The name is Eben (like Ebenezer minus the ezer). I was born in Nashua New Hampshire and grew up in the middle east… of Massachusetts. I just recently turned 19 and I am entering my second year at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst as a Civil and Environmental Engineering major. Some of you may ask, “Eben, what is an engineering guy like you doing trail work in the White Mountains. Well, mystery persons, I have some news for you.
Firstly, I got to experience the outdoors at a young age. Growing up I got involved in scouting. I spent many weekends learning about and experiencing the local wildlife. On my summers I was fortunate enough to travel to various areas with breathtaking wilderness such as Lake Winnipesaukee, Cape Cod, and northern Ontario. This past summer I spent working for the Youth Conservation Corps with the US Fish and Wildlife. It was there that I was introduced to the basics of conservation and trail work. Throughout my life my love for the outdoors has been growing and better preparing me for a summer with the SCA.
Secondly, engineering and trail work are much more similar than they may seem. Although one requires calculus while the other requires an axe, they both have their origins in surveying. This summer with TrACS we will be collecting data of land features across the White Mountains. The experience I will gail from this summer is directly applicable to the field of engineering.
Most importantly this summer I will not be working a cash register or the front desk of a library like so many of my friends. This summer the White Mountains is my work space. How many people can say that?
