noah's ark final portfolio

John HawthornePRT 475 (052)

Noah’s Ark Whitewater Rafting and Adventure Co.

23910 U.S. Highway 285 SouthBuena Vista, Colorado 81211

Jon Ten Brink – Adventure Program Director

[email protected]

Phone: 719-395-2158

Fax: 719-395-4033

Noahsark.com

Summer 2015

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Table of Contents

Internship Agreement and Work Plan ……………………………………………………………… 3-7

Agency Analysis……………………………………………………………………………………………… 8

Community Description…………………………………………………………………………9

Marketing Plan………………………………………………………………………………………10

Organizational Structure……………………………………………………………….……11-14

Personnel Practices……………………………………………………………………..……..15-16

Financial Support………………………………………………………………...……………..17-19

Facilities and Areas……………………………………………………………………….……….20

Programs………………………………………………………………………………………………21

Job Description…………………………………………………………………………..………….22

Special Project……………………………………………………………………………………………..23-26

Internship Artifacts…………………………………………………………………………………….. 27-30

Discussion Board Postings……………………………………………………………………………31-42

Evaluations………………………………………………………………………………………………….43-49

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Internship Agreement (Should be on file with Dr. Vicke):

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Work Plan:

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Agency Analysis:

Noah's Ark is nationally recognized for providing extraordinary recreation and educational opportunities for families and youth from all over the world. Our programs have expanded beyond simply providing Arkansas River access to providing extensive backcountry services.

The quality of your experience is greatly dependent upon the quality of our staff-- a staff that understands and lives excellence, commitment, fun, adventure, and demonstrates trustworthiness, character and dedication to their work. Our staff is actively encouraged to grow their love for the outdoors and for serving people. Noah’s Ark employs around 125 seasonal employees per summer in a variety of different jobs ranging from kitchen staff, property staff, marketing, office staff, equipment, as well a guide staff. This summer we served over 15,000 customers from May to August.

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Community:

Noah’s Ark is committed to the people that live in and visit the upper Arkansas Valley. It is specifically located in Buena Vista, which is a sleepy little town that triples in size during the summer months. In the off-season there are around 2,500 local residents of Buena Vista and in the busy months of June and July there are just fewer than 10,000 people in and around the town of Buena Vista. It is a strong desire to make a difference in the people who visit Noah’s specifically as well as to impact the lives of the people who live permanently in Buena Vista. We aim to build lasting positive relationships with those who are working at the gas stations, grocery stores, banks, hard wear stores, outdoor outfitters, and also fellow rafting companies. Our mission and purpose for what we are doing requires us to be responsible employees as well as neighbors in the area that we live. Our staff members are provided housing in the small town where there are large and sometimes negative stereotypes for what a raft guide should look and act like. At Noah’s we are asked to live our lives differently in an attempt to break those stereotypes and be excellent in all that we do, not only rafting.

The town of Buena Vista is a very active outdoors town. There are over 55 companies that offer rafting on the Arkansas with a majority having a location in or around Buena Vista. Also in Buena Vista are many avid mountain bikers, trail runners, whitewater kayakers, fly fishermen, and paddle boarders. Most of the people that live there year round work at some sort of outdoor outfitter, convenience store, or other small business in town. Nobody really commutes or is involved in corporate America for the most part with the next large city being at least 2 hours away nobody really has much of a choice. With all that going on in Buena Vista, that customers that we had visit us range from all over, some local while others are much further away. Most local people come from Colorado Springs, which is around 2 hours away, or from Denver which is 2.5 hours away or from the surrounding suburbs. That being said, we do get tons of customers from all over the country and abroad as well. I had a boat full of people who were travelling from North London and they all had incredibly thick accents, which made the boat ride tough but also hilarious at the same time. They said I had the stereotypical southern accent that they hear in movies all the time and my “accent” is very toned down compared to other people that I know. Then you have the normal family vacationing out west for the first time as well as the seasoned family who makes the trek out every year. You have many loud, obnoxious, Texans who have to put aside their unparralled sense of entitlement for 2 hours while you take them down the river. At Noah’s we saw people from every socio-economic class come rafting with us, from recovering teenage drug addicts from Houston and families who have been saving up for this trip since 2012 to the CEO of Keen footwear and the Secretary of the Interior, Sally Jewell. (Yes, it’s true.)

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Marketing Plan:

Even though my guiding internship at Noah’s didn’t deal with marketing directly I was able to sit down with Gavin Lejameyer who is Noah’s Business Manager and he was able to tell me a lot about the different strategies that Noah’s employs. He told me that a few years ago all of their advertising was done with paper brochures that they would place all around Colorado. From McDonalds to Denver International Airport they would place handfuls of brochures and just hope that someone picked up ours. He also said that a lot of our business was simply word of mouth, assuming that people had a great time, they would go back home and tell others about Noah’s which would hopefully spur on more business. More recently however, Internet advertising is where most of our business comes from. We still place brochures around surrounding areas but we mostly depend on user review sites such as TripAdvisor and Yelp. Gavin told me that we were a little bit ahead of the game with Internet advertising and started doing it around 5 years ago. Most often on our trips or our guide evaluations when we ask, “How did you hear about us?” it will say something about how they read about us on TripAdvisor or some other online source. Walk-ins are a relatively rare thing now that people plan their trips months, or even years ahead of time, most of the time basing their trip off of what they’ve read about online. Noah’s also uses an entirely online hiring portal. Once you call and get through the initial phone screening you finish the entire application through the online portal. Gavin says that this has helped out our advertising because it ensures that most everyone who works at Noah’s is tech savvy. This allows us to have free marketing on all the social media websites out there as well as gives us a leg up on other companies who may not all be as technologically sound. Being on all the social media sites there is allows other people to advertise for us, whether it’s uploading a video to YouTube or a picture to Instagram, people see the fun time they had Noah’s Ark and are interested in us.

While Noah’s has a large seasonal staff, they only employ 7 people full time who are dedicated to the managing and developing of the services that Noah’s Ark provides to its customers. None of them are originally from Buena Vista and they have relocated themselves and their families to the area because they believe in the mission and purpose of Noah’s Ark. Together they are able to create a completely unique experience for everyone who walks into the lodge of Noah’s Ark.

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Organizational Structure:

Chuck & Lindy Cichowitz - have been residents of Buena Vista, Colorado since 1982. Chuck and Lindy started Noah's Ark in 1983. For the past 31 years they've been intimately involved with the daily operations of the organization. Their love for people, combined with their love for Colorado's rivers and mountains, have influenced the quality of trips offered. They have 3 children: Cody, Cailee, and Kinsey, who also love being outdoors, experiencing all that Colorado has to offer. When not at Noah's Ark, Chuck and Lindy can be found spending time with their family, traveling, and staying involved with various ministries.

