Photo Scrapbook & Intern Essays Below
 

Dear Folks at the Arc,
   I have been extremely busy getting settled back into Athens and starting school, but I have meant to write and and thank you again for this summer.  Reflecting upon it, I have really gained a sense of how much personal growth took place for me.  I've been baking bread, practicing tree identification, listening for birds, and most of all attempting to take as much initiative in my pursuits as possible.  This is especially true when it comes to talking to others about ecology and conservation.  I feel like there is a lot of confusion, sociologically at least, about these areas of natural science.  This is perhaps perpetuated by the "go green" and "save the polar bears" sort of trends that seem to prevail in the minds of most people who are just beginning to be exposed to environmentalism and ecological ideas.  It isn't that these trends and efforts aren't important or impressive in their ability to reach people, but I don't think that the whole picture is understood by most. 
  Leading the hike on my last day at Highlands was really a pinnacle point in my path to becoming an educator.  It was quite empowering and I believe that I was able to convey a few important concepts to a handful of people who might start to understand, specifically, the importance of the ecological interactions that take place right here in Southern Ohio.  In the future, I would be more than happy to  volunteer time in order to continue doing this. Let me know when Highlands might benefit from offering interpretive hikes such as the one I conducted.  
    --Timothy Pritchard, Worked the Summer 2008

Dear Friends,
   I have been thinking about the Highlands a lot lately, so I figured it was time to write. Right now I live in Idaho, in Boise, but I'm moving in a month and a half. I get excited when I see familiar plants out here. I miss the Eastern Deciduous Broadleaf Forest and the East in general, so I am moving to New England at the end of August where I am working at Nature's Classroom. My living situation in Boise is great. I found my roommates on Craig's List before I even got here because they put up an ad talking about community and sustainable living. We have a HUGE garden. WE killed all the grass in the backyard. Who needs grass in a desert? And an herb spiral in the front. The neighbors all thought we were nuts when it was under construction but now we are the envy of the neighborhood. I am able to bake bread every single week which I haven't been able to do since I lived in TES Farm with you guys, where I learned how. Last week I made a pie with Nancy's pie crust recipe and it turned out! I want you guys to know to realize how much I learned during my time at the Sanctuary --not just the local plants and trees ( I didn't know the difference between an oak and a maple when I arrive) but also life skills like bread baking and the different flour types. And, I had no idea I wanted to be an interpretive ranger before I worked with you. Now that's my goal, and I want to get in the National Parks in a year or two. So, I just wanted to thank you for everything I learned there, and to let you know that it is all still relevant in my life. Even way the hell out here in Idaho.
   ---Love, Annie, Worked the Summer of 2008

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