Beginning my TRIP by Ella Masino

Hi! My name is Ella Masino and I am currently a junior at West Deptford high school in New Jersey. I am very active in my clubs and activities and have participated in tennis for the past three years. Although I cannot say I am the best tennis player, I wanted to try something new after playing soccer and lacrosse my whole life. To my surprise, I really enjoyed playing and appreciated the accountability to sport presented me with. As for clubs, I am the president of our STEM Club and have organized a program called STEM Snacks at our middle school along with my advisor. A group of about twelve physics students and I travel to our middle school to each present and explain a small STEM project of our own. We will also be participating in the Physics Olympics and SeaGlide this spring! I also have a passion for art and became the Vice President of our Art National Honors Society this year. We mainly participate in service projects and I organized our participation in Hearts for Hospice in the fall. Despite my love for science, art class will always be the most relaxing part of my day.

Outside of school I enjoy spending time outside and with the people I love. Although I cannot say I am a cold-weather enthusiast, I enjoy snowboarding and it definitely gives me something to look forward to in the colder months. In the summer I love swimming and going on hikes in the poconos with whoever will join me. I was a lifeguard for more than a year at a few different facilities, and I cannot say there is anything I enjoy more than being by the water and under the Sun with a book in my hand - but only if it is poetry. I also love spending every second I am home with my two pitbulls who have huge personalities and often make me laugh. Although I am not sure if it is considered a hobby, I think I love trying new food more than anything. I am currently trying my best to become vegetarian, yet Jim’s Cheesesteaks and chicken burritos will always have my heart. 

I discovered my love of science at a young age as I spent most of my time watching documentaries and the National Geographic channel. I completely fell in love with animals and nature - and that is something I truly will never outgrow. The more I learned about the environment the more I also learned about the slew of dangers posing a threat to our beautiful ecosystems. I  became obsessed with learning all I could about our changing Earth. I desperately wanted to discover ways to reverse the changes that were occurring, yet I found very little was being done; therefore, I decided that I will one day pursue a career in Earth or animal science to keep nature safe. I first participated in Tech Trek, an all girls program offered at a number of different universities in which I chose to participate in the Environmental Science program. I then went on to become a part of ZooCrew at the Philadelphia Zoo so I could gain experience and learn all I could from the professionals there. Since I have had limited lab experience due to being online for my first two years of high school, I was more than excited to participate in this particular program. I have always had a passion for STEM and am eager to learn as much as I can! Teen Research Internship Program presented me with an opportunity to expand my knowledge and understand lab procedures before entering college which made this program stand out from all others.