Turtle Champion

Have you heard of the diamondback terrapin? This turtle is known for the diamond pattern on its shell. It’s the only turtle species in North America that lives in brackish water, where saltwater and freshwater mix. From May through July, female terrapins come ashore to lay eggs.

Gia Providente, 9, had seen these turtles in the waters near her home, in Massapequa, New York. That’s part of the Town of Oyster Bay, on Long Island. While visiting a beach, Gia saw informational signs about terrapins. “I was like, ‘Oh! Why don’t we have these where we live?’” she told TIME for Kids.

Gia’s curiosity led to her interest in helping terrapins. Today, turtle awareness signs that she designed can be seen at two waterfront parks on Long Island. In 2025, Gia was awarded a Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes, which honors young people who are making a difference.

PROUD MOMENT Gia Providente shows off her Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes, a community-service award, in 2025.

Taking Action

Diamondback terrapins live along the East Coast of the United States. According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), their numbers are decreasing. The IUCN lists the turtle as vulnerable: one step below endangered.

TROUBLED TURTLE Diamondback terrapins are a vulnerable species, threatened by cars and boats.

Gia wanted to understand the dangers terrapins face and how to protect them, so she interviewed experts. “She had a thousand and one questions,” John Turner says. He’s a senior conservation policy advocate with the Seatuck Environmental Association, a nonprofit group working to protect Long Island wildlife.

Cars and boats are two big threats to terrapins, Turner explained. That gave Gia an idea for what to put on her signs. “What’s something that would really catch your eye and that would be short and catchy?” she remembers thinking. She decided on the slogan “Go slow, terrapins below.”

Gia shared her research at her school district’s science fair. She also wrote a letter to town officials. They agreed to make the signs. “Gia’s effort here is really very, very valuable,” Turner says. “We’re delighted that she took on this project to try to promote public awareness and appreciation of a really iconic and interesting species of wildlife.”

Seeing Results

In August, workers installed signs at Bayfront Park and John J. Burns Park, near Gia’s home. She joined Oyster Bay town supervisor Joseph Saladino at the unveiling.

LOOK OUT! Gia and Oyster Bay town supervisor Joseph Saladino unveil a terrapin-awareness sign on August 1, 2025.

“It was just a really cool experience,” Gia says. Saladino honored her for “creativity, dedication, and hard work.” (Gia’s friend Victor, who joined her on the science fair project, was honored too.) And while she didn’t see any turtles that day, Gia did help rescue a horseshoe crab stuck in the rocks. “We named it Rocky, and then we let it back into the sea,” she says.

“She’s just a natural environmentalist,” says Gia’s mom, Layla Providente. “Sometimes, it’s hard when you’re younger to use your voice,” she says. But Gia “doesn’t let anything stop her.”

To kids who are inspired to help the animals they see where they live, Gia says, “Be brave. And never give up.”

Inspired?

Let Gia’s story inspire you to protect animals in your community. Click below for ideas about how you can promote animal welfare and make the world a brighter place.