Introducing Ellie- A Senior Harbor Educator First Day

 Hello!

My name is Ellie Tate (pronouns: she/her) and I am one of the summer 2021 Senior Harbor Educator (SHE) for Save the Harbor! I just graduated from Trinity College in Hartford, CT this spring and have moved up to the Greater Boston area for the first time. I'm from central Pennsylvania and I have grown up around water, whether in creeks and streams or traveling to a beach, so a summer without water is not a summer I want. I studied Environmental science at Trinity and have developed a passion for environmentalism, conservation and sustainability. Save the Harbor's values, community outreach, and environmental education was work that I immediately wanted to be involved in. 

I am ecstatic for the activities we have planned this summer and getting to explore and learn more about the harbor. I have been to Boston twice before joining the Save the Harbor team and now I'm sharing harbor facts to friends who have lived here their whole life. The immersive programs allows for quick, engaging and informative lesson about the harbor clean-up, fishing, and the Greater Boston parks/beaches. 

Last week I went to Carson Beach for the first time and did a survey for MIT with the other SHE's. It was community science survey of bivalves so it can be easily replicated by community members at other beaches. We counted the number of shells we identified of different species of bivalves like the Atlantic Jackknife clam, soft shelled clams, the Eastern Oyster and more! It was a great way to apply species identification with a fun beach activity that we can do many more times this summer! 

This is just the beginning. Hopefully you look forward to hearing from me again and I will have some exciting stories to tell! 

Until next time!

Ellie

Third Time’s A Charm!!

Hello Everyone!! My name is Fatima Fontes and this is my THIRD year at Save the Harbor Save the Bay! Wow, time flies when you're having fun! A little about myself, I am a upcoming senior at Boston University studying Psychology. I use to be on the Pre-Med track also boping to go to Medical School, but things changed when I realized that I don't have a very big interest in chemistry, biology and phsyics. I now plan to attend graduate school for Neuropsychology. As for my home life, I've lived in Charlestown, MA since 2005 and I've attended all schools in Charlestown until college. I like to plan with my nieces and work out on my free time! I am so very excited for this summer of working! I am super excited to start working with kids again and being able to interact with others! Last year with STH was fun and I grew a fun bond with my group that I worked with throughout the summer, but now being able to have a larger group of people to have fun with is going to be great! This is my first year working at CHV and im super excited! I use to attend the camp when I was younger, but I haven't been back in years! I can't wait to see what we catch along the Pier and the shoreline! I know the summer is going to go by in a blink of an eye because it always does when you're having fun, but I hope this is a summer to remember! I hope to have one of the best summers yet! I am in a group with Joel and Albert and so far they seem like great team members! Joel has so much experience in the field of marine life so I cant wait to learn so much from him! I always had an interest in the oceans mechanisms and organisms so its good to have someone that already has a lot of knowledge! Cant wait to see what this summer has to offer! Talk to you soon, Fatima Fontes :)

Back to the Beach This Summer!

All of us at Save the Harbor/Save the Bay are looking forward to a spectacular summer on Boston Harbor, as the pandemic subsides, our staff returns to our offices on the Fish Pier in the Seaport, and the region’s residents and visitors return to Boston Harbor, our public beaches, the waterfront, and the islands. 

Last year, as we faced the public health crises of the pandemic and continued systemic racial injustice, we made three promises to our partners, our supporters, our community and to ourselves. 

• We promised our partners in state and local government that we would take the lead in educating the public about how to keep our beaches safe and open during the pandemic.
• We promised to help our program and community partners “Save their Summer” with innovative virtual programs and engaging online content.
• And finally, we promised that when the pandemic had passed, Save the Harbor/Save the Bay would be ready to "Share the Harbor" with the all region's residents, especially people of color, who continue to face inequities and discrimination in public spaces like beaches and parks that should be places of recreation, peace and fun for all. 

I am proud to say that with your sustained support we have kept our promises, and are prepared to bring energy, enthusiasm, and resources to support free events and youth environmental education programs on the region's public beaches from Nahant to Nantasket this summer. 

 

Beginning this month Save the Harbor/Save the Bay will:

• Onboard 40 summer staffers to run our free Youth Environmental Education Programs at program sites in the Seaport, on Boston’s waterfront and in Lynn, Nahant, Revere, Winthrop, East Boston, South Boston, Dorchester, Quincy, and Hull.  
• Work with our community partners to host beach festivals, circus performances, and family movie nights, as well as a suite of new programs that will bring creatives of color, a more diverse audience, and more inclusive music and food choices to the region’s public beaches.
• Work with our program partners to distribute hundreds of free life jackets, as well as free mobility mats and floating wheelchairs to ensure that the all the region’s residents can enjoy a day at the beach regardless of their age or ability. 
• Work with government at all levels to advocate for new ways to improve public access to clean water, activate the harbor, the beaches and the islands and increase equity, diversity and inclusion on the waterfront, the Seaport, and the Fort Point Channel.

Last year your generosity and support provided us with the resources we needed to develop virtual programs to support our partners and serve as the Boston Harbor Connection for kids and families in new ways during the pandemic. 

I hope that you will make a contribution today to help us share Boston Harbor in person this summer as the region’s kids and families escape their bubbles and rediscover the spectacular urban natural resources, we have worked so hard to restore and protect. 

 
Thanks for your loyalty, confidence, and continued support. I am really looking forward to seeing you face to face on Boston Harbor, the waterfront, the islands, and our region’s public beaches this summer! 

 

All the best, 

Chris Mancini, Executive Director 
Save the Harbor/Save the Bay