GUIDEPOSTS
Learning from a Lowcountry Entrepreneur: LEAP Interns Meet Tia Clark
One of the goals of the Coastal Expeditions Foundation’s LEAP (Lowcountry Environmental Appreciation Program) is to help local high school students explore careers that connect people, conservation, and community. Through paid summer internships, LEAP students gain hands-on experience in ecotourism, environmental education, and outdoor leadership while learning from professionals across the Lowcountry.
This summer’s LEAP interns—Forrest, Zi, Lauren, and Aleksa—have already begun that journey.
People and Place
Earlier this week, the 2026 LEAP interns spent the morning with Tia Clark, founder of Casual Crabbing with Tia, to learn how she built a successful business by sharing a uniquely Lowcountry tradition with visitors from around the world.
For many visitors, crabbing is simply a fun activity. For Tia, it became an opportunity to preserve and share Gullah-Geechee culture while creating meaningful connections between people and place.
As the interns listened to her story, they learned that building a career in the outdoors isn’t always a straight path. Sometimes it begins with recognizing a tradition, a skill, or a passion and finding a way to share it with others. Tia spoke about the challenges of starting a business, the importance of authenticity, and how community relationships have helped her grow.
Those lessons are exactly what LEAP is designed to provide.
What is the LEAP Program?
The Lowcounty Environmental Appreciation Program introduces students from local Title 1 schools to careers in conservation, environmental education, ecotourism, and outdoor recreation. Throughout the summer, interns work alongside Coastal Expeditions naturalists, captains, naturalist, and partner organizations to gain real-world experience and discover opportunities they may never have known existed.
From sea turtle conservation and water quality monitoring to guiding kayak tours and working with nonprofit organizations, each experience helps students see how their interests can become careers.
Meeting with Tia offered another important perspective: conservation and outdoor recreation are ultimately about people. Whether you’re protecting wildlife, teaching students, leading tours, or sharing cultural traditions, success comes from creating meaningful experiences that help others connect with the natural world.
We’re grateful to Tia for spending time with our interns and sharing her entrepreneurial journey.
As the summer continues, Forrest, Zi, Lauren, and Aleksa will meet with more community leaders, conservation organizations, and outdoor professionals throughout the Lowcountry. Each conversation helps broaden their understanding of what’s possible—and helps prepare the next generation of environmental leaders.
The LEAP internship program is made possible by a grant from the Freeman Foundation and the Coastal Expeditions Foundation. We believe every student should have the opportunity to explore careers in conservation, education, and outdoor leadership.
Interested in supporting LEAP? Your donation helps provide paid internships, mentorship opportunities, and hands-on outdoor experiences for local students as they explore careers that make a difference.
