Watch our interview with Katie on our YouTube channel:
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Helping sea turtles in Costa Rica? Yes, please!
This was the enthusiastic and infectious attitude that our alum, high school senior Katie Gruber, had about her experience on the Turtle Conservation Project. Katie who lives in Wisconsin went on the program with a neighboring school’s Key Club (kind of at the last minute too)!
Katie with a newly hatched sea turtle.
We had a chat and asked Katie about her firsthand insight on the program, as well as her best moment, and what advice she has to share with students going on the program next year.
Transcript
Introduction
Janette: Hello, I’m Janette with Rustic, and today I’m here with Rustic alumna Katie Gruber, who went on the Turtle Conservation Program this past summer. Hello, Katie.
Katie Gruber: Hi, hope you are well.
Background
Janette: Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Katie Gruber: I live in Wisconsin. I went on the turtle conservation project this past summer. I’m a senior currently in high school, and next year I plan to study and start my major in psychology. That’s a little bit about me.
The Turtle Conservation Program
Janette: So you went on the turtle conservation. Is that something like if you always loved turtles, or is it kind of like a new passion for you?
Katie Gruber: I was just given this opportunity kind of last minute because I went with a neighboring school’s Key Club. They needed people because some girls had dropped out, so I went through the separate interview process and everything to get in.
Janette: Oh wow, all I heard is that you work with sea turtles. You heard sea turtles and you’re like, I’m in.
Katie Gruber: Yeah, helping sea turtles in Costa Rica.
Janette: What was a typical day for you like on the program?
Katie Gruber: A typical day: you’d wake up, eat breakfast, and then head over to the hatchery. We’d meet up with our guides, talk about our morning projects. One day, we moved about 200 trees to a different spot.
We had lunch, went back to our hotel, regrouped, cleaned up, and then did our afternoon project like cleaning the beach. One day, we saw sea turtles hatching and had to see how many we could find alive under the driftwood we were cleaning up. At night, we’d go for night walks to watch for turtle tracks and see where they were laying their eggs.
Favorite Moments
Janette: Was there a particular moment, like a favorite moment from this experience?
Katie Gruber: Our first night walk, we found our first turtle. Our guide handed me the tape measure to measure the sea turtle’s shell. I was nervous and excited. I had never been that close to a sea turtle before. It was crazy.
Impact and Changes
Janette: Would you say this program changed you or your outlook on life?
Katie Gruber: For sure. Cleaning up the beach, seeing so many shoes and flip-flops, and a shirt piece stuck to dead coral made me more aware. Now, I always pick up trash when I see it because I know where it will end up. I’ve definitely become more conscious of litter and its impact.
Advice for Future Participants
Janette: Do you have any tips or advice for students going on the program next year?
Katie Gruber: Just enjoy every second of it. Some parts can be hard work, like moving trees, but it’s worth it knowing you’re making a difference. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Quick Fire Questions
Janette: Thank you, Katie. Now, some quick-fire questions. Are you ready?
Katie Gruber: Yes.
Janette: What’s your favorite color?
Katie Gruber: Light blue.
Janette: Favorite animal?
Katie Gruber: Probably monkeys.
Janette: Favorite food?
Katie Gruber: Chicken Alfredo.
Janette: Favorite Netflix show or thing you’re streaming?
Katie Gruber: I just finished the third season of “You” on Netflix.
Janette: Favorite music?
Katie Gruber: I like pop or newer songs, and sometimes poppy country.
Conclusion
Janette: Thank you so much, Katie, for chatting with us and telling us about your experience on the Turtle Conservation Program. It was really awesome.
If you’d like to participate in some meaningful service projects and contribute to wildlife preservation, you can find information about our programs or by visiting rusticpathways.com. Thank you so much for watching, and please don’t forget to subscribe to our channel so you don’t miss any of our videos.