Daniell Washington is a self-proclaimed water baby. Born and raised in Miami, sheβs loved the ocean since she was 6 years old. Now, at 22, she has made it her mission to persuade school-aged kids to love the ocean the way she does. Through seaside scavenger hunts and boat trips to find sharks, Washington wants to inspire young people to appreciate all that the ocean has to offer, before they become cynical, inflexible adults. βI try to get to the youth before they get set in their ways,β Washington says, βbefore they get jaded.β
During a brainstorming session with her mother, the University of Miami graduate decided to create a television show geared toward teaching kids about the oceanβs sacred environment.
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Last year, Washington pitched her idea in a video essay contest sponsored by the clothing company Roxy, in hopes of winning a $10,000 prize to fund her production, βThe Big Blue You.β Her three-minute pitch video opens with her running down the beaches of Miami with a group of kids, scooping up trash and talking about wildlife. How could Roxy resist cute little kids talking about saving the ocean? They couldnβt. They gave Washington the $10K to proceed with her project.
Now Washington and her production crew are in the midst of filming the show and pitching it to national television networks. βItβs always a bright spot in my life when I get out there with those kids and see their faces when we catch a sea urchin,β she says. βIf I can do that on TV, that would be great.β
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In the meantime, sheβs helping organize the April 25 βFun in the Sun Youth Festivalβ at Virginia Key Beach Park, which, 60 years ago, was known as Miamiβs βcolored beach.β
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Take a look at the Green Collar Heroes photo gallery.
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