I & E News @ Golden Gate
May 2015
Recent Successes
Point Bonita Lighthouse 160th Anniversary
On April 19th, Michael Morales, Mia Monroe, and Andrew Felton hosted the Point Bonita 160th Anniversary Celebration. Nearly 1,000 visitors braved a cold and windy day to celebrate the Point Bonita Lighthouse’s 160 years of shinning bright. To celebrate, the Coast Guard’s Color Guard performed a ceremony, a group of Morris dancers serenaded the Lighthouse with song and dance, and visitors were encouraged to build their own lighthouse at the Roving Ranger and participate in the Find Your Park Instameet! In all, the day was a smashing success!
Park Youth Collaborative Workshop: Cultural Competency
On April 28 and 29, PYC held its 3rd set of workshops of the year. These workshop helped us improve our cultural competency by focusing on privilege and personal influence. Special thanks to Raenelle Tauro, PYC Coordinator for setting up the workshops that were led by Be The Change, a non-profit organization in Oakland.
Girl Scout Bridging Event
Last Saturday, May 2nd, over 6000 Girl Scouts and their families joined us at Crissy Field for their Bridging Ceremony. At the event, Peggy O'Dell, Deputy Director of the National Park Service, signed a partnership agreement with the Girl Scouts of the USA to launch the "Girl Scout Ranger Program," a joint venture connecting girls with National Park Service sites throughout the United States, including monuments, seashores, and urban sites. Thank you to Jenn Flores, Kay Wang, Lou Sian, and Hesther Fan for their work with the girls on Crissy Field!
Jr. Ranger Day on Alcatraz
Last weekend, Alcatraz held its annual Jr Ranger Days in which hundreds of children participated in all sorts of activities including a scavenger hunt with booklet and prizes, Special thank you to Sarah Sawtell for your leadership, creativity and hard work and the rest of the Az team for leading activity stations and working long hours to ensure the success.
STAFF UPDATES
NEW STAFF: JENNIFER CHIN
Jennifer Chin starts on Alcatraz 6th May and joins us from the East Coast where she graduated from the University of Maryland in Environmental Science. She is has been working in the Director’s office at Patuxent Wildlife Research Center and helped organize major events including the Patuxent Wildlife Festival and the Refuge System Birthday Bash. She also has great experience developing interpretive programs and is fluent in American Sign Language (ASL). Although, she will be based on Alcatraz, you’ll see her around the park helping with many of our ASL needs.
NEW STAFF: JUAN QUEZADA
NEW STAFF: MICHAEL PIERSON
Michael Pierson already has a wealth of experience on Alcatraz and we are happy to have him join the Park Rangers starting the middle of May. Michael started on the island as an intern with the Interpretation Division and his thirst for knowledge lead him to joining the Natural Resources team. He could not get enough of Alcatraz and also joined our partner, Alcatraz Cruises, as a Guest Services Representative. For the last 6 months, he has been working as an interpreter for the Alcatraz Evening Program. He gives an impressive program about the wild side of Alcatraz and hope you have a chance to see it.
NEW STAFF: MICHAEL MORALES
Michael will be joining the MAHE team and has this to say about himself "I was born in Tucson, Arizona and grew up in San Francisco, California. I am a graduate of the University of Arizona and hold a B.A. in History with a minor in Mexican American Studies. I am currently working towards obtaining my Master's Degree in Museum Studies from San Francisco State University which I should complete by the end of 2015. I am also a musician and have been playing guitar for over thirty years. My hobbies include music, Civil War History and golf. I grew upenjoying the GGNRA as a kid and very much look forward to being a part of the NPS team".
EXTENDED STAFF: MAKOTO VALDEZ
DEPARTURES: Matt Murphey and Tom Ryan
Matt Murphey and Tom Ryan have recently left GOGA for other opportunities. As Seasonal staff on Alcatraz, both Matt and Tom provided excellent interpretation of the islands history and Ai Wei Wei exhibit. We thank them for their service and wish them the best of luck.
Highlights
End Of 2014-2015 Season Parks as Classroom programs
Late May/Early June marks the end of 2014-2015 School Season, and with that we conclude our amazing Parks As Classroom programs. While we are still talling up the numbers, the park typocally engages between 10,000 -15,000 students each year with both on-site and off-site programs. Many thanks go out to our stellar education staff and interns for making this 2014-2015 school year such a success . Congratulations to Madeline Primack (Alcatraz), Brian Kim, Jana Ng, and Bowie Hagan (North District), Desiree Munoz and Alessandra Goldsbaugh (Crissy Field Center), and Helen Hou (Presidio/Fort Point) for completing a successful season at the park.
Urban Agenda Launch
I had the privilege of attending an Urban Parks Caucus following the City Parks Alliance Conference in April. At the Caucus, NPS Director John Jarvis and Deputy Director Peggy O'Dell mentioned that the NPS has sites in 40 of the 50 most populous cities in the U.S. and urban parks make up 26% of the total economic output of national park visitation. With 80% of the population living in urban areas, they discussed the importance of urban parks and programs in creating connections to national parks. Golden Gate was mentioned several times as an innovative example of how parks engage the local communities. Be sure to check out the www.nps.gov/urban for more information.
PLWS Summit
On May 21st, the YMCA will be hosting a Play, Learn, Work Serve Summit for Bay Area youth leaders as part of DOI's PLWS launch. At the event, participants will discuss how public land managers and youth serving organizations can better collaborate to get more youth outdoors. The summit will be held at the Log Cabin in the Presidio and is a partnership between NPS, Conservancy, Trust and SF Rec and Park.
