Emily's Interviews
Cathy Cline
When Cathy Cline was growing up in Florida she had many exotic animals, including two monkeys, a flying squirrel, iguanas, and snakes. She has always had a love of animals, even at a young age. Cathy first became interested in her current field of work at the Bear Creek Weir in her home state of Florida.
Cathy went to college in Florida and took many science classes. She came to Alaska because Florida did not have enough wildlife for her. She applied to Cook Inlet Aqua culture in Alaska in June. When she came to Alaska she was planning to eventually move somewhere warmer for her job, but she loved Alaska too much to move.
Cathy started her job at the Bear Creek Weir eleven years ago. Cathy said, "I could not see myself being anywhere else now." Cathy's overall favorite part about her job is smolt. Smolt is sending the young salmon to the ocean. A tote is a place where the fish die for food. Seeing the fish get put into the tote is one of the hardest things for her to do because she gets attached to the fish. Even though Cathy's job is seasonal she still loves it very much!
When Cathy talks about the hundreds and thousands of fish her eyes start to light up! Cathy said many times, "I love my job!"
Jen McLean
When I first saw Jen McLean wearing a great big hat, which looked like blonde hair with the numbers nine and fourteen taped onto the sides, I instantly thought, how odd. But when I started talking to Jen, I realized that she is one of the most interesting people I have ever met.
Jen has something really interesting to do over the summer; she is a host for two of the players on the Panner's baseball team, numbers nine and fourteen, who are both from different places in the United States. Jen said, "I love being a host, I love my boys."
Jen's dad is from Ottawa, Michigan but he moved to Alaska when he was just fifteen years old. He now makes airplanes for fun. Her mom is from a little village in Alaska. When I asked where Jen where she was from, she jokingly said, "my mom" but then she said, "Fairbanks, Alaska." Jen had a great sense of humor while being interviewed. Jen works for a Yukon school district. She said that she loves kids and everything to do with them.
Jen also loves environmental things. Jen built the house that she lives in now. She also hunts moose and catches fish to feed her family. Jen started fishing when she was fourteen years old and she has loved it ever sense.
Jen McLean loves to teach young people about all the different cultural groups in Alaska. This is something that Jen wants to do for the rest of her life, keeping all the different Native American tribes alive.