Salt Marsh Steward Prepares for Pre-Law

Amelis Medina was 14 years outdated and in her freshman yr of highschool when she obtained the e-mail – a bunch referred to as the Nationwide Audubon Society was on the lookout for paid interns to work at an area salt marsh. Amelis was on the lookout for a job as a result of she had injured her leg and would sometimes be enjoying basketball – however couldn’t.

She had by no means completed something associated to conservation earlier than, however Amelis utilized and was accepted as one in every of Audubon Connecticut’s first-ever Salt Marsh Stewards. It was 2022, and restoration efforts had simply begun at Nice Meadows marsh in Stratford.

Two days later, Amelis was on the marsh, and inside just some extra days, the crew began helping in restoration efforts. That spring they planted at the very least 10,000 native vegetation across the salt marsh. Additionally they picked up trash, eliminated invasive Phragmites roots, and realized how one can determine birds.  

“That first yr was experimental, and we have been all studying from one another. The crew leaders and members created sturdy bonds as we planted,” described Amelis. “I couldn’t watch for the subsequent season!”

In her freshman yr, Amelis thought she could be a prepare dinner and personal her personal restaurant. “By the tip of my second yr, I spotted there’s a lot that I wish to change on the earth. My dad and I bond over watching the information, and I obtained into politics. I assumed perhaps if I change into a lawyer and battle for issues like our surroundings, I could make change for generations to come back.”

Amelis is now in her fourth yr with this system, and can quickly start her freshman yr at UConn, the place she is learning political science and can quickly be including on pre-law.

“As all these plantings within the marsh grew annually, so did I,” mentioned Amelis. “I had so many unforgettable moments on this job. I obtained caught in mud as much as my hips and needed to be rescued by our crew chief! Someday we watched a herd of fiddler crabs scatter out of their holes, and thought it was so humorous we went again day by day to see them.”

“My household wasn’t outdoorsy, so this was all a brand new world to me. I didn’t consider it at first after I realized the Saltmarsh Sparrow aligns its nesting with the tide and the moon. I assumed that needed to simply be a coincidence! I realized so many issues that no person actually is aware of about.”

Amelis isn’t positive if this might be her remaining yr on the crew, however she may be very sure that the expertise modified her as an individual. “It’s actually formed who I’ve change into,” she concluded.