Spotlight: Lydia Belete, Senior Counselor
By Lily Gordon, Program Coordinator
When Lydia Belete arrived for her first day at Nature Linc, she was “really nervous.” “I was not someone who was over the top about nature,” she told me. Not only that, growing up in the city, Lydia hadn’t really had much exposure to wilder, more “secluded” places like Nature Linc. Over the next three years, many new experiences were in store for her, from hiking to animal chores to an overnight camping trip.
Lydia was part of our Teen Extend Program, a year-round program that engaged a cohort of teens from low income backgrounds with new and enriching nature experiences such as hiking, skiing, camping, and swimming. The program also provided them with summer employment at Nature Linc, teaching them leadership and professional skills to take into the rest of their lives.
After her initial nervousness, Lydia quickly got into the swing of things at Nature Linc and had “such a fun experience.” She said it was a “really lively” team environment where she felt supported and got to work amongst friends. A highlight from that first summer she mentioned was the overnight trip in New Hampshire. After they set up their tents to camp, a huge storm rolled in! Lydia remembers feeling stressed at first, but ultimately really enjoyed the adventure and felt safe with “everyone I loved around me.” Thankfully, they were able to spend the night in an AMC lodge.
Overall, Lydia feels she’s grown so much in her three years of connection to Nature Linc. She spoke appreciatively about how FNL staff have gently pushed her to grow, like with hiking. She came in with a lot of fear and not a lot of experience in a professional environment- she recalls “kind of doing the bare minimum” at first. But over time, with support and practice, she grew into a proactive counselor who sets a positive example for younger counselors. Lydia told me, “I don't feel like it's a challenge for me anymore to take initiative or lead.”
She got to especially notice her own growth this past summer, mentoring the younger MSYEP teens who were completely new to Nature Linc. She mentioned that she “learned about patience and to be more understanding,” trying to help and give advice when they needed support. She remembered when she’d been in their shoes just three years ago. Staff also observed this growth in Lydia over the summer, watching her flourish in a leadership position with the younger teens, giving them encouragement and holding them accountable when necessary.
During her time here, Lydia noticed a big change develop in her personal feelings about nature. She began to notice how it could be “soothing and calming,” and she “started paying attention to just little sensory things that [she] wouldn't get to experience if [she was] in the city-” birds chirping, leaves rustling. Now, she said, “I find myself, like, wanting to go to green spaces” and seeks them out on her own. She says being in “nature-y” spaces always makes her think of the “values of Nature Linc” and makes her want to pay attention and “immerse [herself] fully.”
Not only does she find it personally more enjoyable to be in green spaces, Lydia also finds herself with the new value of respecting nature. She told me how the staff inspired her: “the way you guys care for nature or just really push that narrative- how you need to preserve the nature around you.”
For instance, she recalls feeling anxious for her first ever job interview with Nature Linc, and then realizing at the end that it wasn’t so bad. Looking back, she realized that this is one of many professional skills she learned from her time at Nature Linc. She thought to herself, “this is something that you're gonna have to practice.” Now, she’s put those skills into practice with many other interviews, including one the afternoon after we spoke (update: she got the job!!)
The program is currently being re-worked, but in the meantime we stay closely connected to many of the Senior Counselors who have been a part of the program, offering them opportunities to work with us, such as this summer. We are so proud to see Lydia’s growth over the years and hope she stays connected to Nature Linc for many years to come.