Connecting Cultures: Engaging Latinos in Science Education
Connecting Cultures Newsletter 
from Environment for the Americas

March 2011
In This Issue
Project Participants
Fire Island's Intern
Connecting Cultures Website
Special Thanks
Calendar of Events
Project Participants

PARTNERS
Colorado State University
National Park Service
Point Reyes Bird Observatory
New Jersey Audubon Society
Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory
Barr Lake State Park

ADVISORY COUNCIL
Wendy Hanophy
  Consultant
Edwin Juarez
  Arizona Game & Fish Department
Kim Ramirez
  Audubon Fellow
Michael Rizo
  USDA Forest Service
Greg Stevens
  American Association of Museums
Fernando Villaba
  National Park Service

STUDY SITES
Bandelier National Monument
  New Mexico
Golden Gate Nat'l Recreation Area/Point Reyes Nat'l Seashore
  California
Fire Island National Seashore
  New York
North Cascades National Park
  Washington
New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route
  New Jersey
Barr Lake State Park
  Colorado

CONTROL SITES
Great Sand Dunes National
Park & Preserve
  Colorado
Big Thicket National Preserve
  Texas
Big Cypress National Preserve
   Florida

CO-Principal Investigator
Carol Beidleman
  National Park Service, Park Flight 
  Migratory Bird Program


INTERN LIAISON

Mariamar Guti�rrez

DIVERSITY OUTREACH 
Natasha Kerr

PROJECT CONSULTANTS
Brett Bruyere
Marcella Wells
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Environment for the Americas (EFTA) is examining the barriers to participation in informal science education by Latino/Hispanic audiences in a 3-year project funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). In 2009, using International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD) as the focus of the study, we conducted community surveys at 6 sites across the U.S., monitoring attendance at IMBD events and developing tools to help educators improve their outreach. In 2011, we are working with event organizers to implement the recommendations of survey respondents to improve outreach to Latino/Hispanic communities. Thank you for your interest!  

Sincerely,
 
Susan Bonfield  
Susan Bonfield
Environment for the Americas
 2011 NPS Park Flight Migratory Bird Program Intern -- Veronica Pacheco 

 

Veronica
Veronica Pacheco
Veronica Pacheco of Venezuela is the 2011 Park Flight Migratory Bird Program intern at Fire Island National Seashore. Ver�nica comes to us with experience in both education and research.

Veronica is a a graduate of Central University of Venezuela. She has a special interest in migratory shorebirds and studied the feeding ecology of Semipalmated Sandpipers.  She has been an intern for ornithological institutions, such as the William H. Phelps Foundation and the University's Tropical Zoology Institute (Terrestrial Vertebrate Lab). In addition to her research experience, Veronica has worked with children as a Scout guide and in summer camps. Her work with children emphasized hands-on learning through games and activities. During her stay in Fire Island, she will assist with breeding shorebird monitoring and with outreach to Latino communities as part of our NSF project.  As she says, reaching out to people who live near parks is one of the most important things for conservation of species.

   
Community Outreach in New York          Engaging Latino Audiences near Fire Island National Seashore
Fire Island
Natasha Kerr (Diversity Outreach Coordinator) and Veronica Pachecho (Fire Island National Seashore Park Flight intern) will begin outreach at the Fire Island National Seashore study site.  Natasha will train Veronica in project implementation and introduce her to the study.  They will have a busy schedule, which includes meeting staff from the Patchogue-Medford Library, planning bilingual programs, attending a board meeting of the Lucero of America Foundation (a foundation serving the local Latino community), creating flyers and handouts, and developing programs.  The outreach effort will promote Fire Island's Junior Ranger Day, which takes place on April 23, 2011. Veronica will promote this program in several Latino communities throughout Long Island and will also lead bilingual nature programs during this event.  Check future Connecting Cultures Newsletters to keep up with Veronica's progress!

This outreach initiative promotes Fire Island's Jr. Ranger Day taking place on April 23rd, 2011. Ver�nica will promote this program in several Latino communities throughout Long Island and will also lead bilingual nature programs during this event. 
Check future Connecting Cultures Newsletters to keep up with Veronica's progress!
Connecting Cultures Website
Visit our updated website  

The Connecting Cultures website has been updated with pictures of nature programs at each site, outreach data, site demographics, and site partners.

Click this link to meet the interns, the study sites, and more:  

Connecting Cultures Website

 

Wedge Mtn SuitesSpecial Thanks!

 

Thanks to Wedge Mountain Suites in Washington for helping out with accommodations for the NPS Park Flight intern, Carlos Gonzalez Sanchez. We greatly appreciate their support.  Consider their suite for your visit to the North Cascades! 

 

www.thewedgemountainsuiteleavenworth.com 


Calendar of Events  
March 7, 2011 Quarterly Advisory Council conference call

Arrival and training of Park Flight intern
Veronica Pacheco Albornoz at Fire Island National Seashore.

March 14 - 18, 2011
Natasha Kerr travels to Fire Island to work with Ver�nica Pacheco.

April 3, 2011
Daniela Salvatierra de Silva arrives in Point Reyes from Bolivia.

April 6-12, 2011 Susan Bonfield travels to California and Washington to work with Park Flight interns and partner sites.
 April 10, 2011
Carlos Gonzalez Sanchez arrives in North Cascades from Mexico. 

April 19, 2011
Sara Ocasio Ortiz travels to Colorado from Puerto Rico, before her work with New Jersey Audubon.

Susan Bonfield travels to California and Washington to work with Park Flight interns and partner sites.


April 23, 2011 

Jr. Ranger Day at Fire Island National Seashore

About Environment for the Americas

Environment for the Americas, home of International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD), is a non-profit organization working to increase awareness of birds and their conservation throughout the Western Hemisphere. We provide the framework and education materials for bird festivals and events, host a directory of bird education resources, offer bird workshops for educators, and motivate people of all ages to get outdoors to learn about birds. Find out more at www.birdday.org.

Environment for the Americas
Home of International Migratory Bird Day

2129 13th Street, Suite I
Boulder, Colorado 80302
866.334.3330