Marine Life: An Interview with Kit Cabello
By Kris, a Project Exploration student
...continued

Kris: What extracurricular, work, or clubs did you participate in?
KC: I didn't do any extracurricular programs at school.  I just did my work, I felt like getting done with my required college courses.  But I did exercise regularly. I ran eight miles, sit-ups, weights, and boxing.  When I was done with school I liked to exercise or do some reading.  I am interested in history, sciences, and architecture.

Kit (far left) with the 2002 Advanced Paleontology program
Photo: G. Lyon © Project Exploration

Kris: How did you manage your time?
KC: First, I had my priorities from school so I would try to take care of that first. After that I would like to relax with exercising and reading.  I wasn't working during my time at Columbia, so it wasn't as stressful.

Kris: How did you pay for college?
It doesn't really apply to me, at least not yet.  I didn't stay that long so I only paid for the first semester.  With the help of my family and myself it wasn't a problem.

Kris: Describe the biggest challenge for you in college.
KC: I can't really say, I didn't have any challenges or anything to set me back.  I just knocked everything out of the way. 

Kris: What about the Marines?  What challenges you there?
KC: Learning to be adaptive and survive.  Adapting to change was hard because one day we would be doing something and the next day it would be something totally different, from weathering to storms to making sure we had plenty of water.

Kris: How has Project Exploration influenced you?
KC: They showed me that if you look at things and calculated possibilities, anything is possible.  I owe Gabe and Paul a lot, they're really good people, and I'm glad I got involved and know them.

Kit (left) plastering a fossil jacket during the Advanced
Paleontology program Photo: G. Lyon © Project Exploration

Kris: What skills and experience that you learned with Project Exploration did you use in college?
KC: Know your knowledge.  Then being organized, like we did in PE with data, fossils, and other things.  It has helped me out in college and in the Marines.

Kit (far right) with the Advanced Paleontologists
Photo: G. Lyon © Project Exploration

Kris: What's next for you?
KC: I really don't know.  Right now I am serving in the Marines and I really can't tell what is in store for the future, hopefully nothing but positive things.  I also want to go back to school sometime and finish what I started.

Kris Leja graduated from Jones College Prep High School and will be attending Moraine Valley Community College in the fall of 2005. Kris was a Junior Paleontologist in 2003, a Dinosaur Giant, and a Wyoming Expedition Field Assistant to Paul Sereno in 2005.

Photo: G. Lyon © Project Exploration