School's Not Going to End: An Interview with Andres Buitron
By Ashleigh, a Project Exploration Student

Andres Buitron as a Junior Paleontologist
Photo: C. Barnes © Project Exploration

Andres Buitron is a 19-year-old young man who is in love. He has been in love for like four or five years. He’s become really attached to her. I know for a fact that he feels very passionate about this special little lady. They have come a long way. He worked with her in labs, he took an internship to be with her and tell others about her. He even flew to another state to be with her. You want me to tell you who she is? I don’t know...ok I’ll tell you. Her first name is Pale (pay-lee), her middle name is N (she just has an initial for middle name) and her last name is Ta'logy.

Paleontology, get it?

Corny, huh? But he loves her.

It started in his freshman year when Andres was attending Perspectives Charter School. His teachers told him to sign up for a science program called Project Exploration. They were having a science program of their own called Dinosaur Giants in 2000. He decided and signed up. He said “it was like prep labs”. So that is how he became interested and he’s been hooked ever since. He’s been involved in other programs with Project Exploration (PE). He went on an expedition as a Junior Paleontologist (JP) in Montana in 2002. He was also an intern in the University of Chicago in the dinosaur labs. He later went back to Montana in 2003/2004 to intern at the Old Trail Museum. He is now attending the University of Montana.

The reason why I chose Andres to interview because I thought he was interesting. When I first met him, he didn’t really say much. He was quiet. At some point I went up to him and said "Wass up Andres?" he said "Wass up" back, but he had this do I know you look on his face. When Conor, the programs manager at Project Exploration, was talking about him that was when I became interested in him. The more she said the more interested I became. When she talked about how he was attending school part-time, I was like, "Man, I really need to interview this dude." When I finally did interview him and he told me about his financial situation, I was like "Man, this is not fair to him or his or his family, I mean he was about to go to school."

Photo © Project Exploration

The best part of the interview was when Andres said "School is not going to end," Man, I thought that was really something else. It didn’t mean schools going end in a few days, to me it meant that he is going to continue his education. No matter what. That’s something to have a lot of pride in. I’m proud of him and hope that he’s proud of himself.

Note: My name is Ashleigh. I’m 16 years old. I’m a Junior at Young Women’s Leadership Charter School. I too have been in Project Exploration programs such as Sisters4Science and All Girls' Expedition. I plan on continuing on participating with Project Exploration for my love of science. Thank you for reading this article. This is how the interview went... here it goes:

Ashleigh (left) in the All Girls Expedition Photo: C. Barnes © Project Exploration

Photo: G. Lyon © Project Exploration

Ashleigh: Hey Andres.

Andres Buitron (AB): Hey.

Ashleigh: Ok...so you were an intern at the University of Chicago. How was that?

AB: It was fun. I like prep work and working with fossils.

Ashleigh: I also read that you love fossils. Is it true that you love fossils, and what started you being interested in them?

AB: I started liking them in the prep work. That they actually were living and once had blood running through them. That’s what got me interested.

Ashleigh: So how old are you?

AB: I’m 19...I live near Curie High School.

Ashleigh: What year are you in college?

AB: I’m a freshman.

Andres at the Dinosaur Lab at the University of Chicago
Photo: © Project Exploration