Nikki Haines, a recreation fee clerk for Indiana Dunes National Park, found her calling while embarking to do volunteer work. Her transition into becoming a park ranger thrusts her enthusiasm for helping the community learn more about the park’s history and resources.
“I discovered Indiana Dunes was a great opportunity to get my kids involved and have a mission as a family,” said Haines. “I would soon learn about their park ranger assistant program. I began showing up at the Visitor Center and learned the story of the park from the park rangers. One day, I marched into a ranger’s office and announced that I wanted to be a park ranger.”
Haines, a native of West Virginia, thought she found her vocation in education when she moved with her husband to Valparaiso. Haines, a former paraprofessional at Thomas Jefferson Middle School (TJMS), spent six years before her career switch working with sixth-grade students.
During her career as an educator, Haines developed an interest in ecology after sharing a classroom with TJMS Science Olympiad Coach Carol Haller. Haller, a 30-time State champion, exuded excitement over invasive species, symbiosis, and other aspects of environmental science. Haines would be inspired to enroll in the Indiana Master Naturalist Program through the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR). She would register for coursework at Gabis Arboretum at Purdue Northwest.
“TJMS also led me to the Indiana Dunes through my role as the co-sponsor of the Kiwanis Builders Club,” said Haines. “Our club, with the support of the local Sunrise Kiwanis Club, adopted a trail with the Shirley Heinze Land Trust. My co-leader Mrs. Janowiak and I would take five to 25 kids out on the mile-long trail once a month. We’d clear the trail and sometimes meet with naturalists from the land trust to learn about the different plants and animals living there. It was a joy to see the kids inviting their friends and parents and enjoying nature together.”
At the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic, Haines initiated a spring-break volunteer opportunity with her family at Porter County’s Indiana Dunes National Park. After being registered as official National Park Service (NPS) volunteers, Haines and her kids took part in a scouting mission to report any inconsistencies in the trail system. Her short service trip would unexpectedly lead to her landing a permanent role in NPS.
“I first started off working in the spring months while still working five days a week at school,” said Haines. “I thought I would do this for six weeks to maybe six months. As it turned out, I was able to earn more working six months for the park service than in nine months for the school. When a permanent job opened, I just fell backward into it.”
Haines’ work as a recreation fee clerk allows her to be at the forefront of educating the public. She wears her park ranger uniform with a sense of pride and responsibility. Her job often focuses on customer service and working with volunteers. Haines also has the opportunity to assist with park events such as the annual Maple Sugar Time Festival, and obtain continued education for her role as a park ranger through the NPS Fundamentals Training Program.
“It’s really a neat workforce to be with and everybody’s different. The Indiana Dunes is an agency that really values individuality. You can meet so many different people and everybody brings something different to the table,” said Haines.
Haines attributes much of the conservation efforts to the retired teachers, who expend their time and talents into a labor of service for the community. Likewise, her greatest joy is in passing along knowledge of the park rangers and national park, just as she had as a former instructional aide.
“I love being able to introduce the children in the area to the national park in their backyard,” said Haines. “It’s exciting to help raise the next generation of conservationists. Once they make a connection to nature, they are going to want to protect that land and help create policies and legislation that also protects it when they’re older.”
Outside of her work with Indiana Dunes National Park, Haines has also dedicated 15 years to working at the YMCA in Valparaiso.
For more information about educational opportunities and volunteer services with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, click here. For more information about specific involvement with Indiana Dunes National Park, visit nps.gov/indu/index.htm.