Hi there! My name is Jessie Thuma and I am a new Environmental/Policy
intern with Save the Harbor/Save the Bay.
I joined the team only a week ago so I’m still learning and reading all
about the history, policies, achievements, and goals of the organization. I am blown away by the progress Save the
Harbor has made in improving beach sanitation and accessibility for all of the
15 public beaches in the region, from Nahant all the way down to
Nantasket. I have been interested in
environmental advocacy for as long as I can remember so this summer I am
excited to learn about the communication and policy dynamic of a non-profit
advocacy group.
I am a rising junior at the University of Virginia—or as we
say at UVA, a rising Third Year—where I am working towards a BS in
Environmental Science as well as a BA in Women, Gender, and Sexuality. In my search for summer internships, applying
for a position at Save the Harbor was a natural choice. I have lived in Quincy my whole life, just a
minute walk from Wollaston beach.
Growing up, I spent much of my summer hanging out in the sand, taking
sailing lessons at both Black’s Creek and Squantum Yacht Club, and going to the
Clam Box for French fries and ice cream.
Needless to say, I love the water and feel passionately that everyone
should have the same access to a fun and safe beach that I was lucky enough to
have. That is why I love Save the
Harbor’s mission to not only clean up the region’s beaches, but to share the
beaches with the local communities. With
their free public programs, like Family Fun Day on Wollaston Beach which I went
to a few years ago, and youth education programs, Save the Harbor is working to
instill in all residents a love for the beach and an enthusiasm to keep the
waters of the Boston Harbor clean.
Over the years, I have seen first hand the major
improvements to the beaches driven by the staff and interns at Save the Harbor. When I was really young, I was not allowed to
swim at Wollaston or go into the mud flats at low tide because of the polluted
water and the broken glass and trash embedded in the sand. Now, when I go for a run along the shore or grab
some lunch at the Clam Box, I see hundreds of people enjoying the beach as
their kids play in the water or look for crabs in the mud at low tide. The sand is clean, the bathhouse is useable
again, and people are finally respecting the beach rather than trashing
it. I am so happy to have the chance to
give back to my community and other beach communities like it as I work with
Save the Harbor/Save the Bay to help share the beach.
Outside of environmental conservation, I love to run, cook,
read, and watch whatever is popular on Netflix.
I spend as much time with friends and family (including my two cats) as
I can, and love using my free summer days to explore different neighborhoods of
Boston, search out a new hiking trail or running path, or lounge by the pool or
beach and have a cookout. As an intern
this summer, I will be putting together case studies, helping with press
releases and collecting news clips, and working with the Youth Environmental
Education Program at Black’s Creek in Quincy.
I can’t wait for all that I still have to learn and experience with Save
the Harbor!
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