Seattle Aquarium

Beach Naturalist

June - August 2019 • Seattle, WA

What I liked

I really liked the training and support around all the volunteers. It didn't feel like we were expected to do too much, and it made it a really fun experience since I never felt pushed too far past my comfort zone.

What I wish was different

I wish that they had had more beaches that were closer to my house! Busing to the beaches was sometimes difficult for me. Otherwise, it was an amazing program.

Advice

You really should just do things, even if you're not sure if they fit your future career goals exactly. I know I don't want to work closely with the public like this, and I knew that doing this might be hard for me since I can be an anxious person. Still, it was a really valuable experience and it helped me expand my comfort zone.

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Interpreter

November 2018 - July 2019 • Seattle, WA

What I liked

I loved interacting with both the wildlife and the guests. Everyday, so many people would come in excited and I liked to see their faces light up when touching animals in the tide pools, I also loved to feed the octopuses because they had great personalities.

What I wish was different

More classes for wildlife education and conservation efforts

Advice

Don't stress, just work hard and be happy. Some days get really busy and you may not know the answers to guest questions, but you learn along the way.

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Lead Camp Instructor

June - August 2018 • Seattle, WA

What I liked

The environment I was working was very upbeat as I was teaching younger students about conservation of the marine environment. I loved seeing the joy on their faces as they learned about tide pool critters and the animals of the kelp forest. I also loved my field trip days where I had the opportunity to take my students to Lincoln Park to go tidepooling as well as going to South Lake Union to go kayaking.

What I wish was different

I wish there would have been more time to preparte for my job. There was very little time to learn the curriculum before my counselors showed up and were expecting input for what they needed to do for the summer.