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Amphitheatre at Gold Creek

 

 

Project Summary

Los Angeles Valley College (LAVC) seeks to enhance the education and participation of Hispanics in environmental science and natural resource management through the development of a program entitled WINGS, Water Improvement by the Next Generation of Scientists. LAVC expands existing Environmental Science curricula, creates a Certificate Program and Associate Degree in Environmental Science. Students will study forest and watershed management, including stream flow and turbidity, erosion, slope stability, urban run-off issues, etc.

 Goals of WINGS

  • ·    The program provides students with “hands-on” experience and training in current geographic technologies such as the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Global Positioning Systems (GPS), as well as in the use of standard environmental field instrumentation and laboratory computers for data collection, storage, retrieval, mapping and analysis. Students apply these technologies as part of their field-based experiential coursework to be carried out at the Los Angeles Community College District Gold Creek Ecological Reserve. WINGS will enhance faculty awareness and current expertise in environmental science instruction. Curriculum development will be developed with advisement from our sponsoring agency, the USDA Forest and WINGS advisory council.
  • ·    WINGS develops and implements a high-profile awareness and outreach program in Environmental Science, targeting Hispanic students, their families, and the surrounding communities. We will also put in place an effective recruiting, tracking, mentoring and internship program for Hispanic students, in conjunction with the USDA Forest Service. WINGS will collaborate with area 4-year institutions to establish a more productive student transfer “pipeline” in Environmental Science.
  • ·    WINGS strengthens Environmental Science education at LAVC and promotes Environmental Science and Natural Resource Management as a viable career path for Hispanic students and others at LAVC and the surrounding community.
  • ·    To improve Environmental Science Education at LAVC.
  • ·    To develop a comprehensive recruitment, retention, and transfer program for underrepresented students in environmental science.