YOLO

I recently had the opportunity to work alongside interns participating in The Conservancy's LEAF program, and it was a fantastic experience. I have worked with high school interns in the past, but these ladies were exceptional in my eyes. Their passion to learn and experience new things started from the moment they got here and continued till the very end. After being together for an entire month straight, you might guess that their motivation would drop or their attitudes would take a turn for the worse, but not these stellar individuals! Not only were they a joy to be around and work with, but they also taught me a thing or two.

I remember back to when I was in high school and moving on to college, and how much I looked up to people with jobs just like I have now. That thought, at first, made me a little nervous, thinking that these girls would be looking up to me as a role model. I felt a little bit of pressure, but after spending just one day with them, all my nerves subsided. I began to realize that they enjoyed being around me because I love what I do, both inside and outside of work. It was great to share with them, not only my beloved world of conservation and stewardship, but also life lessons and valuable ethics.

I think the LEAF program has done a tremendous job in allowing The Nature Conservancy to expose these young adults to the importance of being stewards of the land. Even though these beautiful women may not go into Environmental fields in the future, they will at least go ahead in life with the knowledge and values they learned through their experience with this program.

I enjoyed every second I had with all four LEAF interns and their mentor, so much so that I managed to sneak down to southern New Hampshire and work with them a few days, and even spent some of my off time with them! They are all going to go on and do great things, and as I told them, they may even end up being my boss someday. I am honored to have been given the opportunity to work with the LEAF program and would love to be able to do so again in the future.

GOOD LUCK LADIES!
YOLO!

Lisa Picconi
Northern New Hampshire Field Office
The Nature Conservancy