Cindy Kramer - Store Manager / Buyer and her husband, Bruce, have lived in the Arkansas River valley for over 30 years. Cindy has worked at Noah's Ark for many years. All of their children have worked in some capacity at Noah's Ark, as office staff, kitchen staff and guide staff. Cindy's eye for design and extensive experience in the retail industry allow her to portray the heart of Noah's on apparel. Cindy loves welcoming people as they walk through our doors. With over 25 years of involvement with students, Cindy loves seeing people create lifelong memories in the Colorado outdoors.

Micah Salazar - Operations Manager began guiding at Noah's Ark In 1994, just after his freshman year at the Colorado School of Mines. While successfully cramming his 4 year degree into 6 years, Micah was able to fit in 5 summers at Noah's Ark, a few engineering internships & marry his wife, Julie. After graduating in 1999, the Salazar family moved to Buena Vista so that Micah could begin working on full time staff. Since then, Micah & Julie have been blessed with 4 wonderful kids - Joel, Maddie, Mallory and Josh. Micah loves spending time with his family, being involved at church, climbing 14ers and taking staff on extended day river trips.

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Rob & Kami Williams - River Program Directors both have been a part of Noah’s Ark since the mid 90’s. They lead river training and other operational and administrative logistics within the river program. Rob also works full time as a Lieutenant for Denver's North Metro Fire Department, and part time for Copper Mountain Ski Patrol. Relationships with Noah’s Ark staff and guests are what continue to bring Rob and Kami back year after year. They have been abundantly blessed by their 4 children Jackson - 9, Taylor Grace - 5, Blake - 3 and Parker - 1. It has been 1 of their greatest joys to watch their kids grow up with the influence of such a quality staff.

Jon Ten Brink - Adventure Program Director began his tenure at Noah's Ark as a guide in 2010 while attending North Park University in Illinois and has been here ever since. This is Jon’s second summer on the Noah’s Adventure Team as he was the assistant program director last summer. Jon enjoys hiking the 14ers in Colorado and says he feels most alive when he is completely submersed in nature. Professionally, Jon is most excited to continue in the legacy of servant leaders who have poured into staff and guests to ensure that trip goals and leadership development are accomplished.

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Maria Johnson - Reservations Manager originally moved to Buena Vista in 1989 with her husband Peter, after graduating from North Central College in Illinois with a BA in English and Psychology. They put down roots, built a log home and have lived in the valley ever since. After several years in camping ministry, Maria came on board with the Noah's staff in 1999! Her husband is a local builder, and they have 2 daughters, Jessica and Chloe. Their daughters keep busy with various activities like high school volleyball, basketball, soccer and cheer leading. Maria loves trying to keep up with them.

Gavin Lejameyer - Business Manager, from Clarkston, Washington, went on 2 Noah's backpacking trips in high school. He loved his experience and started guiding for Noah’s in 2009. After guiding 3 summers, he moved to the adventure leadership team and in Fall of 2013 joined full-time staff. Gavin was a team manager with the Washington State Cougars football team and still has a competitive streak in him. Gavin is the captain of the Noah’s Ark softball team where he is able to compete. Gavin loves guiding because of the life change that can occur in people through outdoor experiences.

Jordan Wrinkle - Food Service Manager, from Santa Barbara, CA, grew up adventuring on the beach, in the creeks and local mountains. After going rafting with her family when she was 11, Jordan finally decided what she wanted to be when she grew up. Her dreams came true in 2006 when she got a summer job guiding at Noah's! After guiding for 7 summers, Jordan joined the Full Time team as the Food Service Manager. She has a BA in Global Studies and Spanish (especially comes in handy on Noah's Fajita night)! When she is not working you can find her backpacking, growing veggies,

rollerblading & rafting with her family and friends.

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Dan Martin – Transportation/Maintenance came to Buena Vista in 1990 to work as an aircraft mechanic at the local airport. Due to the lack of air traffic, he started looking for other options that could keep him in the valley. Dan joined the Noah's staff in 1993 as a shuttle driver, alongside his son, Shawn & late wife, Cherrie. Over the years, driving has expanded into maintaining the fleet of buses and trailers. It has been a joy and a challenge to keep the fleet in operating condition. During the off-season, Dan drives buses for the Buena Vista schools, as well as operates a small online business.

As a guide this summer I reported directly to Rob and Kami Williams for river operations and to Jon Ten Brink for anything rock climbing or backpacking related.

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Personnel Practices:

Taken directly from the Noah’s Ark First Year hiring packet:

Core Requirements of Guide Staff Ability to meet all physical requirements of the guide position Successful completion of state certified training programs including

◦ Completion of appropriate programs such as 1st year guide training blocks and refreshers

◦ Completion of appropriate program such as 1st year guide competencies◦ Completion of appropriate programs written/practical testing

Adherence to all organizational staff and program policies and procedures Adherence to all local/state/federal policies and procedures Demonstrate competence in all areas of training in both written and practical

forms High level of personal integrity and character Providing a professional experience for guests that accomplishes the Noah's

Ark Trip Objectives Fulfilling assigned role of the day, as stated by leadership or trip leadership Maintain technical and professional standards Diagnose, treat, and maintain clients who are injured on a trip Manage equipment and repair/report broken/damaged gear in a timely

manner Actively pursue skills improvement Proper completion of accident reporting documentation Report tips End of season equipment clean up responsibilities

Relationships Noah's believes that people do business with friends. Since 1983 we have

built a solid clientele base to whom we are committed to not simply as customers but as individuals and groups whose relationships we value. We have an incredible return clientele and are committed to providing them a higher quality service each year. We welcome the opportunities around us to serve those in the Arkansas River Valley as well as people from out of state and across the world. At the same time, regardless of how plentiful and diverse our clientele becomes, we know that the most important relationship we have are within our staff. We are committed to healthy relationships that foster an environment of professional and personal growth.

Extraordinary Service Noah's ark is committed to providing an extraordinary service for its guest

and staff. In today's worlds of service, everyone expects and usually revives good service. We realize, however, that people don't necessarily make memories from receiving good service but rather from receiving poor or extraordinary service. Our desire is to go above and beyond our customers'

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expectations, providing them with service that will have a lasting impression upon them. We do not want to give guests a lists of “can-nots” but rather a list of can dos. Our commitments is to provide a service that is grid by excellence, enthusiasm, and efficiency, and is altogether extraordinary. We are determined to give our guests their “money's worth” and the safest experience in the industry. We will go to great lengths of time monitoring and measuring our success in meeting the needs of the customer. We recognize all customers as if they are return clientele and are grateful for ongoing historical relationships.

