Allison Wiott is a freshman at Elmwood Park High School. She recently participated in a Girl Scout program called Outward Bound Costa Rica, where she helped save sea turtles.
Q: Where did you grow up and go to school?
A: I grew up in Elmwood Park. I went to Elmwood Elementary School, Elm Junior High and now I go to Elmwood Park High School. I’m a freshman.
Q: When did you get involved with Girl Scouts?
A: I’ve been involved with Girl Scouts since I was in kindergarten.
Q: What do you like about Girl Scouts?
A: I liked all of the friendships I’ve made. I like all of the cool places I’ve gone. I like the camps.
Q: How did you become interested in Outward Bound Costa Rica?
A: My friend Lucy had participated in the program and went to Mexico. It looked like a lot of fun. I looked at the various locations, and I saw one for Costa Rica. The program involved helping the sea turtles and preserving their habitat.
Q: When did you participate in Outward Bound Costa Rica?
A: I left Dec. 27 and I got back Jan. 5.
Q: What did you do when you were in Costa Rica?
A: Every morning, we woke up at 5 a.m. We cleaned the beaches of any garbage. At night, we did nightly patrols. We made sure nobody was harming the sea turtle eggs.
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Q: What did you learn when you were there?
A: It taught me a lot about the culture in Costa Rica.
Q: Why are sea turtles so important to the environment?
A: They keep the food web intact.
Q: How many other girls participated in Outward Bound Costa Rica?
A: There were girls from all over the country. There were 21 girls in total. I’ve stayed in touch with 12 of the girls.
Q: Would you like to go next year?
A: I think I want to try a new trip or experience. I would love to go to Iceland to learn how to help with climate change.
Q: What advice would you give someone who wants to join Girl Scouts?
A: It’s only $5 to join my troop. If they don’t like it, it’s not a huge commitment, and we only meet once or twice a month! I think they should just join.
Q: What other activities are you involved in at Elmwood Park High School?
A: I’m involved in the tennis team. I play on the varsity team. I’m involved in the musical. I’m planning on getting involved with the track team.