Reflection of Growth

I often talk with kids when they arrive for summer camp or a field trip that they will be doing things that are hard. I tell them that they will need to meet and interact with new people, walk outside at night without a flashlight, and hike over 4.5 miles up and down sand dunes. I tell them that it will be hard, but that they are stronger than they think and they can do it. I tell them that accomplishing hard things makes them stronger people. As I look back over my three years, I wish I could remind a new educator Alex those things. I started at Dunes Learning Center at the beginning of summer, 2023. I did not know what to expect. What if it was too hard? What if I wasn’t good at it? What I found when I got to DLC was a supportive group of educators (many who had the same fears I did), and a leadership team that believed in the educators they were tasked with supporting. Throughout my first year, I slowly gained confidence. Key word: slowly. I still had nerves before a big Cowle’s Bog hike, but  then the hike would be amazing! The kids would be curious and everyone would have a great time. The more times this pattern came up, having nerves before a program and then the program going well, the more confidenceI gained. I got better at the job. I started to love the job. I had amazing coworkers, and being able to teach kids about things I was passionate about was so fulfilling.

TRAIL IN INDIANA DUNES NATIONAL PARK

This led me to stay at DLC for a second year. I was able to pass on what I learned to a new group of educators. I continued to grow as an educator and a person. I loved teaching other educators how to be successful. And then, I stayed for a third year. That takes us to today. I have been lucky enough to work at this place for three years. I want to thank every educator I have worked with (by my count: 21), every student and camper who I was able to introduce the wonders of the outdoors to,and for the leaders at Dunes Learning Center who have helped me grow exponentially since I arrived here. It has been an honor to do this job for three years.

Alex Butina, Third Year Educator