projects. Through this hard work, I also earned a spot on the club leadership council as one of only ten students from within the club network to help lead the direction of 140+ clubs across the country. Last year, I had the opportunity to work with Surfrider’s Ocean Friendly Garden program. Through this program, I was given firsthand experience in designing and maintaining a garden while focusing on sustainability. I was an instrumental leader in the process of receiving an Ocean Friendly Garden certification for our native garden at the Environmental Studies Program. My involvement in this project showed me how impactful small changes like using different watering systems or having more permeable surfaces could be on the nearby environment and my community. This project was the main spark that lit up my interest in helping the environment through landscape design. Currently, I am interning at WPL Site Design, a local landscape architecture firm, where I am working closely with professionals in landscape architecture, land surveying, and site engineering. I independently designed a plan for the native underbrush surrounding a man-made educational pond at the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center that was installed on January 26, 2024. A post-secondary education in landscape design will combine my passion for the environment with my internship experience. Though I have learned a great deal from my experiences at WPL Site Design, it has also made me realize that I still have room to grow and much more to learn. In the fall of 2024, I will be attending Virginia Tech for their accredited five-year bachelor of landscape architecture degree in a highly selective program. With the knowledge, tools, and experience that a degree offers and your scholarship support, I will be able to reach all of my current and future goals to make a positive environmental impact.

I have always had a passion for the environment. My school district offered me the opportunity of a lifetime for my junior and senior years in High School by offering an Environmental Studies Program. This program has shaped me, changed me, and molded me. I went from being a student who was simply going through the motions of learning; frequently feeling discouraged and disempowered, to an engaged and empowered global citizen. I began to feel a passion for learning as I saw how I, through my education, could begin to make positive changes in my community. My passion for environmental advocacy was ignited further when I was appointed to the Bayfront Advisory Commission (BAC) as a non-voting student member. The BAC is a city council commission responsible for reviewing and making recommendations to the Virginia Beach City Council regarding issues associated with the Bayfront area. I attend monthly meetings and can listen to the current initiatives put forth by the BAC while also contributing my ideas. I am the president of the Surfrider Foundation Club in the Environmental Studies Program. My co-president and I attended Surfrider's Mid-Atlantic Conference in October. At the conference, we participated in a session about current and past Surfrider campaigns. A campaign that stood out to us was one called “Skip the Stuff". It was passed into legislation in New York City and Los Angeles and requires single-use utensils to be available only upon customer request from food service establishments. I decided to bring this campaign back to our Virginia clubs because I saw this as an opportunity to create positive environmental change in my community. Naturally, we decided our first course of action would be to present to the Bayfront Advisory Commission (BAC). From there, I contacted the Virginia Beach Restaurant Association and they advised me to spread the word about the campaign locally. Since then, I have been working to raise awareness about “Skip the Stuff” in Virginia Beach. A broadcaster at WHRO helped me get the word out locally. Additionally, I have been posting updates through a podcast that I run called the Environmental Anecdotes Podcast. I presented the campaign to the Virginia Beach Clean Community Commission. In February, I will present at the Wave of Change Symposium at the Virginia Aquarium. Finally, I will present this initiative at an event called Green Drinks - where people who work in the environmental field meet up for informal speaking sessions. I will attend the Surfrider Foundation’s Coastal Recreation Hill Day in February. This virtual event will bring together hundreds of Surfrider activists from chapters and student clubs across the country to meet with our elected representatives in Congress. I am looking forward to learning about other initiatives that the Surfrider Foundation is prioritizing this year and possibly sharing the "Skip the Stuff" campaign with our representatives in Congress. Attending this event will also broaden my knowledge of legislation, which will help me move forward with the campaign. Creating change is not only an opportunity, but it is also a moral obligation. It is essential to stand up for what you believe in and speak out about it, no matter your age. It is important to recognize that change takes time and requires patience and perseverance. I hope that through my work at the state and local level, I can influence future generations to create their waves of change. We must recognize our responsibility to create a better world for ourselves and future generations. Young people must work together to create a more just, equitable, and sustainable world for everyone.