Excellence Noah's Ark is committed to doing all things beyond what is normal for this

industry through expressing ourselves with excellence. Our commitments are to provide services with completeness and attention to detail at the highest standard possible. All of our guide staff fulfills rigorous, “above par” first aid requirements, complete an extensive training program beyond the requirements established by state and federal agency, and undergo relevant content training. We realize that in order to have a platform for relational ministry, we first mush provide an experience that is safe and operated at a very high technical standard. Our guide staff is well trained beyond the fundamentals of guiding and committed to applying their skills with excellence to every trip they lead.

Teaching & Training Noah's Ark is committed to the two great branches of educational art –

teaching and training. Although these two concepts are separable in thought, they are not in practice. We can only train our staff by teaching, and we teach best when we train best. We are committed to innovation our teaching and training styles and to adapt lessons wisely and skillfully to meet relevant needs of the clientele and staff. We are also committed to the development of quality training tools, strategic plans of prevention, and mindsets needed to keep individuals and groups out of trouble. Our full time staff spends much of the off-season improving and innovating our training blocks for the next season in order to make them effective and relevant for our staff.

Recreation Recreation is what we do at Noah's Ark. Its is the bread and butter of our

operation, the activity around which all of what we do is built, which we value in itself and as a means to other things, such as building relationships. We are committed to providing a great recreational experience for our clientele, to show them a great time in the outdoors, and to always seek ways to improve the quality and experience of the recreation in our programs.

Financial:

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Whitewater Rafting Trips

Trip miles time class meals min-age families adult child

Browns CanyonHalf Day

10 8:00 am &1:00 pm

III to III+ No. 6 Yes! $58.00 $43.50

Browns CanyonFull Day

16 8:00 am III to IV Yes! 6 Yes! $86.00 $74.00

Narrows Full Day 13 8:00 am III to IV Yes! 14 No. $93.00 NANumbers Full Day 19 8:00 am IV to IV+ Yes! 18 No. $106.00 NARoyal Gorge Full Day 18 8:00 am IV to IV+ Yes! 16 No. $105.00 NABrowns Canyon Overnight

16 11:30 am III to IV Yes! 6Yes!

$199.00 $169.00

Narrows Overnight Trip 29 8:00 am III to IV Yes! 14 No. $245.00 NABrowns Canyon Fishing Half Day

10 7:30 am & 2:00 pm

II to III+ Yes! 6 Yes! $220.00 per boatmax per boat = 2

Browns Canyon Fishing Full Day

16 7:30 am III to IV Yes! 6 Yes! $320.00 per boatmax per boat = 2

Gunnison River Canoe Trip

39 call I to II Yes! 12 Yes! $345.00 NA

2014 Noah's Ark Gear Rentals:

Description ½ day All day Overnight

Polypro Shirt Long sleeve, quick dry t-shirt $2.50 $3.00 $3.00Wetsuit 3 mm neoprene, incl. polypro t-shirt $7.00 $9.00 $9.00Booties Wetsuit material, keeps feet warm $4.00 $6.00 $6.00Splash Jacket Water resistant, long sleeve $5.00 $7.00 $7.00Sleeping Bag Synthetic 0 degree bag NA NA $7.00

Rapids Classification Scale:

Class DescriptionClass I Easy - fast moving water with riffles, small waves and few obstructionsClass II Novice - straight forward rapids with wide, clear channels

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http://noahsark.com/site/more-trips/canoeing.html

http://noahsark.com/site/more-trips/canoeing.html

http://noahsark.com/site/more-trips/fishing.html




http://noahsark.com/site/raft/narrows-overnight.html

http://noahsark.com/site/raft/browns-canyon-overnight.html

http://noahsark.com/site/raft/browns-canyon-overnight.html

http://noahsark.com/site/raft/royal-gorge.html

http://noahsark.com/site/raft/numbers.html

http://noahsark.com/site/raft/narrows.html

http://noahsark.com/site/raft/browns-canyon-full-day.html

http://noahsark.com/site/raft/browns-canyon-full-day.html

http://noahsark.com/site/raft/browns-canyon-half-day.html

http://noahsark.com/site/raft/browns-canyon-half-day.html


Class DescriptionClass III Intermediate - rapids with moderate, irregular waves, strong eddies, powerful currents,

rocks and other obstaclesClass IV Advanced - intense, powerful but predictable rapids, large unavoidable waves and large

rocks to maneuver aroundClass V Expert - extremely long, obstructed or very violent rapids; dangerous swimsClass VI Extreme - exemplifies the extremes of difficulty, unpredictability and danger; may be un-

runnable or very rarely run

Rock Climbing - $58 for a half day climb and $78 for a all day climb. Pricing is the same for all ages

Backpacking:

2014 Colorado Backpacking Trips with Noah's Ark:

Trip Type Trip Length* Min.Age

Great for Families

Min. Group Size*

Activity Price*

Package Price*

3 Day Backpack Trip 5 days 10 Yes! 10 N/A $251.004 Day Backpack Trip 6 days 10 Yes! 10 N/A $321.005 Day Backpack Trip 7 days 10 Yes! 10 N/A $374.006 Day Backpack Trip 8 days 10 Yes! N/A $420.00

Trip Length includes arrival and departure days* Package Price includes meals and camping for the day of the activity - half day activities do not include meals* Package Price for backpacking trips also includes dinner and camping the night before your trip begins*Special trip, please call for details

2014 Colorado Multi-Sport Trips:

Trip Type Trip Length*

Min. Age* Great For Families

Min. Group size

Package Price*

1/2 Day Raft, 1/2 Day Rock Climb

3 days 8 Yes! 10 $142.00*

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Trip Type Trip Length*

Min. Age* Great For Families

Min. Group size

Package Price*

Raft, Full Day Hike, & 1/2 Day Rock Climb

5 days 8 Yes! 10 $282.00*

Raft, Full Day Hike, & Rock Climb

5 days 8 Yes! 10 $296.00*

Rock Climb, Hike & Overnight Raft

5 days 8 Yes! 10 $399.00

Raft, Climb, Hike & Adventure Park

5 days 8 Yes! 10 $341.00*

*Trip length includes arrival and departure days*We reserve the right to change minimum age or activity requirements based on water levels or other factors*All trip prices are subject to user fees, charged by the USFS, BLM, and/or Colorado Headwaters State Parks (5 to 6%) and Land and Water Access fee of 1.5%

