Scout Island Nature Centre is pleased to introduce its 2014 summer staff.
Patrick Newsome is excited to come back for his second year as a Scout Island summer staff.
He has finished his second year at the University of British Columbia Okanagan in Kelowna and is working towards a degree in biochemistry.
He hopes to one day apply for medical school.
Patrick enjoys working in nature and being able to share what he learns with others.
Returning for her third summer at Scout Island, Caitlin Langford is still in awe at the diversity of wildlife we see on a daily basis.
She is eager to teach visiting children about the bugs, birds, plants, and mammals that the nature centre has to offer.
Caitlin is going into her fourth and final year of biology at the University of Northern British Columbia in Prince George and can’t wait to begin working towards her teaching degree thereafter.
Breanna Haws is new this year at Scout Island, and is eager to learn more about nature every day.
She looks forward to teaching the children about bugs.
Breanna is also going into her fourth and final year of biology at the University of Northern British Columbia in Prince George.
After completing her degree, Breanna intends to apply to veterinary school in Saskatoon.
Paula Laita is also helping out with school programs as a senior staff when we need her.
As usual, the Williams Lake Field Naturalists members stepped in to help with the summer staff’s natural history training.
Gina Roberts taught them some methods for looking at aquatic invertebrates.
Cathy Koot and Kris Andrews took them birding and Sue Hemphill covered plants.
The staff, of course, do a lot of learning on their own and spend considerable time becoming “experts” for the programs they develop and lead.
The morning of May 7 was a busy one, as the summer staff introduced our newly-arrived sea creatures to their new home in our salt-water tank: sea stars, anemones, crabs, sea cucumbers, mussels and more!
Our fascinating new residents have been the star attraction for many programs already. The staff will be happy to show them to you when the Open sign is on the door.
They were featured at our Rivers to Oceans Celebration Wednesday evening when visitors also released Chinook salmon fry to begin their journey back to the sea.
We are grateful for the support of the Pacific Salmon Foundation Community Salmon Program which paid for the creatures and for Jackie Hildering’s visit to speak at our annual banquet.
Our summer adventure program Nature Fun will start up right after school is out, and run throughout July and August.
Caitlin, Breanna and Patrick are planning a backpack-full of games, art play, outdoor adventures and exploration for kids aged three to 13.
Registration begins June 16, by calling 250-398-8532 or emailing scoutisland@shaw.ca.
Thank you so much to the members of the Williams Lake Field Naturalists who have been volunteer hosts on the weekends: Frances McCoubrey, Amy Penny, Jen and Oi Clark, Zack Weeks, Colleen Hughes and Bert and Alice Groenenberg.
We still need hosts for three-hour stints on weekends through October.
This is a great, no-stress way to help visitors enjoy the Nature House and its displays. Don’t worry, we’ll train you.
We also have some hand and machine sewing that needs to be done, repairing charcoal filters and dipping nets.