BY CHRISTINA TASCON

Indian River County is an ecologically diverse community with countless natural resources at hand.  The Indian River Lagoon has been in the news constantly lately with ecologists, naturalists and water enthusiasts all calling for reform to clean up our waters.

Many of us may think that the youth of today tune out this important discourse, but in truth many of them feel the impact of the changing eco-system and also worry for the future of the lagoon deeply.

It helps that many of our local kids not only have lived and played in an area rich with natural habitats.  They also are surrounded by a multitude of passionate people all rooting for Mother Nature here in Indian River County.

Haley Glaab, 18, daughter of Sherri and Lance Glaab, is going to be graduating from Vero Beach High School this year.  She plans on attending University of Florida to study Environmental Engineering.

How did she come by this career path?  Well, she was not only raised near the Environmental Learning Center, but has been volunteering there since the ninth grade.

“I do the Touch Tank Encounters with the kids on Sunday and at events as well and work as a summer camp counselor at the ELC every year,” said Glaab.  “I was one of the first people to start at the Touch Tank. It was really fun and it opened my eyes to science.”

Students are encouraged to put in 75 volunteer hours in their local community to graduate–Haley has 537 at this point.

“I didn’t have to do all of those hours but I began to love being with all the water critters and showing them to the children. Also, once I made the decision to go to U of F you have to literally be the most perfect person to get into the program.  You have to have the best grades, (Haley’s GPA is 4.5) and you have to volunteer with a lot of community projects.”

In addition to being a favorite volunteer at the ELC, Haley also was in the Interact Club, which she says is the high school version of the Rotary Club.

“We put together the Dance Marathon to raise money for the Children’s Miracle Network,” said Haley.

She also volunteered at the Samaritan Center and belonged to the Environmental Club, which started a recycling program at her school.

“Everyone in our family knows if they throw plastic away, they are dead,” Haley laughs.  Her mother Sherri agrees.

“We had a huge family Christmas party and even her grandparents who live out of town knew to put their name on their cups and keep them because Haley would be upset if we were to throw them out,” said Sherri Glaab.  “She is all about the three R’s (reuse, recycle, reduce.)”

Whether through contact with the ELC or her classes at Vero Beach High School, gradually Haley found her passion for the environment.  She took an Advanced Placement class on Environmental Science in 11th grade, and her mother says that was when it “really clicked.”

Haley loves the “water critters” which she enjoys talking about to the children under her care.

“I love showing them to the kids.  The John’s Island Foundation funds kids from Fellsmere to go to summer camp at the ELC and it is amazing to see the kids who have never done something like that before.  They have never seen a dolphin, never been on a pontoon ride, never done any of that before.  I tell them about what they eat and their habitat. They are so cute and it really is eye opening for them,” said Haley.

“I have known Haley about four years,” said Heather Stapleton, Education Director at the ELC.

“And during that time, the ELC staff has continued to give her more meaningful responsibilities.  She has served as a patient role model for younger campers; and as she matures, she has begun volunteering for the more involved, physically challenging older camps, too.  I have a feeling it is that role that has fueled her interest in and helped move her towards an environmental field.”

Haley believes that being educated about the planet and environment will one day help save our lagoon and the nature which gives back to its inhabitants–human as well as animal and plant life.

“We could all try harder to not use pesticides and chemicals on our lawns and to clean up after ourselves so trash does not pollute our earth.  We really can all do a better job,” Haley said.

“As Haley matures into an exceptional young woman, she impresses me more and more,” said Stapleton.  “And, she has an obvious affinity for the natural world.  Already, as a teenager, Haley has a heightened sense awareness of the natural world and her connection to it.  She keeps trying new experiences that will certainly lead her to a career making a positive impact on this world.”

“I just really want to help clean up polluted waste sites and help the environment,” said Glaab.

We look forward to what this exceptional young woman will do and wish her the best as she goes off to the University of Florida this year.