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Dr. Martin Luther King said "all labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance." SCA members, alumni, staff and volunteers stayed true to that message on MLK Day. On Monday, January 16th hundreds of SCA members and volunteers across the country got together to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr day through acts of service.

MLK events were held in DC, Philly, Houston, the Bay area, Manchester, NH and many other locations. Check out videos and photos from SCA's.

An SCA Philly crew leader on MLK day in Valley Forge, Pa.

Update: these specific positions have been filled, but we have many more internship openings available in biology, ecology, energy and water conservation, and many more!

From training sled dogs in Denali to taking moonlit walks on the beach with baby sea turtles, these are our Top Ten Awesome Internships of 2012. So spend a minute or two day dreaming – and then send in your application, ‘cause these positions won’t stay open for long…

10. As a Desert Tortoise Ecology Research Intern, you will work on research projects investigating desert tortoise ecology, physiology, and disease dynamics with scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey. You’ll be completing field work in the unique ecosystem of the Mojave Desert. Need more adventure in your life? You’ll also have training opportunities in venomous snake identification and desert survival skills.

9. Spend the summer on beautiful Fire Island National Seashore, a 32-mile-long barrier island off the south shore of Long Island, New York. The Wildlife Management Intern on Fire Island will protect the endangered shorebirds that nest on the island’s beaches. With many aquatic and terrestrial plants and animals that rely on the island as their habitat, you’ll be safeguarding an important ecosystem and educating the public about the endangered species on their local beaches.

8. The Sled Dog Kennels Intern at Denali National Park will assist in the care of 30 Alaskan Husky sled dogs, including feeding, cleaning, grooming, and training adults and puppies and monitoring their general health. Want to gain marketable skills while you’re playing with puppies in Alaska? You will also present sled dog demonstrations, educate visitors about the history of dogs in the park and what it means to be a sled dog, collect National Weather Service data, and maintain equipment and grounds.

Photo credit: NPS Denali National Park. http://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/kennels-gallery.htm

7. Wanted: Adventurous teacher who values new cultural experiences to teach environmental education programs to Inupiaq Eskimo Children in Western Arctic National Parklands, Alaska. As an Environmental Education Intern, you will create craft and story programs for Junior Ranger classes about the natural and cultural history of the park. Yearning for your days as a camp counselor? You’ll also participate in a camp for native children in remote areas.

6. Grab a cup of coffee and your favorite abacus and apply to be an Amphibian Monitor Intern at Cape Cod National Seashore. You will monitor amphibians through egg mass counts and night-time call counts in various habitats throughout the park. You will also gain experience in a variety of resource management activities, like natural resource inventories and monitoring, providing field support to scientists, and assisting with the trials and implementation of new monitoring protocols.

5. Are you a Civil War buff with a talent for graphic design? As a Media Intern at Manassas National Bicentennial Park you will work on projects related to the 150th Anniversary of the American Civil War. Get ready to sharpen your skills in social media, online communications, writing, graphic design, research and photography as you help the National Park Service educate the general public about the history of the Civil War. You’ll have access to primary historical resources to help you on your quest, and you’ll get to participate in special events too.

4. Do you live in the Virgin Islands? And are you interested in working with sea turtles? Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge is looking for some local conservationists to work as Outreach/Education and Biological Interns. You will work on nighttime sea turtle monitoring, and nighttime youth and community education programs to learn about nesting sea turtles. You might also conduct hourly foot patrols of the 4.6 km refuge beach area and learn about nest management.

Don’t live in the Virgin Islands? We don’t either. But you can search for local internships near you and make a difference in your community this year!

3. A love of food and sustainability is a must for the ARAMARK Sustainability Education and Awareness Intern at Johns Hopkins University. You will work with campus dining to develop eco-friendly dining solutions and promote more sustainable food choices. You’ll get on-the-job training as well as a training and orientation at ARAMARK headquarters.

2. Another ARAMARK internship that you’ll love is the Energy and Water Conservation Internshipat University of Philadelphia’s Steinberg Conference Center. You’ll research and analyze the impact of current energy and water conservation programs while engaging and educating the campus community to conserve resources. You’ll get real-world experience working in the corporate world and learning to integrate environmental sustainability into business operations.

