2011 Scholarship Entry #145: Samantha Tinworth

One of the biggest challenges facing our generation today is the rising pollution in our atmosphere, environment, and oceans. This pollution causes harm and damage to our Eco-systems and the organisms living in them. Roughly one hundred thousand marine mammals and one million aquatic animals, including sea birds, are killed a year from plastic waste in the sea. This does not even include the death toll of toxic waste into our oceans. One person alone would not be enough to save the billions of organisms that exist in our waters, however it is a start. The smallest impact can make the biggest difference, and as an aspiring Marine Biologist I hope to be that big difference.

My passion and love for animals was discovered at a young age, and after one trip to the ocean I knew what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. When I was fifteen years old I was blessed with an amazing opportunity to volunteer with an Educational Program in Mexico, Panterra. Volunteering for Panterra opened my eyes to the beauty and wonders of the sea. Unfortunately I was also subjected to the harm that pollution from humans was causing the incredible marine life of the sea of Cortez. In a Sea lion habitat I witnessed a sight that would change my life forever. A juvenile sea lion was being slowly strangled by a fishing line that had been tossed in the sea. A flesh wound surrounded the line and unfortunately as the sea lion grows older the line will get tighter around its neck till it is strangled to death. I was left hurt that a fellow human was the cause of this unnecessary death, and I knew from that moment that I wanted to dedicate my life to rescuing and researching for a cleaner more promising future for the marine life of our oceans.

I am currently beginning my education at the Grande Prairie Regional College, where I will be able to take two years of biological sciences. After these two years I will be able to transfer to a university and obtain a degree in biology. With a degree in biology I hope to expand the possibilities to help innocent marine creatures and share the wonders of the ocean with the world. As a marine biologist, some of my future goals are to eventually set up a rescue centre for marine mammals. I would also like to join others in demonstrating how damaging the pollution is to the earth.

I have always been a firm believer that ever little bit helps. One person may not be able to make a huge change to the environment is what most people think, but the truth is one person can. If one person can make an effort to walk instead of drive to work, to recycle on a regular basis, or even to pick up a piece of trash from the ground. It would make a huge change in the environment and the organisms that inhabit it. I believe that I can change the world no matter how little I can do. 'No one made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little.' -Edmund Burke