When most little girls are growing up, they love nothing more than to play with dolls, wear pretty bowties in their hair and raid their mothers’ closet to try on a pair of heels to look just like mom. However, as a little girl, Erin Huggin says she had more important things to do.
      I met Erin at the Portage Glacier Visitors center where she is a Park Ranger. The reason I picked Erin to interview is because she looked like she was happy to be where she was and she seemed like she loved her job. As I started to interview Erin, I found out a lot about her and her childhood and how she felt about being a Park Ranger.
      Erin grew up in Lena, Illinois where she had a “wonderful childhood”. Like many other kids she loved to play outdoors, except she was a little different. Erin says “while other little girls were playing dress up, I was outside digging around in the dirt and being nerdy.” Little did Erin know that her little childhood hobby would soon turn into her profession some day.
      When Erin grew up and started to get tired of the small-town life, she decided it was time to go off to college and be on her own. She decided to go to Western Illinois to study something that has to do with the environment. After her years in college she decided to become a Park Ranger because she wanted to teach others about the environment. Erin has been to many different states being a Park Ranger. Now she is in Alaska for a short amount of time -but long enough to already love every little thing about it. When I asked Erin what her favorite thing about her job she said “I love getting paid for something that I love doing. While all friends are sitting at a desk, Iget to be outside and doing something I actually like.’ She also said that she loves to teach children about the environment and she likes to take them out in the wilderness to show them what nature is really all about.
      When I asked Erin if anyone ever got in the way or doubted her dream she said “No, everyone was pretty much supportive to what I wanted to do with my career and I’m very thankful for that.” Ever since Erin was little she has always dreamed of working in the environment and when her family was 100% behind her it pushed her that much further to succeed in her dream.
      Erin not only likes what she does but she has a passion for what she does. When you have a passion for something, you can accomplish anything, especially when you have your friends and family behind you.