Meet the interns and community mentors, both current and past, who have worked with Water First. Click on an individual for a brief biography.
McKaylii Jawbone
McKaylii has a diploma from the Environmental Technology program. She read about Water First’s fish habitat restoration project in the Kebaowek newsletter during her last semester at Canadore college.
With her passion for Environmental Stewardship, she spearheaded a community celebration event where community members met everyone involved in the project, and the interns shared their knowledge and success stories about the restoration work they are proud of.
“Not only did we want to make a difference in the Kipawa Lake fishery, but we also wanted to learn about our land and all the ways we can help preserve the ecosystem, and through this project, we were able to accomplish that and much more.”
Mckaylii believes that Water First’s approach of hiring and training locally is important. She says that the knowledge and experience she gained during the restoration project has helped her understand what it takes to run a project like this, and has made her better at her job in the Land Management office. She hopes to help with future restoration work and to keep other restoration projects going in the community.
McKaylii Jawbone
Kebaowek First Nation
Melodie Jackpine
“I saw the posting for the Drinking Water Internship on our community’s Facebook page. I’ve always felt drawn to water my entire life, and this seemed like a great opportunity to become part of a solution on our reserve. I have grown up in this community and have had boil water advisories in the past. I know that clean water may be our right, but not all of us – especially on reserves – are lucky enough to be able to have it. Even with our plant in operation, the community still experiences water issues, but the severity has lessened.
I am a stay-at-home mom. I’m doing this for my family, my community, and for future generations to come. I’d really like to further my career in water treatment and potentially even branch out into wastewater. My goal is to become a Level 4 Operator, where I can bring my experience to those who need it.
I’m looking forward to the future and all of the possibilities it holds!”