While flying from Seattle three weeks ago, I took the chance to read an article in the Delta Sky magazine at the back of the seat in front of me. Among other interesting articles discussing topics such as Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech, there was an article focused on ways to enjoy national parks.
This immediately caught my attention. Initially I was curious because I wanted to see which parks in the article I had already been to, and I also wanted to see which parks should be added to my checklist. But the main reason I took an interest in the article was because of the NPS/SCA Academy and the experiences I have had in national parks because of my participation in this program.
The article was a guide for exploring national parks, but I could not help but notice that none of the faces exploring the parks looked like me (I'm no model, so not me exactly), and no one looked like they came from my neighborhood or my culture.
I was a part of the first Academy group in Grand Teton National Park (NP), one of many both that week and in the years since who has had their mind opened wide to the awesome aspects of the natural world and national parks. I have since been swimming in the North Cascades, searched for ginseng poachers in the Great Smokies, worked along a congressman in the Olympics, seen wolves and bison in Yellowstone, and many other adventures. The article and the national parks had a problem. They both were diversity deficient. The Academy made me a solution.
But as I looked past that to the intention of the article, I came to a realization. Pocahontas, in the Disney movie version of the story, told John Smith:
Come run the hidden pine trails of the forest
Come taste the sunsweet berries of the Earth
Come roll in all the riches all around you
And for once, never wonder what they're worth
This program has allowed me to do all these things and more. It has given me the opportunity to travel, see amazing places, meet a diverse group of people, and broaden my horizons. It has given me opportunities to learn about myself and grow as an individual, as a member of a team, and as a leader.
This program has been and will continue to be worth all the time and effort that goes into making sure that it runs smoothly. It has been a positive influence not only on my life, but on others whose stories and experiences you can follow here as well.
So in essence this post is part thank you letter, part call to action. For those who have worked tirelessly with all the connected organizations, your efforts are noticed and forever appreciated. For those of you who have participated, continue to make a difference and share these experiences wherever you go. And for those of you who may not find yourself in either category, get involved or get out there! There is nature to explore!
Hi!
ReplyDeleteI just sent in my application for NPS Academy 2014! I'm am so excited! I hope I get chosen to belong to such a great organization! I loved your article, it was great! I was hoping I could get some more information from you about your experience in the academy? Such as what you all did during orientation, what you have did for your internship, etc. Just general information. Thank you so much!
Shelby! I'm glad that you applied for NPS Academy 2014, and I'm glad you got a chance to read this post. You should definitely check out some of the great posts before this, written by my friend Carl and other participants from the first Academy. There's tales of daily work, fun new experiences, challenges, and lessons learned.
DeleteCarl was completely correct. The Orientation week is a great combination of experiencing whichever National Park (NP) you may get placed in, learning about connecting to people and the place you are in, and listening to park staff share about the roles they serve in, letting you know that there are so many possible careers in the park system!
You can experience snowshoeing/skiing in the Grand Tetons, the "mini Vegas strip" of Gatlinburg at the gate of the Smoky Mountains, glaciers in Alaska, or even explore the parks of New York City!
I worked in Yellowstone the summer following the Orientation, as an engineering aide, shadowing park engineers and other leadership staff. I also worked with some Georgia Tech grad students on an energy monitoring project.
One of the biggest things that I have taken away from my Academy experiences is the deep connection you form with the other 29 participants. Although you may be strangers at the beginning of the week, 7 days in close quarters and sharing the experience makes the week invaluable.
I hope you get accepted and that you enjoy the experience!
I am not the guy who wrote this, but I was there. I saw this guy, and he was good.
ReplyDeleteThe NPS Academy 2014 may be totally different from 2011. Who am I kidding, it will be totally different.
You spend half your time exploring the wilderness, a quarter of your time listening to presentations about park service and conservation, and the rest of the time meeting very influential people. From sun-up to sun-down we were busy with exercising, socializing, and sharing who we are and the ideas we had about the world.
I don't want to spill any beans here, as the surprise is valuable. The effort is worth it. I am sure anyone would tell you, it is the best experience ever-- but it is grueling. We were bloodshot and incoherent because you are putting on/taking off winterwear constantly and always headed to the next thing until about 10 minutes before you fall into bed exhausted at 10 to get up at 6.