Education intern Sarah McDermott

Intern Sarah McDermott

My internship with the Education Department at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park was an extremely rewarding and enriching experience. Harpers Ferry is an exceptional historical park in which I was able to immerse myself in a historical setting rich in cultural and social diversity. I had the opportunity to combine my love of history with my interest in education. The internship program at Harpers Ferry provided structure and direction, but at the same time, I had the freedom to explore my own interests. I gained experience working with others and interacting with visitors on a daily basis, but I was also encouraged to take the initiative in developing my own ideas and to pursue my own projects.

During my 12 weeks at Harpers Ferry, I learned how to present and develop education programs for students of all ages. I worked closely with the Education Specialist, Catherine Bragaw, to develop my own interactive education program, entitled “Journey to Freedom,” that explores the stories of individuals who struggled at Harpers Ferry to achieve their dream of freedom and equality. Throughout the summer I presented my program to camp groups during the week and to families with young children on the weekends. “Journey to Freedom” will be added to the list of programs that the education department offers in the Fall and Spring and hopefully, it will also be used as an outreach program. I also worked on revising Harpers Ferry’s Junior Ranger Program and helped put together lesson plans for education programs within and outside of the park. My internship was so gratifying because I was given the opportunity to do valuable work within the Education Department. It is satisfying to know that my work here made a positive difference in the park.

The Park Rangers and staff at Harpers Ferry are all supportive and caring people. They are a superb group of intelligent and driven individuals who love working at Harpers Ferry and who are enthusiastic about teaching others about the park’s historical and natural resources. I feel extremely lucky that I was able to learn from and work with some of the best interpreters in the country. The other interns who you will live and work with are also an exceptional and fun group of individuals. It was fun to live with and get to know five other people my own age who share the same interests as me. In addition to all of these rewarding experiences that I gained as an intern at Harpers Ferry, I also had the chance to live in one of America’s most beautiful National Parks for the summer.

My internship at Harpers Ferry has given me invaluable experience working with educators and students that will help me pursue my future career goals. Learning about Harpers Ferry's role in the American civil rights movement has increased my interests in education and in studying race relations in the United States and in the world. As an intern at Harpers Ferry, I have learned the value of historical preservation, but more significantly, I have learned the importance of educating others about history. As a national park that is dedicated to educating its visitors about the natural and cultural history of the United States, Harpers Ferry has inspired me to pursue a graduate degree in history and to share my knowledge with others.

Education intern Gina Pietrogiacomo

Intern Gina Pietrogiacomo

My name is Gina Pietrogiacomo and I have just graduated from the University of Maine at Presque Isle. I am interning in Harpers Ferry to finish my degree in Park Management and Natural Resource Conservation. I have had a great time in Harpers Ferry and I am glad for the field opportunity to apply the skills I have learned in the classroom. Over the course of the summer I have had the opportunity to work with a lot of fun and knowledgeable people and this experience has definitely prepared me for a career in the park service.

During the course of my internship I worked with the Junior National Young Leaders Conference. This is a National program that offers leadership curriculum to students from different backgrounds all over the United States. This program was notable in that not only do these students learn from the programs they experience but they learn from each other. It was a great opportunity for me to work on interpreting the history of Harpers Ferry with a diverse group of students. Throughout the 8-week program I had the chance to design and present programs and activities, and on two occasions I took over my supervisor’s position as coordinator/liaison, which allowed me to understand the responsibilities of the people in charge of this program.

Overall, I am very glad to have had the opportunity to work here in Harpers Ferry and I know I made the right choice in pursuing a career with the National Park Service.

Education intern Kacey Kai

Intern Kacey Kai

My name is Kacey Kai and I am one of the 2005 Education Office summer interns. I am a senior at Colorado State University in Fort Collins majoring in Natural Resource Recreation and Tourism and History. Most Natural Resource majors are required to do an internship and I was lucky enough to find one in Harpers Ferry.

My internship has been filled with plenty of projects and programs for me to be a part of. From the Junior National Young Leaders Conference to the liaison for Bridging the Watershed curriculum, I have experienced most of the programs that the Education Office has to offer. I loved working with the junior leaders the most because they were energetic and always participated in the activities. The Junior National Young Leaders Conference is a national program that offers leadership curriculum to students from different backgrounds all over the United States. This program was notable in that not only do these students learn from the programs they experience, but they also learn from each other. All of the people I encountered during my internship made me laugh and that is an important part of any experience. I was also pleased that my ideas for the afternoon activities were considered and then implemented. And—interns who are focused on natural history—although Harpers Ferry’s education programs are focused on cultural history, there is the opportunity to combine the natural history of Harpers Ferry with the people who influenced this area.

As an intern in the Education Office, I gained a lot of valuable experience that has transferred from the classroom into the field. I got to work alongside some wonderful interpreters and I feel that I have advanced in my skills because of their presence and example. This opportunity gave me the chance to review my career goals and understand what path I want to take when I graduate. I have had a great time here and I feel very grateful for the opportunity to be an intern in the Harpers Ferry Education Office.

Education intern Jennie Seitz

Intern Jennie Seitz

My name is Jennie Seitz and I am one of the education interns at Harpers Ferry. I attend Kent State University where I am a history major and art history minor. In the fall I will be studying abroad at the University of Leicester in England.

I spent most of the summer working with the Junior National Young Leaders Conference. This is a national program that offers leadership curriculum to students from different backgrounds all over the United States. I wore my period costume for these programs and led interpretative discussions on John Brown and the Civil War. I was amazed at how much I enjoyed working with the students. They were always eager to participate and had interesting and creative responses to questions. Nothing was quite as enjoyable as their reactions to smelling salted Pollack or seeing a boy try on a hoopskirt. They might only remember me as the girl who wore funny clothes and misted them with water, but it was all worth it.

I had many apprehensions about taking an internship at Harpers Ferry, but I have never enjoyed a job more. I loved working with the Jr.NYLC staff and I formed some amazing friendships. Even though I was an intern, I could tweak programs and suggest changes. I knew that my opinions were valued. Working with the Jr.NYLC programs has given me many ideas that I hope to include in any future teaching positions. I am very grateful for the opportunity to be an education intern at Harpers Ferry.