Seymour the Starfish is the official NCARH Mascot. He is a source of great pride in our organization, and a symbol of our undying efforts to make life better for all the resident students in North Carolina. Below you will find his story...

Once upon a time there was a wise man who liked to go to the ocean early in the morning to do his writing. One day he was walking along the shore. As he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself to think of someone who would celebrate the dawn of a new day. He began to walk faster so that he could catch up. As he got closer, he saw that it was a young man, who wasn’t dancing at all. Instead, he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something, and throwing it very gently into the ocean.

When he was close enough, the wise man called out, “Good morning! What are you doing?”

The young man paused, looked up and replied, “Throwing starfish in the ocean.”

“I guess I should have asked, why are you throwing starfish in the ocean?” said the wise man.

“The sun is coming up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them in they’ll die!” The young man replied.

“But, young man, don’t you realize that there are miles and miles of beach and starfish along it. You can’t possibly make a difference!” explained the wise man.

The young man listened politely while bending over and picking up another starfish. He threw it past the breaking waves into the sea, and said, “It made a difference for that one.”

Adapted from THE STARFISH THROWER

Loren Eiseley (1907-1977)