Kamryn Dehn: Week 1 Recap

This week has been a bit all over the place for me, but I don't mind because I like having a dynamic job with multiple projects. I'm someone who loves to stay busy! This week I've had the opportunity to get to know the REEU interns and learn about some of the cool projects they've designed. I've also been able to edit their blog posts on this website, refine my editing skills, and learn how to use a web design interface.

This week I was also introduced to the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant internship and my corresponding roles. Megan and I were able to sit down and listen to a Zoom webinar about the Freedom Seekers and the Great Lakes, specifically the Calumet region. One of my projects this summer is to review curriculums that focus on connecting the Freedom Seekers, the abolitionist movement, and science, with emphasis on the Great Lakes. This is super exciting to me because I personally think science curriculums need to be more interdisciplinary and help connect students to civil rights and environmental justice work.

At the end of the first week, we were able to travel to the Indiana Dunes and learn from naturalists how to lead interpretative hikes and keep audiences engaged. Personally, I enjoyed and benefited from what I learned, but it was a challenge for me. I've had two major leg surgeries in the last two years, one of which reconstructed most of my upper right leg, so hiking around in sand for a few miles was a challenge. I'm very proud of myself though because less than two years ago I started year-long physical therapy to "re-learn" how to walk after my leg reconstruction surgery. Now I can hike around with very little difficulty (I still get tired easily though)! Overall, it was a very productive trip and I'm glad to have been able to connect with the REEU interns more.