The following is a guest post by Brigette Prospal, a student at San Diego State University majoring in Liberal Studies with the goal of becoming an elementary school teacher.
In the summer of 2010 I worked as a paid college intern for the California State Parks educational program, which was co-sponsored by ACC. This program teaches children the importance of reducing, reusing and recycling and how to protect our oceans from marine debris through litter prevention and recycling. I talked about why we recycle which is to reduce waste going into landfills, save animals and their habitats and to conserve raw materials. I also discussed ways to be more sustainable, such as people driving echo friendly cars, changing their light bulbs or turning off the lights, turning down their water heaters or something as simple as reusing or recycling plastic bags. During this experience I learned how much plastic is thrown away rather than recycled. Additionally, I gained valuable skills that I will use when I make the transition from college to the workforce. I also discovered that many recyclables can have a second life. For example, water bottles can become shoes; tires can become turf for playgrounds; and cans can become insulation.
During some of the Jr. Ranger programs, campfire programs and school visits this past summer, I taught the children sign language. I am fluent in American Sign Language, and I had fun incorporating sign language into the recycling and ecology lessons I taught. This internship also gave me the opportunity to work on my public speaking skills. I am no longer afraid to get up in front of a group of people and talk to them and these skills will benefit me in all future pursuits.
During the beach cleanups I had to be very organized and utilize multitasking skills, because having 10 people come up to you at once can be overwhelming. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to brush up on public speaking, create educational materials and learn how to be more organized. Also, learning to recycle and generally be more sustainable (some people like to call it “going green”) has been a great experience for me, and I now apply these methods in my own home. This internship was an invaluable experience, and I look forward to another summer to build on what I’ve learned.
The following is a guest post by Brigette Prospal, a student at San Diego State University majoring in Liberal Studies with the goal of becoming an elementary school teacher.
