Today we’d like to introduce you to Hunter Sosa.
Hi Hunter, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
Turtle Team was started in July 2020, the first summer of the Covid-19 pandemic. My fellow co-founders and I are Miami Dade County Public School students who are required to earn community service hours. Since the pandemic limited how we could earn hours, we decided to create a solution. We agreed to create a non-profit dedicated to cultivating a network of volunteers who could earn community service hours doing activities that promote the health of the oceans and marine life. We applied for non-profit status and had our first official clean-up on Earth Day 2021. Since that time, we have issued over 4000 community service hours and have 44 youth ambassadors at 25 schools and universities. We have partnerships with Miami Dade Parks, Miami Dade Sea Turtle Conservation Program, Pelican Harbor Seabird Station and have collaborated on events with a multitude of other organizations and municipalities. We also raise money for marine life rehabilitation centers and purchase materials for a Florida Dept of Environmental Protection Sea turtle nest protection program.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Fortunately, it has been a pretty smooth road. Since we are local youth, most of the adults who run the organizations we work with have been very gracious to us. The Mayor of the Village of Palmetto Bay, Karyn Cunningham, even gave us a Proclamation! We recently had the honor of working with renowned artist Xavier Cortada on an art installation called Signs of Civility. We have been very lucky!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
When we began this journey in 2020, we were a small group of middle and high school students: Co-Founders: Amanda Gonzalez, Hunter Sosa. Logan Shapiro & Morgan Shapiro Vice Presidents: Nico Cerda, Alba Crespo, and Angelina Rodriguez Now we are all in high school and college, but we have engaged hundreds of other youth of all ages from public and private schools. We even have ambassadors in two other states. We are very proud of all of our accomplishments including removing over 3000 pounds of marine debris from our fragile environment.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up.
Growing up in South Florida, we have had the privilege of creating tons of fun childhood memories partaking in outdoor activities at places such as the Florida Keys, Miami Beach, and Key Biscayne while enjoying the Florida Bay, Atlantic Ocean, and the Gulf of Mexico.
Pricing:
- Shirts $20
- Hats $22
- Hoodies $35
Contact Info:
- Website: www.theturtleteam.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/turtleteam_florida/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keysturtleteam
- Other: https://linkttr.ee/keysturtleteam
