Eco-Alert!

Intern: Nevaeh Sanchez

Education & Outreach

08/202/2025 - “The purpose of education is to replace an empty mind with an open one” are wise words from Malcolm Forbes. Rather than having a mind that’s closed off and unwilling to consider new ideas, education helps you to become more receptive and open to understanding other perspectives. It encourages a mindset that’s ready for new possibilities.

 Hafa Adai yan Tirow! My name is Nevaeh Sanchez, and I’m proud to be a first-year intern in the Division of Coastal Resources Management’s (DCRM) Summer Internship Program. This summer, I had the opportunity to intern for the Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ)under the guidance of Colleen Flores, Public Information Officer. This program primarily focuses on raising awareness about environmental issues, best management practices, and the importance of protecting CNMI’s natural resources. My target audience is the local community here in Saipan, especially the youth, who have the potential to make a positive environmental impact. I'm confident that by educating our people today, future generations will definitely benefit from a more sustainable and healthier environment. This work is important because environmental education empowers our community to take action and ensure a brighter future for the CNMI. According to Bjorkland and Pringle (2001), environmental education is key to addressing a lack of knowledge about the environment and helping to protect water sources.

During my internship, my partner and I used various methods to spread awareness about DEQ and its different sections. I had the opportunity to meet with and shadow staff from all DEQ branches, including Site Assessment and Remediation, Toxic Waste Management, and Environmental Surveillance Laboratory. I learned about the different roles,  objectives, and purposes for each branch. My partner and I compiled information we gathered and created infographics for each branch on Canva. We added Best Management Practices, or BMPs,  into our posters and shared ways to prevent adverse environmental impacts.  We also created social media videos on Capcut for DEQ’s Instagram page, highlighting each branch or section. We took photos and videos during our shadow days and compiled them so the public could see how DEQ staff carry out their work.  Through this experience, I’ve gained a better understanding of what it means to be an  environmental steward.

     Reference Article - Bjorkland, R., & Pringle, C. M. (2001). Educating Our Communities And Ourselves About Conservation Of Aquatic Resources Through Environmental Outreach. BioScience, 51(4), 279–282. https://doi.org/10.1641/0006-3568(2001)051[0279:EOCAOA]2.0.CO;2