Chelsea's story

Being a high school intern has been a wonderful experience so far. I love working with the animals. I even still enjoy the baby alligators, even though one peed on me. They're just cute to me, almost like real babies.

I am very excited for our camping trip to Botany Island. I can't wait to enjoy what the outdoor experience has to offer. I am hoping to see some baby sea turtles. Also, all the interns are finally going to be all together again. I know we are going to have a blast!

-Chelsea Hagan

Aurielle's stories

Well, it's the middle of July and I'm sad! The summer is almost over and that means my job is almost over. At least I have funny stories to share.

One day last week, I had a animal program so I decided to get a box turtle. Kids kept trying to touch his head so he pulled his head in his shell, stuck his tail out and tinkled all over the floor and a little boy!

I will never forget the day that I had Monty, the ball python, out and this lady was asking me where the restroom was. She didn't realize I had a snake because he was wrapped around my wrists like a bracelet. I was telling her where to go for the restroom and all the sudden she jumped in the air and ran! Eventually she found the restroom :)

Another good memory is when we were doing bird rounds in the Mountain Forest and the bobwhite quails were walking backwards in front of me while churping "bob...white".

The best thing about this job is that there is never a dull moment in the Aquarium. You can always get a laugh, from visitors to co-workers to the animals...especially Liberty (bald eagle). Beware: if she is having a bad day, she will poop right after you've finished cleaning her exhibit :)

-Aurielle Hollington

Mai's story

Lots of things have happened since I last wrote. Collectively, the other interns and I have gotten trained on the bird cart, trading post and skunk feeding. To feed the skunks we use a clicker to wake them up and then pour in crickets for them to eat. They pounce on them. It's so cute!

We also got to help with harborfest. We brought out reptiles and talked about the Aquarium to the people who walked by. While we were there, two show pilots were practicing their tricks. One time the pilot accelerated towards the bridge and pulled up at the last minute, narrowly missing it...Crazy!

I leave this blog with a flashback on our pre-intern training days. Stacey, Ashley and I decided to take the freight elevator with two other training class interns. At the last minute we jumped off to take the stairs, but then found out we were locked out. We were freaking out and when we finally figured out how to get up there, they were laughing at us.

Anyway, my blog is a bit random today, but there's so many things we do, that I can't write it all. One thing that won't change is that working here is fun! See you next time!

-Mai Pham

Stacey's stories

As a high school intern, my time at the Aquarium has been a ton of fun. Not only are the interactions with visitors and animals fun, the they can even be just plan FUNNY!

Just this week I had a hilariuos incident with an alligator. I was doing an animal program with one of our small alligators and everything seemed to be going along fine. People were petting it like normal. Then while this one woman was petting it, it peed all over her!

Another funny moment happened when I was working at the Touch Tank (funny now, but at the time it was scary!). There was this older couple and the man was trying to touch a stingray. When he put his hand in the water the stingray twitched and moved away causing the old man to grab his chest with fright. I only saw the part where he grabbed his heart and I started to gasp. I thought he was having a heart attack! His wife was cracking up at him and I realized he had just been scared!

Then yesterday while I was at the Touch Tank, a man was there with his wife and kids. Every one but him was touching something. His wife finally got him to bend over and touch, but when he bent over he let out the loudest fart I had ever heard!

So many funny things happen at the Aquarium. I hope to see you all there soon!

-Stacey Brown

Desiree's story

I came inthe the Aquarium with many fears and when I leave I know that I will have lost a lot of those fears. I never once thought that I would hold a snake. Dispite my fear I have managed to hold 2 different species of snakes on many different occasions, an eastern kingsnake and a ball python.

How about an american alligator? I asked myself the same questions. Even though I told myself no, I quickly changed my mind as I watched the other interns pick them up. I always thought the Crocodille Hunter was crazy for doing his job. I guess I'm crazy too! I wish somebody would have warned me that alligators have bladder problems (or at least it seemes like it).

I remember one day I was chased by this crazy bird in the Mountain Forest. Clarissa and I were doing bird rounds and that crazy little thrasher wanted to play. It jumped on my leg and I ran for my life. I was like Forrest Gump that day. There was no stopping me!

PS - the bird isn't crazy, it just startled me :)

-Desiree Jenkins

Clarissa's story

My job here at the Aquarium is just great. I really enjoy the people that I am working with. The other interns and I just work together so nicely. I feel like we are just one big happy family and when this is over I will never forget all the friends I have made here.

I'll even miss the little, scary, annoying thrasher (bird) in the Mountain Forest. BEWARE: He Will Follow You!!! Other than that the animals are all cool. Before I came here I was afraid of many different animals. Now I am a professional when it comes to animal programs. I never thought animals were much like people, but it is really amazing how the animals all have very unique personalities.

I don't know what I'm going to do for fun when this internship is all over. I really don't know where I am going to have another job with two fantastic bosses like Ms. Jaime and Ms. Kathy. I would like to thank you for all the amazing things you have done for us so far during the summer. I will always remember this as my first job. The Aquarium is definitely the place to be for the summer.

-Clarissa LeSueur

Courtneay's story

Well, everyday at the Aquarium is a fun day. Funny things happen all the time.

One if the funniest days was when we were having a training on the snakes and then taking a pop quiz on the things we learned. Everything I answered was wrong! Ms. Jaime was like, "you almost had it." In my head I just kept thinking, oh these people must think I'm dumb. Finally, 20 questions later, I got one Right! I was like, I knew that one and got really cocky and the next question, I got Wrong! Wow! Pretty hilarious.

PS. I knew Monty (ball python) was from Africa!

- Courtneay Brown

Ashley's story

I am having so much fun working at the Aquarium. It's sad for me to think it's almost over. I do plan to volunteer because I love it here. I have met a lot of interesting people, people who act as if I am their family.

