NEW JERSEY – A little girl from New Jersey, in love with the environment, has already received her first recognition for the work and efforts she puts into caring for nature and for a place dreamed of by many.
Bobbi Wilson, just 9, was honored by the prestigious Yale University at an event highlighting the work of black women scientists, and a ceremony was held in her honor.
But how could the little scientist be recognized by one of the most famous academic institutions in the country? The process did not start in the most positive way.
Last October, junior conservationist Wilson made it his mission to rid his hometown of Caldwell of lanterns. It’s no secret that these insects have become an invasive pest in New Jersey during the summer and fall, and the state has launched a campaign called “If You See Them, Squash Them.” Indeed, insects destroy plants and pose a threat to agriculture.
Authorities are asking residents to immediately kill any lanterns they see. It is an invasive species and one of the major threats to American plants, including those used in agriculture and the timber industry.
“I started seeing a lot of posters that said, if you see this animal, run over it,” the little girl told our sister channel. NBC news.
So the little girl found out about the countryside at school and decided to go out and help exterminate them with some homemade bug spray. “I had my paper that I was writing on to show how many I saw there, and after I sprayed it how many were left,” the little girl added.
Unfortunately, a neighbor stopped Wilson’s efforts when she dialed 9-1-1 to report the ninth-grader to the police.
“There’s a little black woman walking around and spraying stuff on the sidewalks and trees. I don’t know what she’s doing. Even though it scares me,” the neighbor complains in the audio.
Bobbi’s mother, Monique Joseph, took the case to the local city council, standing up for her daughter in what she called racism.
“I’m not here to label anyone. Just to share my perspective as a black woman, black mother, and black resident of this city,” Jospeh said.
The meeting went viral, catching the attention of Yale School of Public Health assistant professor Dr. Ijeoma Opara, who hosted a science tour for black women and a ceremony honoring the baby girl. Additionally, Bobbi’s personal lantern collection was inducted into the Peabody Museum at Yale, making her the fourth student to be an official science donor.
This allows it to be cited whenever someone uses its collection in research.
“I knew I wanted to do something to change that memory Bobbi might have when the police were called,” Opara said.
“Well at first I didn’t really know what Yale was because I wasn’t really looking for universities and stuff because I’m still in grade school. But it was a lot of fun and it was really interesting.” Wilson enthuses.
Wilson will also be honored at New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy’s Black History Month event on February 21.
“We can all do our part to save the ecosystem,” he added.
The neighbor’s attorney did not comment to NBC News, but told CNN the client apologized.