Internships

Kathryn Didion ’19

Major

English

Project Title

Teaching Assistant for Conservation Clubs

Presentation Link

View Kathryn's Presentation

The Northern Kenya Conservation Clubs (NKCC) provide after-school classes at 12 local elementary schools to educate students about conservation and help combat local land degradation. I worked with NKCC to plan, execute and teach at Community Conservation Day, an event that showcases what each school learned during the year. More than 400 students participated in 2017. A new activity, Habitats of Kenya — inspired by a project I did in fourth grade — was created in response to students’ confusion as to what a forest habitat is. Most of them had never seen a habitat other than the arid one in which they live. The activity was done in nine of the 12 schools and portrayed the four main habitats in Kenya. It blended art and science to show students how improper land use can lead to desertification and habitat loss. I also had the chance to open a new library at one of the schools, and I designed and painted a mural on the exterior of another. Drawing on my experiences in art, creative writing, teaching and conservation, this internship allowed me to experiment with learning techniques and become a better communicator, teacher and leader.

* This internship is connected to the PEI Development Grand Challenges project, “Water, Savannas and Society.”