2014 Colorado Adventure Day Trips:

Trip Check in Time

Min. Age Great For Families

Min. Group Size

ActivityPrice*

Package Price*

1/2 Day Rock Climb 1/2 day 8 Yes! 1 $58.00 $75.00Full Day Rock Climb

1 day 8 Yes! 1 $75.00 $89.00

Full Day Hike 1 day 8 Yes! 10 $68.00 $80.00AM Climb/PM Raft 1 day 8 Yes! 1 $116.00 $117.00We reserve the right to change the minimum age or activity requirements based on environmental or other factors* All trip prices are subject to user fees, charged by the USFS, BLM, and/or Colorado Headwaters State Parks and Land and Water Access fee of up to 9%* Package Price includes meals and camping for the day of the activity - half day activities do not include meals* Package Price also includes dinner and camping the night before your trip begins.

Facility and Areas:

Noah’s Ark has a few different facilities that they own and operate. The first being their basecamp area. Here, they have large weather port tents where multiple

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people can camp out for the night or for the week while they raft during the day or rock climb. Often time’s people sleep here the night before a backpacking trip and the night after in order to save time and hastle in getting here or leaving. Basecamp is situated on an 11-acre campground right next to the Arkansas River.

All of our river trips launch from the campground at our own private put-in, this eliminates all the problems with having to use a public boat launch such as back up, traffic, and damaged equipment.

Picture from our beach, you can see the white weather ports and campground as well.

Noah’s also has a kitchen and a pavilion located on property that is fully owned and operated by Noah’s staff. The kitchen provides not only our guests with all their meals that they need for their trip but it also provides the staff with dinner 6 nights a week which is an incredible thing to offer. Coming off of the 55-degree river water and having bbq chicken waiting for you is an experience that I wish I could continue to have.

Programs:

Noah’s Ark’s major programs are whitewater rafting, rock climbing, backpacking, and the Brown’s Canyon Adventure Park.

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We offer many sections of whitewater rafting along the Arkansas including the Narrows, the Numbers, the Royal Gorge, the Milk Run, and most commonly Browns Canyon. All of these sections range in rapid intensity from class I all the way to Class V rapids on the Royal Gorge. They all have different age restrictions and that is also dependent on the water level for any specific day.

For our commercial rock climbs we go to two spots just north of Buena Vista. We often take younger or less experienced people to Bob’s Rock, which is generally considered to have easier routes. For our more advanced climbers we go to Turtle Rock. At both locations guides are required to set up anchors for belay, rappel, and climb ropes.

At Noah’s Ark we backpack all across the Arkansas Valley. Noah’s has camping permits in Pike, San Isabel, and Gunnison national forests, which allows us to take many different trails. We offer trips from 3-6 days and can even do custom trips if the group requests it.

Brown’s Canyon Adventure Park is basically a giant high ropes course. There are actually three different courses in the Park and they all range in difficulty. It is great for younger children and for families.

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Job Description:

With guiding at Noah’s Ark you are able to explore everything that Colorado wilderness has to offer. You get to lead whitewater-rafting trips down some of Colorado’s finest class III and IV white water. You get to send people off the edge of a cliff while belaying someone down off of a rappel. You get to hit the trail and spend up to 6 nights under the magnificent stars of the Rocky Mountain area. You’ll be adequately trained to do everything so experience is not necessary; all you have to do is apply.

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Special Project:

For my special project I was able to take a group on a three-tiered Colorado adventure. I took them down Brown’s canyon in a raft, I took them on a rock climb out at Bob’s Rock, and I took them on a 3 day backpacking trip through the San Isabel National Forest. This group was from Lubbock, Texas and was a youth group of high schoolers from the local church down there. For this project, I was accompanied with 7 other guides mainly because the group was so large. However, I was in charge of planning the trip, whatever their leaders had left unplanned, as well as organizing the entire trip from the Noah’s stand point.

First, we rafted the all day trip, which is an 18-mile stretch of whitewater that goes through Browns Canyon and goes through class III and IV rapids, including the infamous Seidel’s Suckhole. Below is a picture of me and some of the guys going through a rapid called Zoom Flume.

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After rafting was the rock climb. We went out to Bob’s Rock because a lot of them had never really climbed before. Here they had a great time and challenged themselves and each other to do things many of them never had done before. It was a really unique opportunity for them as well as for the guides to see them push each other and encourage one another. Here is a picture of me belaying someone as they began the rappel.

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After the rappel was our 3-day backpacking trip. We took a trail called North Cottonwood which a part of the Colorado Trail and leads to the base of Mount Yale, a 14er. We set up base camp the first night and on the second day we peaked Yale! It was a long and hard hike and since they were from Lubbock none of them were used to the altitude so we went pretty slowly. However once we were up there they loved it. Below is a picture of part of the group catching their breath as we were beginning our ascent of Yale.

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Overall, I think my special project was a huge success. I really got to know some of the people in the group and was able to develop strong relationships with a few of them as well. Their leader, Garrett, and I had some great conversations and we still keep in touch every now and then. The other guides felt the same way and were able to hit it off with some of the kids, which I think made the trip even more memorable. Noah’s staff really liked the idea of having guides stay on groups for their entirety and actually did it again once my special project was complete. Jon Ten Brink was a big fan and said they might try to incorporate that into the norm at Noah’s for the coming year. Below is a picture of most of the guides wearing our new shirts that the group gave us when they left. (From left to right, Luke, Carter, Nolan, Paul, myself, Kylie, Austin, and Sarah)

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Internship Artifacts:

Whitewater Rafting:

Backpacking:

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Rock Climbing:

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Promotional:

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Discussion Board Postings:

Week 1:

