Teaching, Learning, and Inspiring: Abi and Hayley’s EcoLogik Journey
Abi and Hayley are teaching youth the workshop curriculum they created. A table is covered with cards showing images of environmental topics. Several youth participants are gathered around, placing the cards along a timeline.
Science Communication and Education summer Interns Abigail J. and Hayley H. have completed their summer with the EcoLogik Institute, and reflect on their experiences as mentors and outdoor educators.
Science Communication and Education in Action:
From late May to early September, the EcoLogik Institute hosted two science communication and education interns, Abigail Johnson and Hayley Hall. Their internship involved mentoring CESAP (Conservation and Environmental Stewardship Apprenticeship Program) apprentices at Cabrillo National Monument, creating a workshop and teaching it around San Diego to local youth, practicing communicating science through existing workshops, participating in community outreach events such as STEAM fairs, and running the Science Explorer’s Club cart at the park!
Abi crouches down at a table to be at eye level with a youth participant. Together, they work on a vision board, arranging magazine cutouts that represent the changes the youth hope to see in the future.
Abi’s Experience:
Hoping to expand on interpretation and public speaking skills, this internship provided Abi with the tools to further develop those skills, as well as learn new forms of science:
“To be able to spend the summer somewhere as beautiful as Cabrillo, as well as be welcomed into a community that values education and teamwork, has been nothing short of a dream. Being a Science Communication and Education intern this summer taught me so much about how to forge strong connections both on a personal and professional level. Learning how to educate others best made me more appreciative of the things around me that I didn’t appreciate enough before. Learning about the native species and biodiversity of San Diego, which allowed me to work alongside CESAP, made it a truly rewarding experience. I was able to learn alongside them, as well as from them!
I improved my ability to communicate and speak publicly. But more importantly, I learned how to pass on the knowledge that I have gained with others in a way that- I hope- inspires stewardship of the environment around us. To be around such a strong and talented team, as well as brilliant youth who are already trailblazers in the science community, is truly rare. You don’t always get to learn in an environment that also fosters your creativity and community, but I had that this summer, thanks to the EcoLogik and Cabrillo teams. I hope to take this approach with me in the future as I pursue a career in Archaeology, because I learned that our cultural and natural resources go hand in hand, and history and science are truly intertwined. They’re both critically important fields that shape the world around us, as well as the future ahead of us. I believe that helping the next generation explore fields like this is increasingly important, and EcoLogik is a perfect example of how accessibility and encouragement provide the best possible environment for education.”
Hayley stands in front of a group of youth, leading a workshop activity. Behind her, a screen displays a slide from the curriculum she co-designed with Abi.
Hayley’s Experience:
Previously not one to speak up in public settings, this internship gave Hayley skills that will be forever useful:
“A summer internship with the reach and impact on local communities that working with the EcoLogik Institute has is extremely rare. I feel so grateful to have gotten the opportunities to teach, inspire, and learn from so many people around Cabrillo National Monument and San Diego. Every single day, there was something new for me to learn and practice, and I am a better scientist, instructor, and person because of this.
Starting with mentoring in the CESAP (Conservation and Environmental Stewardship Apprenticeship Program) and running the Science Explorer’s Club cart at Cabrillo, I then expanded to running our own workshop in the community. Through these experiences, I have become more confident in my ability to teach others about the things I am so passionate about. My biggest career goal is to create real change and find actual solutions to environmental issues such as climate change. I feel like that has already begun with my role as a Science Communication and Education intern.
Everyone, including the apprentices, felt like mentors to me, and I learned a lot about myself, how I want to make an impact on the world, and how important it is to be on a wonderful team like this one.”
Where They’re Headed Next:
Abi and Hayley completed their internship on September 5th, 2025, and are moving to the following stages of their careers! Abi will be continuing to mix social and environmental sciences through interpretation and participatory activities, and plans to attend an Archaeological field school in the near future. Hayley has one year left of Marine Biology undergraduate studies at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego. She wants to continue doing work that makes science accessible to the public. Aside from taking the next steps in their careers, both are planning to return to EcoLogik Institute and Cabrillo National Monument as volunteers- interested in the tidepools, shore birds, and historical resources around the park. They aim to come back soon to continue promoting conservation and stewardship of our environment!
Abi and Hayley stand beside CESAP apprentices at the tidepools of Cabrillo National Monument. The group faces the camera with the ocean and rocky shoreline visible in the background.
About the authors:
Abi J. and Hayley H. are excited to bring their enthusiasm for science, conservation, and environmental education to change the world around them. Through EcoLogik’s opportunities and the guidance of inspiring female mentors, they are eager to share their knowledge with the next generation of young scientists.
