This summer, Heritage Conservancy had the pleasure of welcoming summer Fellow, Amberly Choi, in partnership with the Alliance for Watershed Education (AWE). Amberly received her Associate’s degree in Psychology at Bucks County Community College before earning her Bachelor’s in Psychology at Temple University with a Certificate in Spanish. A Bucks County native, she has now transitioned from psychology into the environmental field, creating her own lasting impact on the county she had always called home. We asked Amberly to shed light on some of the things she’s worked on.

Could you give us some background on AWE and the summer fellowship and your mission in working with Heritage Conservancy?

Amberly: The Alliance for Watershed Education is a coalition of 23 organizations working to raise awareness of the Delaware River Watershed, which provides water to over 15 million people in the Mid-Atlantic Region of the United States. The Alliance champions a vision of diversity, equity, and inclusion – building on a movement that is inclusive of people from all backgrounds and walks of life. The bottom line here is that all of us depend on clean water and a healthy environment to live a good life. I am proud to say that I am officially an alumnus of this fellowship experience, and I feel very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to connect with the communities that Heritage Conservancy works with as they serve out its mission to preserve land and historic resources.

What drew you to working with AWE and Heritage Conservancy?

Amberly: I’ve just begun my journey with environmental and community work. Heritage Conservancy was the first environmental non-profit organization that I’d ever volunteered with, and a year after volunteering, I discovered this fellowship opportunity after looking for work in the environmental field. What really drew me in was a focus on community engagement and water protection.

What does your perfect day at work look like? What tasks do you enjoy, topics you like to discuss, etc.?

Amberly: My perfect day at work means getting kids to explore nature and feel confident in themselves. Recently, my favorite environmental topics to learn about and discuss have been urban agriculture and the environmental justice movement.

What is the number one habit we can include in our daily lives to help protect the marsh and the watershed?

Amberly: Become more aware and don’t be afraid to make mistakes! (That was two, I’m sorry.) I encourage anyone reading to take time each day to learn more about the challenges that our water faces and importantly, the solutions that will keep our water pure and clean for ourselves and future generations. We face challenges much too big for one person to face alone. It takes everyone’s combined effort to achieve a healthier world for all to live in. It’s better if many of us work on things imperfectly to help the environment than if one person does it perfectly. It needs to be a team effort and every single one of us can and should play a part.

Finally, what has been the most fulfilling aspect of your experience with Heritage so far?

Amberly: So far, it’s been connecting with kids and the community. I love learning about the environment, but I also love helping others. Getting a chance over the summer to combine those two passions has been very fulfilling for me.

Thank you to the Alliance for Watershed Education for making Amberly’s fellowship with Heritage Conservancy possible! To learn more about the Alliance for Watershed Education and the great work they are doing to promote watershed awareness, click HERE.