MIKAILEIGH S BAKER
Promotional and Published Work
These four PDFs are from my summer 2016 internship with Berks Nature. I recreated the EITC Mailing, both flyer's I created for them to use in the future, and the News in Nature newsletter features an article I wrote on page 7 about Best Management Practices.
The first two articles featured here were published in The Alvernian, Alvernia University's school newspaper, while the last one I just wrote.
Personality Profile
The Calming of Nature
Traveling and sustainability. How do these two very different terms work together? With Robert J. Waller, they worked hand in hand to get him where he is today and doing something he thought he never would be doing. Alvernia University may not have been his first or only home but it has made a large impact on Wallers’ way of life and thinking.
During his active duty, Waller did not have a support system and only had his ex-girlfriend, at the time. The idea of a nonprofit came when he thought he was going to become homeless. These circumstances led to him using all of his money for schooling. Alvernia is where he eventually landed, as well as, where several doors of opportunity would open for young Waller.
When asked what his story is for getting into sustainability “because then we are not depleting our resources and it could be used to sustain a business,” Waller said. He is not sure what business he would like to get into but did say, with a bit of laughter, opening a bar and a pizzeria has come across his mind. Opening a nonprofit that would help homeless veterans readjust back into society was another option of his.
Waller, a senior, is an accounting and marketing dual major with a minor in sustainability. He chose accounting because he is interested in how money works while he chose marketing because he does not favor commercials. He started doing research on them and became interested in the market research aspect. Although sustainability is a minor, it has more meaning to him than a minor would to others.
While attending Alvernia, endless possibilities and doors have opened for him. Along with the many opportunities, there have been organizations that have shaped the sustainability mindset. “Berks Nature, formerly known as Berks Conservancy, I was recommended to and then started working with them,” Waller explains. Bog Turtle Creek Farm, where he currently works, is what has helped expand his knowledge of the sustainability methods while being hands-on and outdoors.
“The unique strengths and expertise that Rob has brought to the Bog Turtle Creek Farm project have grown and changed just as he has during his four years at Alvernia. As he moved through the sustainability minor and participated in related events and activities, his increased knowledge and interest in sustainability is reflected in his passion for and commitment to Bog Turtle Creek Farm,” Alicia Sprow, Sustainability Initiatives Coordinator, commented.
Alvernia is an interesting place and has “opened doors to doing things I have never done before,” Waller continues “I never thought I would be wanting to open a non-profit.”
Sustainability has had an impact on his lifestyle and he has become healthier in his quality of life. This helps sustain resources, as well. He comments that many people in society fill themselves with products and money to fulfill the void. Waller comments that he likes fishing and being outdoors so he can get away from people and escape society. Being able to do so makes him feel like he is free and does not have the societal pressure that occurs every day.
‘Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is you-er than you!’ Quoting Dr. Seuss. “You know that I am talking to you,” Waller adds.
Alvernian Story
Floating Island at Angelica Park
Exciting things are happening at our backdoor. One project, on the smaller scale, is a set of floating islands that were installed in the pond located at Angelica Park; floating treatment wetlands (FTW). These FTW do a variety of protections for the environment. They not only serve as another habitat but they clean the water as well.
The primary cleaning mechanisms are microbes, which also break down excess nutrients. To do their job, the floating island is made of a particular material that makes it perfect for the bacteria to do this in a large force. “In a lake or reservoir setting, the conversion of nutrients to periphyton initiates the food chain and contributes to insect and fish growth, which are the hallmark of a healthy and productive ecosystem,” Floating Island International’s website explains. http://www.floatingislandinternational.com/products/biohaven-technology/
The island acts as a coolant to the water by providing shade. While providing shade it keeps particular weeds under control but blocking the light, they need to grow.
“This is the first (floating island) that Berks Nature has been involved with in Berks County,” said Tami J. Shimp, Berks Nature’s vice president of development and community relations. “In addition to the wetlands filtering the stormwater runoff at Angelica Park, this will assist in helping to clean the water before it gets into Angelica Creek and eventually into the Schuylkill River Watershed.”
The pond within Angelica flows into the Schuylkill River. It collects stormwater runoff and other potential pollutants, which can be harmful depending on what it collects as it rolls down into the pond then flows into the larger river that many members of the community use. The set of FTW were made into one larger island and then anchored in the middle of the pond to start filtering the runoff and pollutants.
“We couldn't have done this without the project spearhead, our own Larry Lloyd, Berks Nature's senior ecologist; along with Berks Nature's Michael Griffith, and our dedicated volunteers, including Angelica Creek Watershed Association and Berks Nature Ambassadors,” Berks Nature said in their Newsletter this month. “They spent the morning planting native plants into the islands, before using kayaks to anchor and install it in the middle of the pond.”
This is a new and exciting edition to the park. Along with the construction of their new building, The Nature Place. The Nature Place will add to the amount of education they can do at the park. It will hopefully bring more local and non-local community members to the park to learn about nature while enjoying the beauty it has to offer as well. Angelica offers a bike trail, disc golf, picnic areas, and so much more.
Go and enjoy what is in your backyard. Explore the community and you may find some new and exciting things that you may not have been noticed before. To learn more about the floating island, The Nature Place, or how to get involved with protecting nature (or exploring it) visit http://www.berksnature.org/.
Lit Fest Series Article
Orphan Train
Christina Baker Kline, author of #1 New York Times bestseller Orphan Train, visited Alvernia University’s campus Wednesday night. The event was held in Francis Hall Theater which started at 6:30 p.m. During her visit she talked about her book and what it entailed during the writing process, as well as, what she learned and who she was able to meet. She took questions at the end as well as signed books in the lobby for those who attended the event.
Klines’ book was on the bestseller list for five weeks and for over a year in the top five. Orphan Train was also on USA Today’s top 100 list for over 100 weeks. She had started the research and the writing of her book about four years ago. Orphan Train, she told the audience, is being made into a movie, as well. The story behind the book as to how it started is an unusual one.
It began when her family was visiting family in Jamestown, ND. Her son, Hayden, found a book from 1885 on the shelf. One article within the book was about her ancestors while other articles mentioned a couple of them. This was the first Kline had ever heard of the orphan train.
While doing research for the book, Kline was able to meet 11 riders and interviewed seven of them at length. She was asked about the research process, by an audience member, during the question and answer period of the talk. Kline responded by saying that this was her first time doing research like this explaining that there was ‘a ton and accuracy was key’ during the process.
The orphan train was a labor program that ran for 75 years, 1853-1929, from east coast to the Midwest. A quarter of a million children (homeless) who were ages 2- 14 were put on the trains. They were in the program until the ages of 18-21. Their pasts were completely erased and they were chosen by whichever family wanted them. As this was before the end slavery, there were no African-Americans on the trains because they would most likely be enslaved by the families.
“These children are of varying ages and sexes, having been thrown friendless upon the world…” one poster stated advertising the need for families to take the children off of the orphan train. The birth certificates were altered, destroyed, and locked away as a result of trying to erase the children’s’ past. The children themselves had no idea what was happening and were told to never speak of what happened to them.
As a result, many years later, the descendants are unlocking the truth of their ancestors by attending conferences that the train riders started. There are only a few riders still alive so the conferences are important more than ever. The conferences have broken the silence.