A really cool, fun experience I want to share is when we were picking up trash around the Aquarium for a beach sweep. Believe it or not, it was a lot of fun because we weren't thinking about the dirty trash we were touching, we were thinking about cleaning the environment and making the area around the Aquarium beautiful.

A funny thing happened one day when I was doing an animal program. I decided to use a turtle this time and picked a spotted turtle. It was one of the smaller ones we have in the Mountain Bog. Anyway, a girl came over the pet the turtle and decided to name her Spotty, the spotted turtle. She said it was the cutest thing she had ever seen and then the turtle pooped right on her shoe! The little girl's face was too funny. She was horrified by the act of the turtle. She almost cried, but I got a towel and cleaned it up for her. The last thing she said before she walked away with a smile was, "I'm naming her Poopy instead." Her mom was laughing the whole time. She said it wasn't the first time an animal had pooped on her.

I love turtles! - Ashley Mantilla

Christina's story

Working at the Aquarium has been the greatest time of my life. Everything and everyone is so wonderful. I Love My Job!!

One time when I was working, Chlesea and I had an animal program shift together so we decided to get an alligator. We went about our normal routine of getting the hand sanitizer, then the alligator. I realized that I had my water botle and didn't want to carry it so I went to put it in the fridge and all the sudden I hear, "AHHHHHH!" So I was thinking, I know Chelsea did not just drop the alligator and run. I walked back and noticed she was still holding it (thank goodness) and asked her what was wrong and she said, "This thing just peed on me!" I started laughing because she was pouting. I told her it would dry, but she gave me the alligator! She said she might get over it after it dried. A couple of days later we did another animal program and Chelsea said, "If we get the alligator, I'm not holding it!" I just laughed at her and told her, "OK, Chelsea."

PS - I was so funny...much love Chelsea :)

-Christina Green

Tiffany's story

Who would ever have thought that I would be here working at the Aquarium. Everyone who knows me sees me as a prissy, girly girl who hates getting her hands dirty. No one had seen the passion I have for animals.

The craziest thing I have ever done is kiss a snake? That's not it, I make food for our birds which means I have to touch mice and worms! Working with these girls is a lot of fun beacuse they all have something unique about them. Cleaning up poop and touching mice isn't bad when you enjoy your job. It just comes with the package :)

-Tiffany Denmark

Desiree's thoughts so far...

As I look back on my journey to becoming one of the 10 Aquarium's High School Interns, I am still amazed that I have been given this wonderful opportunity! This has been a long journey for me and my co-workers, one that started last November, but it has been worth the hard work. Working here has allowed me to learn many things that make up South Carolina.

I never thought that I would be holding a snake or alligator. I hope it shows others not to judge a book by it's cover. Working here has allowed me to do a lot of new things. Canoeing was just one of those many new things. This was a wonderful opportunity and I would recomment this internship to an rising junior!

-Desiree Jenkins

Mai's thoughts so far...

I am so happy that I got to experience this great opportunity. This internship program has allowed me to learn and do things I never thought I could.

I get to wrangle an alligator from it's enclosure. That is quite exciting! I also get to handle a ball python, two eastern kingsnakes, a cornsnake and lots of turtles. It has kind of made me feel like the Crocodile Hunter...minus the crocodiles because I learned that they aren't native to South Carolina.

The best part about being an intern is that everyone is friendly and will to take time to help each other. All the interns, staff and volunteers are great! I actually have a senior thesis for my high school, Academic Magnet, that involves creating a public relations campaign to help an endangered species. I asked my supervisor Ms. Jaime for help and she aided me in picking the green sea turtle for the poster contest I am holding to raise awareness. Also, Ms. Gina, one of the Aquarium's graphic designers, is helping me set up a facebook page to network my project. Although this project is separate from the Aquarium internship, the staff here have been very helpful.

So, please support my thesis and join the competition for a chance at great prizes like free waterpark passes, Aquarium tickets and more! Aside from all that I have to say to future interns, "The internship is awesome and you should try it out! You'll have lots of fun!!"

- Mai-Trinh Pham

Clarissa's thoughts so far...

My internship at the Aquarium is great. I love feeding, holding and showing the animals to visitors. The little kids that come to the building are very funny and cool. My favorite things to do here are the animals program shifts. When we first started with the animals I was terrified, but now as I get more involved and do it more ofter I just love it.

I love the people that I am working with. They are all so nice and friendly especially my intern co-workers. We are special in our own ways.

The most memorable moment at the Aquarium so far is one that I will never forget as long as I live. One great day at Harborfest I was scheduled to go work a shift at our booth with a college interns, Weatherly. She taught me how to hold an alligator. It was great! They are so cute and small. She asked me if I wanted to switch and hold the little one so the one I had could take a break. I was a little anxious and wanted to say no, but I didn't. I had heard the smaller one was fiesty. Sure enough when we switched he kept moving and tried to get away, but I held he for a while and he calmed down. I loved to see peoples faces when they walked by and saw me holding a real alligater. Unfortunately is was time for the alligator to go back to the Aquarium. The next thing I know my hands were wet and so were my pants. I bet you guys are all wondering why I was wet when the alligator was dry...yes, he tinkled all over me!

- Clarissa LeSueur

Courtneay's thought so far...

My experience with the Aquarium has been great! I have been working for about 3 weeks and it's been a blast. I've met awesome people and might I add that the education staff is EXCELLENT! When I got there my first day I felt welcome with open arms and I still feel the love now.

The internship is great. It's the best experience I have had yet!!

I am so ready for our camping trip in a couple of weeks. We are going to ROCK Botany Island!!

- Courtneay Brown