Short video about Park Ranger Yvette Cano who works at Loop Road Environmental Education Center (3 min. with closed-captions).
- Credit / Author:
- NPS video by Jennifer Brown
- Date created:
- 2011-03-30
Ranger: Well, good afternoon!
Students: Good afternoon.
Welcome!
I am ranger Yvette.
I know that you guys have been on the bus forever and ever and ever.
But, we promise you three days of jam packed fun.
Can you handle that?
Yeeaahhh!
Ok.
Well, these students have just arrived here at camp.
They have been in a bus probably a little over an hour.
As you can imagine this for these students is considered in the middle of nowhere.
Do you see Loop Road?
Student: Yeah, it is right there!
Ahhhh, very good!
High five.
Our goal is to introduce them to something that we can consider to be right in their backyard.
Some time ago, I came as a young child.
And, I came as a 6th grader from a school in Miami-Dade county public schools.
My parents were very, very hesitant.
As a matter of fact, I had to beg quite a bit.
I came to camp here at Loop Road Environmental Ed Center.
And, I spent three days.
And I will tell you that I can remember every single day just as if it were yesterday.
Ranger: It is nice to meet you Celine.
Student: It is nice to meet you.
While here at camp, one of my favorite activities and it still is today is slough slogging.
That is a wet hike that we take the students on.
And, it is in the cypress slough.
We have students go in about knee deep and investigate what they will find in that Everglades’ community.
I was eleven years old.
And, I visited this cypress slough.
I had such fears, such apprehension before entering, like many students do today.
And, the moment I took my first few steps and discovered that it was going to be ok, the rest is history.
It was probably the most memorable time that I had at camp.
To discover the fish and the insects and the crayfish…
And, the life that was within the water to me was unreal.
I can think back and remember our ranger and she was wonderful.
She wanted to reassure us that everything was going to be ok.
And, to me, she was a role model.
Does anybody know, show of hands, the name of the bird that is on the door?
Yes, right here.
Student: Anhinga?
Anhinga, excellent!
This is an Anhinga.
It is so important and they are so impressionable to bring them, immerse them in the Everglades, in nature.
So that, they can turn around and have that within their hearts for a lifetime.
I think I want them to take away a newfound love, respect…
And just that same flame that lit within me as a 6th grader, I just hope that I can turn that little flame on just a little bit.
So we can continue to foster that love for nature and our environment.
Welcome to Loop Road!
Have a blast and I am going to turn it over to Ranger Nick.
Big round of applause for Ranger Yvette…
Thank you, thank you.
