Editor's note: Shark Week via the Discovery Channel is in full swing! Hashtag #SharkWeek on Twitter and you will be greeted by fin-tastic shark facts, stories, and news. For one Ridgefielder, every week is Shark Week. Enter: Alexandra DiGiacomo who has recently published a children's book titled "A Familiar Fin". You can read about it here. You can purchase it here. Follow Alexandra on Twitter @A_DiGiacomo_ and read her blog here.
Ridgefield Teen Gets Serious About Sharks!
Rising Ridgefield High School senior, Alexandra DiGiacomo, admits in her blog “Saving Sharks for Safer Seas”, “I have a peculiar fascination with sharks”. DiGiacomo states,“Ever since I was little, I’ve been fascinated by what lurks beneath the sea. On family vacations, I spent endless hours snorkeling the shallow waters of Key Largo, in awe of the fantastic creatures in this underwater world, from darting minnows to magnificent manatees. It was here that I discovered my first nurse shark and barracuda – and I was hooked!”
This journey has taken DiGiacomo around the world. She has spent summers at a Wildlife Refuge on the east end of Long Island, explored the tide pools of Monterey, California and has even swam alongside sharks as she studied their anatomy and physiology in the Blue Hole and Belize. Her most recent shark tale? "I went to Fiji to study and swim with Bull Sharks and Black Tips," says DiGiacomo.
This courageous teenager is fulfilling a true underwater dream. She has created a documentary-style video interviewing Dr. Sylvia Earle, conducted a shark research experiment, and participates in ongoing conservation and community service efforts. She has earned Dive certifications including AWARE Shark Conservation, Fish ID, and Underwater Naturalist, and has earned college credit in Shark Biology.
Oh, and there’s one more thing, she is writing a children’s book “in hopes of instilling a greater respect and better understanding of sharks in young children,” says DiGiacomo.
And the fascination continues...read more about how Alexandra DiGiacomo is “Saving Sharks for Safer Seas” on her blog here.
Watch a clip from Alexandra’s personal videos here: