YouthToSea Placement Reflections
Hi YouthToSea,
Thank you all for a great week at AquaCamps. It was truly amazing to watch you folks step outside your comfort zone and try new activities and experiences. Michelle and I are proud of the hard work that each of you put in during your placement.
But wait! You are not quite done yet. Over the weekend, we ask that you take 15-30 minutes to reflect on your time at AquaCamps. Your response does not need to be longer than a paragraph. Choose one or two questions to respond to below :)
- What are the two best memories you have of this week?
- What are three new things you've learned, that you didn't know at the start of the week?
- What is something you did for someone else this week?
- What did you learn about yourself this week?
- What are three adjectives would you use to describe your week? Explain why.
47 Replies
Volunteering at aqua camps (Youth to Sea) was an incredibly fun and action-packed week! Over 5 days I learned lots about the aquarium and more from all the lovely staff and Youth to Sea volunteers (like how to improve my language to have a more positive tone, and how to manage a larger group of kids). However, I was most surprised about how much I learned from my campers, at such a young age they knew more about marine life and the world then most of the people in my grade. I was beyond impressed by them. At the start of the week, I had no idea that some of the animals they talked about even existed, like the pacific spiny lumpsucker or the axolotl! I also learned that the best game to play with kids is mafia, however, it may become the only thing they want to do... My favourite memories from this week would have to be our water fight on day one, or our beach walks. But every day was a blast.
Jackie
Yeah the kids always know more than you think.
Being able to volunteer with Aqua Camps was awesome!! It was my first time ever volunteering with the aquarium and I can't explain how amazing everything went, from being able to connect and become comfortable with my classroom setting, my leaders, and the children to being able to learn new things every day was perfect. I for sure would also say that I learned a lot more about sea critters and their habitats than I ever knew before, along with that I was beyond surprised by how mature and sensible the children in the camps were especially at their age. During our beach walk, they knew about the animals and critters all around them, they knew what they were looking at and most importantly while exploring new things, they knew and recognized how to protect life around us and why it’s so important to do so.
Along with my placement, I personally also learned that there is so much more to life, so many different people I'm going to meet, new things I will learn, and all the many deep ends that are still yet to be discovered. Along with that, I think it may be that since I’m from a different city that I don’t see much of this enthusiasm in people around me all the time, but during the time span of spending a week at the Aquarium, I sure did feel really good about myself and about coming to a new environment. That too while knowing that I’ll learn something new each and every day along with being surrounded by great people which would be my leaders, Y2S volunteers, children, and staff who carry such a positive energy around the room at all times.
Kiran
Volunteering at the Vancouver Aquarium was truly a fun experience. Being able to inspire and impact the future of are youth is something i take a lot of pride in and had a lot of fun doing. My favorite part of the week was playing "Mafia" with all the kids and doing various dissections that thought me and the kids a little more about what elements are in a living organism. This week i learned that even a little crab's pinch can really hurt, sea lion's are attracted to neon tennis balls and that the kids no there stuff when it comes to the marine ecosystem. This week I enjoyed taking charge during activities to make my leaders job a little easier and learning about the depth some marine animals can go.
How would i describe this week? Fun, educational, and inspirational. Being able to have fun by playing games and learning about our earth while inspiring the future generations is truly a memorable time.
Would like to thank Michelle, Jaquob, Hailey, Maddy and Shelly for making my week at the aquarium a great one.
Hope to see you real soon
Kilian Jean-Mairet
Yeeeee. Volunteering at the Aquarium was, as always, an exciting and fun experience. It's hard to say what my favourite memory at the Aquarium was, but if I had to choose one, it would be going on the beach walk with the kids and having them find all sorts of critters hiding in beneath the rocks and water. One thing I learned from this week, was to take initiative, whether it be leading games or engaging with the kids during lunch. I've always had trouble with taking the first step and I really tried to reach out of my comfort zone. So I am happy to say that I accomplished exactly that.
So yeah that's about it for me. Peace yall,
Don Lee.
This one week at Aquacamps has been one of the most memorable experiences of this year. One of the best memories from this week was when we had water games. I felt that we truly bonded with the kids and our instructors, and it was the most carefree I have felt in a while. I also loved going on the beach walk as I had never seen and touched so many sea animals before. When we went, the tide was very low and we were surrounded by an immense amount of life. It was truly amazing. I have learned so much from this camp as well. I have been able to develop my leadership skills and can now talk to kids and get their attention comfortably. I learned a bunch of past time games and how to run them effectively. Most importantly, I learned a lot about the ocean and truly gained an appreciation of the aquarium and marine life that I didn't have before. I learned that I want to continue educating myself about the ocean and also continue volunteering with children as it is something that brings me a lot of joy. I hope to do another camp in the future and continue learning and taking on new opportunities with the aquarium.
Seems like you had a fun week
Volunteering at the aqua camp at the Vancouver Aquarium was truly an unforgettable experience. During my time there I learned that I can be a rule model for others. As well-having fun and getting along with each kid in my group. My best memories are doing the beach walk and helping one of the kids who didn't feel comfortable picking up the rocks to look for critters that are hiding beneath the rocks and water. Where I built up the child's confidence to want to handle a crab and starfish. Also making new friends who have been part of Youth to Sea was another reason why I was excited to come back the next day. I learned that I am able to get people's attention and get them to listen. In the beginning, it was difficult at first but each day It got easier. I got to learn about the ocean creatures that I had little knowledge about such as the different types of Orca Whales that inhabit our coastal oceans. Also what we can do to get rid of the microplastics in our oceans and how it's bad for the marine mammals that live here.
