Teaching Dreams

August 05, 2013 Posted by: Evana Williams

This park I feel is an amazing park. I have never been to a national park before but I am happy to have the chance to be here this summer.  I have learned so much in the last couple of months. One of my goals in life is to become an educator. This week I feel like this internship really helped me with that.                

On Tuesday and Thursday I got to help rangers with the junior ranger programs. I have to say I was so excited. At first I was very nervous thinking that many of these kids were not going to listen because I am not a ranger. But once the kids arrived and we got right to it, I took control. It was like something had come over me and I just went with it. On Tuesday I worked with Ranger Andy helping kids learn about bugs, but not just any bugs: water bugs. The rangers had taken some bugs out of the Pouge to be able to show the kids. The activity we had planned for them was finding as many bugs as you can and try to figure out what the bugs are.  Once I found out we were working with bugs I got really scared because I hate bugs but when the time came to show the kids the bugs and touch them I was fine. I took control and touched the bugs and helped kids identify the bugs. It was great. I had so much fun just being able to teach those kids about bugs. I know the kids were excited to be able to touch them. After the activity was done they had to go but I felt good about myself. I got to work with kids and I wasn't scared. Even though I am scared of bugs I just sucked it up and did it. I think because I knew I had a job to do and I want to make sure these kids had fun. Being a teacher for a day was amazing. It felt like I was making a difference.                

On Thursday I got the chance again to work doing the junior ranger program. This time we were teaching kids about cameras. The activity was to have kids take photos and show them the beauty of nature. After we would have a slideshow to show them their pictures, as well they would become a junior ranger. For this program I got to work with Ranger Marie and my co-worker Mahin. We started off with having the children play a game; we had games showing the kids how to use a camera by first acting like a camera. Then we showed them others pictures telling that there are many ways to taking a picture. Then off they went to take pictures. It was a nice day. I really liked working with the kids and seeing how I felt being that type of environment. I hope to continue working with the junior ranger programs before my time here is up.                

Wednesday was a really good day because we got to go to the SCA office. There we met some people. It is amazing the things you can do in SCA and how it all got started. I knew about SCA what it stands for but I didn't know the different opportunities you can do in SCA. I worked with SCA (Student Conservation Association)  one summer when I was in high school. I had a great time. I got to learn how to build a trail and find invasive plants and much more.