Prior to his EPI course in 2021, Atticus Coyne planned to become a doctor, following the expected career paths of his peers at his Washington, D.C., private school. However, after spending nine days in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem with EPI, Atticus’ path changed. Watching wolves, tracking bison, and finding amphibians sparked a deep interest in environmental science, pushing him toward a future he hadn’t previously considered.
In addition to discovering a love for ecology, Atticus also found joy in the social aspects of his EPI experience. As an eighth-grade open enrollment student, he began his course not knowing anyone and met his fellow participants—high school juniors and seniors from Michigan—only upon arrival at the Bozeman airport. Despite the age gap, the beauty of Yellowstone and the hands-on course activities quickly brought the group together in ways he hadn't expected.
Buoyed by the success of his EPI course, Atticus spent the following two summers participating in National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) courses. Backpacking and mountaineering in Alaska further built his confidence, forged new friendships, and cemented his desire to work in an environmental field. Around the same time, a family friend introduced him to Cooperative Casa Carey, a conservation group in Nicaragua (where Atticus was born) that protects critically endangered Hawksbill sea turtles through hatchery monitoring, mangrove restoration, and community education.
Motivated by a “growing sense of purpose,” Atticus returned to Nicaragua to volunteer with the Cooperative for a week. Reflecting on his early years, he recalled, “I was raised in an eco-house my mom built from scratch on a small farm on the outskirts of Managua. Life was filled with running around our Quinta, climbing its mango trees, growing our food, and losing myself unsupervised in the surrounding forest. When I was seven, I moved to the USA due to Nicaragua’s political instability.” His return allowed him to reconnect with that childhood sense of wonder while making a tangible impact.
On the beaches of the Padre Ramos Reserve, Atticus worked to protect sea turtle nests from poachers, aiming to get to the eggs first so they could hatch safely in a nursery rather than be sold at the market. "The work involved incentivizing poachers to sell to the Cooperative and making the project economically sustainable," he explained. Beyond fieldwork, he leveraged his skills as a website developer to give the nonprofit a digital platform, helping attract ecotourists and additional funding for conservation efforts.
Reflecting on his journey from medical hopeful to environmental advocate, Atticus describes EPI as a “facilitator for the future,” emphasizing how time spent in nature can “change young people’s minds.” His story—spanning from Yellowstone to Nicaragua—demonstrates how immersive experiences can open unexpected doors. Now, he encourages others to support Cooperative Casa Carey, explore the website he built, and perhaps even make their own journey to Nicaragua’s beaches to witness conservation in action.
