The day has finally arrived!!! Week 7 was the week of the Youth Summit. The interns had spent numerous hours the past couple weeks to create this wonderful event and it finally happened. Of course it was not without difficulty. Being the first ever youth summit and planning from scratch, we were challenged with an array of obstacles, but nevertheless overcame them with grace and charisma. I am proud of the interns for all of their hard work and I hope they consider this day a great feat.
The day appeared seamless from start to finish, although from our point of view we created a lot of impromptu changes. For example, we were an intern short for the event, but the interns were quick to pick up the slack. There was also a chance of thunderstorms, and so we juggled the schedule around a little in order to accommodate. After all, it wouldn’t be much of a summit if everyone got hurt. Safety first! Yet, the sun started to shine, and it felt like the interns were glowing with excitement as well. They each gave 110% and articulated clearly and efficiently. Every event was on time, and the food was amazing. King Arthur Flour presented us with a beautiful sheet cake and everyone was able to mingle and share in the days discussions of stewardship, sustainability, and conservation.
That evening, the Superintendent Michael Creasey invited us over to his home to celebrate. There, he congratulated the interns on a job well done, and there was nothing but laughs and smiles.
The next day, the interns spent the afternoon tubing down the Ottauquechee River, in support of the Mountains and Rivers Forever Camp and considered it a reward for the productive week they had.
This week, we will be venturing to Massachusetts and kicking off their last week in style. It has been a fabulous summer and I look forward to this last week and seeing the Mass Parks Student Career Intake Program’s youth summit at Thompson Island, in Boston. It might be nice to be on the other end of a youth summit. This time, where we don’t have to worry about planning---- we can just enjoy!