When I applied for this internship, I had no idea the impact it would have on my life both professionally and personally. The hands-on learning and the people around me are what made this internship so special. From the moment Juliana said “Let’s say one thing that made us smile this week” in the first minutes of my interview, I knew this organization was something I wanted to be a part of.
The community fostered by ISEAs is filled with some of the kindest people I know. Entering a new workplace at the bottom of the totem pole can be very intimidating. The people I was surrounded by created a comfortable environment to ask questions, make mistakes, learn new skills, and grow as an individual. In the position of a program educator, I was supposed to be the “professional” on the subject when speaking to the kids, but in reality, I was still learning just as much as they were, which I was very appreciative of. Teaching about microplastics inspired me to do research of my own, and change some of my living habits, even ones as simple as using a wooden cutting board or trying to buy produce not wrapped in plastic. Looking back on the first program I taught alone, I have grown so much confidence in my ability to keep kids engaged with the content I share. I especially want to thank Captain Lily for being my microplastics cheerleader at the stern. She always had kind compliments and constructive criticism to send my way. This position gave me a new perspective on the Great Lakes and all the little things that impact its health. One moment during schoolship that stands out in my mind is when I was teaching benthos on a next-gen program and we dropped the PONAR in about 40 feet of water. No mud was retrieved, and instead lots of quagga, mussels, isopods, and even a round goby!
The most rewarding part of my job was watching peer teaching in the diving deeper programs. I always felt so proud of the students who immersed themselves in the content, and when I could see that they cared about the information I had shared with them. Feeling proud of the students; makes me feel like I am a part of something bigger than myself and I can show people to care about the things I care about. It has given me an outlet to speak up about the lakes I love and the world I want to protect.
I want to thank Inland Seas for surrounding me with like-minded people and giving me new friendships I will never forget. Every morning I woke up excited to spend time with coworkers and teach eager minds. My favorite days were ones spent with the other interns, I was not expecting to become so close to this group of girls in such a short amount of time. My happiest moment with them was when we were all on Alliance together. That sail was filled with dances, laughs, jokes, and more smiles than I could count. I am even more grateful that these connections continued out of the workplace, getting dinner, shopping, ice cream, and hikes.
My time at Inland Seas has been one of the most memorable phases of my life. Environmental education was not something that was particularly on my radar when it came to my career goals, however, it is something I am reconsidering. A quote that reshaped my perspective of environmental education was by Baba Dioum, a forestry engineer, “In the end, we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand and will understand only what we are taught.” To me this means education is the first step in environmental protection, and by contributing my knowledge I am helping the planet in a way that I had not even thought of.
Thank you Inland Seas for the best start to summer ever!
This blog post was written by ISEA Intern Izzy Colliton based on her experiences as an intern with ISEA. If you would like to write a blog post about your time and experiences with ISEA please contact Harrison Fischer at hfischer@schoolship.org.
