Celebrating AmeriCorps Week 2025
This week, we’re celebrating AmeriCorps Week, a time to recognize the dedication and impact of our incredible NESS SEA AmeriCorps members! At NESS, our members play a vital role in empowering students, fostering environmental stewardship, and making a difference in our community. To honor their service, we’re highlighting their hard work and sharing two inspiring stories that showcase their passion, commitment, and the lasting impact they create.
Meet the Members
Jade “Katfish”
"I was raised in a small farming community in Iowa, so my access to the ocean as a child was limited. Nonetheless, through summer vacations, I gained a love for the sea. I attended Eckerd College in Florida and graduated with a B.S. in marine science. During college, I became passionate about marine invertebrates, specifically marine worms and parasites. I hope to pursue a Master’s or PhD in marine parasite ecology.
I joined NESS because I wanted to gain teaching experience while getting the chance to explore New England!"
Emma “SharkBait”
"Hi, my name is Emma, and I'm from Scituate, MA! I've always been passionate about the outdoors, especially the ocean, and I started scuba diving at age 12. I graduated from the University of Vermont in 2023 with a B.S. in Environmental Studies. It was at UVM that I fell in love with outdoor education and worked as an educator with Sea Grant Lake Champlain and the Lake Champlain Basin Program. After graduating, I went on a spontaneous, once-in-a-lifetime trip with my family and spent 8 months living on our boat, exploring southern waters.
After a year on the boat with my family, it was time to take the first steps in my career, which led me to find the NESS SEA AmeriCorps program! I chose this year of service because I believe that the outdoors should be enjoyed by everyone. This program allows me to share what I am passionate about with others and to ignite a passion for the environment in the next generation. These last few months at NESS have been an amazing opportunity that has not only strengthened my passion for teaching others but has allowed me to learn something new every day!"
Zoe “Sunflower”
"Hello! My name is Zoe, I am a CT local! I have been having an amazing time serving my community by providing ocean-based experiential learning to students. It is extremely rewarding to teach students about marine science- a subject they may not have been able to learn about otherwise.
In my free time, I love being outside- going to the beach, hiking, skiing, and exploring. Maddie and I also love to bake sweet treats and bread! After my AmeriCorps year of service, I plan on pursuing an environmental science career and continuing to explore and do the things I love!"
Maddie “Twister”
“I have loved the ocean my whole life, but, growing up in Iowa, I could only see it on our yearly vacation. While in college, I decided to officially pursue a career in marine science, spent a summer doing research in Florida, and a semester studying marine science in Turks & Caicos with the School for Field Studies. This past May, I graduated from Davidson College with a degree in Biology.
I decided to join the NESS AmeriCorps program largely because I wanted to share my love and passion for the ocean with others. I am someone who learns best in a hands-on environment and was so excited to learn this was a major part of NESS's mission. Through my time so far, I have enjoyed seeing how excited our students are to come to NESS and learn something outside of their normal curriculum. After the AmeriCorps program, I hope to pursue a graduate degree in Biology, with a focus on marine animal behavior.”
Heather “Cyclone”
"I grew up in the suburbs of Illinois and never had access to the oceans, but at a young age, I was inspired to become a marine biologist after watching Sea Rescue, an ABC show documenting marine animal rescues, weekly. To pursue this passion, I attended Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida, where I had the opportunity to conduct research in the Gulf of Mexico, Delaware Bay, and Lake Michigan, studying anthropogenic impacts on marine environments. Through these experiences, I discovered my love for offshore research and hope to pursue this interest further after my year of service with AmeriCorps.
I joined AmeriCorps to give back to communities and make ocean sciences more accessible. I hope to spread my fascination for the ocean and encourage students to be better stewards of the environment.
During my free time, I like to read, discover new coffee shops, visit museums, and hang out at the beach."
Henry “Ripple”
“This is my second year with the NESS SEA AmeriCorps program. I enjoyed sharing my love for science and the ocean so much during my first year of service and have been having a lot of fun continuing to bring experience-based lessons to the students of southeastern Connecticut.
