LEFT : COURTESY OF CRYSTAL COVE CONSERVANCY ; RIGHT TWO PHOTOS : COURTESY OF BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF LAGUNA BEACH |
small robot by building a line of code that allows the machine to move before having them navigate an obstacle course with their robot . Money Matters , on the other hand , deals with finances , spending habits , budgeting and the value of money .
“ A skill that isn ’ t quantifiable is how resilient a person can be —[ and ] the field of STEM fosters curiosity and innovation ,” Zulueta says . “ There are going to be times when something fails . It is the resilience of the person to learn from it and keep going [ that creates success ].”
For Zulueta , the job ’ s appeal is being able to oversee a wide variety of programming . “ The most enjoyable part of running these programs is watching the members help each other ,” he notes . “ Some activities take a lot of cooperation because the tasks can be challenging .”
Zulueta also loves showcasing different subjects , noting that his biology degree has required him to know bits and pieces of statistics , physics , chemistry , writing and communication , graphic design and law .
“ A goal I ’ ve been pursuing since graduating from university is to influence more kids to explore a STEM-related field of study or job ,” he adds . “… People find it hard to conceptualize something that is theoretical . … One thing I continue to work on as an educator is being able to break down and simplify complex STEM subjects . I hope to impact these
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students by introducing and breaking down a complicated topic to where they want to learn more about it .”
OCEANIC OBSERVATIONS Crystal Cove State Park , a picturesque beach on the edge of town , is home to stunning scenes , historic beach cottages and scientific opportunities galore . So it ’ s no surprise that Crystal Cove Conservancy , a nonprofit partner of the park , provides STEM opportunities for local kids .
Mainly offered through field trips ( supplemented with programming that aligns with curriculum in the classroom ), visits to this beloved cove are memorable in more ways than one . “ Having access to STEM education that ’ s based on real environmental problems that are local to our students gives them an opportunity to see how science ideas are actually being used in the real world , outside of a science classroom ,” Magliano explains .
Magliano , who has been developing and running the conservancy ’ s education programs since graduating from UC Irvine , says students from kindergarten through high school participate in research to help protect Crystal Cove ’ s ecosystems . They go through the entire scientific process , from asking questions , developing models and making predictions to collecting and analyzing actual data . “ What sets Crystal Cove Conservancy ’ s programs apart is the fact that students who
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are participating are taking part in real scientific research ,” Magliano says . “… The data students collect is used by scientists to better protect our local ecosystems , and the conservation projects are able to make a tangible impact on protecting … [ these ] important habitats .” Some topics they touch on include the health of the marine ecosystem , the best ways to restore endangered coastal sage scrub , the changing coastline , decomposition and the carbon cycle , and the problems that arise from trash littered on the beach . In addition to collecting samples of things like insects or plankton , little scientists will record underwater videos of fish swimming in the kelp forest , measure the amount of moisture in the soil or sort types of trash found in the sand . The programs are organized by age so that , as the children grow , they advance through the different research projects and enhance their skills . And while these skills are pivotal for those hoping to enter science-based careers , Magliano says that they can benefit all students . “ The skills gained through STEM education can prepare students to be future scientists , but even students who go on to pursue careers outside of science can benefit from scientific skills ,” she notes . “ Asking questions , investigating solutions to problems and communicating what they ’ ve learned are skills that can help prepare students for the future , as well as foster … a local community … that is dedicated to protecting the local ecosystem .” g |
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LAGUNA BEACH MAGAZINE 41 |