Summer intern, Zoe True on the Glacier Ranger District
Archives |
---|
SourDough News | November 10th, 2016
Zoe True celebrating with Smokey of his 72nd birthday.
Blending in with the vegetaion, Zoe True guides a hike on the Byron Glacier Trail.
This is the first of three stories of summer interns on the Glacier Ranger District, Chugach National Forest. Here is Zoe True's story:
Working as a volunteer at Begich, Boggs Visitor Center in the Chugach National Forest was a really eye-opening experience. I grew up in a small town in Vermont and I go to a small college in Maine. I’m not used to being around big crowds of people, let alone talking to them. I knew I had to grow as a person and get better at talking to the public, especially to those I don’t know. My line of work as a wildlife biologist might require me to connect with all sorts of people. I figured there was no better place to start than being an interpreter.
Once I started working as an interpreter, I noticed some people assumed I knew everything about everything. To be honest, I don’t, and I never will. However, I learned about glaciers, mountains, plants that are edible and plants that will hurt. I found out about all sorts of animals that live here, too: ice worms, wolves, moose, black bears, brown bears, grizzly bears, and so much more.
Leading interpretive programs is an art. Being an interpreter is also like being a storyteller. Once an interpreter has a topic, the next step is developing a theme. After that, everything else falls into order. I used to ramble on and not really be able to get my point across. I learned, however, to go into storyteller mode, with a theme, a hook, a body, and a good wrap up.
Coming to Alaska and being an interpreter taught me a lot about myself and how to communicate with the public. I know this experience will help me in the future.
By Zoe True, Intern
Begich, Boggs Visitor Center, Chugach National Forest