I have been working at the Ipswich River Watershed Association for seven weeks and I can honestly say that each day brings something new. While tasks may range from creating my own lesson plans to stuffing letters, I am excited to come to work every morning and discover how a non-profit functions. I have known I want to pursue an education in environmental science since my freshman year in high school and since then I have been searching for opportunities to increase my knowledge about the environment. This has led me to Costa Rica for a sustainability summit, Alaska to explore uncharted territories, and the Bahamas to do research on sharks. This job has been another step in the adventure and I treasure each day.
My tasks at the watershed do not always line up with the work that my friends are doing for their summer jobs. Considering we have just graduated high school, most people are waiting tables, mowing lawns, and babysitting while on the other hand I am sitting in on board meetings, running my own programs, and creating educational tools. I am IRWA’s New Environmental Education Apprentice and I work with Education Outreach to get children outside and on the river.
Off-site visits, like this one to a Beverly Rec group, allow us to bring River education to all.One of my favorite parts of my job is working with children. At IRWA, I organize free water conservation programs for summer camps and school groups with ages ranging from 6 to 16. With the help of my coworkers Rachel and Tessa, we have created interesting and engaging games and activities to get children thinking about water use. We have had groups come and explore our location at Riverbend through kayak trips on the river, nature walks, and staff led activities. We have traveled throughout the watershed making our programs more accessible and helping the children learn about the importance of preserving the Ipswich River. It has taken a great deal of creativity to think of new educational games that keep the kids interested but I have learned so much from each program which has helped to improve the next one. I have been a lover of the outdoors from a very young age but I’m not sure if that would have developed if my parents had not taken me camping every chance they got. The relationship people have the with the land determines how they will treat it. I believe that to foster a love for the environment in children means they will try so much harder to protect it as they grow up.
Dogs love the river too! Grace’s pup helps her table at the Beverly farmer’s market.A large part of what I do is work to get the word out about IRWA. I was always a serial shopper at farmers markets, but this summer I took to the other side of the table and became a vendor. While I was not selling anything but instead was pitching memberships, I thoroughly enjoyed talking to people about a cause I was passionate about. In the beginning of the season I was disheartened by the lack of interest in my booth. My sad layout of a few flyers lacking even a table cloth was not tantalizing to the mass of people interested in organic jam and fresh food. Each following market I was determined to step up my game, adding posters, pin the tail on the beaver, and paddles. While all of this increased visits to my table, most successful was when I brought my own dog to a Peabody market. I have come to realize how much people can get out of a membership to IRWA because it practically sells itself. We make it affordable so that as many people as possible can get out on the river and see its beauty firsthand.
Grace help get lots of kids out on the river this summer, like this group from Creighton Pond Camp.My job really gets fun when we run the beginner paddles. IRWA offers completely free paddles every other week for people to get a taste for both paddling and our organization. I am still ecstatic each time I get out on the water, shocked that I am getting paid to do something I love so much. I have also helped out on the Mindfulness paddle with Tessa where the goal is to be present in the moment by keeping silent as we paddle down river to the dam. I gained a new appreciation for the sounds of the river and the myriad of colors.
Along with my main duties, I also help out the office where needed. This takes me to marshy islands on the coast that are riddled with the invasive pepperweed and to the roof of our building to help plant succulents on our roof garden. Tessa and I have become pros at tag teaming the massive piles of membership renewals that we must stuff into envelopes and Rachel and I are expert canoe movers. All of this has helped me understand what helps a non-profit function. While I do not help write grants or lobby for policy change, I spread my passion and teach.