“Errrrttttt! Errrkk!...” The calls of sea lions echo around me as I walk up the stairs. Even though the morning sun is already beating down on me, and the air smells of sea lion poop and fish, I can honestly say I’ve never happier or more at home. I can’t wait to start my day, which will likely include teaching grossed out kids about the wonders of seals and their tapeworms, cleaning animal pens, weighing fish, keeping groups of excitable eight year old boys under control together, and taking out a trashcan filled with rotting squid. Volunteering as a junior counselor at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center is truly my dream job. Why? Well, in addition to getting to see the inspiration of sick animals nursed back to health, I’ve met so many great people and learned so much that I’ll be able to apply to my non-fishy life.
Pacific Marine Mammal Center is a marine mammal veterinary marine-mammal hospital located in California. Their mission can be summed up as “three R’s and an E” - Rescue, Rehabilitation, Release and Education. The PMMC rescues the stranded marine mammals that are too sick to survive on their own. Volunteers rehab the sick animals until they're healthy, and then release the animal back into the wild, where they usually end up living a happy, lovely life (unlike Lindsay Lohan or some of the other Hollywood stars who have been through have rehab). I’m really proud to participate in the E—Education. PMMC hosts a summer camp where kids who love the ocean and its sea life (or kids whose moms made them sign up) are taught all about science, caring for sea lions, and the beauty of the ocean environment. PMMC has been around for over forty years, and I’m so lucky to have participated in two of those years. I hope to volunteer many more hours, because I’ve already gained so much from the times I’ve volunteered before.
Teaching as a junior counselor has made me realize the power of education. I used to worry about every scrap of paper not recycled, or the result of an extra mile of driving. Unfortunately, the only real change that’s going to cause is less sleep for me. What will help save the world from climate change? Education. One person worried about micrograms of carbon isn’t going to make as much of a difference as some kids who will consider the environment and teach their friends. Consider what they’ll tell their friends and parents, and eventually you'll have legions of people who care about preserving our world. One of my supervisors summed it up perfectly when she told me, “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.”
Teaching the campers at PMMC is a great experience, too. Seeing the kids interact, work together, and discover and learn is a fascinating experience. You know the cliché that everyone has their own special talent? Well, I used to doubt that, just as much as you probably do. But just talking to the kids for a few moments can help one discover the special talents we all have. For example, there was one boy who probably wasn’t ready for camp. He always caused some all sorts of trouble at his table, and even made a few girls cry. However, talking to him later I found he was practically a scholar in Greek myths and an incredibly creative artist. Another camper had some serious learning disabilities; he could barely write his name. Later in the week, it became clear that he was the most kind-hearted camper, always offering his help he always offered help and assisting the younger campers in some activities. My experiences have definitely proved true that while not everyone’s good at everything, everyone’s good at something. And that sea lion poop and fish are not altogether bad things.