Meet Caymus Maxson, the 16-year-old California teen who started Trash Turtles at 10, led 50+ beach cleanups, removed 6+ tons of debris, recycled 75,000+ cigarette butts and became a 2026 Barron Prize winner
Maxson said the decision to start Trash Turtles came from seeing rubbish being pushed towards the sea (Photo: Surfrider) At 10, Caymus ‘CO’ Maxson noticed something wrong on a beach in Madeira Beach, Florida. In February 2020, she saw beach trash being raked towards the water’s edge. She realised that the incoming tide could carry…