Salt Marsh Steward Prepares for Pre-Law

Amelis Medina was 14 years old and in her freshman year of high school when she got the email – a group called the National Audubon Society was looking for paid interns to work at a local salt marsh. Amelis was looking for a job because she had injured her leg and would typically be playing basketball - but couldn’t.

She had never done anything related to conservation before, but Amelis applied and was accepted as one of Audubon Connecticut’s first-ever Salt Marsh Stewards. It was 2022, and restoration efforts had just begun at Great Meadows marsh in Stratford.

Two days later, Amelis was at the marsh, and within just a few more days, the crew started assisting in restoration efforts. That spring they planted at least 10,000 native plants around the salt marsh. They also picked up trash, removed invasive Phragmites roots, and learned how to identify birds.  

“That first year was experimental, and we were all learning from each other. The crew leaders and participants created strong bonds as we planted,” described Amelis. “I couldn’t wait for the next season!”

In her freshman year, Amelis thought she would be a cook and own her own restaurant. “By the end of my second year, I realized there is a lot that I want to change in the world. My dad and I bond over watching the news, and I got into politics. I thought maybe if I become a lawyer and fight for things like our environment, I can make change for generations to come.”

Amelis is now in her fourth year with the program, and will soon begin her freshman year at UConn, where she is studying political science and will soon be adding on pre-law.

“As all those plantings in the marsh grew each year, so did I,” said Amelis. “I had so many unforgettable moments in this job. I got stuck in mud up to my hips and had to be rescued by our crew leader! One day we watched a herd of fiddler crabs scatter out of their holes, and thought it was so funny we went back every day to see them.”

“My family wasn’t outdoorsy, so this was all a new world to me. I didn’t believe it at first when I learned the Saltmarsh Sparrow aligns its nesting with the tide and the moon. I thought that had to just be a coincidence! I learned so many things that nobody really knows about.”

Amelis isn’t sure if this will be her final year on the crew, but she is very certain that the experience changed her as a person. “It’s really shaped who I’ve become,” she concluded.