My Park Story: Andres Ridley

Andres teaching about the history of beaver trapping with a beaver pelt on a guided walk

Photo courtesy of Andres Ridley

In the past couple years, I have improved the access of critical resources to Spanish speakers who have limited English skills. During my undergraduate program at Tulane University in New Orleans, I worked at Culture Aid NOLA (a food pantry) and Luke’s House (a free medical clinic). Through those experiences, I became increasingly passionate about using Spanish as a way to increase accessibility.

Andres getting ready for butterfly transects in Valley Forge National Historical Park

Photo courtesy of Andres Ridley

I grew up in Minnesota before spending all four years of my undergraduate life in Louisiana, and I wanted to see a new part of the country. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, I decided to drive east. I was getting ready for my gap year after graduating before going to medical school, so I began looking for jobs where I could spend time outdoors, hike, and travel. I came across the National Park Service (NPS) website and stumbled upon the Latino Heritage Internship Program (LHIP) through Environment for the Americas (EFTA). I found a position that would allow me to travel and be in the outdoors as an Interpretation and Education intern at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (DEWA). After applying and obtaining the position, I quickly realized I would not be going to Delaware, but instead to the Delaware River, which forms the border between northern Pennsylvania and northern New Jersey. This opportunity has helped me spend a lot of time outside, and I have used my Spanish skills to bring accessibility to the park. At the park, I did a lot of bilingual interpretation this summer. On weekends, I spent my time at high visitation beach areas where I brought a variety of interactive activities and pop-up programs. These were made available in English and Spanish. Most of my visitor interactions at the beaches were in Spanish, so it brought me joy to be able to connect with them as a fluent Spanish speaker myself.

Andres collecting water quality samples in a tributary of the Delaware River

Photo courtesy of Andres Ridley

One of my main roles over the summer was spreading information about water safety. I spoke to dozens of visitors who did not realize the potential dangers of swimming in a river without a lifejacket. Drowning is a major concern at the park and not effectively communicating dangers can lead to injury or death. Many expressed gratitude to me for spreading those messages. The typical drowning victim in the park is a Latino male, which highlights the need to increase Spanish language communication in the park.

For my summer project, I wrote and led an interpretive program for Dingmans Creek Trail, the most popular trail in the park. My hour-long guided walk was always available in English and/or Spanish and I aimed to create lasting connections between visitors and the park’s unique natural resources. I taught visitors that beavers and eastern hemlock trees are keystone species that modify the ecosystem around them and are also changed by the surrounding environment and human impacts. For many visitors, this was the first time they had ever heard of a keystone species. After my guided walk, visitors walked away with a better understanding that ecosystems are always dynamic and interconnected.

Andres, a visitor holding a fish he caught, and Ranger Martin at a Fishing Friday program

Photo courtesy of Andres Riley

I had the chance to participate in a lot of other work during my internship as well. This included water quality testing in the middle and upper Delaware River, butterfly transect walks in the meadows of nearby Valley Forge National Historical Park, teaching visitors how to fish at Fishing Fridays, artifact rehousing at the park’s museum collection, and participating in Steamfest at Steamtown National Historic Site. There is so much to see and learn in each national park site, so it was great to see the similarities and differences.

I was grateful to have a welcoming and positive team to work with all summer long. All the park staff, and especially the Interpretation, Education and Partnerships Division, were kind and dedicated to stewardship of our public lands. My supervisors and coworkers gave me great mentorship and were always ready to answer my questions. A special moment during my summer was attending the 2024 NPS Internship Career and Leadership Workshop. This was the first time I got to meet the EFTA team, the other LHIP interns, some of the people who make National Park Service youth and young adult programs possible, and hundreds of other diverse interns involved in other internship programs. This was another great group, and I am excited to see all the great work we do in the future.

Andres Ridley and former LHIP interns Caroline, Rafael, Amelia, Jadicee, and Valeria on the steps of the Department of the Interior building in DC at the annual Career and Leadership Workshop

Photo courtesy of Andres Ridley

What is up next for me is that I plan to teach English in Spain with the North American Language and Culture Assistant Program for the school year, before continuing my education at the Tulane University School of Medicine. I plan to continue using my Spanish fluency to provide bilingual medical care. I am also interested in studying climate change, and I want to find a career at the intersection of health and the environment. This internship has shown me new opportunities for that career path, and a potential for future work in the federal government.

For now, what I am sure about is that this park, like all National Park Service parks and programs, should be accessible to everyone. Improving accessibility to Latinos and those who historically and currently have less access to public lands is essential. Providing interpretation in Spanish is a great start. I am proud of my work this summer in making my section of the National Park Service more accessible to Spanish speakers and Latinos.

Thank you to all the people at EFTA, LHIP, and the NPS Youth and Young Adult Programs office for my opportunity this summer.

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