Yaquina Head Youth Mini Announcement.doc

Office: Northwest Oregon District, Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area Notice of Funding Opportunity Number: L24AS00057 Project Submission Dates and Times: January 19, 2024, 5pm EST

Project Title: Yaquina Head Education and Outreach Internship Maximum Available Funding in FY24: $21,880 BLM has determined $600 weekly stipend equal to $15.00 per hour is reasonable. Stipends above this amount must be justified in budget narrative.

Project Background Information: Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area, a 100-acre National Conservation Lands unit managed by the Bureau of Land Management, is located on a prominent headland just three miles north of Newport on Oregon’s scenic central coast. Nestled comfortably between the Pacific Ocean and the Coastal Range, the city of Newport offers the convenience of its larger counterparts within the relaxed atmosphere of a small town. The Yaquina Head Lighthouse, standing 93 feet tall at the westernmost point of the basalt headland, has been a beacon of light, guiding ships and their supplies along the coast since 1873. The headland is also home to thriving tidepools, migrating and resident gray whales, tens of thousands of nesting seabirds, and other marine mammals. The Interpretive Center is open daily and includes exhibits and films on lighthouse, human, and natural history.

Project Objective: The Education and Outreach Intern will assist with marine and avian wildlife, tidepool ecology, and natural history education programs, including K-12 school programs and formal interpretive walks and talks. Preparation of education programs and materials, work in the Interpretive Center, Latino engagement and outreach, and organizing a World Migratory Bird Day event will be the focus of the position. The intern will also participate in seabird breeding studies with Oregon State University.

Work Schedule: The site is open every day from 8 a.m. until sunset. The Education and Outreach Intern will work five, eight-hour days per week, which may include holidays, nights, and weekends.

Qualification Requirements: The position provides excellent career-oriented experience for anyone interested in environmental education, resource education, and natural/historic interpretation.

Applicants must have:

· Demonstrated enthusiasm and interest for working with children, park visitors, and natural and historic resources.

· Prior experience in education/interpretation or outreach.

· Interest in marine, coastal, or avian ecology.

· Interest or some experience in research monitoring and data collection.

· Ability to regularly climb and descend 134 stairs leading to the rocky intertidal area.

· Ability to walk safely on slippery, algae-covered rocks in the tidepool area.

· Ability to work well as a member of a team and independently.

· Ability to speak and write in Spanish is preferred.

Successful applicants have been recent college graduates with degrees in the fields of interpretation, education, natural resources, environmental sciences, and parks and recreation.

Housing: The BLM cannot provide housing but may be able to assist in locating housing in the area. Affordable housing may be available (based on on-going COVID-19 mitigations) at the Hatfield Marine Science Center (located 5 miles south of Yaquina Head), or a monthly housing stipend may be available.

Vehicle Needs: A personal vehicle for transportation is highly recommended and strongly encouraged. Available housing may be some distance from the work site.

Other Project Considerations:

All Supplies: The BLM will provide uniform related items (shirts/pants/hat/outerwear), as well as a backpack, first aid kit, and radio. Personal supplies are the responsibility of the intern.

Training Requirements: First Aid/CPR training may be available, if not already certified. Interpretive training provided by experienced, professional staff or certification through the National Association of Interpretation will be provided.

Travel: No travel is required as part of the internship duties.

Duties: The Education and Outreach Intern may find themselves exploring tidepools with elementary school students, answering questions about the area at the site’s interpretive center, or facilitating visitor connections to the past focusing on Oregon’s tallest lighthouse.

Approximately 4,000 students (K-12) visit Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area during the spring “field trip season,” with close to 450,000 total visitors each year. With the guidance of the Education Coordinator, and other professional staff, the intern will:

· Instruct grade-specific intertidal ecology programs for K-12 students (adaptations, zonation, biodiversity) aligned with Next Generation Science Standards.

· Assist in developing instructional materials for on-site programs and pre/post materials for classroom teachers.

· Organize a World Migratory Bird Day event onsite with interactive and educational activities and programs related to the annual theme.

· Staff the Interpretive Center information desk and provide visitor orientation to the site and local area.

· Provide interpretive contacts while roving park trails and at resource stations related to the natural and cultural history of the area.

· Provide informal interpretation to the general public focused on local wildlife (tidepool ecology, marine mammals, seabirds) using education kits and perhaps spotting scopes.

· Develop, market, and present interpretive talks/walks to visitors on topics such as tidepool ecology, marine mammals, geology, the lighthouse and more!

· Promote visitor safety and resource protection in the intertidal area.

· May create and record short interpretive videos or other products for social media channels.

· Collect and transcribe data and prepare reports on seabird reproductive studies.

· Perform administrative tasks and projects associated with park operations.

BLM’s Involvement: BLM will have substantial involvement. Yaquina Head education and interpretation professionals will work closely with the intern as they develop projects and deliver programs to students and the public. BLM staff will provide needed training in professional interpretation/environmental education theory and practice as well as tips to work in a coastal environment and in historic structures. The intern will be side by side with professional staff each day. Staff will also provide project orientation and hands-on training. BLM will have the right to intervene by modifying the project management plan, if the project is not on schedule, technical issues arise, etc. Additionally, the BLM and recipient will meet bi-monthly to discuss progress and track project outcomes, review training needs, and make decisions regarding next steps to finalize the project or move to the next phase.

BLM Program Contact:

Field PO Name: Alyssa Uhen

Field PO Phone Number: 541-574-3148

Field PO Email: auhen@blm.gov

Applicants are encouraged to refer to the full program announcement number L24AS00057 posted on Grants.gov for all program requirements and applicable terms and conditions. Recipients selected for awards will be required to adhere to those requirements should an award be made.

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