Whether testing water quality or performing a dissection, senior Eme Choi’s love for environmental science is unwavering. By attending a variety of camps and taking full advantage of the courses and opportunities at Haven, Choi has forged a path for herself in the environmental science field.
Outside of school, Choi participated in Wildlife Leadership Academy, a week-long summer sleepaway program in Central Pennsylvania.
“We did a really deep dive into studying brook trout, which is a native species in Pennsylvania,” Choi said. “We visited a fishery, we took some water quality tests, and we did dissections. It was a lot of hands-on stuff that we don’t get to do at the high school.”
Choi also attended the Environmental Leaders Academy, which further developed her interest.
“This was more like an abroad environmental science exploration,” Choi said. “We had a nature photographer talk to us and someone who makes environmental films, as well, which is really cool.”
Choi finds that there were many opportunities to explore her interests at Haven as well. Notably, taking Environmental Science her freshman year fostered Choi’s love for the subject.
“I actually really liked that freshman year environmental science class,” Choi said. “It was partially the experience in the pond, going out to the pond and doing those experiments, that really got me into this field. I think it was because I took that course that I’m interested in it now.”
With the initial exposure to environmental science, Choi went on to take AP Environmental Science. She finds that the field trips in the curriculum fascinated her.
Science teacher Ms. Kathleen Freeman explains that the AP Environmental Science class attends a variety of field trips to gain exposure to different fields. From Rushton Farm and John Heines National Wildlife Refuge to a wastewater treatment plant, students are able to see first hand what a field career may look like.
“Eme is one of those people that just lights up when they get to apply their learning to something,” Freeman said. “She was always the first person in a stream or the pond or the first person to get dirty. I consider her to be the field guru of the environmental science world.”
In addition to environmental science classes, Choi was able to continue her exploration of environmental science in other classes, such as history and AP Seminar.
“I feel like teachers give ample opportunity to research things that interest you, even if it’s not the subject,” Choi said. “For history, there was one year that I studied the housing crisis on climate migrants, because with low rising sea levels, their homes are getting flooded… And, AP Seminar is just completely open. I studied carbon sequestration for that.”
In college, Choi plans to pursue a double major in environmental science and English. She hopes to be able to conduct research as well.
“Don’t limit yourself to choosing between STEM and humanities, because there’s definitely intersections between them. One of the biggest parts of environmental science is outreach and policy, which are all humanities,” Choi said. “The two worlds don’t exist in separation…Strath Haven High School allows you to explore what you want to in your classes, so take the advantage to do that whenever you can.”
