The OEP programming Blue Dot has been supplying is directly embedded in classrooms to do nature based experiential learning and STEM as part of their curriculum. Below are a few specific activities and how they tie back to educational goals. Astronomy Events Blue Dot provides classroom lessons prior to an evening under the stars. After the classroom sessions students, teachers, and families get to participate in setting up telescopes and viewing objects in the night sky.

Ecology and Stem

The robotics club from Calexico high school met with researchers with the SCRIPPS Institute of Oceanography who do robotic research. The club visited and observed the natural coast and then learned about wave science, tidal motion and the ecosystem. Local and Remote Hikes During outings, while in the field, teaching and learning about flora and fauna are always happening. Information about plants, geology, birds, erosion, ecological history, animals, and insects are shared throughout the outings. In addition, participants are often given cameras to capture data.

Our activities in the community and natural area trips have provided engaging, hands-on education to foster environmental stewardship and promote awareness of sustainability. At Bolsa Chica Wetlands, docent-led nature walks and Q&A sessions deepened understanding of wetland conservation. At the California Science Center, STEM-based exhibits connected stewardship to real-world applications. At the Living Coast Lab, participants explored pollinators, composting, and conservation, inspiring sustainable habits. The City of Fullerton Water Quality session highlighted sanitation methods, while a CSUF student led lessons on non-renewable resources and conservation. Activities at Fullerton Arboretum, LA Arboretum, and Carbon Canyon engaged youth through nature walks, exhibits, and discussions, exploring ecosystems and sustainability concepts. These experiences promoted thinking, deeper connections to nature, and successfully advanced program goals of environmental awareness and action.

Local Partner Organizations: Calexico Unified School District and McCabe Union Elementary School District; Aurora High School Local Community Members; Scripps Institution of Oceanography; Everyday California;

Lake Cuyamaca Recreation and Park District The greatest partnership accomplishments in year one is the success of embedding the grant programming into the local schools of the Calexico region. The school leadership and the dedicated teachers have graciously connected Blue Dot to over one thousand students by welcoming us into their schools. Because of them, the youth in the area have gained access to amazing activities, such as astronomy nights, local and regional hikes, camping trips, surf trips, and classroom experiences! The main learning is that this program runs best through the schools. Working directly with classrooms and during the school day has led to a great amount of engagement with both adults and youths. Running OEP programming during the school week allows for much more access. In the early months of the grant work, before we were partnered with the schools, it was hard to schedule outings. There are many religious families in the region who reserve Sundays for church, family, and rest. In addition, many had Saturday commitments as well, such as sports or hobbies. The previous model also limited who could engage because only those with the social or financial capital to find out about events were able to participate. Now, by broadcasting the events through the public education system, many more people have awareness and access. A few text testimonials can be found below, there are video testimonials linked via youtube as well.

The Richman Neighborhood Center, part of CSU Fullerton’s Center for Healthy Neighborhoods, is a vital resource for Richman Park. It offers foster care support, case management, counseling, parenting education, youth programs, health services, and more. Richman Park was chosen due to its challenges. CalEnviroScreen data reveals 86% BIPOC residents, 361 households without transportation, an average income of $24,237, and limited park space compared to wealthier areas. Programs like the Outdoor Equity Program address disparities, fostering youth connections with nature. We are honored to work with Egleth Nuncci, a resident and advocate whose dedication has strengthened Richman Park. She has praised the program’s excursions for giving youth transformative experiences. Additionally, we’ve partnered with Fullerton’s Water Quality team, led by Delaney Felix and Amanda Munoz, to educate the community on the importance of water quality in daily life.

The biggest factor to our success is partnering with schools. It helps with recruitment, education, and the districts have even started to provide buses for transportation. If possible, embed in classrooms to help teachers and students access the outdoors and build meaningful curriculum around it.

Another tip is to use the intern program as a method of marketing and creating social media. Leverage the skills of young people who grew up in the digital age for marketing and recruiting more participants.

One constraint that has been detrimental is the distance guidelines. Calexico is a very spread-out community due to its rural setting. For example, the ½ mile radius from home base is a very different constraint for Calexico than an urban area such as San Diego. Their community is spread out due to agriculture operations, so sometimes those small mileage guidelines feel off for this community

One challenge of the Richman Outdoor Grant Program was limited participation during early excursions. To address this, we presented the program's vision to the Fullerton Union School District PTA, Richman Neighborhood Center, and Richman Elementary PTA, increasing awareness of our goal to promote environmental education by providing materials, transportation, and access to natural spaces. A key success has been building relationships with Richman Neighborhood Center families, supported by Egleth Nuncci, the community liaison. Her connections with parents and students have been crucial in advancing our mission of fostering environmental education, responsibility, and stewardship. Tailoring activities to participants’ interests and schedules has created an inclusive and accessible environment for families. Moving forward, we’ve strengthened partnerships, refined outreach, and gathered feedback to enhance participation and ensure a lasting impact on the community.