As a kid born in the early 2000s, I witnessed the height of Disney Channel’s original movies. The High School Musical trilogy was by far my favorite, and when I went to write this recap, I couldn’t help but think of it. While this might be an interesting start, let me tell you why Troy Bolton and the rest of the HSM crew were on to something.

When I came into this internship, I fully expected to spend most of my time addressing water quality issues through testing and data collection. I knew that I would get some time in the field, and I hoped to draw on my research at Gustavus Adolphus College. While this certainly does reflect part of my experience this summer, my biggest takeaway doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with water testing at all. Instead, as I look back on my time here at FBSR, I think of all the wonderful people I’ve connected with. Between engineers, yoga instructors, college professors, and kids at summer camp, I’ve seen how anyone can take part in making a difference in their local community. At Leif Ericson, kids paraded out into the murky waters in search of life, and they never came up empty-handed. They started their expedition calling the river the “Big Poo” and returned understanding that painted turtles, geese, ducks, fish, and countless other creatures called our river home, and that made it matter. I spoke with folks along my water testing route who hoped for a better future for our watershed, where they could let their dogs paddle through the waters without a worry and where their kids could have a lake day without the risk of getting sick. I talked to people at events who were ready to take part in a cleanup and make changes that would not only help our watershed but our local biodiversity. It was an eye-opening experience, and it transformed my view of the place I’ve called home my whole life.

So yes, all of this led me to think of High School Musical’s phenomenal closing number, “We’re All in This Together,” because, simply put, how could it not? I had my fears at the start of the summer, including that I wouldn’t be able to connect with people about why our work at FBSR matters, and almost all of them were assuaged. Now, I’ve only gained more hope about the future of our watershed, and it’s all been because of the connections I’ve made with community members. So, if you ever lose hope, just remember Zac Efron, and know that you’re not alone.