National Park Service/State Parks Education Intern

National Park Service/California State Parks Education Intern
6 Month Internship
January to June 2018

Background
During the 2016-2017 school year, education interns reached over 15,000 students from Los Angeles County. Once again, interns are needed from January through June 2018 to reach over 19,000 students participating in the Every Kid in a Park program, a national initiative to provide all 4th graders an opportunity to experience the outdoors.

Working with park rangers and volunteers, interns will learn how rangers conduct field trips for elementary school students and will gain experience leading programs for 4th grade students who will learn about the park’s Mediterranean Ecosystem, cultural resources/history, science, recreational opportunities and mission of public lands. On occasion, interns may also assist rangers at special events, fairs, and conferences in and out of the park—providing general information to the public about the park and programs.

Major Duties

• Present programs to and facilitate dialogue with diverse groups of 10-30 students per activity in an outdoor setting. Interns may interact with up to 350 students per day. Some programs are located away from the work site and will require interns to drive their personal vehicles or travel in government vehicles with park staff.
• Participate in the planning, implementation and evaluation of curriculum-based activities.
• Assist with education field trip set-up/clean-up of program supplies and materials.
• Assist with program planning and management such as developing and preparing program materials, cleaning/repairing equipment, entering data, photographing events, uploading photos, and reviewing program materials.
•  Assist rangers with the set-up, breakdown and execution of special events and workshops.

Requirements

• Enthusiastic about being outdoors and working with elementary school students.
• Must be available starting the week of 1/21/18 through early June 2018.
• Must complete scheduled orientation and training for new interns from January 24-26, 2018.
• Availability on Wednesday through Friday during school field trip days is preferred.
• A commitment of 15 hours per week is preferred.
• Should have basic word processing computer skills and know how to use Excel and Word.
• Ability to work well both independently and as part of a team of volunteers, interns and rangers; be detail-oriented and organized.
• Good oral and written communication skills and ability to follow oral and written directions.
• Fluency in Spanish and English preferred.
• Intern must wear a required uniform when working with the public.
• Must have reliable transportation to and from primary worksite. There are three worksite locations and interns will report to one of the locations which are located in downtown Los Angeles (Los Angeles State Historic Park), Encino (Los Encino State Historic Park) and Newbury Park (Rancho Sierra Vista- Satwiwa, Santa Monica Mountains NRA).

Learning Objectives

• Through structured training, access to and coaching by outdoor education professionals, and on-the-job learning, interns will increase their knowledge of outdoor education programming and practice. They will learn skills and techniques in program presentation for youth, and how to effectively engage students in outdoor activities and dialogue.
• Interns will learn and experience public lands stewardship, mission comprehension, career opportunities. They will also learn about the local flora, fauna, human history, and recreational opportunities during training sessions.
• Interns will increase their interpersonal skills working daily with a cohesive team of rangers, volunteers and interns from all types of backgrounds and experiences.
• Interns will learn useful employment-ready skills such as working with the public, collaboration, and public speaking which could apply to a range of future careers.

Work Site and Conditions

• Interns will be based in downtown Los Angeles (Los Angeles State Historic Park), Encino (Los Encinos State Historic Park), or Newbury Park (Rancho Sierra Vista-Satwiwa, Santa Monica Mountains NRA), but will also work at other park sites in the greater Los Angeles Area.
• Work will involve physical activity, including hiking up to 1 mile, walking, bending and lifting equipment up to 20 lbs. There may also be periods of time when interns will be sitting or standing for extended periods of time. During program days, interns are physically active for up to 4 or 5 hours.
• Work is primarily outdoors but also includes indoor work. Outdoor temperatures may range from 40°-105° F; indoor environment is climate controlled.
• Fingerprint and background checks are required.
• NPS paid education interns will receive a monthly stipend of $690 from February through May 2018 and a stipend of $345 in January and June 2018.