The Audubon Center at Debs Park's Arroyo Green Team has been doing some incredible work in the park around the Center -- project such as running habitat restoration projects, mentoring younger kids during summer camp, and developing a wildlife monitoring project. This spring, in addition to working with Master Teacher Naturalist Gabriela Castañeda, they were also guided by some amazing interns from Occidental College.  Castañeda and Dr. Beth Braker of the OXY Biology Department recruited Tania Camacho-Pineda, Bianca Fonseca Cervantes, Ana Elisa Franco, Danielle Caban, and Sarah Reyes to serve as Spring Interns. It was a great experience for all of us. The interns gained hands-on skills working with kids and doing science, we got some great help, and the Green Team members received mentoring from some young students from a local university.

Tania, a biology major, grew up in Highland Park.  Here is one of the things that stuck out to her:

I felt that I learned a lot from the kids in the Green Team and vice versa; they were able to share with me their prior knowledge on birds and plants and I had the opportunity to speak to them about college and the great opportunities that await them.

We are grateful to all our OXY interns and look forward to building this program over the next few years.