Friday, August 7, 2015

Meet my JPAs!

Hello again, friends of Save the Harbor!

As senior staff, we are all taking time this week to appreciate some of our junior staff members! We are grateful that the heatwave is over and that everyone kept working hard to make this summer a memorable one for our neighbors in Boston- thanks for continuing to come to the shoreline!

D at Carson Beach with a clam! 
Meet Daynaja, hanging out with Lily!
To start off, this is Daynaja! If you know anything about basketball, you know what I mean when I say that "D" is your classic point guard. She great at organizing and leading, but also understands what it means to be part of the team. D is EARLY everywhere she goes, which I'm sure her coaches appreciate as much as I do.

Daynaja is always ready to laugh and play with the kids, who have gotten really attached to her at Blacks Creek! She sits with them at snack time and listens to all of their stories, and helps them draw sea creatures when we aren't playing kickball. I can't recall how many times I have asked Daynaja to do something over again for a photo or video, because I see her doing something fun, creative and adorable with the kids! She always obliges, and with a smile on top of it all! Below you can find a video of her being amazed by a disappearing-stone trick that Jake showed her. I think it was the third time that he did the trick by the time I got the camera out and rolling, but Daynaja's enthusiasm doesn't dim! Kids love being able to show her new talents because she is always excited fro them.  She is kind, and she works well with the kids because she has a younger brother- I am sure she is an amazing big sister! If you're looking for someone "D"ependable, look no further than Blacks Creek!
Abdi with mud-balls, smiles and a sea-themed bandana!
AMAZING perspective shot of me reaching into the crab trap!
Abdi's perspective shot of Nora and clams at Carson!
Rocks at Blacks Creek, photo by Abdi!
At both Blacks Creek and Carson beach, Daynaja and I also work with Abdi! Abdi has become fast friends with a lot of our kids this summer! Just last week, one of our campers at Blacks Creek couldn't stop waving and shouting "bye Abdi! Bye-bye, Abdi! Don't forget to play 'taps' with me next week!" Abdi thankfully waved back so that the mom had an easier time getting out of the parking lot! (Nice fan club, Abdi!)  Abdi is king of the crab trap in Quincy, and I have to laugh because he is always smiling despite this job. Our kids go right up to him whenever they find a dead minnow or crab, hoping to use it as bait. Even with dead sea creatures being thrust in his face, Abdi remains calm and friendly. Abdi has also gotten really good at taking "perspective shot" photos- check out some of his work below, I pulled a few of my favorites for this post, but am excited to always have someone to take a close-up of what we find!
Great perspective shot of the kickball field, also by Abdi!

I have spent the most time with D and Abdi out of all of the JPAs this summer, and I have learned so much from both of them. They taught all of the kids at Blacks Creek how to play their new favorite game, 'taps,' with a kickball, and showed me that they are great role models and inventive counselors. Both Daynaja and Abdi have shown great sympathy for the kids and have really become invested in their work here at Save the Harbor. If they had not genuinely been motivated for their positions as JPAs, I don't know how I would have made it through the heat wave, or the summer, for that matter. Thanks D and Abdi for all your help at Blacks Creek and Carson, it really has meant a lot to me!

Until next time,
Carolyn



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