I have enjoyed growing to be a part of this community in the past year and look forward to continuing to build a connection with the communities we serve. This year, I work with many different service sites, which has allowed me to spend time at NESS’s Stonington location, helping to maintain and improve our aquariums and aquaponics system and joining in on many of the programs that are run out of our classrooms and throughout the Stonington Borough.
I hope to continue my career in education after the completion of this term of service and inspire the next generation of scientists."
NESS SEA AmeriCorps Great Stories
Heather "Cyclone"
"For a week in January, my co-member and I brought a handful of specimens to show the students. We had three stations for the students to rotate through: microscopes with prepared slides, marine mammal pelts, and animal teeth from varying sea animals. A member or NESS educator was located at each station to assist and inform students about the specimens. Throughout the week, the students in each class were excited to touch and learn about the different specimens we brought in.
One particular interaction I had with a student stood out. A third-grade girl eagerly stood over the microscopes with prepared slides we brought, hastily switching from microscope to microscope. She exclaimed how amazing everything looked under the lens. With a bright smile, she said, “I want to be a scientist one day.” I looked at her and replied, “Me too.” Without missing a beat, she smiled back and said, “You already are one.”
Her words resonated deeply with me, reminding me of the impact we can have by simply sharing our passion for science with others. I am grateful to have this opportunity to discover and share what I love most with eager students, leaving a lasting impact on them."
Zoe “Sunflower”
“As an undergraduate student studying earth sciences, I was focused on research. I have gained many hours of field and laboratory experience and greatly enjoyed every minute of it. I knew that serving as an AmeriCorps STEM Educator with NESS would be different than conducting laboratory experiments. Lately, I have been missing the excitement of working on a scientific study and analyzing data. A recent interaction with a student made me remember why I chose to serve with AmeriCorps.
I am serving at an international elementary magnet school in New London, CT. This week in particular, my co-member and I were teaching a lesson about investigating specimens using different tools and the five senses, and I was leading a station with different marine animal specimens. The students were analyzing whale, baleen, and shark teeth, as well as a giant triton shell, using their sense of touch and magnifying glasses. We were in a third-grade classroom, and the group of students at my station was very excited about the specimens. One student couldn’t contain his excitement about the whale tooth.
This student has trouble staying focused and often needs extra guidance. He was very focused when I was explaining the facts about the whale tooth. He made in-depth observations about the size and weight of this Sperm Whale tooth. However, he interrupted me three different times to ask what kind of whale tooth it was. Each time I answered that it was a Sperm Whale tooth, he promptly forgot and asked me again a few minutes later. I was patient with him and was pleased that he was so engaged.
As the class was about to switch stations, he stayed at my station and began explaining to me that he “loves this stuff” and wants “to be a scientist just like you.” I couldn’t help but break into a big smile. I felt proud to have made his day and inspired him.
His comment made me reconsider what it means to be a scientist. Just because I am not in a lab studying the changes in climate does not mean I am not changing the world. In fact, I feel I have made more of a positive impact serving with AmeriCorps than I did conducting research in a lab. I can see the positive impacts that the team and I have on the students.
Being a scientist means making observations about the world, conducting experiments, and analyzing the outcomes. I still love working in a laboratory, but I realize I am still conducting meaningful science as a STEM educator. I am creating engaging science experiments with students and inspiring them. I hope the students that I serve will go on to make a positive impact on the environment and feel impactful themselves. I am very appreciative to be serving with AmeriCorps.”
Thank You!
Thank you to all our current and past members who have chosen to do a year of service with the NESS SEA AmeriCorps program. Your impact on the communities you serve does not stop after your year of service, and NESS is grateful to have the opportunity to have such an impactful program for 10 amazing years!
About the NESS SEA AmeriCorps Program
NESS SEA AmeriCorps serves and mentors students with the primary purpose of delivering experiential standards-based STEM enrichment programs. Under the guidance of NESS Educators, our members also serve students during the school day, in after-school programs, and with community partners, where they also provide engaging STEM activities.
Learn More & Join Our 2025-2026 NESS SEA AmeriCorps Team
Click here to learn more about the NESS SEA AmeriCorps Program, our Host Sites & Community Partners, and how to join our team for the upcoming 2025-2026 service year!
