I have lived in San Antonio for most of my life and I have never seen the missions in all their glory the way I recently have been able to, due to my internship.

I have been an intern at San Antonio Missions National Park for two weeks now.

Jazciel is an undergraduate student attending Our Lady of the Lake University. She is going on her third year of college pursuing a bachelor’s degree in English with a concentration in technical and professional writing, and a drama minor. Being a first-generation college student, she hopes to help her community with her education. Jazciel was raised to have a caring heart, she hopes to help people by becoming a grant writer to help non-profits. Jazciel has always loved nature parks and admired them for their peaceful tranquility.

Hello everyone,
 
It’s been a couple of weeks since I’ve posted a blog, so I thought it would be a good idea to post some updates about what I’ve been up to this past month
 

• Along with finishing the scripts for the 3 videos, I have started the production process and for the most part have gotten all the shots I need. I started the editing process this week and my hope is to have everything edited and finished by my last week of my internship. 

• I’ve learned that this project is a lot more different than what I’m usually accustomed to doing. The switch from documentary to a more narrative type of video meant I had to learn how to take more dynamic shots and to learn how to direct people as actors. It was a bit intimidating especially when dealing with limited filming time and days. The rangers are busy people and I appreciate them taking time to be in the video, especially since filming does take up more time than you would think!  

•  For Latino Conservation week we decided to put on an event called Passport to the Past, a scavenger hunt. The goal was that you would have to go through Mission San Jose to find the 3 stations that promoted land, air, and water conservation. Our goal was to talk about how these resources were important to the people who inhabited the missions in the 1700’s and compare it to how we think about those resources today. We also touched on how the missions played a role in the creation of the Tejano people. People who attended the event went home with seed balls, a bag of scents of the mission, and a small pinch pot. During the week we also displayed an interactive map where visitors used pins and strings to show their family migration story. I often found myself going over to the board and looking at all the pins and string just because it was super neat! Overall, I think it was a great success, and it wouldn’t have been without the Latino Conservation team that we had at the Missions. A big thanks to Justine, Chantelle, Andi, Melissa, Callie and Annalisa and to the staff that helped on that day!
   
   
  My time here at the missions been a great experience. Today I realized that my summer is going by way too quickly and that in two weeks I’ll be saying goodbye to San Antonio, which is a little bit sad. Either way, I’m excited for the LHIP training in DC and can’t wait to finally meet all the other LHIP interns!
   
  Until Next Time,
  Isabel

Serving as a multimedia outreach intern at the San Antonio Missions means that most of what I’m going to be doing will be focused on media. I will be working under the visual information specialist of the San Antonio Missions. I have one main project, which is producing three videos for the park. Two of the videos are aimed towards 4th graders, and the other video will be directed towards a more general audience. I will be making pre and post-visit videos for the 4th graders as supplement material for when they come to the Missions on field trips. The goals of the videos are to give the kids a basic overview on what the park is, who lived here and why it is important in a historical context, and to also make the kids reflect on their visit and help situate the history of the park into their own lives. These videos are going to be shown in classrooms in San Antonio, which means that there are specific goals I want to achieve. With these videos I want them to be informational while also being interesting for the kids to watch. Luckily, I have a lot of support here at the San Antonio missions that have helped me with the pre-production process. Since it’s only my second week here, I have spent time learning about the history of the missions, establishing my goals, and brainstorming themes, concepts and ideas. The interpretive team has been really helpful in providing ideas and feedback on what they think will be effective for these videos. The education coordinator here at the missions has also offered a helping hand and has helped with making sure I understand education standards that are set here in Texas and has provided his perspective on how the video can have the most impact. In addition to the help I am receiving here at the Missions, I will also be meeting with a teacher from the local school district, who will be able to provide feedback on our plans and give input to make sure that the videos are effective in the classroom. The third video I will be making will be a more general overview of the park’s history and will be shown to tourist on tour busses. Aside from the videos, I will also be helping with updating the social media of the park and the planning of Latino Conservation Week. I am excited to start the production process! 

Until next time,

Isabel 

Follow San Antonio Missions on Social Media! 