I am doing my internship at Noah's Ark Whitewater Rafting and Adventure Company in Buena Vista, Colorado. There are 26 other "first year" guides as well as 24 "second year" guides, 10 "third year plus" guides, and 12 full time staff. The owners, Chuck and Lindy Cichowitz started the company back in the 80s and have seen this company grow throughout the last 32 years that it has been in operation when they initially started with only 4 staff. I have now been here for a full week, which includes 5 days of training. I have four more full weeks of training and how it is broken down is like this: Week 1 = Rock Climbing training; Week 2 = Wilderness First Aid Training; Week 3 = Backpacking Training; Week 4 = Whitewater River Training. During my first week as an intern, I was surprised by a few things. The first being the drastic weather changes that occur in Buena Vista. Throughout most of my first week I have seen every kind of weather possible, hail, sleet, rain, sunshine, wind gusts, and not to mention the 7 inches of snow that we got this morning. The second, and more important thing, that surprised me was how much information was really required for this internship. We were required to read a few books on the various types of training so that we would have a head knowledge of everything coming into the summer but having to actually do everything that I've read about has been a whole different beast. I just never realized how much preparation, work, and training go into something that seems as simple as rock climbing is. It is easy as a customer to overlook the effort being done by the guide. We have our final rock climbing test tomorrow and I do feel that these past 5 days have adequately prepared me to pass that test.During my next two weeks, I anticipate to be a fully certified rock climbing guide, as well as obtain my wilderness first aid certification, and lastly I expect to be in the beginning stages of learning how to guide backpacking trips. I also anticipate having to work together with the other guides in my "class" to help each other learn and grow as guides so that once these 5 weeks of training are finished we can become real guides rather than trainees. I also think that the instructors will continue to have the guides participate in team bonding activities such as traveling to Leadville, CO like we did today to check out some cool thrift shops that have great prices on guide gear. Having good relationships with your fellow guides is a crucial aspect to the success of this internship and to this company as a whole. It is vital that everyone is on the same page not only so that guests receive a good trip but also for safety of the guest. That is why communication between guides is extremely important and the reason behind most of the team bonding activities. I have received the following types of orientation so far: I have learned what is expected of a guide as he/she leads a rock climbing trip. I have learned how to safely set up a rappel, a climb, and a belay line. I have also learned how to clock in and clock out at HQ. I have learned that a "TL" or Trip Leader is usually a 3rd year plus guide and they are responsible for picking up all the gear (ropes, carabiners,

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harnesses, helmets, and first aid kits) necessary for the trip; in this case, the climb. On top of picking up all the gear they must also communicate to all the other guides on the trip, usually 3 or 4, what is expected of them for the day, the amount of people that will be coming through, and each guides specific responsibilities for the day. If anything is to change, Micah, who is in charge of scheduling will send out an email blast to the entire staff at Noah's informing us of our duties for the day.

Week 2:

The biggest issue that I have dealt with over these past two weeks is the learning curve that is required and the comparison with fellow guides that comes along with it. There are 25 other guides in my "class" here at Noah's Ark and we are learning tons and tons of information, most of which is brand new to us, and so we have to be quick learners in order to pass training on time and be able to take customers out on trips. Some of the other guides pick up on things quicker than others and it's very easy to compare with them when you're struggling with a certain aspect of training. This can be a bigger problem if I let it really get to me because it can ruin the friendships that I've begun to build out here and that can ruin the chemistry of the company itself which is extremely avoidable. So over these past two weeks I have become a certified rock climbing instructor, I have received my certification card in Advanced Wilderness First Aid, and I have started my whitewater rafting training. It's been a very busy two weeks! I have gotten the opportunity to know the leadership staff better as well as the other guides that work here. With the start of river training we have a lot of new information to learn in about 3 weeks time before we can be certified and allowed to go out on commercial trips. We have around 10 hours per day on the river going down Browns Canyon up to 3 times in one day. During the end of the second week of training we will go on a mountaineering trip where we are trained to take customers out on backpacking trips between 3-7 days through various trailheads around the Buena Vista area. I am extremely excited to finally be out on the water and learning how to lead trips on the river. Aside from the tons and tons of information that is being thrown at us, there is also a major physical element to this internship as well which is something that I looked over initially. However, after one day on the water my abs, shoulders, and back are all pretty sore which is something I am going to have to get used to, or just simply get stronger. Also, I have been warned about getting blisters on my hands from the paddles as well as a problem called "boat butt" which is just where your butt gets relatively raw from sitting on a raft all day long. Lastly, guides often get a slight form of trench foot from having their feet submerged in water almost all day long, all things that I want to try to avoid as much as possible this summer and take precautions against. However, all of that being said I am still extremely excited to be out here and doing my internship in such a unique place.

Week 3:

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I have learned that Noah's Ark has an organizational policy of excellence in everything that they do. Excellence in customer service, in the kitchen staff and the meals that they provide, in the guide staff and the customer experience. They consider it a foundational value and every employee must do his/her best to uphold that value throughout their employment at Noah's Ark. I have learned that it is not to be taken lightly either, they are very encouraging about us living out this policy and they constantly make sure that we are doing it. The leadership staff will check in with us to ensure that we, as first year employees, are doing our best to live out excellence. I have learned that I am actually more of an introvert than I originally thought myself to be. Initially when I talk with people I am a little shy and short spoken but after a little while of conversation or connecting on something that I am passionate or knowledgeable about I warm up and can become much more conversational. I have not had to deal with customers et directly because I am still in the training process but I am noticing this with the employees that I work with. If I have not taken the time to open up and directly connect with an employee it is likely that we really won't have much to talk about and that is because my interpersonal skills are sort of lacking. Also I have learned that it is a skill. It is something that can be improved and is something that I should continually be trying to get better at for my future careers. In relation to this setting I think that I could find myself working for a company like this in the near future. I graduate next May and hopefully I will be able to land a job in some sort of outdoor outfitter. After working for a real estate company last year where I was in an office the entire summer and now working in an "office" that consists of looking at the Arkansas River and the Rocky Mountains I cannot imagine going back to working in a cubicle.In relation to communication with other staff, I feel that we are great at communicating with each other. We all live in staff housing together so we see each other all the time. Currently we are all going through training at the same time too and so that has given the first year guides enough time to bond and get to know each other better. At the same time, living with older guides has allowed us to continually grow closer and therefore communicate better. Personally, I believe that it is much easier to communicate with people that you know better than with complete strangers and I think that we are on the right track to that. Lastly, things are going well! We are progressing right along in training and I feel that I am learning the skills necessary and in a timely manner and we are all progressing well as a guide class as a whole. Yesterday we had the opportunity to go down a different part of the river that is normally meant for more experienced guides so the river instructors were guiding the boats while the first year trainees were paddling. Towards the end of the rapid one of the boats hit a large rock sideways and the boat began to wrap around the rock. The people that were in the boat all got out and were standing on the rock which was large enough to hold everyone. Wrapping a boat is exactly what it sounds like, the raft literally begins to wrap around the rock and because of the pressure of the currents pushing against it it makes it extremely difficult to get off the rock. After a while of pulling and setting up a system with anchors on to the trees the boat came off of the rock and knocked

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all of the people who were on to the rock into the rapids. Luckily we were prepared for swimmers with throw bags down stream on either side of the river and we were able to pull everyone out before anything serious happened. It was a pretty intense moment for our class at the time and now looking back at it it was funny that an experienced instructor made a mistake that we can easily make too. Just reminds us all that at any time we can make a mistake and there is no need to dwell on it, but just to move on and learn from that mistake.

