Born out of a passion for environmental safety, Julia Gayoso was inspired to create a club and carry out her dream: Friends of the Everglades. Gayoso, a sophomore at Pembroke Pines Charter High School (PPCHS) discovered an organization that resonated with her, opening her eyes to the danger that the Everglades were in. 

Before even starting the school year, Julia knew she wanted to find a way to channel her passion for the environment into meaningful action. 

“I knew we had an Everglades club at school, but I wanted something that didn’t have restrictions and would have more opportunities to help the cause,” she recalls. 

While the PPCHS Everglades club was still doing important work, Julia proposed an idea to take it one step further: starting a local chapter of the Friends of the Everglades organization, where students were able to help fundraise and spread awareness together.

Gayoso realized that learning about biology and plants would help guide her to truly step out of her comfort zone and learn about the issues in the Everglades.

“I’ve always been passionate about biology and plants,” she says. “But learning about the issues facing the Everglades helped me understand that we as humans need to take better care of our environment.”

After making her own chapter, Gayoso started organizing fundraisers to support the organization. She first started with a bake sale, where she sold homemade cookies and cake pops in various flavors to her friends, family, and other locals. 

After baking every night for about a week, Gayoso was able to raise $200 from the sale alone. In total, she raised $600, all of which went directly to supporting the efforts of Friends of the Everglades.

Along with her outside initiatives, being a part of the Environmental Club at PPCHS was another stepping stone for Gayoso. Though she didn’t necessarily want to start her chapter because of the club, she expresses how joining made her learn more about the environment. 

“It helped me understand that we as humans need to care about our environment,” she mentions.  “I want to [include] students in the club and bring everyone together [to help raise awareness] as well.” 

The club allowed Gayoso to connect with other students who shared her passion, and it gave her a setting to explore new ideas for fundraising and awareness. She hopes to build a team of passionate students who can work together to raise even more funds and increase their impact.

She admits that, “since it’s not a school club, it’s a bit more challenging to get members involved,” but she is determined to continue spreading awareness. “I want to reach more people my age and get them to understand how important the Everglades are.”

As she continues to come up with activities, baking workshops, and others, she hopes to combine her love for baking and environmental passion with others. She hopes that even when hosting these activities, club members can talk about environmental issues both while having fun and working hard. 

Gayoso believes that she can bring awareness to the critical issues facing the Everglades and help people understand how they can work together to shape it. In order to preserve the valuable ecosystem, her goal is to inspire people to take action, whether through donations, volunteering, or simply learning more about the Everglades.

As Gayoso tries to find more activities to do in the future, she hopes to create a community where students and others take responsibility for the environment. 

“The Everglades are a vital part of our ecosystem, and we have to take care of them,” she says. “I want my club to keep growing and make a lasting impact.”