Facebook: @SANANTONIOMISSIONSNPS

Instagram: @missionsnps

Twitter: @missionsnps

The San Antonio Missions National Historical Park is different than most National Parks. It is comprised of four 18th century colonial missions that are located along the San Antonio River. A mission can be described as settlements that the Spanish set up for the indigenous people to learn how to be Spanish and become Spanish citizens. The four missions are Mission San Jose, Mission Concepcion, Mission San Juan, and Mission Espada. These missions are located within a few miles of each other. The Alamo is perhaps the most recognizable thing about San Antonio and although it is not part of the park, it was a part of the original chain of the San Antonio Missions. The structures in this National Park are iconic to San Antonio, it’s what you see on postcards and souvenirs. Mission San Jose is the most visited site and the only one with a visitor center, which is where I’ll be working from. These sites are mixed with original features from the 1700’s and reconstruction work that has been done to preserve the structures. Mission San Jose is the most reconstructed and the one that gives you a glimpse on how it would have looked like in the 1700’s. I had never been anywhere like Missions San Jose, stepping inside I immediately was taken aback by the whole park. It felt like a stepping into the 18th century while being nestled inside a modern 21st century city. When you visit Mission San Jose you learn about the stories of inhabitants and the history behind the missions. The interpretive team is really great at painting a picture of the reality that the indigenous people faced when they lived in these missions. All of the staff at the missions are super friendly and welcoming! 

My first week working at the San Antonio Missions was a great experience and I can’t wait for to see how the rest of the summer goes!

Until next time,
Isabel
 
 
Fun fact: The San Antonio Missions Historical National Park is also the only site in all of the Texas that has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site!

Hello! This blog is going to be dedicated to my summer experience as an LHIP intern working at the San Antonio Missions Historic National Park. Being originally from Idaho, I had never been to Texas before, which made working in San Antonio a new and exciting opportunity. I drove around 27 hours to Texas and on my way got to enjoy the beautiful scenery of Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico. San Antonio is a lot different than what I’ve been accustomed to. It is bigger than any city I’ve lived in, with tons of activities to do. I think the biggest thing I appreciate about San Antonio is the visible influence of the Latino community here, which has made me feel at home.
 
At my university I’m working towards two bachelor’s degrees, one in international studies and one in Broadcasting & digital media. As a broadcasting and digital media major it excites me that I will be doing multimedia outreach during my time here at the missions. Part of my projects include making videos which will require collaboration between the education and interpretive staff at the park. I am excited to see what the rest of the summer brings!
 
Until next time,
 
Isabel

My name is Isabel Robles and I am currently a first-generation student at the University of Idaho. Having immigrant parents from Mexico allowed me to grow up in southern Idaho being completely immersed in Mexican culture and traditions. At my university I am working towards a B.A. in International Studies and Broadcasting and Digital Media with minors in Spanish and journalism. My majors have allowed me to be more educated on issues occurring around the world while also allowing me to tell people’s stories through video. On campus I like to be involved in my community and participating in events that empower my local Latinx community. I have served as media coordinator for a Latinx social activism club and I am currently working for a violence prevention program on campus doing video marketing. I love traveling and learning about new cultures whenever I get the chance. I’ve also always loved the outdoors and spending time doing recreational outdoor activities. My freshman year of college I participated in the Doris Duke Conservation Scholar Program. It was during this program that I learned that conservation and environmental issues are multi-dimensional and require effort from all fields of work. The LHIP is exciting because it will allow me to combine my interests and skills together.

My name is Tanya Helbig, and I was born in Kiel, Germany, but raised in San Antonio Texas. I am a second-generation college student working towards an undergraduate degree at St. Mary’s University in Environmental Science and minoring in Business Administration. I have worked on projects during my undergrad that involved sustainability, conservation, and environmental management. My goal in life is to promote sustainability in all communities, and inspiring others to become more environmentally active. I aspire to work with either non-profit organizations or government agencies relating to environmental management. I am proud of my Mexican/German culture because it has made me the diverse and open-minded person I am today. In my free time, I enjoy getting out of the city and going to parks to enjoy nature. National parks have always had a special place in my heart and have been the reason I cherish the preservation of natural environments.

Hello everyone! I’m Alejandra and this summer I am the Multimedia Outreach Intern at the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. How did I get here? Well, let me tell you. As a product of the Texas public school system, I have had my fair share of Texas history courses. Texans learn about the unique history of this state in fourth and seventh grades.