Most people’s New Year’s resolutions don’t make it past February – but Sara Jacobsen’s has.

At the beginning of the year, Jacobsen, a teacher at Old Hammondtown School, decided she wanted to start putting time and effort into the things she cares about.

“I’m really passionate about a lot of things, and I usually only post about it on Facebook,” she said. “I wanted to put effort into my passions.”

One of her biggest passions? Buzzards Bay.

“It was the wallpaper of my childhood, of my kids’ childhoods, of my students’ childhoods” she said. “[The Buzzards Bay Coalition] is so visible in the community and they do so much for the schools. I want to make sure I contributed.”

To give back to the bay, and the organization that helps protect it, Jacobsen will be swimming in the Buzzards Bay Swim on June 24. The swim is a 1.2 mile race across the outer New Bedford harbor that helps raise money for the nonprofit.

Jacobsen is not an avid swimmer, but has been training since around Christmas to be ready for the race. At this point, she’s confident she can handle the distance, but is a little worried about swimming in the open water.

“I’m definitely nervous about the cold water,” she said. “I can do that distance in the pool, but I’m not sure if it’ll be harder in the ocean.”

Regardless, she has a plan for the swim.

“I like freestyle,” she said. “I’m not going to do the butterfly for 1.2 miles. I’m not Michael Phelps.”

Though this is Jacobsen’s first time doing the swim, she hopes she can continue to do it, and get her family involved too.

“I’m going to try to recruit my son for next year,” she said. “I really want to get my husband and kids involved.”

For Jacobsen, there are two good reasons to convince her family members.

“There are pancakes at the end,” she said. “…And it’s important to show up for the things you care about, not just say you care about them.”