I want to thank everybody for making my first time volunteering here special. I am now a new member of Youth To Sea and excited to do more to help the community. I hope to see you all very soon.
Thanks,
Craig McDonald
What are the two best memories you have of this week?
I'd have to go with:
A. Having the Japanese kids teach me mask, jacket, and grass/lawn in japanese (masku, jacketto, and shibafu in romanji). It was really cute.
B. 'Saving' starfish on the beach walk by flipping them back on their suction feet with a camper. I thought it was really wholesome that she felt bad for them and wanted to help.
What did you learn about yourself this week?
At the start of the week I thought giving instructions was going to be easy, but talking with them hard. For me it turned out to be the opposite. Although it was a bit awkward the first 2 days, I felt I could talk with the kids very comfortably by the end of my placement. I found the best way to talk to kids was just by simply asking them what they are doing or if they wanted to play a game. If they are below 6 I find talking in a higher and more energetic voice is more appealing/comfortable for them. If they are above 6 I usually just talk to them like they are my age keeping in mind their field of knowledge. What was hard for the whole week was giving instructions. If you want kids to listen to you you have to be clear, concise, and loud. If you are missing any of these elements kids tend to lose attention or won't understand what you are saying. This is definitely something I had a tougher time with but figured out at the end of the week.
2 Amazing Memories:
- During the prep session for the egg-drop where all the kids were crafting up their own anti-splat mechanisms, I was on hot glue gun duty! It seems strange but it was just so uplifting and wholesome to see all the kids’ eyes light up talking about their egg contraptions and conversing and connecting with them was very special. (The actual dropping part was fun too.)
- Talking with a kid about Minecraft sea creatures whilst on the beach walk looking for crabs-- though Minecraft seems to be an overworked subject, I think that this memory truly highlights the essence of AquaCamps: connecting with kids, connecting with the ocean, and connecting with others through the ocean.
3 Things I Learned:
- Happiness isn’t necessarily just a mood, it is also a choice; Aquacamps was spectacular, but as a leader/volunteer there are going to be times where you’re tired or things don’t always go your way. In those instances enthusiasm isn’t just a fleeting mood, it is a conscious decision - the reaction to an unideal situation with cheerfulness and optimism requires an active (and sometimes exhausting) mindset.
- I was reminded that kids... perceive things very differently. I think because the older you get the more your routines and actions are shaped by social constructs and normalities, sometimes it is easy to forget that we were also once like this! Sometimes the campers might do some questionable things, e.g. dragging around multiple chairs for fun, but I think in these instances (if it’s not immediately dangerous) it is especially important to try and understand them instead of automatically reprimanding them. I was reminded that empathy helps build more connections than authoritarianism.
- Immortal jellyfish are like the coolest creatures ever?!
Had an amazing time this week, I want to continue to learn and grow in aspects of not only marine science and conservation but also connecting with the kids! I’m so lucky that I got to work with y’all, best wishes! :-)
Volunteering at aqua camps was a great experience overall. It definitely tested the limits of my skills, and I feel like I have learned a lot about how to interact with children over the course of the week. One experience that I will not forget is the day in which we participated in the water games. It was really unexpected how wet we would get and how fun it was. It set my expectations for the rest of the program, as I now understood that it was a lot more hands-on than other volunteer experiences. Another notable activity was the dissections, it was memorable because our educators allowed us to have the responsibility to take an active role. Although I was really confused about what to do, my educator helped me through the process. The fact that we were given real tasks to fulfill throughout aqua camps is what made it so memorable to me.
Volunteering at the aquarium was the best week of the whole summer. I think the best memories are when I gained the trust of a kid with autism and got to make a sandcastle with him and when one of my kids was scared of crabs so he held onto my bag the whole time on the beach. Those two memories warm my heart when I think of them.
3 things I learnt would be, kids are really fun to sit and chat to, I now know how to dissect a squid and a herring!
I did a lot of things for people that week but I think the thing that made me feel really kind was when the kids asked me to sit next to them while they eat. I feel I made their days just a bit better. I learnt that I make friends rather quickly and I'm not to bad with kids.
3 adjectives would be, Joyful because it was the happiest week of the summer, exciting because I was trying volunteering for the first time and scary because I had never dealt with so many kids in my life!
Overall I had a wonderful time volunteering and I will try to come back next year!
10/10 recommend!
What did you learn about yourself this week?
Within this interesting experience, I learned that the way I show leadership is quite different than what is usually seen in between leaders. I learned that I would rather to only show what is right in my actions, than putting it in words. When realizing this, I also learned that this way is not always helpful, especially when interacting with the kids. The reason is that our silent action usually takes a lot of time to catch the kids' attention, and so it won't be the best thing to do for them. So then, I found out that I should practice yelling at kids(:p in a nice way), besides doing the right thing.
I had an amazing time volunteering at aqua camps. I made so many memories over the week, and learned so much about the aquarium! One of my best memories from the week was talking to the kids. I enjoyed asking them questions, and listening to what they had to say. I loved getting along with the kids, and making jokes with them. Another favorite memory of mine were the water games. I had fun getting wet as well as making the kids wet. I learned so much from the kids. I was amazed at how much the kids knew about at such a young age. During the beach walk, the kids were able to identify animals, as well as tell some facts about the animals they were looking at. I had an outstanding time volunteering as I gained leadership skills, socialized with the kids, and learned more about animals!
I would like to thank everyone for making the week fun and special!
Jasmeet Sohal
For Mollie D.
The two best memories that I had over my aqua camps week was playing parachute games and narwhal tag over the week. The kids just got so excited to play those games and narwhal tag was definitely a staple throughout the week. My other best memory was when I finally connected with a kid that was a little closed off at first but then they started opening up to everyone and it was awesome to see.
This week I also learnt that I am really good at remembering interesting facts about random animals to keep the kids engaged in activities.
For Hannah E.:
I had such an amazing and fun time volunteering at aqua camps. As the week progressed, I found myself so deeply invested in the kids, their excitement and their learning. With the plethora of memories made throughout the week, it’s extremely difficult to narrow it down to my two favourites. Nonetheless, after some hard thinking, I managed to. One of my favourite memories was the water park. By the time it was my group’s turn to do this, all of us leaders knew that they were super eager to do as much damage and get us as wet as possible. Although our educators decided to sit it out and avoid their wrath, Jasmeet and I thought “what do we have to lose?”. The kids wasted no opportunity to shoot us with as much water as possible and absolutely drenched us. Yes, we walked home in wet socks and shoes, but then for the pure joy on their faces when they finally managed to get us wet, it was worth the momentary discomfort. Another memory that stuck with me was when our group would walk from the field back inside, and the kids could hear Señor Cinco, all conversations would halt and they would all start barking to imitate him. It was surely the most adorable habit that would always make the (slow) walks just a little bit more enjoyable.
All in all the week was amazing! Hope everyone is having a great rest of their summer!
To be honest, I would say that I have changed a lot over the course of AquaCamps. I am very grateful for making my choice to attend this camp.
As an ultra introvert, I didn't acknowledge that I would have the potential to talk in front of a lot of people and lead children into activities and have conversations with people that I've never talked to. I can feel that I have become more talkative and confident from before, learning so much about how I can improve myself from Jake, Michelle, the Educators, my partners, and, of course, the campers. I feel so happy when I see the smiles on the children's faces, and it just makes me feel like the day of hard work was so worth it.
Here are some mOrE things that I have learned:
-the aquarium keeps extinct animal habitats just to make us stare at the glass for a LONG LONG time.
-there are magical and mysterious lemurs in bc?? 0_0
-aquarium music is addictive (now i listen to that 25 hours a day)
Overall, it was a very valuable experience for me. I probably would remember my days at camp forever in my memories. I would love to come back next year! :D
My two best memories were leading my own Cephalopod talk and going to play water games with the campers. At the start of my placements, I did not know how easily kids get fixated on a single point and talk about it for five days. I also learned how to direct a squid and herring dissection which was probably my third favourite memory from this week. Over my two placements, I did lots for others within my cohorts but the most memorable was giving my educators a break to sit and eat a granola bar or take off their mask and drink water. I never thought that would be something important but after having the mask on for 8+ hours a day you realize those little moments mean a lot. Through helping others and taking on more responsibility I learned that I like kids but not as much as I thought. This camp experience taught me that I like to interact with kids but in shorter intervals and not on such a consistent basis. I would describe my week as insightful, productive, and inspiring. Being forced to take on a full-time position like this taught me a lot about time management while also showing me many other things. I learned through my placements that I like older age groups that can handle more complex topics and that I like the fine details of scientific research. While this placement showed me I do not love being around kids eight hours a day it did show me that I can persevere through it with a positive attitude to still do what needs to be done. The placements were productive because I finished most of my volunteer hours and gained invaluable soft skills like time management and increased organization. It also got me into a routine of waking up early which I, kept and, love. I was inspired by all the critical work the aquarium does in youth education and rehabilitating animals. It inspired me to keep working towards my own dreams as it really can make a difference.
For Loren:
Volunteering at aqua camps/ Youth to Sea was a fun and amazing experience. I am so grateful that I can now call myself a Youth to Sea volunteer and that I was able to take part in a leadership role in the aqua camps. Over the nine days of my placement I learned lots about myself. During the two weeks I learned that I am a lot more confident than I thought I was. I learned that I am not afraid to take charge/ lead groups of kids or be firm with them when I have to be. I also learned how to play games with the campers and how to keep them engaged throughout the day. Another thing I learned about myself at aqua camps is that I am able to use positive and inclusive language with the campers, educators, staff and other volunteers at the aquarium. I believe that this is a very important skill to learn because it makes the environment, you’re in a safe and secure place for everyone. The last thing I learned about myself at aqua camps is that I am able to juggle multiple responsibilities at a time. At the beginning of my first week the idea of multiple responsibilities freaked me out. As the days went on, I learned that I was able to handle any and all of the responsibilities that were expected of me. Volunteering with the Youth to Sea program was an experience that I will never forget, and I can’t wait to see what else I’ll learn about myself through other tasks from this program.
FAVOURITE MEMORIES
Spending the last two weeks at volunteering at the Aquarium were a blast - two of my favourite memories include beach walking (and SEAing ;) all the kids get super excited about anything that moved) as well as doing the water games with all the kids (drip drip drop fiveever). The dance parties to Frozen are pretty high up there too.
THINGS I LEARNED
- The kids taught me so much about finding fascination in the seemingly boring facets of the world, and the passion they possessed for their interests was incredible to witness.
- In the moments where they tested my patience, I learned to ask myself why they might be behaving in that way - practising that empathy and understanding was definitely an area I found myself growing in (which I can hopefully carry over into my interactions with youth/adults - who aren't nearly as cute).
- BRING BREATH MINTS
It was an amaze balls time meeting everyone and getting the chance to go through these experiences with y'all :)) MUCH LOVE AND ALL THE BEST.
- Raeanne
Three Things I Learned:
Over the past two weeks, I learned that actively stepping up into more challenging leadership roles with children is not as intimidating as it sounds. Children are satisfied with pretty much anything remotely new or relating to their interests. And if you mess up, they usually won't be able to tell.
I also learned that the aquarium is a hub for a much wider variety, than I expected, of people with varying careers and roles that are crucial to its overall function, and to the Ocean Wise initiative. There are educators, research scientists, conservationists, animal trainers, a LOT of volunteers, and of course much more.
But a key lesson I learned that I would've never expected, was how I actually find younger children much easier (and more fun) to manage than older ones. Ya, crazy right?
Two Best Memories:
- Going to the water park with my group of little kids and getting absolutely soaked.
- Meeting Jessica, the semi-blind young harbour seal, through the glass of her habitat. She studied us as much as we studied her.
I had a super fun time with my new volunteer friends and all the children I learned and explored alongside. Also, thank you to all four of my group leaders and to Michelle and Jake for managing the weeks so well!!! You all made it so easy to just have fun learning and growing :)
- Grace
For Shaunee K.:
What did you learn about yourself this week?
Although I have a lot of experience in working with youth summer camps, each year I find that I learn something new, sometimes even skills I would use in my everyday life. Things like using positive and mindful language, having the courage to take initiative and be a leader, and even the small facts about local marine life. I’ve learned that I have a lot more patience than I credit myself to. I’m usually the type of person that wants to achieve a goal as soon as possible and done efficiently. These past couple of weeks with the campers, I’ve also learned that things can’t always be done smoothly and efficiently, so patience in the process is something I want to progress on. This can also be put into the perspective of school, extracurriculars and future projects where steps towards a goal are spread over a longer period of time.
What are the two best memories you have of this week?
I think one of my main highlights of my placement at the aquarium is being able to build connections with my leaders, campers and peers in this short time together. I felt that in that time I have grown in my social and leadership skills while still being able to learn from the people around me. I also really enjoyed leading activities for the campers such as puppet shows and dissections, as I’m always amazed at how tentative the kids are to puppets and new things. I also loved how the campers named one of the harbour seals we spotted on one of our beach walks, and how the all waved by to “harvey the harbour seal”.
For Ellie E.:
I’d be lying if I didn’t say that spending my time at Aqua Camps wasn’t an absolute blast. Each time I volunteer, I am always amazed at how welcoming all of the Leaders in red and Coordinators are. They truly make this experience what it is. The Vancouver Aquarium is one of my favourite places to visit and I couldn’t be happier to give back to the Ocean Wise community and share my knowledge with all of the campers and fellow Youth 2 Sea friends.
I always make so many memories during camps that it would be impossible to limit them to just 2 or 3. However, not wanting to ramble on, I would say that the Water park and Beach walks are always two of my favourite activities to do with the campers. It always brings a smile to my face when I see them drenching my fellow leader in blue, or myself, with water. I also enjoy seeing their excitement when looking for the biggest crab or asking “Hey what is this?” while pointing to some seaweed during the beach walks. Of course, my time wouldn’t be memorable without the help of all of the amazing new friends that I met. Sometimes, you even get to reconnect with other friends that you haven’t seen in a long time. Oh, and how could I forget convincing all of the campers that we, the leaders, sleep here at the Aquarium.
If there’s anything that I’ve learned during my time at AquaCamps, it’s that doing an activity that requires you to adventure outside of your comfort zone isn’t always a bad thing.
Volunteering at the aquarium was one of the highlights of my summer, my 2 weeks at the aquarium were filled with fun and excitement and there couldn't have been a better way to end my break! The opportunity not only allowed me to meet new bright minds with inspiring goals but also helped me improve my communication and team-building skills. I ended my 2 weeks knowing that I had left a positive impact on the campers, however, what came to me as a surprise was how much the campers had actually taught me about the ocean and animals. Being the youngest in my family, it was also exciting being around kids younger than me for a change.
My first favourite memory from the weeks was the beach walk. I was extremely surprised by how many animals the kids taught me about. It was also fun watching the kids pull out and name all kinds of critters from under the rocks. Another one of my favourite memories was the water park on my last day, maybe it wasn't the best idea to let the kids know it was my last day because they really gave me a water farewell, however at the end of the day I enjoyed getting wet and having fun with kids. Even though I highlighted 2 memories, every memory at the camps was my favourite and ones that I will cherish forever!
Thanks,
Danish Hakim.
For Wayne Y.:
"Volunteering at Aquacamps was a life-changing experience for me. Not only was I able to communicate with my campers and everyone else effectively, but I had the opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and start taking initiatives. My two best memories for the past two weeks were the forest walk and the water park. With the forest walk, I was able to learn new facts about specific animals, and I was surprised that sometimes the kids knew more than I do. On the other hand, with the water park, although the day we went was a little bit cold, it was still very exciting since we all got crazy soaked. Finally, one thing I learned was never to be afraid to try new things. On the first day of Aquacamps, I was super scared and didn’t know what to expect and whether my campers would like me or not. However, as I began to talk to them, I felt like there was a bond between us. The best part was that their smiles on their faces grew each day.
To end this off, I would like to say a big thank you to Jacob, Michelle, Hailey and my three amazing educators: Rian, Cassie, and Jenna. You guys are the ones who made me want to come to the aquarium every day. Thank you so much :)”
For Jenna M.:
"Throughout the two weeks of Aquacamp I have learned a lot of new skills as well as facts. They include a lot of educational facts I learned about the squid and fish and other animals that I did not learn. While besides learning different skills about myself and about the animals in the aquarium, I have also created many memories that I would cherish forever. My favourite memories during the Aquacamps would be dissecting the squid and the herring. During the dissecting I was able to build on a lot of the skills such as leadership, public speaking as well as patience. During explaining the lesson, I was able to overcome my fear of public speaking and in that time period I really believe I was able to find that confidence within me and have the courage to really step out of my comfort zone and teach the kids without worrying if I would mess up. While another reason why these two dissections are my two favourite memories is because they really brought out my passion. I actually had a lot of difficulties finding out my passion and the things I liked in my life and I believe by doing this camp and just being involved allowed me to realize what I like it gave me a purpose. Just being able to help people out and help educate the kids and learning things allowed me to have a better understanding of what I like and what I can do. Therefore I believe dissecting the animals were my two favourite memories because they not only improved my confidence but I have also understood better of what I enjoy doing and what I am good at.
