Immokalee Foundation Interns Discover the Wonders of Rookery Bay

The Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve focuses on research, education and conservation. This summer, a unique opportunity opened up for three Immokalee Foundation student interns to spend four weeks at Rookery Bay.  According to Athan Barkoukis, Executive Director of Friends of Rookery Bay, “Friends of Rookery Bay was happy to coordinate this internship opportunity so they could learn more about environmental careers. The 110,000-acre Rookery Bay Research Reserve is a living classroom where they could help scientists with important projects such as checking the quality of reserve waters and joining Team Ocean on patrol. We also appreciate their assistance during our Free Family Fridays so visitors enjoy the aquariums, touch tank and other exhibits. It's a great experience for the interns and great help for us."

Founded in 1991, the Immokalee Foundation has worked tirelessly to strengthen the Immokalee community. The Foundation offers students the tools and support they need to succeed at each level of their education whether they choose college, vocational programs or certifications that lead to financial independence.

According to Noemi Perez, President and CEO of The Immokalee Foundation “we are grateful to every organization who so graciously hosted one of our student interns this summer, but our relationship with Friends of Rookery Bay features a very special component. As we are both educational non-profits, it's exhilarating to join forces with a common goal to change the lives of young people with a dream. We hope this is the first of many collaborative efforts in the years ahead.”

Immokalee is just 35 miles southwest of Naples and is home to the three Foundation Interns, Rosalinda, Rebecca and Jason.  All three will be starting their senior year at Immokalee high School in August. For four weeks this summer, Rookery Bay was their classroom.

According to Donna Young, Rookery Bay’s Visitor Services and Volunteer Coordinator, this experience was a good exposure to future career paths for the students. Jason plans to pursue a career as a marine biologist; Rosalinda and Rebeca are interested in veterinary science.

They have never been to Rookery Bay and all three students admitted to being nervous during their first week. In four weeks, the students have gone on outreach trips with Team Ocean; teamed up with different departments at Rookery Bay; helped clean boats; acted as docents in the Environmental Learning Center and helped groups such as the Boys and Girls Club get the best experience during their visit.

For Rebecca, she was skeptical at first and as an aspiring vet she would have to deal more with mammals but here, it is all about fish. But now, she even had her favorites - toad and frog fish, both ugly but cute.  

Rosalinda was nervous that first day but as she met more people, she became more confident. “It’s been a blast,” Rosalinda commented as she described her summer experiences.

It was a summer of many first experiences – first manatee and Roseate spoonbill sighted; first visit to Keewaydin Island with Team Ocean for a beach clean-up; first encounter with fish in the research tanks; first sight of an iguana poaching eggs (possibly from a sea turtle nest); first encounter in removing invasive plants at the trail; first kayak tour of mangroves and mudflats with Rising Tide Explorers and first visit to the Naples Botanical Garden. 

As their world opened up, all indicated a willingness to explore the possibility of a future working with fish, water, trees, birds, plants and other wildlife. They will also use their Rookery Bay experience as a reference on their college applications and all expressed desires to stay close to home.

According to the Immokalee Foundation website “Our students come from situations where just getting through high school is considered a high achievement, and where a college degree and career are mere dreams. We’re in the business of helping make those dreams come true.”

Hopefully, Rosalinda, Rebecca and Jason’s summer experiences at Rookery Bay is the beginning of dreams coming true.