Junior Makayla Completo steps onto the Research Vessel Sea Explorer at Dana Point for the start of the Whale Discovery Tour. As the boat moves out into deeper waters, Completo keeps an eye out for dolphins, sea lions, whales and other lively sea creatures splashing in the ocean.
Completo interns at the Dana Point Ocean Institute, where she leads tours and works on her own projects. As an intern, Completo assists in the three tours offered by the Institute: the Whale Discovery Tour, the Bioluminescence Tour and the Marine Mammal Tour.
During the tours, she sets up refreshments, explains safety precautions and leads demonstrations that allow the audience to better understand the wildlife they are observing. Her demonstrations include picking up small marine mammals and teaching about them.
Although Completo’s job comes naturally to her now, the beginning took time to pick up different skills such as anchoring the boat.
In fact, she even had the common fear of being stranded, but the safety precautions on the boat have eased her tension.
“I was scared that I wasn’t going to be able to fulfill responsibilities,” Completo said. “I was able to get over that when I found out that the staff was really kind and informational.”
A fifth grade field trip to the Long Beach Aquarium piqued Completo’s interest in Marine Biology. As a result, her parents discovered the RVSE Explorer Program and suggested she apply. At Dana Point, Completo continues to share the excitement of her first trip with her audience.
“There was a little girl on one of my cruises,” Completo said. “We usually see dolphins and she was so excited. It made me feel like I was seeing the next generation of marine biologists.”
Before beginning the internship, Completo completed summer camp classes with about 50 other high school students. From the selection of 50 students, appromixately 25 got the chance to continue on with the year-long internship.
Part of the internship includes designing a project to research. Currently, Completo is considering the topic of water quality, which she will continue to do research on her cruises.
Through the year of her internship, Completo will observe the effects of different pollutants. At the end of the program, all the interns will gather and present their findings.
“I wanted to do something that affects me,” Completo said. “I’ve been studying pollutants in APES and I want to see the real life data of what’s going on in the ocean.”
In the future, Completo is considering a career as a Marine Veterinarian, but is also considering all aspects of the STEM field.
“I enjoy seeing all the wildlife in their natural habitat and informing people about their habitat and interactions,” Completo said. “I want to share the joy of my experiences with everyone.”
TCHS School Newspaper