by Brooke, intern at Wolf Park
My name is Brooke, and I'm from Columbus, Ohio. I'm 18 years old and I'm finishing up my senior year of high school. This internship is part of my education. The school allows seniors to do two small internships for their last semester. I decided to do one big one and make Wolf Park my home for eighteen weeks. And let me be the first to tell you that the time I've spent here has been absolutely priceless. This has definitely been the most rewarding experience of my life thus far.
As an intern here at the Park, I have gotten the opportunity to do some interesting things. When I first arrived, I helped out during the breeding season watch. Interns, staff, and volunteers do three-hour shifts at a time, 24 hours a day, seven days a week during the wolves' breeding season. During that time I was able to identify not only the different wolves, but the behaviors they were displaying.
When you're not watching the wolves there are plenty of other things that can be done around the Park. There were two major projects that needed to be done by Members' Weekend in April. The lovely new aluminum bleachers were put together by the interns. I think we managed to do a pretty darn good job considering the fact that we only had blueprints to work from! After about three long weeks of internse labor another project was placed in our hands. At least this time we had better weather and a bit more experience behind us. The ramps and decks for the new gift shop/visitors' center were completed just a few days before Members' Weekend.
One of the benefits of doing this internship is the skills and confidence I know I will walk away with. One of the skills I never thought I would ever tackle was that of cooking. During the Easter weekend, the interns and staff of the Park spent Easter dinner together. I volunteered to cook the turkey. Little did I know what lay ahead for me. Yet after six hours of questioning myself there were over fifteen people with happy bellies in front of me, praising my cooking skills. A pure and utter feeling of accomplishment filled up within me. Now I just had to prepare for Members' Weekend!
During Members' Weekend, I was able to better explore my public relations skills. Not only did I perform tours for some of our members, but I also interacted with the Junior Volunteers. Assisting John Davis with the JV's and feeding at East Lake (the kids just tossed the food over the fence for the wolves to catch) was an experience I will never forget. For many of the children, it was the first time they were ever included in feeding a wolf. To be able to be a part of educating the minds of our future will forever be a priceless memory. It's very rewarding to be exposed to children who desire and love these animals as much as I do.
Once Members' Weekend was wrapped up, the other interns and I have been preparing for open season. No, there is never a boring day here at Wolf Park. And I know that the extended family that I have here have made my stay so enduring and special. So until my next major project...it's back to work for me, creating even more priceless memories.