A 9-Year-Old Entrepreneur Saving Sea Turtles

IT'S THE FIRST WEEK OR SEA TURTLE NESTING SEASON HERE IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA AND WDSU, SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTER TOM BAYLISS IS HERE. TOM, WELCOME CAUGHT MY EYE. I FELT UNDERSTAND YOU FOUND A CHAMPION FOR THE TURTLES THIS YEAR. I CERTAINLY DID. >> MIKE, THIS YEAR, THE THOUSANDS OF LOGGERHEADS AND GREENS THAT NEST IN OUR BEACHES ARE GETTING SOME HELP FROM AN UNLIKELY ALLY. A 9 YEAR OLD. SHE'S YOUNG AND EXTREMELY INTELLIGENT. AND NOW SHE'S AN ENTREPRENEUR. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET NAOMI AND SHE TOLD ME HOW SHE'S COMBINED TAKING CARE OF SEA TURTLES WHILE SHOWING HER CREATIVITY AND HER BUSINESS SAVVY. >> AND HEALING HAS SOMETHING REALLY EXCITING TO SHARE. IT IS SPONSORING A BILL. CJ LAST. THAT MEANS I'M HELPING PROTECT BABY SEA TURTLES, BUT THANK OUT AND GET READY TO HOT. >> THAT'S NAOMI. HANG THEM ON FACEBOOK. EXCITEDLY TELLING THE WORLD ABOUT TURTLE TREASURES, HER JEWELRY BUSINESS, RAISING MONEY FOR SEA TURTLE NON PROFITS. SHE SOLD $600 OVER HANDMADE NAUTICAL THEMED HEARINGS IN HER FIRST 6 WEEKS. THAT ALLOWED NAOMI TO ADOPT SEA TURTLE NESTS WITH THE NORTH CAPTIVA SEA TURTLE FOUNDATION AND ANOTHER IN PORT SAINT JOE IN THE PANHANDLE ADOPTING A NEST IS AKIN TO A SPONSORSHIP. >> SUE, I'M GOING TO GET PITCHES OF THE BABIES TITLES. I CAN'T WAIT TO SHOW YOU. >> NAOMI IS NOT ONLY HER OWN BEST SPOKESPERSON. SHE'S THE JEWELRY CREATOR INVENTORY SUPERVISOR, GRAPHIC ARTIST MERCHANDISE PHOTOGRAPHER ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE CHARITY COORDINATOR AND SERVES AS WHAT COUNTS AS HER OWN CEO. THE HOME-SCHOOLED 9 YEAR-OLD IS ALSO THE SUPERVISOR OF SALES. SHE'S SELLING EARRINGS ON THE TABLE ON THE PORCH OUTSIDE HER CAPE CORAL HOME DEVOTING SPACE ONLINE WITH PHOTOS AND ORDER FORMS FOR TURTLE TREASURES, CUSTOM EARRINGS AND AS SHE WALKS TO A NEARBY PARK WITH HER DISPLAY CASE FILLED WITH EARRINGS TO MAKE SALES $6 PREPARE BY 3 AT ONCE AND GET A NICE DISCOUNT. THAT'S EVEN PART OF HER SALES PITCH. >> RIGHT NOW I'M WITH YOU. TURN ADOPTING ANOTHER NASA. I CAN HELP EVEN MORE SEAGER'S TO BACK. >> PART OF A MILITARY FAMILY WITH 6 CHILDREN AND A BROTHER OR SISTER ON THE WAY NAOMI FEEL IN LOVE WITH SEA TURTLES SWIMMING IN WATERS OFF OKINAWA WHEN SHE WAS A VERY LITTLE GIRL ON THAT DAY, IT WAS THE HEIGHT OF TURTLE MATING SEASON AND THE ANIMALS FILLED THE CRYSTAL BLUE WATERS. SHE TELLS THE STORY OF HUNDREDS OF THEM SWIMMING ALL AROUND HER. NAOMI ISN'T QUITE SURE IF SHE WAS OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER THE ADVENTURE OR IF YOUR DAD'S MANY RECOLLECTIONS OF THE EVENT HAVE MADE THE MEMORY MORE REAL. NOT THAT IT MATTERS BECAUSE SEA TURTLES ARE ON HER MIND ALL THE TIME. >> HE WENT TO THE KINDNESS AND HELPS AC TRUST TO EVERY PAIR HAD. HE CHOSE IN THEIR HOMES. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING IT. ATTACHES FREE. >> TO LEARN MORE ABOUT NAOMI AND FOR A LINK TO HER ONLINE STORE SEE WGCU DOT ORG. >> HOW WHAT AN AMAZING. 9 YEAR-OLD TO HAVE TO LEAVE IT. NOW THAT WE ARE THE TURTLE NESTING SEASON. TOM, HOW ABOUT SOME REMINDERS FOR ALL OF US HOW WE SHOULD THE AROUND THE BEACHES. WELL, YOU KNOW, NOW THE TURTLES ARE NESTING ARE TAKING THEIR HOLES AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. >> USUALLY IT'S AT NIGHT. THEY CROSS SURE THE MAMA TURTLES. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. LEAVE THEM ALONE. JUST STAY AWAY. DO USE FLASH CAMERAS JUST LET THEM BE. AFTER THEY LEAVE THEIR NESTS STAYING AWAY FROM THE NEST WHO THEY'RE USUALLY MARKED WITH YELLOW TAPE AND SOME AND SINCE SOME OF THE POLLS AND JUST LEAVE HIM ALONE. AND OF COURSE, IF YOU LIVE ALONG THE BEACH, MAKE SURE THAT YOU TURN OUT YOUR LIGHTS, ANYTHING THAT MIGHT DRAW THE TURTLE TOWARDS YOU BECAUSE LITTLE BIT LITTLE HATCHLINGS WHEN THEY DO COME OUT OF THE NEST HERE IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS, THEY LOOK FOR THE MOON OVER THE WATER OR SOMETHING BRIGHT AT NIGHT. AND IF THE LIGHTS ARE ON THIS WAY, THEY'RE GOING TO CALL ON LAND AND THEY DIE AND MASK WHEN THAT HAPPENED. YEAH, THEY'RE GOING TO HEAD TOWARDS STREETS. ABSOLUTELY. STREAMLINES ISN'T SHOWING AND NOT. >> TO THE TO THE WAS IF YOU LIVE, IF YOU LIVE ON THE BEACH OR ANYWHERE NEAR IT. >> MAKE SURE YOU SHUT YOUR LIGHTS OFF TO FACE THE BEACH IN AND PUT BLACKOUT CURTAINS SO YOU CAN HAVE PLENTY LIGHT INSIDE YOUR HOUSE, BUT IT WON'T DROP THE TURTLES THE WRONG WAY. ALL RIGHT. GREAT ADVICE. THANK YOU. THANKS, TOM. THANK