As
students
dive
into
exciting
2019
summer
internships,
May
graduate
Julie
Simmons
'19
looks
back
on
her
adventure
last
summer
as
a
historic
restoration
intern
at
Sitka
Fine
Arts
Camp
in
Sitka,
Alaska.
During
July
and
August
of
2018,
Simmons
joined
a
team
of
other
college
students
from
around
the
country
for
the
experience
of
a
lifetime
restoring
buildings
within
the
Sheldon
Jackson
School
National
Historic
Landmark
and
experiencing
the
history,
culture
and
environment
of
Sitka.
An English major and history and web programming minor, Simmons was drawn to the internship because of her passion for history and past experiences with historical interpretation. Restoring a site, however, was a new and revelatory experience.
"Over the process of restoring a historical site, it becomes more apparent than ever just how real the past was," shared Simmons, "and just how critical it still is to our present.
"You get very up close with the good, the bad, the ugly and the incredible of a historic location in a way you can't just by reading or talking about it, or even from just casually visiting it."
Simmons
and
her
fellow
interns
had
three
days
off
each
weekend,
during
which
they
soaked
in
Sitka
culture,
went
on
adventures
-
such
as
hiking
or
canoeing
-
and
learned
more
about
the
rich
history
and
ecology
of
the
area.
One of Simmons' favorite experiences was the internship team's volunteer work for an open water swim race fundraiser. Simmons served as kayak support for two training excursions and the actual race.
"The sense of camaraderie among the volunteers, the main event staff, the swimmers and the local community was incredible," Simmons shared. "There was a beautiful moment of community and an instant sense of belonging there that I will never forget."
Through
the
internship,
Simmons
had
the
opportunity
to
learn
about
best
restoration
practices,
historic
architecture,
construction
site
safety,
and
the
local
history
and
environment
of
Sitka.
The
experience
also
helped
Simmons
to
learn
more
about
herself
and
her
ability
to
take
on
any
new
adventure.
"I learned just how capable I am of learning and of pushing beyond what I thought my limitations were," Simmons explained. "I realized that, through my education at BW, I hadn't just been learning facts and figures and purely academic skills. I'd been learning how to learn and how to work my way through any challenge I encountered and make it something amazing on the other side."
