- Ben

The Intern from Minnesota
by Ben Hendler

         What would you call a person whose job is to work at a National or State Park?  Well, the answer to that would be somebody who went to college for Outdoor Recreation and Education. Derrick Denison is one man with that particular degree.
         Twenty-four year old Derrick is currently volunteering at the Independence Mines State Park. He is working on an internship for his college degree. “There is a very wide array of things you can do with that degree,” Derrick said. “One of them is working at a State park or National Park. Another possibility would be to do some sort of adventure education. If I wanted to be a canoeing guide or something like that or kayaking guide or mountaineering, things like that.” Derrick went to college in Minnesota at the University of Minnesota.
         Derrick has only been living in Alaska for about a month. He lives in a house right up next to the Independence Mines State Park. For his internship Derrick has to do many different tasks. “Basically what my tasks include, all of us volunteer together to run the park, we run the cash register, we do tours, we walk around and answer questions, we clean up the garbage cans, we clean the latrines, we do just about everything,” he said. Talk about a big responsibility for an internship; running a state park.
         One of Derrick’s more unusual experiences that took place within his first month here in Alaska is about one of his neighbors. “Down at the Hatcher Pass Lodge, there’s this guy, he owns the place. His name is Hap. The first week we [Interns] were here he calls us up and says ‘Hey, you got any eggs? I’m completely out; I have twelve customers and no eggs. Do you have a dozen eggs?’ So he came up here and borrowed a dozen eggs from us, and eventually he returned them. So it was kind of a neat neighborly experience,” Derrick said.
          Derrick will be staying at Hatcher Pass until September. Derrick knew he wanted to come to Alaska, but the way he got here is a little bit unsual. “Well, my professor actually gave me the idea. I had to decide what I wanted to do for my internship and apply for it. I sat down with him and said, ‘I honestly have no idea what I want do for it.’ And he said, ‘okay.’ Then he asked me where I have always wanted to go. Then I said that I’ve always wanted to go to Alaska. My professor said ‘stop right there.’ He said he had an opportunity for me. My professor has a connection with our boss,” Derrick said. Had Derrick’s professor not had a connection, Derrick never would have even gotten a chance to work at the Independence Mines State Park.
         Derrick s loves Alaska, even though he hasn’t really gotten the chance to explore. “I’ve mostly been exploring the Palmer and Wasilla area for now. I don’t have a car up here, so I’m limited by my friends’ cars,” Derrick said. After he is done with school, Alaska is a place he would want to live. “The longer I ‘ve stayed up here, the more I’ve fallen in love with it,” said Derrick. Even though Derrick will be leaving Alaska in September, he may be coming back soon, maybe even to live here.  Derrick loves Alaska. No matter where Derrick’s travels may take him, Alaska will always have a place in his heart.