Experiencing different types of environments is an essential part of understanding the connections between people and their surrounding environments. We have a responsibility as the ones who need to protect the earth to gain better knowledge about how our world works and the ways that we contribute to it. My personal experiences have always been influenced by growing up in many different places that all contributed to my desire to conserve the environment and educate others about the different ways we can conserve the environment. 

I have always had a unique education throughout lower levels of education because of the area I was living in. Growing up in a government family meant that there were many moves that we made at a young age. I was born in Cheltenham, England, and then moved to a small town outside of Yakima, Washington at the beginning of elementary school. At this young age, I was encouraged both by our school and my parents to use the outdoors as much as possible. Then my family moved to Annapolis, Maryland at the start of my second-grade year. Here, we were in a much more urban environment where it was more difficult to be outside during the school day. After just one year in public schools, my parents decided to homeschool me and my other two siblings so that we would be able to learn at our speed and do more outdoor and outside school activities. Being able to choose a path of education was very important to me but as I entered middle school, I wanted to return to public schooling. There I went through two and a half years of school before learning that my family would be moving to a rural town on the west coast of Cornwall, England. Once completing my 8th-grade year online, I was placed in the vigorous British school system for their first two years of upper education known as GCSEs. This system challenged my learning to a very high standard of learning, but this also came with large amounts of learning opportunities. I also was able to travel around Europe during this move which showed me many ways of life where people are experiencing different challenges in their environments. This experience showed me how lucky I was to be able to learn so much about my environment and become a passionate person about protecting the environment while also being able to bring knowledge about the Earth to other people.

After graduating, I received a degree in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Environmental Education from Towson University in Maryland. However, I have taken a different route in learning by taking a year to study at California State University, Monterey Bay where I aimed to expand my knowledge of marine environments. This opportunity, which was provided by the National Student Exchange program, provided me the chance to learn about more specific topics that are only offered in a smaller school environment. Over this year, I have been able to take courses that are interesting to my interests and go on different research and education opportunities that are tailored to environmental education. During my first semester in California, I participated in an outdoor education project with a local elementary school. Many of these students have not been allowed to learn about the area around them due to barriers in their lives. Through this project, my group was able to get the students out of the classroom and into a more informal learning environment where they were able to explore and learn about the area near their school. I have also gained personal experience with marine environments which is my main desire of my major and through SCUBA classes and ocean-focused courses I have been able to experience an ecosystem that is very different from the one I live near in Maryland. 

My main goal in majoring in Environmental Studies and education was to be able to teach others about the world around us so that it can be better conserved for future generations. If people are unable to learn about the challenges that the world is experiencing, there will be no progress in the ways that we treat problems such as climate change and pollution. My interest in progress internationally drove me to have a minor in international studies where we can look at how different cultures interacts and how they are connected to their environment. Most areas of the world do not understand why the things that are occurring in their homes are happening and being able to spread this education throughout different environments. Although my major is in Environmental Education, I do wish to teach mostly about marine habitats and how the ocean can connect us all, and why we need to take care of it. 

Once entering the workforce after graduation, my main goal would be to be in an informal teaching environment where people are encouraged to learn about the area they live in or that is around them. Currently, I am looking more into working or internships in areas such as zoos, aquariums, and non-profit organizations that want to bring better education to people across the country and the world. This field inspires me because you can see students getting excited about being outside and learning about the environment where they are. I believe that one of the only ways we are going to be able to solve a lot of the world's problems with the environment is through conservation through the education of others. Teaching others about marine conservation is something that I eventually wish to be in because I feel like the ocean is something that I am passionate about and would like to be able to share this with others.