17 Jul Last Week off Before Camp Starts Again

Hello there!

Monday was a packed day! I was excited to do the Yoga Hike again to stretch, but when I got there it turned out I was the leader. Our instructor was on vacation, the substitute had to leave for an emergency, and since I have group fitness instruction under my belt, I was next in line to teach. Very enjoyable experience! I had the group (which was over 30, mind you) collaborate and help me with some poses, as I’ve only taken yoga twice my whole life. At the end, I received very positive feedback. After yoga, we had a guest instructor come and educate us on some of the different insect species we have and their role in our society. The take home message from this presenter was that there is a diverse community of insects from different parts of the world in our backyard, so take pictures and notes on the insect and post it online to get more information about it. Another point was that insects play a huge role in keeping other pests away, provide a food source to other animals, and keep our plants healthy.

The rest of the week was dedicated to finalizing camp materials to ensure we are ready for the incoming students. Other tasks I got to do around the monument were pulling out more invasive plants (we have more invasive plants than we can get our hands on), assisting with fire mitigation by removing dead tree limbs, and leading a safety training on the importance of staying hydrated.

I also got a chance to network with other local businesses and school board members from the Colorado Springs area at a Latino Luncheon. It is a volunteer run organization where they reach out to community partners who make a positive impact on the community to all come together and have the chance to meet. The lunch itself was delicious! It was a three-course meal starting with a salad, then went to rice pilaf, steamed vegetables and grilled chicken, and the dessert was a chocolate cake with caramel crunch in between three layers of moist, delicious chocolate cake with a strawberry on top. Other than the food, the luncheon was also a success! Most of the members there had never heard of Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument or even the town of Florissant. I got the chance to inform the audience about my internship and about the National Park Service, and many were surprised there was a national monument in their backyard. I passed out a lot of flyers, business cards and trail maps, as well as received business cards from other groups for mixers and networking.

As I closed my day on Friday, I am more than happy to start camp next week! We will have the boys and girls club coming again with a new group of bright youth. I will also get the chance to partner up with other LHIP interns for a group project! 

Thank you for reading.