10 Aug Thank you LHIP and The Denver Service Center – Jade Bravo

Taking the chance and applying to this internship program to work in the National Park resulted in one of the most amazing summers I have ever had. Truthfully, I had never considered the potential of working in the National Park Service because I did not know about the opportunities. My connection to the parks was limited however, my fascination with nature and the environment has always motivated me to pursue interests in those fields. It’s no surprise then, that I found myself working to conserve and protect our greatest natural resources – the National Parks! My favorite part of this experience has been seeing the passion of the park staff and DSC in their work to not only protect the historic, cultural, and natural resources that their parks host, but also to create memorable visitor experiences so that people fall in love with the parks just like they did. The intersection between conservation and recreation is embodied in the parks in a way that inspires pride and reverence of these uniquely beautiful places. While I only visited one of the parks I worked with over the summer, I understand how important the plans and management of these parks are, from the local to national level. I can’t say enough how grateful I am to the DSC, LHIP, and the National Parks for engaging in diversity and inclusion by having Latino individuals of all backgrounds and academic interests experience the parks in ways we never have before.