1. Always wanted to live in Yosemite National Park? Considering a career with the National Park Service? You could be the Little Yosemite Valley Backcountry Ranger Intern. You’ll assist Rangers with day to day operations in Little Yosemite Valley. You’ll be on the ground working to prevent Search and Rescue incidents through visitor education, protecting the public, and protecting park resources. If you’re ready to spend your days hiking, responding to emergency incidents, and monitoring wildlife, you’ve come to the right place.

Feeling inspired? You can find even more awesome internships on SCA’s website. We’re adding new positions every day, so check back often!

If you’re one of the thousands of youth looking for a summer job, you may be in luck.

At the recent White House Summer Jobs Summit, President Obama called on businesses, nonprofits and government to join in creating nearly 180,000 youth summer employment opportunities including jobs, internships and career training positions.

SCA President Dale Penny was at the White House, the only invited rep from a national conservation organization, and he reported that Assistant Secretary of the Interior David Hayes noted “The Department of the Interior provided over 12,500 jobs and internships for young people on America’s public lands last summer and we are proud to work with the Student Conservation Association in these programs.”

SCA accounted for up to a quarter of those DOI positions, and we anticipate even more service opportunities will be available this summer. Of course, the competition to fill them will grow as well. As one State University of New York student told summit attendees during a panel discussion: “We don’t want your pity or a hand-out. We only need a chance.”

Here’s an overview of the youth employment opportunities that will be offered through the Summer Jobs + Initiative:

• Learn and Earn: Provide jobs for the summer of 2012 in the form of paid internships and/or permanent positions that provide on-the-job training. Of the roughly 180,000 job commitments announced more than 70,000 are Learn and Earn commitments.
• Life Skills: Provide work-related soft skills, such as communication, time management and teamwork, through coursework and/or experience.This includes resume writing or interview workshops and mentorship programs.
• Work Skills: Provide insight into the world of work to prepare for employment. This includes job shadow days and internships.More information about this initiative can be found at http://www.dol.gov/summerjobs/.

Click here to review and apply for SCA summer internships and crews or learn more about the White House Summer Jobs+ Initiative.

In early March the White House is planning to launch a one-stop search tool for youth to access the postings from any participating employers. Be on the look out for the Summer Jobs+ Bank.

If you are an undergraduate or graduate student of color and you’re looking for an exciting career opportunity, then look no further than the National Park Service Academy.

The Academy is a joint program between SCA and the National Park Service designed to introduce diverse students from across the country to career opportunities with the National Parks. Its goal is to build a 21st Century workforce for America's national parks: highly motivated, contemporarily skilled, and ethnically diverse.

Check out this video from last year’s NPS Academy orientation at Grand Teton National park and see how excited students became about new career opportunities in the great outdoors.

To achieve the NPS Academy goals, the program has three phases.

Phase 1: Academy Launch and Orientation, Spring Break 2012. Students begin their journey into the US National Park Service with a week-long, insider's view into how our natural lands are managed. This year’s orientation locations include Grand Teton National Park, during the week of March 5th, and the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, during the week of March 12th.

Phase 2: Summer Internship, Summer 2012. Students will gain hands-on conservation experience by serving in a 12-week paid summer internship focusing on issues ranging from environmental education, resource conservation, volunteer coordination, trail maintenance, research, and others.

Phase 3: Outreach, Fall 2012. Finally, participants serve as Academy Ambassadors by reaching out to fellow students on their campuses about their experience.

For more information on the NPS Academy or to apply, check out the Academy webpage. Through SCA, you can be a part of the next generation of National Park Service employees.

The best ideas are often inspired by nature. Mine came to me while I served as an SCA intern at Yosemite. Watch a video that shares my story of conservation and leadership.

SCA enabled me to understand the connection between myself and my impact on the land. And I gained the skills and confidence I needed to not only change my behaviors but help others change theirs. Please help give the same opportunity to other young people by making a gift to SCA at www.thesca.org/empower.

- Jeff Chen, '06 Yosemite

Show your support! - www.thesca.org/empower