Scientific Spark
SCIENTIFIC SPARK
CRYSTAL COVE ALLIANCE EDUCATION MANAGER SARA LUDOVISE, WHO WAS RECENTLY HONORED BY SCIENCE@OC, SPREADS HER ENTHUSIASM FOR SCIENCE WITH THE NEXT GENERATION.
Sara Ludovise, who is an integral member of CCA’s education team, was recently honored at Science@OC’s Nov. 20 Spark Imagination reception for outstanding scientists, engineers and educators featured in the Orange County Register’s “Spark” series. Her selection is closely tied to CCA’s commitment to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) learning, and demonstrates how a spotlight is being shined on a new way of looking at state parks. Instead of just improving STEM education in OC schools, CCA is engaging teachers and students in hands-on activities to better meet classroom objectives, in particular with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
Through CCA, Sara and the education team work with visitors to show them how STEM skills can be applied to the real world. Outdoor settings like Crystal Cove State Park and other open spaces play an important role in furthering that understanding. Just a few examples include CCA’s Citizen Science Marine Protected Area Cruises, where high school students help scientists assess the health of offshore waters, as well as programs at the Berns Environmental
Study Loop that allow students to collect monitoring data for Park managers using trap cameras and other specialized equipment.
While people haven’t traditionally thought of parks as a place for students to receive high-quality STEM educational experiences, CCA sees otherwise—and individuals like Sara are helping to spread a passion for science and learning with the rest of the community.