My name is Samantha Smith.
I am from Rahway, New Jersey and I go to Purdue University in Indiana.
I started off with training at the Great Meadows NWR and Assabet River NWR in Massachusetts.
There we had speakers including Mamie Parker and Wendi Weber who gave us all some advice
and inspirational words to start our journey for the summer.
While in Massachusetts, the SCA interns were given some different projects and tasks to
improve our communication skills and give us a glimpse of what we were to expect for
the summer.
After my training for the week, I arrived at Back Bay, ready to work hard and go above
and beyond everyone’s expectations, including my own.
I will never forget my first exposure to the scenery here.
It was breathtaking when I arrived and saw the beach to my left and the bay to
my right.
During my time, I saw a few different animals including the Great Blue Heron, Brown Pelicans,
the venomous Cottonmouth snake, snapping turtles, fish, and some huge spiders.
Throughout the week, I ran a few programs that reached out to the children and adults
to get them involved here at the Refuge.
The biology Day adventure was geared towards young kids to get them outside and also see
what the Refuge is really about.
On the beach, they got to see what a biologist does when they find a sea turtle nest.
Inside, the kids spent time making a variety of crafts to take home.
Erica and I put waders on and pulled a seine net through the water to get some fish that
we helped the kids identify
and learn.
I also provided a bike tour through the Refuge that anyone could attend.
On Friday evenings, I drove a tram for the public to ride on and gave them a tour of
the Refuge and pointed out some key factors.
I pointed out wildlife, plants, and talked about what we do here at the Refuge.
One day, I got to go out with inters, Dan and LeAnn to spray herbicide on the invasive
species, Phragmites.
I got to work with the biologists on their sea turtle program, and even had the opportunity
to relocate a nest!
Before the hatchlings emerged, I watched the nest with another intern Camille and waited
for them to come up out of
the sand.
One of the field trips I went on was to the Virginia Beach Aquarium, where I saw our sea
turtles from last year, and some other marine animals.
Another trip was to the Eastern Shore National Wildlife Refuge, which was beautiful as well.
I had an amazing summer here with the staff at Back Bay and give all of them a big thank
you for contributing to my experience this summer.
They have all taught me lessons that I can use in life and can take with me as I move
on.
I will never forget my summer here at Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
Thank you SCA and US Fish and Wildlife Service for giving me the experience of a lifetime.
I am truly grateful!