Passport to Texas

Crystal Camacho, a student docent at FLHS, leads a group from Houston through the site. Image: Fort Leaton Facebook Page.

Student Docents at Texas State Parks Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

Manuela Catano is the Park Superintendent at the Fort Leaton  State Historic Site and manages a unique workforce – student  docents.

We work in conjunction with our local school district. We can hire them as young as 14 years old.

The program provides students a solid first job experience while they develop a range of marketable skills. Laura Jennings is a park ranger.

[Laura] They apply for the position, we score the application, we will interview them and for many of the docents, this will be their first interview. So that in itself is a learning experience.

[Omar] Before this I was a pretty much a shy person and it helped me open up and not be so shy when I meet new people.

[Crystal] It really pushed myself to get out of a comfort zone… to try and focus on my communication skills.

Omar Udave and Crystal Camacho are part of a team of eight student docents

[Omar] Well, a lot of questions are asking about the “carreton”, this big wagon we have back here; and I explain it to them.  

[Crystal] My favorite part of the tour is the dining room; the second owner, Edward Hall was actually shot in that room.

The student docent program is much more than a job. It’s an opportunity to learn while teaching others

It’s the best job I’ve ever had. We’re really thankful to have them

Volunteer at state parks. Find opportunities in the Volunteer section of the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Aquarium in TV. Image: Furnish Burnish

Don't Dump Your Aquariums in Texas Waters Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

Texas welcomes visitors from around the globe. Unless, of course, they’re non-native plants and animals. Those pose potentially devastating problems to ecosystems.

Don’t Dump Your Tank, a new initiative by Texas Parks and Wildlife, cautions us to never dump our aquariums into a lake, stream or saltwater bay.

When you dump an aquarium into a natural body of water you have the potential to create an invasive species. This is with fish, plants and animals

Julie Hagen works with coastal fisheries at Texas Parks and Wildlife

It’s really important that if you can’t take care of your aquarium any more there a lot of other options that you have: donating, selling or trading your aquarium and any of the contents that are inside as well as calling local aquarium shops, maybe where you bought your aquarium and seeing if you can return it.

Something you should never do is your fish down the toilet.

This is not “Finding Nemo” they will not make it to the ocean. They will never find their way to a natural body of water.

As a last resort, there are ways to humanly euthanize fish. Search the internet, consult your aquarium dealer or call a local Parks and Wildlife fisheries biologist.

Prevention is key with invasive species. Be mindful of your actions and what your putting back into the water because it really does matter.

Our show receives support from RAM Trucks: Built to serve.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.