Ronit is the San Diego Zoo’s 2007 Arctic Ambassador. She and other teens from around the world are in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, to partipate in Polar Bears International’s Polar Bear Leadership Camp. Read her previous blog, Polar Bear Ambassadors in Helicopters!

Hello, for the last time, from the tundra,

Last night was our final night on the tundra, so we said goodbye with a bang. My group was once again in charge of dinner so, in our efforts to be conservationists, we raided the refrigerator and hosted a “Farewell to the Tundra” leftovers soirée. It was a pleasant evening: ambassadors and facilitators mulled around sipping orange juice and pop while munching on appetizer-sized bites of leftover hamburger, hot dog, lunch meats, veggies, burritos, and more. Then of course, for dessert we polished off three different flavors of ice cream, a plate of cookies, and leftover breakfast pastries. It was a sight to be seen! Meanwhile, a slideshow of everyone’s pictures, collectively taken during the trip, played on the wall. As giggles and gales of laughter were issued at our captured antics and sighs of awe were emitted at the stunning photos of polar bears and northern lights, we spent the night together singing, laughing, and making memories.

Every morning our valiant leader, Robert Buchanan, woke us with a rousing round of “Oh, What A Beautiful Morning” from the musical, Oklahoma. This morning, however, we (the student ambassadors) decided we were going to turn the tables on the man we have grown to love despite his wake-up duties. At five this morning, I aroused all the girls in the bunkhouse and we silently traipsed into the boys’ bunks to wake them. Together we huddled around Robert’s bunk and bellowed to his infamous tune: “I hate to get up in the morning/ I hate to get out of bed/ I hate to get up in the morning/ I’d rather just sleep instead!” “Good morning, Robert!” He laughed and complimented our leadership in executing our prank, before all of us headed back to bed to catch a few more zzzzzzz’s before the seven o’clock rendition of Oh, What A Beautiful Morning.”

Once again, we awoke to the sound of rain on the tundra, but by nine o’clock the temperature had dropped significantly and the droplets had changed to fluffy white snowflakes that blanketed the ground. We all were very excited to finally capture the coveted picture of a white polar bear in the first snow of winter. Although the snow was a definite distraction, we managed to focus on our morning’s task. Because each of us (students) came to Polar Bears International Leadership Camp to prepare for our return home as Arctic ambassadors, we each created an action plan for our communities back home.

My action plan includes activities that I hope to facilitate in schools and other organizations in San Diego. I also hope to initiate new programs in my city. The activities I want to lead include an Eco-Day at local elementary/middle schools that will engage students and their families in a carnival including food, fun, and eco-friendly, educational activities that demonstrate the benefits of an eco-friendly lifestyle. This is a program I hope to organize by the end of the school year. I plan to engage my high school’s Eco-Club to assist me in this endeavor.

Additionally, other ambassadors suggested several programs that I hope will create future tradition in my community, including:
- Green Line” fashion show that promotes the style of eco-friendly clothes
- “Power Down for Polar Bears,” a day where my school/community would turn off all electricity to conserve energy
- Climate Change Leadership Summit to inspire, inform, and empower concerned teenagers on global climate issues

Finally, throughout this trip I have toted Aurora, a stuffed penguin. I have snapped pictures of Aurora doing everything I have done on this trip. I am planning to write a children’s story about Aurora’s travels in the Arctic to inform youngsters about what they can do to help the cause, using Aurora, the “traveling penguin,” as my emissary to their age group. I also hope to visit Antarctica someday, so that will be Aurora’s “homecoming.” Maybe there is a whole line of children’s books in the works!

Through my experiences over the past two weeks, I have acquired so many leadership skills from my fellow ambassadors and from the scientists and teachers who have facilitated the camp. Everyone brought a different skill to the camp. Tomorrow, when we depart the tundra, we will retain and bring home a part of each other that will contribute to our work as Arctic Ambassadors. I realize, more than ever, the power and obligation I have to INSPIRE, INFORM, and EMPOWER my peers, my community, and my world toward the goal of acknowledging and addressing the issues of global climate change.

From the last day on the tundra,
Ronit

Posted in Bear Awareness, Conservation, Default, Field Studies, General, Polar Bears, The Zoo Journal | Link to this post

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Scroll to the end to leave a comment. Pinging is not allowed.