West

Contact: Jenny Martin, Recruitment Representative, Western Region, 510.832.1966, or email Jenny

To connect with Jenny on Facebook click here

To see Internship opportunities currently available in the West, click here.

Jenny Martin was born and raised in the western United States. She grew up camping and backpacking in California, Arizona and Washington state. This gave her a passion for conservation and the great outdoors. Jenny lead a High School Crew-creating a new hiking trail in the Big South Fork NRA in Tennessee. Then she worked on a wilderness trail crew in the Chiracahua National Forrest doing erosion control and fire rehabilitation. Jenny went on to an internship as an interpretive ranger at Chaco Culture National Historic Park. With her SCA experience and training, she got a job as an assistant trail crew leader in Maine working with the Maine Appalachian Trail Club. Jenny went on to get her BA at Western Washington University, and her Masters at University of Massachusetts- both in Social Justice Education. After working in education, Jenny has joined the SCA. She has always wanted to work for the SCA, to follow her passion for connecting students and young people to work experiences that build thoughtful relationships with people, the land, ecosystems, and a positive and hopeful future. Jenny loves to travel, juggle, hike, play and work outside, and encourage hope in people.

Which National Park is your favorite?

Glacier National Park is my favorite. It has some of the most amazing peaks and rugged terrain. It takes my breath away!

How has serving with SCA influenced you?

SCA influenced my love of working with youth in the outdoors. My SCA internships at were a time when I was unsure of my major in college and it helped guide me.

How did you hear about SCA?

I found a flyer on the Wheatsville Coop Grocery store bulletin board in Austin, Texas.

What programs have you done?

I co-led a National High School Crew in the Big South Fork National River Recreation Area, in Tennessee. We had a great time working on the Gentleman’s Trail on the southern end of the park. After that, I did two Conservation Internships in a row. The first one was in the Chiracahua Wilderness in southeastern Arizona, on a backcountry trails and fire rehabilitation crew. I learned that even though I love backcountry, backpacking and hard work-I needed to have more people interaction in my work. My second internship was at Chaco Culture National Historic Park. Not only did I get more people time, I also found huge passion for cultural and community relations. My SCA experiences were the key inspiration for my BA and Masters degrees in Social Justice Education.

What is your best memory of your internship(s)?

This comes from Chaco Culture National Historic Park. It was afternoon time and there was a layer of snow on the ground outside the visitors’ center. We were open for visitors and I had already roved the trails, but it was very slow. Muriel (another SCA intern) and I sat near Ramona, Phoebe, Charlene and Bessie (all park employees) trying to learn some Navajo words. This sent everyone into peels of laughter-my Navajo was so bad! It was such a slow day, but I learned so much from my new friends, and had fallen in love with the high desert in wintertime.

What is the best advice that you can give someone who is thinking of SCA, but is not sure if it is for them?

I was very unsure when I first took my position at Chaco-I had never heard of the place, or the job title “Interpretation.” An SCA employee helped me make the decision to do that internship, and it turned out to be the best thing that happened to me! Complete an online application, and then contact me-together we can find the best internships for you!

Jenny's Spring 2010 Schedule: