Soren Maxfield-Sawada

This summer camp takes place on Catalina Island. The island, on its own, is a very rich and diverse ecosystem. My role as a skin diver required me to take groups of up to 10 children, ages 8 to 16, on dives through local ecosystems, like the sandy sea floor and kelp forest. This required me to ease even the most uncomfortable children into the water. Not only did I get them into the water, but I also inspired wonder and curiosity with my vast knowledge of ecology and marine biology. Besides these specifics, being a staff member at Catalina Island Camps also required me to take care of a cabin of eight or more children. Meaning I was on the clock 24/7 for meal times, activity preparation, and even staying alert and responsive throughout the night. Despite my rigorous schedule, I left Catalina Island with a selection of honed skills, such as:

• working with diversity
• being responsive under intensity
• leading groups
• organizing unity among strangers
• 24/7 adaptability
• effective communication
• teaching
• resolving conflict
• keeping calm in even the toughest situations.

My work as a guide volunteer has given me the chance to be as personable as possible. I have currently invested about 100 hours of my time into the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and I feel that none of it is wasted. The role itself requires me to rotate between areas around the aquarium. Each of these areas has different needs and expanses of information. Some are more true to the title of guide volunteer. Meaning that I guide guests around the aquarium, and relay important information. Other areas give me the chance to educate and inspire wonder in aquarium guests. Volunteering at the aquarium also gives me the chance to work with a variety of animals, letting me practice a level of responsiveness and care that maintains even the most sensitive marine organisms. Through this role, I feel that I have effectively picked up and honed skills such as:

• building teamwork among other staff
• exploring and suggesting ideas for workplace improvement
• public speaking
• elevating other staff
• sharing knowledge
• working with new staff
• directing patrons
• effective communication.

Lifeguarding in Seal Beach requires you to be vigilant and responsive. My role needed me to be accessible and personable to guests of all needs and backgrounds. I worked flexibly and was easily adaptable to things like schedule changes and water emergencies. Through this job, I picked up a lot of skills, including but not limited to:

• organizing a diverse team
• cooperating under intensity
• effectively communicating water safety
• managing large groups
• dealing with upset or uncomfortable patrons
• creating a productive workspace for my team

Being a lifeguard also gave me the opportunity to instruct swim lessons. This meant that, on top of my job as a lifeguard, I was also working on my communicability with children. Helping me build a brighter sense of self that even children can trust when dealing with something as uncomfortable and new as learning how to swim.

Being an education volunteer at the Aquarium of the Pacific required me to be open and responsive to all types of aquarium guests. Leading tours, public speaking, and maintaining aquarium safety made my role as a volunteer impactful not just in the workplace, but in the community as a whole. I am responsible for volunteering over 370 total hours. These hours mark my involvement in the aquarium's education program. The education program can be divided into a multitude of sub-programs, but I am most involved with environmental education and youth education. As an environmental educator, it is my responsibility to publicly speak and interpret aquarium exhibits in a way that teaches the public about the environment. My speeches include topics such as marine biology, oceanography, ecology, aspects of microbiology, and global conservation. I find it my duty to communicate these lessons in a perspective that allows guests to leave the aquarium with a greater awareness of both the environment and our responsibility to protect it. As for the youth programs, they are separated by the different seasons, and can host up to 200 young volunteers each session. I lead and teach volunteers as young as 13 about similar topics included in my public lessons. These programs prepare aspiring youths with skills such as public speaking, leadership, and important communication skills that they would not hone within the classroom. It is my responsibility and pride to guide future generations along a path that will lead to a society of strong, critical, and limitless minds.