The days before my departure for my internship as the environmental educator at the Grand Canyon are creeping up quicker and quicker. The people closest to me give me questioning looks when I mention the butterflies I have for this newest journey. This is because...
[caption id="attachment_9994" align="alignright" width="225"] Great Falls[/caption] Well after two full weeks of my internship with the team at Great Falls, MD on the C&O Canal I can gladly say that my time has been well spent! These two weeks have flown by...
Hello, everybody! My name is Rocio Gomez and I graduated last year from California State University San Bernardino with a BA in History with a concentration in Chinese history. While I was still a student I volunteered for a public archaeology project at Manzanar...
Well, I made it! After a long and desolate drive, the large Grand Canyon signs began to appear on the side of the road. With each mile my excitement increased. There were pullouts and overlooks every half mile. Thank goodness I resisted from pulling out...
Hello guys! I am now on my second week of training, and it's been great! Currently I am working at the Visitor Services until later in June when I get to start planning my own educational outreach programs. Visitor Services is actually a blast...
Hello everyone! So my first week in Grand Canyon has been more than I could imagine. First off, I know I said I hated driving, but it turned out to be beautiful. My back hurt by the end of it, but I definitely got to...
[caption id="attachment_9903" align="alignnone" width="300"] Ranger Eric swears in a Junior Ranger. Photo courtesy of Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park.[/caption] One of my favorite internship assignments entails staffing the Junior Ranger Activity Center (also referred to as The JRAC). This center attracts hundreds of...
Hi all! So this is the second week of my time in New Mexico, aka the "Land of Enchantment," a description written on every license plate in the state. Let me start at the beginning of the week. On my day off I...
For my project with the National Trails Intermountain Regional Office, I will be putting together a set of interpretive materials about the history of Route 66 and Hispanic heritage along the road. It's an exciting project, but also a massive undertaking when it comes to...
Unlike many of this year's Latino Heritage Internship Program (LHIP) interns, I did not have to relocate for my internship with the National Trails Intermountain Regional Office. Instead, this summer I will be following a familiar pattern: traveling to and from the University of New...
Skagway, Alaska, is a unique place. As many as twenty of the historic buildings are maintained and preserved by the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park (KLGO), but the entirety of the town does not fall under National Park Service (NPS) jurisdiction. A...
Hello! My name is Cristina Ramírez, and I will be working in the Public Affairs Office at the Intermountain Regional Office this summer. I am originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico, and went to school at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia. A few...
I have been working at Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve for about five days now and, let me tell you, it is absolutely beautiful!! I live in a shared house inside the park and the view from my window is breathtaking,...
Hello all! My name is Jennifer Orellana, and I am the daughter of two immigrant parents from El Salvador. I am currently a student at Metropolitan State University of Denver studying Sports Management with a minor in Recreation Services. I enjoy activities such as hiking, camping, climbing,...
Howdy guys! My name is Marissa Ortega, and I am a recent graduate from Texas A&M University with a B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Science. I am 22 years old and I have a passion for wildlife conservation and environmental education. In a few years,...
[caption id="attachment_9930" align="alignnone" width="300"] Hot Springs National Park, Libbey Springs.[/caption] During my second week in the LHIP program, I feel that I have begun settling into the park and community and into my roles as an intern at this park. My supervisor/mentor is encouraging...
With my birthday being this week, my host site gave me a few days off to enjoy my birthday. With that free time, my family and I went around Colorado to explore some of the national parks and forests it has to offer. Since...
Hello everyone! My name is Aileen Palma. I am from Fort Collins, Colorado, and I am currently going into my fifth year at Colorado State University studying Conservation Biology. Although my major is more weighted on the science side of natural resources, my goal is...
¡Saludos! My name is Angelica...
My name is Patricia Miguel and I am working at the Great Falls, Maryland location. I am local to the area but I am not all too familiar with the C&O Canal. This exciting opportunity will surely change that as I learn about the deep...