Tuesday, April 27, 2010 by Eugene.

This week, Jimmy has his first student group to lead in our outdoor education program. At the onset of the 2010 season, Jimmy’s new position includes functioning as a program specialist, joining Anna, Joel and I in leading educational workshops. His campers are a group of seniors from Coachella Valley High School. They are having a great time with him, and he is doing a great job engaging their attention and introducing them to the marine environment and the island itself.

Program specialists play a critical role in The Catalina Experience. They must attend to a group of students, sent here by their school to participate in an educational program, from the early morning hours before breakfast to the time when they are sent off to bed for the night. They are responsible for the campers’ safety, their camp orientation, first aid, entertainment and, of course, their on-site education. The program consists of at least one morning workshop, two afternoon workshops or activity sessions, and at least one evening session. Jimmy’s own desire to learn and grow makes him particularly well suited to lead student programs at Whites Landing.

Next week, he will be faced with a group of 6th grade students. Good luck, Jimmy!

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Monday, April 12, 2010 by Eugene.

Ken “Malibu” Keldsen created a very cool 9-hole chipping golf game for the Cerritos Bahia Yacht Club’s annual April cruise to Whites Landing. The club members had a very nice time on the ingenious course. On Sunday, some of the staff and I tried it out for ourselves. We liked it so much, we played 18 holes!

Each hole but the last one is a par-3, and the “hole” is more of a hula-hoop sized painted ring into which you need to pitch the ball. The “holes” are marked with a bison-shaped sign for a flag. We’ll keep the course for our adult visitors, and we’ll add frisbee golf for the youth campers. All we need now is a greens-keeper! (Malibu?)

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Monday, April 12, 2010 by Eugene.

Michelle is back with us and she brought her awesome little baby Morgan with her! She’ll be on leave for a few more weeks, but we are happy to see mommy and baby adapting to rustic island life.

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