Something I have learned about myself through this Aquacamp is that I am not perfect but that is ok, I have always had trouble accepting my mistakes and when something goes wrong I would always get really upset or doubt my abilities. I believe by doing the two weeks of Aquacamps I was more able to learn about accepting my mistakes and my flaws, by making mistakes and becoming more confident I was more able to understand that we all have flaws and that by going through them and making them we can become more confident in what we do by accepting these mistakes. I was able to learn about how to break out of my shell and really do my best and learn without stressing or having to doubt over myself from a little mistake. Therefore from this camp I was able to learn how my mistakes and flaws were not bad or embarrassing instead they are a way for me to find different solutions and ideas to tackle the problem as well as having the courage to accept it all and learn that being not perfect is ok and flaws are also ok."
For Cady L.:
"I absolutely loved volunteering at AquaCamps the past two weeks. It was honestly very educational and eye-opening, and I enjoyed every moment of it. I learned that I’m more patient than I thought I was, much to my surprise (and delight). I learned that I can actually speak really loudly, since I’ve always been told I have a quiet voice/need to speak louder/they can’t hear me. I also learned that a lot of the kids are very easily amused, and they will belly-laugh at almost every joke you make, whether it is intentional or not. I want to thank AquaCamps for allowing me to realize how delightful it feels to have a kid specifically ask for you."
Thank you again to Jake, Michelle, Hailey, and my instructors Caitlin and Chris for the amazing 2-week experience. <3
Volunteering at AquaCamps for the past 2 weeks has undoubtedly been the highlight of the summer, if not the year for me. Though it was hectic and at times tiring, the experience was ultimately very rewarding and worth it.
If I had to undertake the monumental task of choosing only 2 of my best memories from the past weeks, I would have to go with Water Games and getting to know some shyer campers. Water Games is always a blast, and it's one of those activities that pretty much everyone will have a great time in. As for getting to know shyer campers, I think it was truly rewarding to see some of the shyer campers become more confident as the week progressed.
I think the most important thing I learned about myself these weeks was that I'm a pretty approachable person. I guess I emit friendly vibes because even the shyest campers liked to joke with me throughout the camp. This quality not only helped me form connections with all of the campers, but also helped me pass the daily vibe checks. However, my easy-going attitude came to bite me in the back when I was told by a camper that I honestly "look like a 41 year old", which was definitely not the look I was going for. *Cue sadness*
Overall, I had a great time in my 2 week placement at AquaCamps.
Jonathan
The past 2 weeks of volunteering at AquaCamps have been a blast! Volunteering at the Vancouver Aquarium has always been an insightful and rewarding experience for me in the past, but working with kids was something that was entirely new for me and certainly far out of my comfort zone. Nevertheless, at the end of the two weeks I had so many amazing memories and a brand new set of valuable skills that will certainly be useful in the future.
One example of an amazing memory I had was helping the campers hot-glue and tape their egg drop contraptions and hear all about the crazy and creative ways they were planning on saving their eggs. And the looks of curiosity and anticipation on their faces right before dropping their contraptions are unforgettable. In addition to that, the water games never failed to be entertaining as it gave the kids as well as the leaders an opportunity to show their competitive sides. One aspect of my placement that was extremely enjoyable and memorable for me was learning to interact and have conversations with some of the campers one on one. That really gave me the opportunity to see the world through their eager eyes and form some really cool connections with the kids.
Overall, although originally I didn't know what to expect and was nervous about working with kids, over the course of the two weeks I definitely got a lot more comfortable, improved my leadership skills, and had lots of fun throughout!
Finally, a huuuge thank you to Michelle, Jake, Hailey and my educators Ethan and Marisa for always being supportive and never hesitating to give helpful constructive feedback.
Nikitha
Aquacamps was filled with so many happy moments. I've met so many new people and learned so much from everyone and about so much.
I remember during a water game, one of the kids was sitting at the side not having the best time since they didn't want to participate in the relays so I got a wet sponge and we played hot potato with it. It was a nice moment because something so simple was able to make them smile and it made me glad they were having fun again.
My best memories at aquacamps include every snack/lunchtime we had because during those breaks I could talk with the kids and get to know them, as well as play small games with them. Another fond memory of mine was helping to lead dissections with Wayne because I learned so much, especially about keeping attention spans and presenting in an engaging way.
Lastly, I'm super grateful for Michelle, Jake, and my super awesome educators Rian, Jenna, and Cassie. You're the best :)
For Amandeep M.:
"My experience volunteering at the aquarium this summer was very enjoyable. At the beginning of my placement, I felt a bit nervous and didn't know what to expect as it was my first time volunteering at the aquarium. Nonetheless, I was welcomed by encouraging staff and Y2S volunteers who made my time at the aquarium wonderful. During those two weeks, I learned to be more open-minded to new experiences, to use open body language and project my voice when talking to campers and to take charge of an activity. Two of my favourite memories at Aquacamp would be going to see baby Joey (he's so cute!) and playing with the campers at the Waterpark. I enjoyed bonding with the campers, meeting new people and animals! Overall, I'm grateful to have been apart of Aquacamps this summer!"
