Christian X. Matthews

While most of my experience lies within my studies with SNHU, my true work experience comes from those forged not with an economic incentive, but with a passionate and genuine curiosity for the natural world above all else. This beautiful world needs to be protected and I believe with everything that I've got, that I'm up for the task with my useful set of skills and inquisitive thirst for knowledge.

Westfield Youth Recognition Award March 2018

Awarded by: Mayor J. Andrew Cook

An award I received through my tenacity in the face of psychological and educational

adversity. At this point in my life, I had been struggling a lot due to the rippling

effects of losing my mother and brother several years prior, and it took a heavy toll

that resulted in my grades dipping to an all-time low, but thanks to finding the right

teacher that understood my struggle -teacher that provided measure and quiet

place to study in her classroom hours after school had ended, I was able to bring my

grades from an F to an A.

Part of a personal hobby that started when I first found my passion for living things and preserving the beauty of those living things all the way back in kindergarten. In high school, I took it upon myself to dedicate several hours of time each day during summer break and during the school year to raise butterflies through the tedious process of cutting and cleaning leaves from milkweed plant, identifying and collecting eggs and young caterpillars, feeding and monitoring caterpillar activity, all while ensuring their safety while rearing them outdoors to combat potential navigational issues that arise from raising monarch butterflies indoors.

Catching and raising monarch butterflies from eggs and caterpillars is something I've done since I was in the first grade. In truth, I hadn't done it for a while until high school, where I rediscovered my passion for the process of metamorphosis and through that passion, I called upon the city of Westfield to stop their practice of mowing a section of wild grassland milkweed that was crucial for supplying the caterpillars I was raising with food throughout the spring and summer months. I even had an article in a local newspaper for the practice which you can find here:

https://issuu.com/currentpublishing/docs/ciw_091019_final

I also have a love for hiking! I've spent many summers throughout my childhood in the smoky mountains and even enjoyed hiking here in some of our local parts like Eagle Creek Park and Cool Creek Park which all contributed to my love of the natural world. When I wasn't exploring the world in protected lands I'm usually hanging around the rural lands that surround my home where I can explore the sandy shores of little eagle creek and walk through the woods and wildflower field unimpeded and truly free catching and observing crawdads and picking up any snakes, lizards, or salamanders I can find for the simple love of observation before releasing them. Through observing and getting my hands dirty in mud, sand and silt I'm able to understand the beauty of the natural world and why it needs to be protected. During my hikes in the Appalachian Mountains I once hiked all the way up to Le Conte Lodge where I was able to experience the beautiful quiet of a camp so high in the mountains not a single bird was singing or a single animal stirring. It was a wonder to behold as water puddles rapidly turned to ice as I climbed several thousand feet from where I began. I also got to witness the elk conservation effort firsthand at Oconaluftee Visitor Center in Cherokee North Carolina where the elk were crossing the creek in a truly breathtaking display for someone who had only seen white tailed deer his entire life. On top of that I was able to hike up to the Rainbow Falls in Cherokee, a secluded location nestled deep in the heart of the humble town with a brilliant waterfall that gave a comfortable chill to the otherwise hot and humid air of the summer. From there I've explored the likes of Ruby Falls, a beautiful waterfall hidden away beneath the earth through a network of complex cave systems with marvelous stalactites and stalagmites that lined the paths to the grand waterfall that's source had carved the massive cave we were standing in