The best teachers are lifelong students. Ellen Greenblatt brings us this Perspective.
As I saw the young man hiking towards me, I immediately noticed (how could I miss it?) a huge, perfect whale vertebra strapped to his backpack.
In my volunteer job as a Trail Rover at Point Reyes National Seashore, I rarely encounter an unhappy hiker; he was no exception. Thrilled with his whalebone, he said, “I am a science teacher and I want to teach my students about the carbon cycle.”
Most of the people I interact with as a Trail Rover also share their excitement or ask my help in identifying a flower or animal. I offer maps and carry naturalist guidebooks along with a radio and first aid kit. The patches on my shirt and cap clearly identify me as a Park volunteer.