Behind the Scenes: Training, Programs, and More

Even though I have not officially started the internship yet, all of us interns have been receiving and sending information behind the scenes to make things official. I have actually added all but one intern on facebook so far and boy am I excited to meet these people! One of the interns I already know because we worked together at Northwoods Wildlife Center last year, how cool is that? It will be nice to catch up with an old friend and make new friends in the process.

Originally I changed my start date to June 1st but now I am trying to move it back to May 27th due to the fact that is when training starts. On the 27th, we are meant to arrive at the center and finish up any leftover paperwork before settling into our housing. Housing is actually not located above the center like last summer but is 1/2 mile away at an undisclosed location. Truthfully, I know where it is, but since this blog is public I don't want strangers knowing the exact place.

Starting on the 28th, we will begin to undergo training with a variety of staff members and two board members. The staff members include: the Center's new Program Director (Kelly), the Center's new Wolf Specialist (Cameron), the Curator (Lori), the Development Director (Darcy), and the current Academic Year Educator (Laura). The two board members include: Dick Thiel from the Timber Wolf Information Network in Wisconsin and Dr. Dave Mech from the USGS Wolf Project in Ely, Minnesota.

Our training schedule consists of a variety of subjects which include: Natural History of Wild Wolves, Northwoods Ecology, Do's and Don'ts of Engaging Visitors, Human Values, Conservation and Controversy, Teaching Controversial Issues, Handling Difficult Types, Wolf Population North America: Wolves of the World, Bus Training, CPR/First Aid, and more.

Aside from obtaining our training schedule we also were recently sent the daily program schedule. 

Our work load starts off light but after June 14ths things definitely begin to pick up.

May 16 - June 14

Listed below is the daily programs and their hours; as well as a saturday program.

Daily Programs and Hours

11:00a    Meet the Pack

1:00a      Meet the Pack

2:00a      Mystery in the Sky?

3:00a      Meet the Pack

Satudays

7:00p      What's for Dinner?

June 15 - August 14

Listed below is the daily schedule that occurs. Interns and staff will rotate through different programs daily so that all events are covered and every day is not the same. In addition to programs we will have custom group visits at the center, elderhostels, and some off site trips.

9:15a        Wolves of the World

10:00a      Mystery in the Sky

10:30a      Wild Discovery – Kids Program

11:00a      Meet the Pack

12:00p     Wolf Enrichment

12:15p     Northwoods Ecology

1:00p       Meet the Pack

2:00p       Mystery in the Sky

2:30p       Wild Discovery – Kids Program

3:00p       Meet the Pack

4:00p       Moose in Minnesota

5:00p       Northwoods Ecology

For more information on programs and events going on, feel free to check out the center's website.
http://www.wolf.org/visit/hours-fees-programs/

Hope some of you visit me this summer!

Destination: Ely, Minnesota

It pleases me to inform everyone that I have been hired on as a Wolf Education Intern at the International Wolf Center in Ely, Minnesota.


Due to this reason I have been asked by a few of you loyal readers, from my last blog, to write another blog this summer about my experiences so of course I cannot resist doing so! Thank you for your loyalty and interest!!!

In my last blog (Summer in Wisconsin) I posted daily, whether it was about my adventures of daily tasks, and will try my best to do so again this summer as well. I am presently not aware of how much time I will have to sit down and type, of course, so please bare with me if I cannot post daily like I was able to in the past. I am sure you all understand.

This year my blog posts may be a little different. 90% of the job includes educational work so I would expect little bits and pieces of informational segments in my posts. I will keep the remaining 10% of the position a secret for now. My blog posts will likely be more formal this time around but of course this does not mean they will lack descriptive details. I do not wish to make my posts dry.

For the most part, we will see what happens to my posts and this blog when I actually get to Minnesota and start the internship.

Arrival: 27 May 14

See you then! :)