“I want to be President or a famous singer, but first I have to get a voice coach.”
“I want to study Spanish or Arabic.”
“I want to change salt water into clean water.”
On a sunny day high atop Berkeley on a field trip to Lawrence Hall of Science, students from EBALDC’s Lion’s Pride program are working intently together. They are busy moving wet soil around a large cement structure forming a clear path for water to be pulled along by gravity — hydraulic engineering pre-101.
And then a lizard shows up confirming it’s a world of wonder.
It is the last day of summer camp in which field trips were made possible through a grant from the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA). Michelle Sit is the Senior Youth Program Manager who has been with the program since its inception in 2011. “Field trips are an educational ideal,” says Michelle. “They’re hands-on, active with a participatory approach. When kids can touch and explore in a guided way they are saturated in art and science. Experiential learning is priceless.”
The CNRA grant provides 10 to 15 more field trips over the next two years during school breaks. On the list is Monterey Bay Aquarium, California Academy of Sciences, and California’s national parks. Asked what he’s enjoying about Lawrence Hall, Nidal, 8, the future astronaut who has been in an airplane five times says, “It’s so big and fun. I like the movie theater. We saw a movie about dinosaurs. They are cool but it’s sad because they all died.”
Nidal, Future Astronaut
Lion’s Pride Youth Program is situated at Lion Creek Crossings, the EBALDC affordable housing property for families just a few blocks from the Coliseum. Indoor and outdoor activities promote STEM and STEAM curricula with study lessons as well as health and wellness through dance and sports, and mental health counseling to foster social emotion learning for youth in grades K-12. Career readiness and college guidance as well as leadership development opportunities are provided to older youth through Roaring Forward internships and our Youth Empowerment Leadership Program (YELP) as well as other Teen programming. Our comprehensive Youth Program is a testament to EBALDC’s commitment to its healthy neighborhoods model — increasing resident and community engagement and supporting strong neighborhood partnership networks.
For the tweens and young teens looking out for the younger students, the day was a culmination of their YELP programs training where they created a structured and collaborative curriculum that has enabled them to step into positions of responsibility. And, it was a chance to take a break from their neighborhood and get out into the world. Maria Contreras, Youth Coordinator with EBALDC community programs said, “It was amazing to see our older youth take on leadership roles to organize the trip and interact with the K-5 students. Everyone had a blast and they were so talkative on the bus ride home. It was nice to see, especially for kids whose parents couldn’t take them for a vacation.”
Noting that 92% of youth living at Lion Creek Crossings have never left Oakland, Michelle said, “Here (at Lawrence Hall) they have space to be kids for just a little bit; they are beyond their environment and the city. This and other field trips would not have been possible without CNRA’s support. It is a godsend, really immersive, where we’re out in the world and in nature. This is an experience they will remember.”
Learn more about our grant from the California Natural Resources Agency!
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