Working at Save the Harbor this summer has been nothing short of spectacular. Coming into the first day of staff orientation, I could not have even dreamed of the amazing summer that I have had.
As most of you will have figured out by now, this summer program is based mainly on the education of Boston's youth. Coming into the summer I wouldn't have expected to be working with such bright young minds. I quickly realized we weren't going to be teachers as much as helping these kids enrich their experiences with the world around them. While I grew up fishing the various ponds and lakes near my home, most of these kids had never even held a fishing rod; and throughout the summer we were able to teach hundreds of kids how to do something that had been second-nature to me. This was perhaps one of the most heart-warming experiences for me, seeing their eyes light up at something that seemed so ordinary to me, but what new and exciting to them.
As most of you will have figured out by now, this summer program is based mainly on the education of Boston's youth. Coming into the summer I wouldn't have expected to be working with such bright young minds. I quickly realized we weren't going to be teachers as much as helping these kids enrich their experiences with the world around them. While I grew up fishing the various ponds and lakes near my home, most of these kids had never even held a fishing rod; and throughout the summer we were able to teach hundreds of kids how to do something that had been second-nature to me. This was perhaps one of the most heart-warming experiences for me, seeing their eyes light up at something that seemed so ordinary to me, but what new and exciting to them.  |
| Working hard, or hardly working? |
While I was in-fact working 5 times a week this summer, the word "work" was taken very lightly. Between fishing, pulling up traps, and even playing Four Square, I'd say my job was much more fun than most people's summer jobs. Every day my fellow co-workers and the kids we spent the day with would laugh and have a grand ol' time. We even made photographing the wildlife fun, by taking group pictures and of course the staff favorite, lobster selfies. Between the ever positive energy of the staff and the eagerness of the kids we worked with, I could not have had a better time.
And now comes the emotional goodbye. This group of people at that came together in early July from all walks of life quickly became a tightly-knit family that I would do anything for. The Senior Harbor Educators brought structure and leadership to every sight, and also work experience. The Lead Harbor Educators (myself included), helped bridge the age gap between the SHE's and the JPA's, who all worked above and beyond. Of course I can't forget Bridget, who kept everything organized and under control, no matter how great the task. It was clear from the start that Bruce and Patty devote their lives to this company, and I tried to match their hard work and perseverance in every aspect of my daily routine at Save the Harbor. I will forever be grateful for the opportunity that they gave me this summer, and I will never forget what I learned here.
 |
| Our version of a family photo |
Although this summer is coming to an end, it doesn't mean that you can't still continue to go out every day and explore this wonderful world around us. So until next time my fellow explorers!
- Luke -
No comments:
Post a Comment