Week 4:

This past week I went on a 3 day backpacking trip with half of my guide class. Half of us went to one camp site and half went to another. This is so that we stayed within Colorado park rules of no more than 15 people per camp site. We hiked in 4.5 miles to base camp at Brown's Lake and then the next morning we hiked up to Mount Antero, a 14k foot mountain just outside of Buena Vista. The trip was incredible and it really allowed me to bond with those that are in my guide class even more. Relationships are one of Noah's Ark's core values and it is evident in how the backpacking trip was orchestrated by our instructors. There was lots of down time which sparked conversation and encouraged each of us to get to know each other better. While we climbing to the peak of Mount Antero we were actually part of a mudslide, which was crazy. It was a small one, but still, not something that you see everyday. We also had the chance to glissade down the side of the mountain. Glissading is when you literally just slide down the side of a mountain on the snow that covers it. There was around 3 feet of snow still on the mountains in June! Glissading is an easy, slightly more dangerous, way to get down the side of a mountain, but fun nonetheless. So because of that backpacking trip I am now a certified backpacking guide, rock climbing guide, and am still working on my raft guide certification. The plan for the rafting certification is that we will hopefully get to check out sometime next week and begin guiding commercially. The only reason that the plan would be postponed is because the water in the river is going up higher and higher. It started at 500 CFS and now it is at 3800 CFS with rumor that they are going to release the water in the reservoirs because they are too full and that could make it jump up to 4500 CFS. Which would be insane. CFS is cubic feet per second which is how much water goes over a certain space of the river during one second. The higher the water the bigger the rapids and the faster the water. Which can be sort of scary but at the same time it makes it much more fun. The most relevant thing from my PRT classes that has helped me so far this summer would be time management skills and strategies that I learned in Dr. Franklin's class. I am awake and at work at 7:30, and I work all the way until 6 most days during training. It is very hard to find time to do any personal things and I quickly realized that I need to manage my time better in order to be awake and alert for whatever the next days job is. For my special project I am planning on leading a three tiered adventure program for a group that comes through Noah's. This would include an all day rock climb, all day raft trip, as well as a 3-5 day backpacking trip in the Rocky Mountains. This is

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unique because it would give me the opportunity to develop relationships with the group of people that I would be taking because I would be their guide for the entire thing. Often times when groups come in they will have different guides for each section of their trip. With me being a part of the entire process Noah's can use the customers experience to see if it is more effective for relational reasons to have the same guide be a part of the entire process or to have a different guide for each section of their trip. The picture below is right below the summit of Mount Antero and was taken during the 3 day backpacking trip with my guide class. I am just left of center in a white hat, and yes, shorts.

Week 5:

Week 5 of my internship and I am absolutely loving it. I had my formal evaluation with the Adventure Program director this week and that went pretty well! I was nervous going into it but once we started talking my nerves calmed down and it was smooth sailing. I thought that overall it was a pretty fair evaluation. He noticed that sometimes I tend to panic when I get into stressful situations on the river and that I need to keep a cool head and keep on doing what I know to do. "Hesitation is devastation" is a common saying when we're guiding on the river and that is something that I need to work on in the future not only for myself but for the safety

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of my future customers. He also talked about how sometimes I can be a little too sarcastic with people in my boat and how when those people aren't my guide classmates but rather customers that sarcasm is generally inappropriate. I thought that that was very valuable and something that I have been noted on before in previous jobs. My sarcasm comes out more once I get comfortable with people and know that they can take it. I also, for the most part, know when it is appropriate and when it is not. With customers, it will be inappropriate at all times, they aren't here to have a sarcastic guide, they're here for a good time and I recognize that. So I really appreciated being called out in that sense and that is definitely something I can grow in. Along with that I can generally have a more positive attitude at all times when I'm working. It's very easy to get really tired after being in the sun all day and rafting all day long but when I have customers they deserve my best and being tired really isn't much of an option. Two interactions that have meant a lot to me so far would be just with people in my guide class. Since we haven't checked out yet on the river we've just been able to hang out a lot together. We were all sort of bummed that we had to wait longer than we thought to check out because the water is too high for first year guides at the moment but I had the chance to talk to the River Director and he just talked me through the reasoning behind it and ensured me that it had nothing to do with our current skills on the river but rather it was a Noah's policy that they've had for a long time. Another meaningful interaction was with one of my good friends here, there was an incident on the river where an 11 year old boy was involved in a flipped boat and his life jacket came loose and he ended up passing away. It took 3 days for the local authorities to find the boy and that was just pretty eye opening to a lot of us. My friend and I had a really good conversation about that and about whether or not we felt that rafting was worth the risk. It was just a really settling conversation and was definitely what both of us needed in order to move on from the incident. Since I am still in training I haven't had the opportunity to interact with anyone but fellow staff, but I enjoy interacting with my guide class because we just all have a really good time when we're together. We know that we're all in this together, as cliche as that is. It's pretty unique to have 26 people from all parts of the country come together and be able to work as a cohesive unit that encourage each other daily and help one another get better each day. So like I just said, I enjoy interacting mostly with my guide class simply because we all have a really good time when were together. Everyone gets along with everyone else and it's been really cool to see those relationships begin to develop as the weeks progress. For my cognitive self care, I am trying my best not to compare myself to others. That's really the absolute biggest thing, and hardest thing about most of this job. Everyone progresses at different rates and some are better than others are different aspects. So in order to deal with that I have just been trying my hardest to not even think about it. I'm also a huge believer in the power of prayer and I have been in constant prayer about that recently. I've also been worried about whether or not I really do think that rafting is worth it? Which has been something that I've been struggling with since that incident last week. I've dealt with that just by having

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conversations with my peers and also with the leadership team and that seems to have helped so far. For physical care I really don't have to do too much on top of my regular job hours. Rafting, climbing, and backpacking are all major workouts on different parts of your body and they do take a toll eventually. So in order to healing I have just been drinking a lot of water, eating high protein meals and making sure that I get a lot of sleep in order to fully rest my muscles. I also try to run on my days off just to keep my cardio at a decent rate. The elevation is around 8,000 feet and even after being here for a month I still find myself gasping for air at times. For coping strategies, I find that solitude often helps with that. Self reflection, in the form of journaling, and light meditation helps me cope with the day to day while I'm here. In order to do that I have to wake up early most of the time. I've found that if I don't wake up early I most likely won't do it. Also, similarly to cognitive care, I find that talking to people about what is going on tends to help me through whatever I may be struggling with. Just having someone to share my feelings with has been really cool.

