By: Patricia McNamara

When my supervisor asked me to write about my summer experience with City Parks Foundation, I immediately agreed, as it was something I was planning to write about anyway. Now that I am actually writing about it, i

t seems more daunting than I originally thought. Not because I have nothing to write about, but simply because it was an experience that can hardly be put into words.

It was the spring before my senior year of college and I was looking for internships in the New York area that pertained to science education. I was a biology major without a path and education was always something I was interested in, so when I saw the internship opportunity for Coastal Classroom, I applied. Within a week, I was interviewed and accepted an intern position for the summer. Little did I know that this was going to be one of the most important and influential experiences of my life.

Working for Coastal Classroom not only provided me with the hands-on experience with the marine life of New York City, but with the opportunity to enrich the youth of the city through educating them about the marine life. Everyday with Coastal Classroom, I learned just as much about our environment as the children. I saw parts of New York I had never seen before. I worked with two wonderful supervisors (Joel and Luis) who were always there for me when I was unsure about something or needed guidance. I saw species of wildlife I didn’t even know existed in our waters. One of the best moments from this summer was catching a sea horse in the waters near Coney Island. The children (and myself) were genuinely excited about

this catch, as it was unusual and rare to find in New York. Seeing the children’s excitement toward the marine life found in their waters left me willing to give them even more. Yes, it was hot and yes sometimes all I could think about was sitting anywhere in air conditioning, but I knew that smiling children would be showing up to the beach, ready and eager to learn. Knowing that they learned something through our program is an indescribable feeling. Because of this experience, I plan on pursuing science education after graduating next spring. I can say for sure that without my experience with Coastal Classroom, I would be unsure of this decision. After leaving Coastal Classroom, I can safely say that I left a changed student, co-worker and educator and for this I will be forever grateful.

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By: Patricia McNamara
When my supervisor asked me to write about my summer experience with City Parks Foundation, I immediately agreed, as it was something I was planning to write about anyway. Now that I am actually writing about it, it seems more daunting than I originally thought. Not because I have nothing to write about, but simply because it was an experience that can hardly be put into words.

It was the spring before my senior year of college and I was looking for internships in the New York area that pertained to science education. I was a biology major without a path and education was always something I was interested in, so when I saw the internship opportunity for Coastal Classroom, I applied. Within a week, I was interviewed and accepted an intern position for the summer. Little did I know that this was going to be one of the most important and influential experiences of my life.

Working for Coastal Classroom not only provided me with the hands-on experience with the marine life of New York City, but with the opportunity to enrich the youth of the city through educating them about the marine life. Everyday with Coastal Classroom, I learned just as much about our environment as the children. I saw parts of New York I had never seen before. I worked with two wonderful supervisors (Joel and Luis) who were always there for me when I was unsure about something or needed guidance. I saw species of wildlife I didn’t even know existed in our waters. One of the best moments from this summer was catching a sea horse in the waters near Coney Island. The children (and myself) were genuinely excited about this catch, as it was unusual and rare to find in New York. Seeing the children’s excitement toward the marine life found in their waters left me willing to give them even more. Yes, it was hot and yes sometimes all I could think about was sitting anywhere in air conditioning, but I knew that smiling children would be showing up to the beach, ready and eager to learn. Knowing that they learned something through our program is an indescribable feeling. Because of this experience, I plan on pursuing science education after graduating next spring. I can say for sure that without my experience with Coastal Classroom, I would be unsure of this decision. After leaving Coastal Classroom, I can safely say that I left a changed student, co-worker and educator and for this I will be forever grateful.

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