Blog 14 - Interview 3 Preparation

EQ: How can a wildlife educator most effectively spread awareness?

1. Who do you plan to interview? What is this person's area of expertise?

• My goal is to hopefully get a worker from the Big Bear Alpine Zoo. They have a section of animals that are taken care of and used for educational purposes, as well as another section where they are rehabilitating others.
• If the scheduling of the appointment doesn't seem to function, I'll interview my mentor. Since I've switched mentors three times, I think at some point or another I should officially interview him to get an insight of his opinions about certain topics.

2. Verify that you have called your interviewee to schedule an interview. What is the date and time of the interview?

• I do not currently have a set time and date for my interview, but I am waiting on an email that hopefully will be responded to soon.

3. Phrase an open-ended question that will help you find research resources that would help to answer the EQ. 

• Do you have any articles or a book that you've come across that may be a good resource for this topic?
• Is there a specific author or organization that you read and have found valuable?
• Relating to Wildlife Care and Awareness

4. Phrase an open-ended question that will help you think about other useful activities you might do to help you answer the EQ.

• What is your daily goal when working in this organization? 
• Have you ever taught a group of kids about the types of animals at your center?
• If so what activities did you conduct and have found to be the most fun and effective for the children?
• Are there any other activities that you recommend?

5. Phrase two open-ended questions that help you to understand your interviewee's perspective on an aspect of your EQ.

• What techniques or methods do you believe are one of the most effective when spreading awareness?
• Do you believe that teaching the public is important? Why or why not?
• How can a wildlife educator most effectively spread awareness?
• My essential question (so I can get feedback)

Blog 13 - 10 Hour Mentorship Check-In

1. Where are you doing your mentorship?

• San Dimas Canyon Nature Center

2. Who is your contact? What makes this person an expert?

• Max. He has been employed at the nature center for more than five years. He knows almost everything about every animal at the nature center and is the teacher for the junior ranger programs that are held throughout the year. He's passionate about what he does and is interested in continuing to work with animals.

3. How many hours have you done during the school year?

• 65

4. Succinctly summarize what you did, how well you and your mentor worked together, and how you plan to complete the remaining hours.

• If I volunteer during the week, I usually clean out the cages and feed the animals. Sometimes I interact with some of them so they aren't confined in one area. If there's a good amount of people, we take out one or two animals to show the kids. On Saturdays, I usually do the same thing. However, we do go down to the park and invite the public to the free presentations at 1. I think my mentor and I work pretty well with each other. He's not always at the nature center, but he's willing to help when I need anything. I've already completed my hours, but I will continue to volunteer because I enjoy helping out. I want to try volunteering at other nature centers to see what they might do differently.

Blog 12 - Holiday Project Update

1. It is important to consistently work on your senior project, whether it is break or we are in school. What did you do over the break with your senior project?

• During the break, I wrapped up my independent component and I continued to volunteer. I also learned that there are other seniors volunteering at the nature center for a similar project and may help to contribute ideas.

2. What was the most important thing you learned from what you did and why? What was the source of what you learned?

• I realized that I really like to interact with people. I love seeing their face expressions when we hold the reptiles. We walk around them within the museum and the kids are amazed. At times they share their own stories when they have experienced something with the animals at our nature center. These presentations is what I look forward to the most because it makes me learn new things about different animals so I can share them with the public.

3. Your third interview will be a 10 question interview related to possible answers for your EQ. Who do you plan to talk to and why?

• My actual mentor. I've switched mentors at least three times, but he is very knowledgeable about the animals and is always the man to go to when one needs help. He has several years of experience in this profession. I'm curious to know how he came to this field and how he became so passionate about it.