Nicodemus Wilderness Project -- Global Registry of Apprentice Ecologists

During exploration of wilderness areas near my high school, I found a bayou that is part of a large drainage system which leads to larger rivers in our area and eventually to the Mississippi River. This waterway was extremely polluted and is hard to describe in words. I was appalled and apparently oblivious to the other signs of pollution around me. Discussions began on how to enact change; not just through talk, but through action. I started to take notice of major issues on and around our campus and community. This led to the creation, development and implementation of a boom that stretched across the bayou and was buoyant. Since water levels fluctuate in this waterway, I developed a way for the boom to rise and fall while still collecting pieces of floating trash and debris. In addition, the material used to create the boom was absorbent and collected oils and other chemicals floating on the surface of the water. Once trash was collected, I disinfected certain pieces and created a mini sculpture to put on display in our school courtyard for environmental awareness. It was a life-changing project for me and has changed the way I look at the environment around me.