Support our Summer Programs!

This week, former summer intern Alex Young writes a guest post for you! Please make a donation today so we can continue to give students an amazing experience, all while working to restore the beautiful Cornwallis (Jijuktu’kwejk) River! Click on the “Make a Donation” button on the right!

Hello there, my name is Alex Young. I am a former summer student of the Jijuktu’kwejk Watershed Alliance (2017). Working for the JWA was one of the greatest experiences I have ever had. My colleagues and I were offered great flexibility and were given our own initiative that summer. There was a lot of trust, but also an open line of communication between the students and Jennifer West, our coordinator. The job itself consisted of mostly field work, but with some office work as well. Fortunately, we had a fair amount of choice when it came to time to choose which days to do which task. There were many different outdoor activities over the summer. There was plenty of hiking along the riverbanks, and we also learned how to canoe, and took a few trips down the river ourselves. We consulted with experts and got the public engaged with restoring the Jijuktu’kwejk Watershed to a usable, swimmable, fishable river. We also collected as much information as we could on the watershed over the summer, which ultimately made a difference in figuring out how to best restore the river for future generations. I became so invested in the project, that I continued with research into the academic year to try to discover the cause of high levels of E. coli in some areas of the river. I was able to give the JWA data on the levels of E. coli throughout over the seasons. It felt amazing to be able to make a such a difference. Overall, working for the Jijuktu’kwejk Watershed Alliance was an extraordinary experience, and a fine choice for a summer job!