Orange County Great Park expands education pilot programs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARCH 3, 2010
CONTACT: JENN STARNES, 949-724-6574

Great Park Expands Education Pilot Programs

Plans call for launching additional workshops and events to benefit the community

IRVINE – The Orange County Great Park Board of Directors received a presentation Thursday, February 25th, on the six Great Park Education Pilot Programs to be expanded this spring. The education programs include visual and environmental arts, history, ecology, agriculture, and health and wellness through workshops and events.

The programs will teach children about science, instruct people how to grow vegetables and educate Park visitors about the historical significance of the Great Park. The programs will bring people together through learning experiences by building on the success of current programming — hundreds of people have attended the natural history and garden workshops that began last fall.

“I want to personally thank everyone involved in the education pilot program,” said Larry Agran, Chair, Orange County Great Park Corporation. “I attended several of the lectures and garden workshops last fall and was pleased to see so many people enjoying their educational experience at the Park.”

Great Park education pilot programs include:

Science Education Awards: The Great Park is partnering with local educators to design curriculum centered on the science of the Great Park Balloon and the Farm and Food Lab. The program will combine in-class and field trip activities during the 2010 -2011 school year.

Visual and Environmental Arts Pilot Program: This arts and culture program will invite local artists to design and create art installations using local materials. The program will utilize the Squadron Complex as a site for working artist studios and gallery space for changing art exhibitions.

History Pilot Program: As the Great Park Walkable Timeline is expanded, this program will feature guided tours and outdoor movies to interpret popular culture of the 1940’s. Timeline tours will debut Saturday, June 19 at an event featuring the award-winning post-World War II film “The Best Years of Our Lives,” as a way to explore history through movies.

Ecology Pilot Program: Building on the success of last year’s lectures, this program includes natural history lectures, a course on birds, and workshops about butterflies and pollinators.

Agriculture Pilot Program: This program builds on the partnership established last year with the University of California Cooperative Extensive Master Gardeners of Orange County to present a garden workshop series. Using the demonstration gardens at the Farm & Food Lab, the Master Gardeners will again teach the community to learn and use sustainable gardening practices in their own gardens. In addition, the Great Park farm operations have produced tons of fresh produce that was donated to local food banks.

Health and Wellness Pilot Program: This pilot program will develop an innovative series to engage and educate the community about health and healthy living.

For information please visit www.ocgp.org or call 949-724-7420

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