Even though I only volunteered for two days, I made a remarkable impact on other people's lives. I was put with the 5-6 year old campers so I was very pleased and excited since I love little kids. I remember everyone being a little timid and shy because they weren't familiar with me, but after a few hours, kids were now jumping on me and tugging at me. I don't mind it because I know the kids are just really excited and they like me but it's important as someone who is more mature and older to set clear boundaries and teach the little ones how to behave during a critical time like this. Two of the best memories I had during my time were dressing up as a mermaid because I learned that they also loved mermaids as much as I do and helping with the sea cave building with the kids. It's insane how much creativity and spark that kids have. That's why children are gifts to the world and we need to learn how to be good role models for them. Three nouns to describe my two days are empathy, creativity, and energy. Empathy especially when you are with children, you need to be able to empathize and try to understand them. It is crucial for adults to be able to teach children that their feelings and emotions are valid because if this does not happen, later in life mental health issues arise. Creativity because children's imaginations are literally from different universes. It's also really fun tuning into your childlike spirit and just having fun. When we get older, we lose that side of us that is so important for us to think and create new ideas. Children remind us that no matter what age you are, you can always retain that youthful spirit. Lastly, energy. Do I even need to clarify? XD Regardless, I'm extremely grateful and blessed to be able to have the opportunity to spend some time doing aqua camps. I'll be sure to do this again for longer periods in the future.
During my two week placement at AquaCamps, I learned quite a number of things. I learned that conflicts between siblings are way easier to resolve than between other campers, that kids respond quite well to authority and directions as opposed to simply asking them to do something. But most the most important thing that I learned for the campers is that there is still so much more I can learn about life and leadership from just observing their outlooks on life and situations. Kids tend to have more excited and open minds when facing new problems and challenges and think this could be useful in many aspects of life.
Two of my favourite memories from AquaCamps was the time spent in the galleries and dissections. During my camps time in the frogs gallery I had many kids ask me about all the different habitats and the animals in them and were very excited to be learning new things and just seeing that made me happy. I also really enjoyed the dissections because the kids got to learn about how the different animals worked on the inside through the hands on experience, I also found that the girls were much more willing to get their hands dirty and do the dissections in camp than the boys were.
For Ada L.:
"Volunteering at the aquarium was definitely a worthy experience! Although I was quite shy in the beginning, as time went by, I've learned to be confident and get comfortable. It was all thanks to my wonderful educators and awesome campers! During the two weeks of volunteering, one of my favourite memories was the water park! It was an activity that brought the leaders, campers, and educators closer since everyone had an amazing time. Another one of my favourite memories during AquaCamps was the dissections! I've learned so much and enjoyed leading the squid and herring dissections. I was also surprised by how much the campers knew about the body parts of the animals! Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity. I hope to see everyone again!"
This placement really allowed me to step up and explore a larger leadership position then my previous placements. My kids were very fun and engaged which is always great to see and my leaders in red really helped me take charge and challenged me to do more. The sea lions also were very fun do to the fact that they would follow me around the back of stellars, attracted to the ball j was holding
Attending a week of Aqua camps as a Youth to Sea member was incredible! My week was incredible in a way that helped me learn more about myself and the young campers. The first day of camp had my palms sweating and I was too timid to talk to anyone. As the days progressed, I started speaking casually to some campers. Then I started to take more of the initiative and made sure I spent a little time with all the campers. Everything was well, but we had a difficult girl that got upset easily. Dealing with her made me realize that being "nice" won't do any good. I definitely panicked when she started throwing pine cones towards me then my intructor. Good thing my intructor stopped her then and there. Shoutout to Cassie because from observing her I was able to distinguish what had to be done. She used her voice and body confidently and frankly corrected the girl. This camp was my first time working with unfamiliar kids between the ages 5-8 and I take it as something important to experience. For then, I will get better taking on the responsibility.
My two favorites memories are the forest walk and the beach walk! On our nice walk to the forest we listened to our favourite Disney songs then played Camouflage. It really reminded me of my childhood. The beach walk was fascinating; we found crabs, sea stars and sea urchins! But I found a sea worm and it bit me! It has teeth and we learned to stay away from it.
Thank you!
Candyce
For Sage N.:
"My two best memories from my placement was all the dissections and getting everything in sight drenched at the water park.I learned that kids always get smarter every single placement, not one child hates the water park, and always bring about three towels just in case. Something I did for someone else for both weeks is give my towel to campers that forgot one. I learned that no matter how experienced I am I will always make mistakes and mistakes can’t go away, and I have to accept that. And my three adjectives are, fun fun fun because AquaCamps is fun!"
Volunteering at AquaCamps was an amazing learning experience, for ma and (hopefully) the kids. I was able to step out of my comport zone and interact with kids in different environments. I had such a blast with these inquisitive kids, who were actually excited about what they were doing. My favourite parts of the placement were hanging out with the kids and answering their questions about the sea lions, and leading transition games. Some of the kids got super into the games, and it was fun seeing how hard they would try at the never can tell games. All of our kids were very unique, and learning how to interact with each of them differently was something I worked really hard on. Overall, this experience was fun, and amazing, and just overall fantastic.
Volunteer at Aqua Camp (YouthtoSea) was just awesome! I had a such wonderful week with campers, my leaders, and the members of YouthtoSea! I learned a lot from this experience, about how to interact with kids, how to communicate with them and also a tons of knowledge about the marine animals! Everyday there is something that I have never learned before, I had so much wonderful memories during this week.
