Recently, Kirsten Luce, an award-winning photojournalist for National Geographic and other publications, spoke in our area as part of the magazine’s Recruitment Day, designed to inspire kids to stay curious. It also celebrates the release of National Geographic’s inspiring kids’ fiction series, Explorer Academy: The Double Helix. We decided to follow up with Kristen to find out more about how to encourage our kids to never stop learning and exploring the world around them.
What is so exciting to you about being a part of this new “recruitment” initiative? Although I’ve shared my work many time with adults and college students, this will be my first presentation for young children! I’m excited to see how they respond to the work and what questions they have for me.
What is the most memorable assignment you’ve been on and why? There are so many assignments—big and small—that have stuck with me and shaped my view of the world. Sometimes it’s a new landscape—like the incredible salt flats of Bolivia—that stick with me, other times it’s a meaningful conversation I have with someone in their kitchen that has little to do with photography. It’s fascinating to meet other women around the world that are about the same age as me and learn about their lives. What if I had been born there instead? What would my life look like? This job enables me to be curious and connect with people from all over the world, it’s much more than just taking pictures.
What do you tell kids interested in exploring, travel or photography? Ask questions. Whether it’s a classmate, a teacher, or a grandparent—everyone has a story to share. The older you get, the more stories you have. If you’re too young to travel, you can always explore the world through food. What flavors does your family enjoy? Do any of your friends or classmates come from different places and enjoy different flavors? Try them and learn more about their culture. Maybe one day you can go visit yourself.
To learn more National Geographic’s Recruitment Days, click here.
