Restoring Coral Reefs in Mexico

Sophie McCarthy ‘14’s yearbook quote reads, “Follow your passion, stay true to yourself, never follow someone else’s path.” Reflecting back on her yearbook quote nearly 10 years later, Sophie can definitely attest that she has followed her own path in her time after Greenwood. She may not have envisioned that her career path would give her such opportunities like getting her diving certification in Cozumel to restore coral reefs, but she says she wouldn’t have it any other way. 

Sophie joined Greenwood in Grade 9 after switching from another Toronto independent school. A part of what made Greenwood appealing to Sophie was how the programming embodied character and personal growth. “Outdoor education really fostered us and showed a different way to connect and to learn,” Sophie recalls. “The OE program allowed us to breathe, be people and learn about ourselves.” 

After graduating from Greenwood, Sophie attended Dalhousie University and University of King’s College where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts with a Major in Sociology and a Minor in Early Modern Studies. When she returned to Toronto, she interned at the Aga Khan Museum to get a sense of whether or not she enjoyed marketing. The experience taught her that she preferred design, and she self-taught herself graphic design before enrolling in the Toronto Film School’s Graphic Design and Interactive Media diploma program. 

Sophie has always been drawn to helping out a good cause. When she was younger, she was one of the organizers in her neighbourhood that successfully petitioned the city for a community garden (“Where my dad is currently growing potatoes,” laughs Sophie). So when an opportunity came up for her to combine her design and media skills for a good cause, she jumped at it. A family friend introduced her to Olomunyak Ric Young, one of the co-founders of the Nashulai Maasai Conservancy. Nashulai is the first Maasai-owned and operated conservancy in Kenya. She assisted the conservancy with their online presence, helping to design their website and provide graphic design support. 

Through her work with Nashulai, she met Noah, Ric’s right-hand man and a grant writer. With the help of Noah and Sophie, Nashulai was awarded the UNDP Equator Price grant in 2020. Sadly, the award ceremony happened during the height of COVID-19 restrictions, so Sophie was only able to attend virtually. After seeing how well they worked together on the Nashulai project, Noah and Sophie decided to become business partners and form Empowerment Boost, whose goal is to help nonprofit organizations obtain funding and develop their online presence with the aim to make these nonprofits self-sustaining.

One of their early clients is the Cozumel Coral Reef Restoration Project (CCRRP). The founder, German Mendez first had the idea to restore coral reefs when he was scuba diving in the 1980s and saw broken coral. He later created CCRRP in order to raise awareness, restore the coral reefs in Cozumel, and help contribute to research. CCRRP is run mainly by volunteers, with many spending weeks or months working with German to protect the coral in the area. Sophie’s work for CCRRP included getting their social media and website up, which helped draw in more people to volunteer. German also raises awareness of the impact of cruise ships on coral reefs and has partnered with some cruise ship lines to mitigate their impact.

Empowerment Boost also helped CCRRP become eligible to receive the Cluni award from the Mexican government, which would allow German to employ local marine biologists to continue their restoration work and research. 

“I learned a lot while working with the CCRRP,” says Sophie. “For example, I learned that sunscreen is harmful to coral reefs so you have to make sure you use sunscreen safe for coral if you plan to dive.” After communicating and working with CCRRP virtually for two years, Sophie was invited down to Mexico to see how the process works in person. It was also a great opportunity to see all the signage she designed being used. This visit also marked the conclusion of Empowerment Boost’s contract with CCRRP. “We’ve always intended to make our clients move forward in a self-sustaining fashion.” 

What’s next in store for Sophie and for Empowerment Boost? Noah and Sophie are working on proposals to work with Indigenous communities in British Columbia or in Belize.

And does Sophie have any advice for Greenwood students and graduates?

“You have to find your own way,” Sophie muses about her own pathway after high school. “I was more creative growing up and I’m glad to be able to harness that now.”