It's hard for me to pick two "best" memories from the week because there are just so much I wanted to tell. I would say the water park with the kids and my leaders was one of the best memories, I had so much fun with them. Another one would be the beach walk, it was the first time that I found a sea star under the rock, a little small sea urchin, and two moon jelly fish on the beach! I never know that if I pay attention and be observant, I can found so many interesting things around me. There are still more "first time” for me during this week, I led a squid dissection, read books for kids, go on a forest walk, and so much more! As a international students, I experienced something that people in my country maybe never experience. I turely appreciate this chance YouthToSea has given me.
I really hope that I can get another chance to volunteer at YouthToSea, it was such a good experience.
Tony Sun
For Alyana L.:
"I really enjoyed volunteering at AquaCamps in July! I loved that the majority of programming was held in the Underwater Stellar’s Bay exhibit. It was amusing to watch the sea lions glide by and the nicknames that the campers gave the sea lions were hilarious! I was super impressed with the amount of knowledge the campers had about the ocean and marine life. I learned a ton of information from them, which I wasn’t expecting. One of the campers even noticed that an Arctic cod was carrying eggs and was soon going to lay them. These kids were all super passionate about the ocean, which was awesome to see! Two of my favourite memories from the week were dissecting a herring and getting to see its swim bladder and egg sac and learning about prehistoric sharks. We had a lot of fun watching videos of what these extinct sharks might have looked like when they were alive. Some of the depictions were so different from the sharks of today that we couldn’t help but laugh. Overall, AquaCamps was a very entertaining and educational time for me!"
This summer was my first time volunteering at the aquarium and I have to say it was a lot of fun. My best memories were definitely on the beach walks, it was really cool to see all the kids being excited about the different animals they found, especially when someone finally spotted a gunnel. As well, having underwater stellars as a classroom for a week was amazing, as you could just watch the sea lions and seals all day. That being said, I definitely had to learn to be more patient with the kids, as I found certain kids might not listen easily, so you have to find a way to communicate with them. As well, learning to try to anticipate what the educators needed and taking initiative in leading activities was something that pushed me out of my comfort zone.
Overall 10/10 experience, really sad to see the aquarium close but hope I can continue to volunteer either through MMR or aqua camps whenever the aquarium opens again. -James
Volunteering with Aqua camps was such a fun experience. I was amazed with each camper and how much they already knew. I was able to learn different strategies to help calm down children who were upset or were throwing temper tantrums as well as ways to gain the campers' attention. The campers also gave me so many cool facts on different animals that I had never known before. In general, I was just able to gain a new perspective and learn so many new things from my amazing educators as well as the campers and other staff.
The week was filled with so many cool activities and amazing memories were made. I loved going to the waterpark with the kids and seeing them run around with gigantic smiles on their faces (although I was far from dry). I also remember seeing them excited about any creature, whether that was a sea otter or a little boatman from the lake.
I had such a fun time and would love to do it again. :)
This summer was my first time ever volunteering at the Aquarium and my two weeks at Aquacamps were by far the most fun weeks of my summer. My best memories were doing beach walks and playing Michelle's Coral Reef Smash game with the kids. Blessed with a pretty low tide both times we went, we found sea urchins, sea stars, hermit crabs, and plenty of other sea creatures at the beach. It was especially fun to see the excitement on the kids' faces when we finally found gunnels after actively searching for them the majority our time at the beach. It's also quite inspiring to see that the kids knew so much about marine life during our walks and in the class, and have a passion for helping and protecting it. The Coral Reef Smash game got quite competitive and everyone involved got quite invested in it and loved it, especially when someone threw a ball and just barely missed the other team's fort and everyone would laugh (happened a lot actually). Probably the most important thing I learned during my two weeks was patience with the kids. If they didn't want to participate in whatever the group was doing, I learned to find out what worked for them/what they wanted to do (whether it was drawing a habitat, working on something, just talking) and build around that in a 1 on 1 setting. I did something for someone else during my second week, when we had a French speaking child who could speak and read English, but had difficulty writing in English. Since I speak French, I spoke to them in French when we were doing activities (frog gallery scavenger, wetlab, etc) and helped them find a balance by helping them write in English or French depending on what they felt more comfortable with at that time. Lastly, I've learned that I thrive in a environment where the people around me (leaders, volunteers, kids) have the same passion and positive energy for marine life and learning that I do.
I would like to give a big thank you to Michelle, Jake, Hailey, Ethan, and Marisa for guiding me along the way, encouraging me to step out of my comfort zone (especially during week 2), and making my 2 weeks the best they could've been.
Hope to see you soon!
James Ballack
The last 2 weeks of AquaCamp have really been an awesome and memorable experience. This was my second time volunteering for the aquarium, so for me I had more confidence making connections with campers and had become more comfortable leading activities. During the time at camp, I learned more about leading the kids and the impact my actions or tone can have on the campers along with more knowledge about the animals inside the aquarium. I was also amazed at how much the kids know about marine life. They seem to know more about some of the animals than me, which made me a little awkward at times because I wouldn't have answers to some of their questions.
Throughout camp, there had been so many great moments with my campers. I remembered making different origami ninja stars for the scavenger hunt winners in the first week and how excited they were. In the second week, I made more origami ninja stars, turtles, sharks, crabs, and seahorses for the campers and some campers even brought there own paper. It was really cool to see how much they liked the origamis and some campers even started teaching me. I also think the water game was very cool, especially at the end when James and the leaders are dunked. Another memorable moment was when our cohort walked out on the last day with fish masks on. It was really fun cutting the pieces out and putting them together. When the entire cohort took the picture at the end with out fish masks on, it was such a memorable and funny moment.
Volunteering for AquaCamp this year has been really fun and awesome and it is something I will always remember .