Week 6:

A funny story that has happened so far during my internship would be the other day when we had swift water swimming training. Our river leadership director, Rob, was telling us that at some point while going down the river we would all have to jump out in the water and swim to the boat behind us. This is so that we can experience what it feels like to swim in a rapid so we can relate to customers if they are to fall out. Now, Rob is the definition of a badass guy. He has been the River Director for the past 12 years, he is a volunteer fireman in Denver, an EMT, a paramedic, and he's really into crossfit. So, that's Rob. Anyways, he was in the lead boat and he said that we would know when to all jump in. So we're about halfway down the river and most of us had forgotten that we had to get in when all of a sudden Rob stands up in his boat, blows his whistle, and flicks all of us off and then yells, "That's the sign!!". We started cracking up and then eventually all jumped in the water, so yeah, that's my funny story. Two programmable skills I have learned would be group organization and team communication (if that counts). Group organization is a crucial skill here at Noah's because we have tons of people that come to raft each and every day and we have to break up their huge group into smaller groups that can fit into boats so that has been a very useful skill to learn this summer for when I deal with other groups of people in various jobs. Team communication is important also because everyone has their strengths and weaknesses and we all verbalize what those are before we go down the river. It's a cool thing and it's really important to communicate that with each other.I have handled pressure relatively well as an intern so far. I haven't really been under that much pressure yet, except for our check out tests which I have felt prepared for so they weren't that bad. Our last check out will be on the river hopefully this weekend which will have the most pressure along with it. But I have

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just prepared myself enough for all of them and that has helped me to handle the pressure. Noah's uses some sort of software, but I don't have any need to use that so for my intern purposes, I don't use software. My preferences include working in small groups, having conversations about what were going to do before we actually do it, sort of like a debriefing. I also prefer to deal with confrontation up front rather than any other way. It is better for both parties as we have found out this summer.Two of my professional strengths include team work, this whole summer I have had the opportunity to work in groups and so my team/group work skills have just gotten better and better through those opportunities. And my other professional skill would be that I am more relationally driven now, having had to meet completely new people for the first time ever I realized how much relationships matter to me and how much I value them.

Week 7:

This past week was a big week for me here! I finally checked out on the river and am now officially a guide at Noah's Ark. In terms of helping people, I had the opportunity to be placed on a group that had an all day climb scheduled. I was at the bottom of the climb which is where we belay the people that are climbing up the rock face. There was a large group of high schoolers that day that were climbing and rappelling and having a great time. Towards the end of the day a girl who was scared the whole time and didn't want to do anything that they had signed up for finally stepped up after another guide had eased her nerves about it. I was able to calm her down even more and encourage her to try to climb, even if she didn't get very far, it didn't matter because she was trying something new for the first time. She started off very slowly and I honestly didn't think she was going to make it 10 feet up before she wanted to come back down. Next thing I know she's halfway up the face and going up and up. Everybody down on the ground was encouraging her all the way up and really supporting her in conquering her fears of climbing. She ended up making it to the top and when she got down she felt extremely accomplished. She very clearly stated that she didn't want to do it again, but she had fun while she was doing it. I was glad that I was able to help her through that fear.I was able to help the company in what seems like a small way, but in the long run really helps out. After my rafting trip on Thursday afternoon I volunteered to stay up top and help customers return their rental gear. When I got to the rental shed, all of our rental gear (wetsuits, booties, splash jackets, and polypro shirts) were just in massive piles with no organization to them whatsoever. Normally we have staff who are responsible for organizing the rentals, washing them, and then returning them to their designated spots. On this day, they were nowhere to be found. So myself and a fellow guide spent two hours organizing the gear and washing it and then placing it where it needed to go. If we hadn't have done this, it is likely that the upper level staff would have had to do it simply because nobody would have noticed and that just means that they would have had to stay much later than normal. It was just an easy way to help out around the company and make people's lives easier.

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Something that helped my own learning was actually checking out. This was the first time that I got to row the entire canyon by myself and the first time I was really "on my own". This was a great way to learn by example. I was in a pod of experienced guides and could follow the lines they were taking down the river. I learn better by doing something than by studying something so I just felt a tremendous amount of growth by being able to do this. Since then, I feel as if I've grown a lot every time I go down the river. Sarah Neff helped to create change in me over this past week. We were put together on multiple different trips this week and I learned a lot from her. This is her 8th summer here and she is on leadership staff. She was a great example to follow on how to interact with customers of all different ages. It was also really cool to see her still so excited to have customers come and enjoy Colorado in her 8th summer. She gave me a great vision for what Noah's is really all about which is building lasting memories for people that choose to come experience it through us.

Week 8:

An incident that caused conflict for me was the other day when I was taking a group of adults down the river. We were going through a rapid just as I usually do and we glanced a rock and I had prepped the crew earlier on what to do in case we were to bump anything They were supposed to lean into the boat so that they would fall into the boat. Well, in this case, we bumped a rock and the woman in the back of the boat slowly fell out into the river. This is obviously a conflict because we don't want anything to happen to that person once they exit the boat. Luckily, this woman grabbed on to the side of the boat so it made my job easier. I leaned over the boat, grabbed her lifejacket and pulled her up and into the boat. All of this took place in less than a minute and during the time I was actually very very calm and collected. Looking back on the moment it was a really hectic time and so many worse things could have happened. I feel as if I was adequately trained on what to do in case this situation were to happen to me in real life, outside of training, and it did and I handled it very well. Looking back to my Administration course the only thing that I can see that would be relevant would be to discuss the incident with people that are older than me and have been around the company longer that I have. Which I did, and it's also part of Noah's policy. If we have a swimmer we are to write a small report on it and then talk to the Trip Leader where we walk them through what happened and how to avoid it in the future. In order to become successful at Noah's you need to have confidence in your ability. It is really easy to compare to other people and then doubt yourself. For example, it is easy to look at myself and say that because I have had someone fall out of my boat but Jim on the other hand has never had someone fall out that Jim is a better guide than me. And that's not necessarily true. We are all trained more than enough in order to become successful guides and you need to be confident in that training and in your own ability. The river changes every day and if the leadership team didn't think it was safe for us to be out on the water then they certainly wouldn't have put us out there every day like they do.

