Queen of the Chesapeake 2024 Erika Scarcella

Hello Officers and Members of the Yacht Club Community, my name is

Erika Scarcella, and I have the honor of representing the Yacht Club Community as

the 77 th  Queen of the Chesapeake.  I am a junior honor roll student at Sparrows

Point High School and a member of the National Art Honors Society. In my spare

time, l enjoy listening to music, painting, sewing, and paddle boarding! While on

the water on my paddle board, I pick up trash that is floating in the water, leading

me to choose my charity, the Back River Restoration Committee.

The Back River Restoration Committee or BRRC for short, is a non-profit

organization. The organization’s mission is to host community events to support its

efforts, such as community clean-ups around the tidal Back River Watershed,

where repetitive litter and debris are prevalent. These efforts keep the surrounding

areas clean and safe for organisms in the environment. I help my charity by taking

part in these clean-ups, spreading the word about the environmental impact

littering has on the environment, and learning how to prevent the spread of

pollution at my school. This cause is near and dear to my heart because one day I

would like to start my non-profit organization called "1 Piece at a Time" where I

would like to organize and rally groups of volunteers in watershed communities all

over Maryland to help clear trash from our beloved Chesapeake Bay and its

surrounding areas.

The reason I chose this charity is because I am enthusiastic about

making a positive impact on a cleaner environment for marine life. After I graduate from high school, I plan to go to college and hope to study a major in Marine Biology and Conservation. I would like to work in an aquarium/rescue center in Florida, such as Clearwater Marine Aquarium. I hope to take care of the animals that live there and help the animals who have been harmed by water pollution get treatment so they can return home unharmed. By helping us clean up areas around the Chesapeake Bay watershed, marine animals can have better homes.

Erika Scarcella

77 th Queen of the Chesapeake