Project Updates
Presidio VC and Move out of 223
The new Presidio Visitor Center is on track to open at the end of 2016/beginning of 2017. We have ended schematic phase for the building architecture and soon be moving into design & development phase. We are currently in an alignment phase with the exhibits, incorporating the feedback from front end evaluation session we held several months ago. On a related notes, building 36 will transition from the Presidio Graduate School to a new tri-agency office in early 2016. Building 36 will become the new office for staff currently in building 223, which includes Presidio based education, interpretation and outreach staff.
Kirby Cove Campsite
Two new accessible campsites opened at Kirby Cove last week. These sites feature accessible sleeping pads, access to ADA bathrooms and parking spaces. Be sure to check out the site for yourself and spread the word about the new camping spot with amazing view of the City and Bay. Michael Faw and Lucy Scott are currently working on two new waysides for the site that will enhance the interpretation of the site for visitors.
The Safety Program is You!
Hi! I am James Osborne, I&E rep on the Employee Safety Committee. I’ve got to excite you to work safely and contribute to staff, partner, and public safety, so I will KISS (keep it simple, señor!). It’s all about Prevention & Preparedness!
Because “Safety is Job One” we need the equipment and the training for every element of our job, whether it’s sitting at the computer, lifting boxes, or giving CPR.
Because the Big One is coming sooner or later, GGNRA supports 5 NERT caches to support staff in emergencies. Alcatraz and Muir Woods have some limited food in their caches. Management Assistant Kevin Cochary encourages all employees to maintain their own emergency pack, but he’s also recommending up to 7 more caches.
There are First Aid Kits and Fire Extinguishers in workplaces, vehicles, and Visitor Centers, but Safety Committee Chair Katie Beltrano reminds us that: You must know where they are AND how to use them or they’re wasted. CAHA: Check All, Help All to discuss this with supervisors and coworkers.
I’ve used a few Catchphrases and Mnemonics, and Mia Monroe has a new one for trail safety: “Slow and Say Hello.” I’ve got files full of advice on fire, flu, eyestrain, housekeeping and driving but I’m asking all you interpreters to send me your inventions, surely better than: Safety-it’s all in your mind—NOT!
Diversity & Inclusion
Resource: The Grist
Consider subscribing to Grist, "an online source of intelligent, irreverent environmental news and commentary that’s been around since 1999. We cover climate, energy, food, cities, politics, business, green living, and the occasional adorable baby animal. Each day, we use our Clarity-o-Meter to point our readers to the news that matters most, and to translate wonky issues into stories that make sense. Our goal is to get people talking, thinking, and taking action."
Grist reaches out to over 2 million people each month in an interesting, serious, yet humorous approach. If you are looking for stories that connect to our park resources, the community, nationally and even internationally, I encourage you to subscribe. Its free and fun. www.grist.org
Wellness in the Park
All Vehicles Get Zero Miles Per Gallon While Idling by Lucy Scott
Reducing engine idling will improve our air quality, reduce our carbon footprint, protect our health and save money. Vehicle emissions are a major source of carbon dioxide contributing to global warming. About a third of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States come from vehicle emissions. Researchers have found that motorists were exposed to 29 times more air pollution at red lights than when they were moving! If that wasn't enough convincing then consider this: In general, 10 seconds of idling uses more fuel than restarting the car. Do you ever drive through the Baker Barry Tunnel and idle at the "5 minute light"? Are you waiting for your slow-poke coworker to hop in? Is your friendly maintenance coworker idling while tending to their chores? Turn off your car!
To find out more with what is happening in the park, check out other upcoming Park Events page on the Parks Conservancy website.
International Migratory Bird Day
Saturday, May 9, 2015, 08:00 AM
Muir Woods National Monument, Mill Valley, CA, United States
Ondine at Sutro
We Players presents Ondine and you're invited! We Players are offering Park staff FREE reservations on any other FRIDAY performance (5/1 - 6/5). Email reservations@weplayers.org to book your complimentary tickets.
Thursday, Apr 30, 2015, 04:30 PM
Lands End, Point Lobos Avenue, San Francisco, CA, United States
Preview of "The Presidio- Start Here!" exhibit for the SF Main Library
NPS Interpreters, you are invited to a special preview of a new Trust exhibit that will bring the Presidio downtown to the San Francisco Main Library. Through beautiful park images, art works, and informative panels located throughout the library, the exhibit is intended to showcase what the Presidio has to offer and inspire people of all ages to enjoy their national park next door. This special preview for staff and volunteers will include an overview of the exhibit contents, associated programs, and a presentation by Bay Area artist Lynn Sondag. Lynn has a deep connection to the Presidio and was the inspiration and catalyst for the exhibit. Her beautiful and evocative watercolors of the Presidio trail network will be featured in the Wallace Stegner Environmental Center (5th floor of Library) as part of the exhibit that will run May 23 through Sept 24.
Wednesday, May 20, 2015, 06:00 PM
Presidio Officers' Club - Moraga Hall
Michele Gee
Chief of Interpretation & Education
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
National Park Service
Fort Mason Building 201
San Francisco, CA 94123
415-561-4759
Email: michele_gee@nps.gov
Website: http://share.inside.nps.gov/sites/PWR/goga/SitePages/Home.aspx
Location: San Francisco, CA 94123
Phone: (415) 561-4759