Paleontology, Science Education, Dinosaur Expeditions, Discoveries and Exhibits

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950 East 61st Street Chicago, IL 60637 • 773.834.7614 • F.773.834.7625

Ranch Hand Program

Every year Project Exploration’s partnership with Paleo Park in eastern Wyoming enables two high school girls from past Project Exploration programs to be Ranch Hands. During this three week internship, the girls:

Experience life on a working ranch
Pursue specific interests in science and the natural world by becoming experts on the extinct and living flora and fauna of eastern Wyoming
Develop critical work skills including organization, time management and customer service by being involved in the work of running a ranch and guest lodge.

2003

This summer, Carleen, an 11th grader at Northside College Prep was a Project Exploration Ranch Hand. Carleen helped to host three groups at Paleo Park during her stay - including Project Exploration's first ever All Girls Expedition and Paul Sereno's University of Chicago's college students.

Carleen,
Junior Paleontologist

Paleo Park is a fifth-generation ranch and guest lodge owned and operated by the Zerbst-Stauffer family. Arlene, her daughter Kris and son-in-law Chad, and their children Wyatt and baby Jayden, not only host the ranch hands, they open their home and hearts to the girls. When Carleen wasn't cooking, cleaning, guiding tours, or working on the ranch, she was sight-seeing - and WRITING!

Here are some excerpts from Carleen's journal and snapshots from her photo album. In past years, Carleen has participated in Project Exploration's Summer Science, Advanced Paleontology and Junior Paleontologist programs.

REFLECTIONS ON BEING A WYOMING RANCH HAND

Buh-bye! The All Girls Expedition that I hung out with for the past two weeks was leaving me at Paleo Park
Daily Grind We weren't always working but you had to be ready to get up and move. The work that we did depended on the group that was visiting. We either woke up to prepare and serve breakfast or to go out and check oil wells. If there was a group, we spent a portion of the day preparing the meals. When there weren't cheesecakes or crème puffs to be made, we would pick up and clean what we could around the lodge. We’d sweep, mop, and vacuum. After meals we would wash dishes and organize the leftover food into containers. While I was on the ranch, I helped to host two groups leave and clean Paleo Park after their departure. We changed bed sheets and put on fresh ones, swept and mopped, and cleaned the bathrooms. There was a period when there weren't any groups residing at Paleo Park. During that time, we painted a water tank and one of the tool shops.
Ahh! The sunsets in Wyoming
Community One thing that I really liked was seeing how neighbors and friends helped each other out. It was Saturday evening and the picnic had been rained on. Josh became the entertainment and shared with us music from an Australian people he once lived with. Sometime after Josh’s songs that evening, there was a call to inform the family of a fire. The picnic was over. Chad left with the new fire truck and Paul went after him with a crew.	TTFN! Saying "later" to Alison, my partner in watching Princess Diaries, and Kris, my teacher in making scrunchies and etching glass
Kris gathered a group of interested ladies, including myself, and went to the ridge to look out for any other fires. We headed towards the fire but we were unable to fight the fire because of how large it was and of our inexperience with such things.
Devil’s Tower I wasn't really sure about this place. I wondered what was all the awe for and what was up with that name? I thought it might have been named that because it was a big powerful-looking place. As we got close enough, Alison pointed out Devil’s Tower. There in the "middle of nowhere" was this great tall structure. It was strange. I’m used to seeing tall buildings but not tall rock structures in a barely populated area. Kris stayed in the car with baby Jayden, while Chad with Wyatt, Alison, and I walked on the one-mile path around Devil’s Tower. Alison is a paleontologist and she told us extra things that the signs on the path din’t mention. It was cool! Not everybody that visits Devil’s Tower has someone helping them understand what’s going on with the land around them. We also saw two climbers and one of them had got stuck. With the exception of the heat, it was a great day. I had fun on the way to Devil’s Tower with Kris and Chad and I liked walking on the path and having Alison there to walk with and to explain things to us.	This is Devil's Tower. (It isn't as small as it looks, trust me)
Last Words These were some of my experiences as a ranch hand. It was a great program! I learned a lot, had good times, and hope to do it again! Thanks! Click Here for the Ranch Hand Internship Photo Gallery

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