On a freezing Vermont winter day, I decided to apply for an environmental education internship with the Green Mountain Audubon Center (GMAC). Up to that point, most of my professional experience had been with geographic information systems (GIS), with work that was largely screen-based. After nearly two years of that work, I was ready to pivot and seek out more hands-on, people-focused engagement with the natural world. I could not have asked for a better opportunity to achieve that than the environmental education intern position I took with the Green Mountain Audubon Center.
From January to May, I supported a variety of programs including field trips and vacation camps, and Audubon’s UnSchool and Afterschool programs. As someone originally from Virginia, I had little prior knowledge of the maple sugaring process or even what “sugar on snow” was, so I was very fortunate to join GMAC right at the start of the sugaring season. The first half of my internship was dedicated to facilitating maple sugaring field trips. In doing so, I had the pleasure and privilege of learning directly from GMAC’s experienced education team about the workings of the sugarbush and the unique aspects of their small sugaring operation. I was able to tap my first maple tree so I could show the kids how it is done, and was even able to try “sugar on snow”!
Engaging with children and helping them connect with the natural world reminded me of why I first became passionate about environmental science. In the spring, I joined the UnSchool and Afterschool groups for pond scooping sessions at Beaver Pond– an experience that might very well be the most enjoyable work I have ever done! Witnessing the joy and curiosity on the children’s faces as they discovered newts, frogs, and the occasional leech was both rewarding and revitalizing. It reaffirmed my commitment to environmental education and deepened my appreciation for hands-on, place-based learning.
While I am not entirely sure what my next steps will be after my time at the Green Mountain Audubon Center, I can certainly say that this internship was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me, and I can not thank the education team enough for their generosity, support, and unwavering passion for connecting Vermont’s youth with nature! I also want to thank the incredible kids who participated in our programs, whose enthusiasm, curiosity, and willingness to pick up nets and get muddy made every day unforgettable.