Ethan Xie
My time volunteering at Aqua Camps was one of the most memorable two weeks of this summer! I'm grateful for this opportunity and hope to one day see Aqua Camps back up and running. I've learned so much about the aquarium, the animals, and managing youth camps. I've learned about how interesting beach walks can be and I never realized just how cool tidal ecosystems are. I got to see marine animals such as leather stars, lots of crabs, sea snails and other animals I previously had not known where to look and find. I also learned about many different strategies for managing difficult situations such as a camper feeling homesick, crying or being bored. Even if it was just watching how an educator responded to these situations, I hope to be able to apply what I've learned in the future! Finally, I learned about how rewarding working with youth could be. I enjoyed making connections with the campers and helping them learn more about our oceans and marine animals. I was sad to see them go but I had a great time with all of my fellow YouthToSea, educators, and campers!
Thank you to everyone I met and interacted with this summer, hope to see you all soon!
Hannah
For Priyanka R.:
I am thankful that I had this AquaCamps placement to develop my leadership skills and grow my appreciation for our wonderful oceans and our planet. Throughout this placement, I learned how to build connections with the campers through our love of the aquarium. Some of my favourite moments were dancing with campers during lunch, having the campers be so excited about the water park, decoding made up languages, and having conversations about the canucks, the animals at the aquarium, and travelling. I learned that no camp day will be the same and that no campers are the same. I enjoyed hearing the campers' imagination run wild about so many different topics. I loved that the campers were as excited as I was for each day of camp (which was very excited) and that they brought all of their energy to camp. I led a couple of activities and dissections with other leaders and I developed skills such as learning to collaborate with other leaders and engaging everyone in our discussion. I learned how to balance being a leader and a friend to the camper by setting boundaries. In the previous placements, I was often scared to talk to the campers and form connections with them because I was not confident in myself. But in this placement, I focussed on this and learned that it is important to make connections with each camper. It was such a heartwarming feeling when they were excited to see us each morning. AquaCamps is wonderful, unforgettable, and crazy because each new day is different and has its own challenges and successes. I am forever thankful that I got the opportunity to volunteer with the aquarium and meet amazing people and leaders that helped me grow as a leader.
Volunteering at the Aqua Camps was truly the most rewarding and memorable experience I've had this year. One of the best memories from camp was creating this imaginary bucket world game with some of the campers from my group. I remember one of the campers found a bucket to put on her head and then started recruiting other campers to join her bucket group. It sounds pretty ridiculous, but we all had fun, and everyone bonded a lot more afterwards. My experience at the waterpark was also extremely unforgettable, and although I was completely soaked after the campers dragged me under the water sprinklers, I genuinely enjoyed my time there.
Along with the best memories I've created this week, I learnt a lot from the campers as well. Most of the campers in my group were 6-8 years old, and I was surprised by how easy it was to entertain or make them laugh. I think that as we become more mature, we tend to forget how we used to appreciate simple things like silly faces or lame jokes. But after talking to all the campers this week, I realized that it's actually quite easy to be happy and have fun if we try to focus on simpler things.
I had an amazing time this week and bonded with every camper and educator from my group. Thanks to everyone who made this a wonderful experience and I hope we can all come back next year!
Chloe
Volunteering at Aquacamps was such an unforgettable and eye-opening experience. The 2 weeks I spent at the aquarium were filled with fun, learning experiences, and so many adventures! One of the best memories I had was going to the waterpark with the kids. I just remember how much joy were on their faces, and how they really weren't afraid to let their personalities shine and just have fun. This experience definitely helped me feel more comfortable around the kids, and I was able to connect with them much better the following days. The second best memory I had was going on the beachwalk and seeing their fascination with all the little creatures we found under the rocks. They were so eager to learn all about the different things we saw and explore, I was so happy to see them come out of their comfort zones. All the memories with the kids were happy memories and it was sad to see them go, but I'm glad that I had this opportunity to share some love for our oceans, while also learning new skills that will help me grow even more as a leader.
Thank you to everyone who made Aquacamps so memorable and special,
Sally
AquaCamps this week was amazing! I became a lot more comfortable interacting with hyper-energetic kids over those two weeks. I learned that while it can be exhausting to deal with kids' extreme silliness, it is just their way of having fun, and I got much better at just playing along. Even though I have done AquaCamps before, I still never fail to be amazed by (and slightly jealous of) some of the kids' breadth of knowledge of marine life. I'm pretty sure I learned just as much about our oceans from the activities as the campers. I also realized that I can make a significant impression in someone else's life, and impact the way they see the world for quite some time, especially when I received a thank you card from one camper explicitly acknowledging me "expanding [his] knowledge;" best feeing ever!
The most memorable part of AquaCamps this year was talking to some of the campers and getting to know them better as a person, and I think this kind of personal interaction is really what makes a difference in someone's life. By the end of the week, we were having really interesting conversations about all kinds of things, and it also allowed me to share some of my interests as well and hopefully broaden their horizons just a bit. I learned that the most satisfying part of working with children is when a kid discovers a new topic of interest that piques their curiosity.
On the last day of camp, I told the kids to "stay curious," and my experience at AquaCamps further convinced me that this should be a value people of any age should have. If nothing else, AquaCamps certainly reminded me to do so.
Felix
Volunteering with the aquarium was very unique experience, one of my best memories was getting to play with the kids at the beach and making a giant sand village. My other best memory is being able to experience what it was like to be a child again while playing with the kids. One of the three things I've learnt this week was how to better communicate with younger children compared to before. The second thing I learnt this week was how to make more arts and crafts than before. The third thing I learnt this selection was how to properly dissect a herring. BONUS!!! The fourth thing I learnt is that squids have a donut shaped brain.
Marcus T.
Jackie Mang
Jul 19, 2020 at 12:59 PM