2024 Queen of the Chesapeake

Erika Scarcella - Red Eye Yacht Club

Hello Officers and Members of the Yacht Club Community, my name is Erika Scarcella, and I have the honor of representing the Yacht Club Community as the 77^th Queen of the Chesapeake.  I am a junior honor roll student at Sparrows Point High School and a member of the National Art Honors Society. In my spare time, l enjoy listening to music, painting, sewing, and paddle boarding! While on the water on my paddle board, I pick up trash that is floating in the water, leading me to choose my charity, the Back River Restoration Committee.

The Back River Restoration Committee or BRRC for short, is a non-profit organization. The organization's mission is to host community events to support its efforts, such as community clean-ups around the tidal Back River watershed, where repetitive litter and debris are prevalent. These efforts keep the surrounding areas clean and safe for organisms in the environment. I help my charity by taking part in these clean-ups, spreading the word about the environmental impact littering has on the environment, and learning how to prevent the spread of pollution at my school. This cause is near and dear to my heart because one day I would like to start my non-profit organization called "1 Piece at a Time" where I would like to organize and rally groups of volunteers in watershed communities all over Maryland to help clear trash from our beloved Chesapeake Bay and its surrounding areas.

The reason I chose this charity is because I am enthusiastic about making a positive impact on a cleaner environment for marine life. After I graduate from high school, I plan to go to college and hope to study a major in marine biology and conservation. I would like to work in an aquarium/rescue center in Florida, such as Clearwater Marine Aquarium. I hope to take care of the animals that live there and help the animals who have been harmed by water pollution get treatment so they can return home unharmed. By helping us clean up areas around the Chesapeake Bay watershed, marine animals can have better homes.

77th Queen of the Chesapeake