Get to know me!
James E. Frushone
Studying sustainability and working
toward global solutions is my passion!
Get to know me!
James E. Frushone
Studying sustainability and working
toward global solutions is my passion!
The OCEANS MATTER This photo was submitted for the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards Winter of 2022.
About Me
My Goals
I want to focus on environmental policy in college and environmental law as a graduate student, so I can make long-lasting changes for a more sustainable Earth. Below you can read more about the filter I created that removed TSS from runoff. I aspire to attend a university that will help me further my knowledge and allow me to continue creating real-world solutions that will solve the ever-changing climate crisis.
My Story
My passion for the environment started in my childhood when my grandma took me for walks on the beach. We would always look for unique shells, but we ended up finding mostly small pieces of plastic and trash. That's when I knew that I wanted to focus on doing everything I could to make a change, so that other kids can walk on beaches that aren't littered with trash and micro plastics.
My Start
In the summer of 2014, I attended camp at Falling Creek, and that was my first opportunity to learn more about the environment. I enrolled in two main activities, Nature and F.A.R.M. (Food, Animals, Repurpose, Manpower). For the next six summers I would spend four weeks studying these topics and achieving the highest proficiency level in them at my camp, Warrior. I was the first camper ever to achieve Warrior status in F.A.R.M., and the first ever to win the Farmer of the Year award. During the time I spent at Falling Creek, I learned so much about how precious the Earth is, and what I can do to take care of it. Since then, I have devoted the last ten years to doing everything I can to protect the environment.
My Progress
I attended a Youth Climate Summit at Harvard in 2022, and a course at Columbia in 2023 to learn more about natural resources, global markets and social impact. I have taken multiple climate change and sustainability courses in school. In my senior year at Choate I am taking Environmental Science and Environmental Justice Literature. I spend my free time on citizen science projects such as CloudCatcher and Marine Traffic, and regularly volunteer at different organizations to help combat climate change.
See below to learn more about each of these organizations.
Current Research Project
In Eleuthera, I noticed many ships passing by our house. I wanted to know more about where they were going and if they were contributing to the trash I was cleaning up on the beach. I connected with Marine Traffic to install an AIS system to monitor all shipping traffic passing by Eleuthera, Bahamas. I am the only station in Eleuthera collecting data to help reduce emissions, make the business of shipping more efficient, and ultimately reduce the environmental impact of marine traffic.
Climate Change Zine
At my high school, Choate Rosemary Hall, I took a Climate Change class in the winter of 2022-23. I started a Climate Change Zine that publishes articles on sustainability and the environment that's distributed on the Choate campus. If you scroll down, you can read the article I wrote on pages 3-4 of the zine.
Language
China is one of the leading polluters of the world, so speaking Mandarin will be immensely helpful in implementing sustainability changes across the world. I visited China a few times when I was younger and was curious about what all those characters meant. In sixth grade I started taking classes in Mandarin, and plan on continuing to take them in college. I want to attend a university with a strong global reach to study abroad and improve my proficiency in Mandarin.
Columbia University Summer Immersion
In the summer of 2023, I was accepted into an intensive pre-college course at Columbia University, titled: Natural Resources, Global Markets, and Social Impact. We dove into the relationship between natural resources and economic development, and how businesses can responsibly procure natural resources including sustainable ones. One of the highlights of the class was running a cocoa trade simulation. In the simulation I led the cocoa farmers and negotiated an increase in their wages by over 50% and gave them a small ownership stake.
Harvard Chan C-CHANGE Youth Summit
Last summer, I attended a very selective program, the Harvard Chan C-CHANGE Youth Summit on Climate Change, Equity, and Health. (You can see me in the linked video, where I was at the podium presenting). During the program, I was in a small group of students that focused on environmental justice. Each day was packed from 7am-10pm as we listened to presentations from multiple guest speakers. These speakers included politicians, (the former Governor of Vermont, former National Climate Advisor to the Biden/Harris administration), public health experts, activists, policymakers, doctors, scientists, and more. Being in small groups allowed me to engage in deep conversations about pressing climate issues. We also had off-campus excursions, exploring areas like the ecosystem of the Charles River via kayak and taking part in fascinating group discussions. It was one of the most inspiring and motivational programs I have ever done.
Total Suspended Solids Filter Invention
In the fall of 2017, I enrolled in a 30-hour class about the water cycle, titled "The Ellerbe Creek Study," at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham, North Carolina. It was a project-based class. The museum had a very large parking lot that created an enormous amount of runoff down the storm sewer when it rained. I realized there was a problem and created a solution. I made a scaled model out of completely organic materials to implement in each storm drain. It filtered out TSS (Total Suspended Solids,) and made the water clean again.
Choate Rosemary Hall
I am currently a rising senior at Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford, Connecticut. I have attended Choate since sophomore year and it has been an incredible experience. The school is filled with intellectually curious students and the academic programs are excellent. I work very hard and have found a solid balance between academics and extracurricular activities. I am on the Water Polo and Swim Teams, and the past two years we have won the Founders League in swimming. I am also involved with environmental clubs and organizations on campus.
Eaglebrook School
I attended Eaglebrook School in Deerfield, Massachusetts, for my 8th and 9th grade years. This school played a major role in developing me into the person I am today. It was hard to leave home in 8th grade and attend a school so far away, but I am so grateful that I did. I was heavily involved in many extracurriculars, including the Sustainability Committee, Library Committee. I also acted as a Campus Tour Guide, and Admissions Zoom Ambassador. I was on the Varsity Swim Team, Varsity Water Polo Team, and Varsity Ultimate Disc Team. I also helped created a COVID safety video that was shown across campus to students when the pandemic hit. Eaglebrook helped me discover my passion for photography, and I won 1st place in the fall 2019 photo contest, and 3rd in the winter 2019 contest. I also won the Library Award in both the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years.