Nicodemus Wilderness Project -- Global Registry of Apprentice Ecologists

My name is Katelyn and I am a senior in high school in Florida. I chose to do an Apprentice Ecologist project because I am currently taking an AP Environmental Science class and have learned a lot about the environment and how humans are affecting it. I decided that I wanted to do more to help the environment, starting with a small project in my community.
For my Apprentice Ecologist project, I cleaned up trash at a local park called Sam Smith Park. It is a small park that few people go to, but I chose this location because it is about a mile from my house and I used to ride my bike there often when I was younger.
I want to keep this park clean because I want people to enjoy it like I did. Parks are a source of recreation for the public and if they become dirty, nobody will want to go there. I also want it to stay a clean and safe environment for animals that live there. This park is home to many animals such as squirrels, birds, turtles, ducks, and fish.
Doing this project has inspired me to keep helping my community by cleaning up trash and taking other actions to help the environment. Even by cleaning a small park, I learned that my actions can make a big difference.