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My special project went extremely well! I set up a group for an adventure week in Colorado where they went on an all day raft trip, an all day rock climb, and then a 3 day backpacking trip. They had a blast and Noah's leadership actually really liked the idea of having guides stay with groups for more than just certain trips. It allows us to continually build relationships with them throughout the week and get to know them better and better.

Week 9:

The other day I took about 15 high schoolers on a day hike. We hiked up about 3 miles, ate lunch, and headed back down. Along with the 15 high schoolers was their group leader, a man named Ebossa from Ethiopia. He was their church pastor. Ebossa was so extremely thankful for everything that we did that day. He continually thanked us for being patient, for taking our time, for helping kids who were struggling a little bit, etc. He made it a point to individually thank all the guides that were with us and to thank leadership staff for what we had done with their group that week. It was just a really special moment where we got to see our hard work really paying off. A girl on leadership named Sarah has had a great impact on me this summer. She is a couple years older than me and has been around Noah's for 8 summers. She just constantly reminds me of what our job is, not rafting or hiking or climbing but providing customers with a great experience. People pay a lot of money to come here and do what we do and it is our job to show them a good time while they do it. Especially at this point in the summer it is really easy to complain and be really tired all the time but Sarah is constantly encouraging us to keep on moving forward and save the complaining until after the customers leave.My internship supervisor, Jon, has been great. He is always checking in on me making sure that I am doing alright with everything and asking if I have any questions. Basically just making sure that I am taken care of here. He is also always making sure that I am on top of my work though, both at Noah's and for school. He also helped me to set up my special project, he organized the group that I would be put on and the trails that we would go and all of that. He was extremely helpful when it came to that. I will give him honest feedback at the end of the summer when I go home, which is around August 12th. I will just sit down with him at dinner (we all eat together) and tell him how much I have appreciated his help this summer.

Week 10:

Ever since I moved away from Colorado when I was 6 I wanted to come back. I finally got the opportunity when I accepted the internship at Noah's Ark in Buena Vista, Colorado. What a great decision that has been. I was hesitant at first because it was so far away from everything I knew and I would know nobody once I got out here but it has been so worth it. I've learned more here than I ever have in any setting before. It has challenged me in so many ways also. Not only the physical demand of rafting but also the constant need to take care of customers and not let my own personal feelings of tiredness or fatigue ruin someones family vacation.

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My internship has had so many positive aspects. For one, I have developed relationships with many people in the outdoor recreation field and I plan on maintaining those contacts throughout the off season as graduation approaches. I also have made many great friendships here and like I said earlier, I have learned so much. Coming out here in May I knew next to nothing about rafting, hiking, and rock climbing. Now, 3 months later, I am a professional guide in all three of those different categories. I have loved the customer interactions, meeting new people from all over the United States and beyond. (I had a family from Ireland one day.) I have also enjoyed learning the behind the scenes work of Noah's Ark, like how the kitchen operates, how our marketing is done, where our money goes, etc. Noah's also has a unique hierarchy of employment. Typically, the people who have worked here are given more authority and that makes plenty of sense. However, for the most part nobody takes advantage of that. It is a great community here and everyone looks out for each other at all times, nobody really waves their power in front of your face. The most beneficial aspects of this internship have been how much I've grown as a person. 90% of our learning has been hands on and that has been great for me because that is how I learn best, just by trial and error. I have also grown personally in so many ways. I am a lot more confident in my abilities as a guide, I am a lot better at keeping conversations going now because I have had to do that or else the boat ride is awkward, I am more sensitive to people's needs as some groups that have come in have had specific needs for members of their group, and I am way more aware of who I am personally. It has been really good to step away from friends in Raleigh who are very similar to me and to come to a place where everyone is extremely different. It has allowed me to look introspectively into my own life and figure out just who I am and how I act in certain situations. I would 100% advise anyone to accept a position with Noah's Ark. The community of employees is incredible and you get to say that your job for the summer is to whitewater raft, backpack, and go on rock climbs. Not to mention you're in Colorado which is an amazing place in itself. On top of that they would walk away with countless interpersonal communication skills from the daily customer interactions that they surely will have. They will also get to be a part of a uniquely run organization and see how a large outfitter can make it seem small and homey at the same time. Because my internship was mainly hands on a lot of the curriculum wasn't necessarily applicable to my specific internship. However, the Sport Administration course was helpful in organizing certain aspects of the boats on really busy days this summer. It also gave me valuable leadership skills that I was able to demonstrate and grow out here in Colorado. Also PRT 286 helped me in my internship just on the communication aspects of my internship. Both with customers, fellow employees, and with leadership staff. I knew how to address each person and what was considered appropriate with my fellow employees may not be the same with customers or vice versa. While I have finished my 10 weeks, my time at Noah's is certainly not finished yet. It is a 2-summer commitment so I will be back out here next summer for sure and who knows what will happen after that, full time Noah's is a slim chance because they basically close down after September and only keep about 8 full time staff. However

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working here has opened my eyes to the outdoor recreation world and I will certainly be pursuing a career in this field upon graduation.

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Evaluations:

Mid-Term:

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Special Project Eval:

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Final Evaluation:

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Personal Evaluation:

This internship was absolutely incredible for me. I have been dying to get out of the city and explore the wilderness since we moved from Colorado when I was 6 years old. That’s exactly what I did this summer. I was able to experience the rush of the whitewater and the beauty of the mountains for the past 3 months. Writing this from my house in Raleigh brings back countless memories of times had and relationships made. I learned so many things about the outdoors and the outdoor industry, countless skills that I will use for the rest of my life. I also made some strong connections that will be useful when I begin applying for real jobs next semester. Most importantly however, I learned about myself in more ways than I can count. I grew so much as a person this summer. Being thrust into a challenging environment where you don’t know anybody and all of a sudden you have to belay someone off the edge of a cliff or go down class IV rapids with a person who just started guiding yesterday makes you toughen up really quickly. It also allows you to grow closer to the people around you. You get to bond over people’s silly mistakes that nobody makes after a month of training. You get to laugh at all the dumb stuff you do in training and come July you get to look back and see how far you progressed because you’re a real guide now and it’s and incredible skill to have. Some ways that it could be improved? I can hardly think of any, just maybe a little more regular involvement in the behind the scenes of Noah’s Ark but other than that, nothing to improve on. It was an amazing summer and I am lucky enough that I get to back next summer as well.

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noah's ark final portfolio

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