Kelsey Kane-Ritsch, 2016, Undeclared

Kelsey Kane-Ritsch ’16

During the summer of 2013 I worked in Kenya as a teaching assistant at 10 schools with the Northern Kenyan Conservation Clubs¬—after-school programs that provide students with an understanding of the natural world and the impact that humans have on their environment. The communities in which I taught depend on the land for survival and have experienced severe environmental degradation due to a lack of education in resource management. As a teacher with the clubs, I helped design lesson plans that addressed key local environmental issues through hands-on activities and experiential learning. I brought the students outside for lessons that ranged from studying the great significance of insects to teaching the students how to end erosion in their own school compound. In addition, I helped make a lasting impact by exposing the local club teachers to experiential learning methods. This internship has reinforced my belief in the necessity of environmental education. I saw many of my students change from warily acknowledging conservation efforts to eagerly embracing the opportunities that wildlife coexistence offers to their people. This spectacular summer experience has affirmed my intention to pursue a career in the field of environmental conservation.