Wonder and curiosity greet children and adults at the Inland Empire Science Festival

Tony Ault Staff Writer

For the younger children it was a day of wonder. For the older children it was a day of acute curiosity at the annual Inland Empire Science Festival held at the Western Science Center in Hemet Saturday, April 29.

Paleontologists, archeologists and other scientists were on hand to answer questions about the animals and people that once roamed e arth. Lending to the answers were replicas of Ice Age Mastodon fossils, human skulls and other prehistoric artifacts presented by the University of California Riverside, Woodbury University and the Claremont Schools.

Children dug up plastic prehistoric animal bones and other items in boxes of dirt. Live rattlesnakes in specimen boxes could be seen safely, and boas found in California and South America were handled and wrapped around visitors’ arms and hands if they were brave enough, presented by Loma Linda University.

Alton Dooley, executive director of the Western Science Center, said the festival was in partnership with Hemet Unified School District whose students were allowed to visit the museum and festival activities free with their parents that day. WSC museum members were also granted free admission. Greeting visitors were members of the HUSD Wellness Community Outreach Center that help students and their parents succeed.

“We love presenting the Inland Empire Science Festival which we host every spring here at the museum,” Dooley said. “We have different science-related organizations from all over the region set up for the day and talk about the things that they do. There are paleontologists and archaeologists from all kinds of different groups. We have biology departments from colleges here…more than 20 different organizations.”

The colleges and universities represented at the festival included University of California Riverside, the Claremont Colleges, Loma Linda University, Mt. San Jacinto College, Woodbury University and Cal State University with many professors and scientists answering questions from visitors. Other smaller public classes like Kids for Code, the Cogstone Paleontologist Program and Bee Rooted for the study of bees were also on hand to share information.

U.S Forest Service volunteers from the San Bernardino National Forest and the National Park Service from Joshua Tree National Park talked about the parks and fossils and artifacts being found in their areas. San Gorgonio Wilderness Association members were also in attendance. Southern Cali- fornia Edison shared their efforts t o protect the land while Wildlands Conservancy representatives talked about the preservation of the Oak Glen Reserve known for its apple harvests. Waste Management provided details about their recycling programs and Eastern Municipal Water District talked about saving freshwater supplies. A California Air Resources Board scientist talked about their new headquarters, the Mary D. Nichols Campus, dedicated to clearing California skies and fighting climate change. A donation of $9 from those visiting the WSC museum saw many of the paleontological and Native American displays, the Ice Age Big Max mastodon fossil found during the Diamond Valley Dam excavation, and other prehistoric fossils

Mt. San Jacinto College receives recognition for equity

SAN JACINTO – Mt. San Jacinto College earned recognition from The Campaign for College Opportunity for excelling in equitable course placement for Black and African American students. MSJC is being honored for its efforts in supporting students to enroll and succeed in transferlevel math and/or English courses consistent with landmark placement policy Assembly Bill 705 t hat was championed by Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin and signed into law in 2017.

the girls travel to RCE, meet their pen pals in person and work with the third graders on specific STEM projects.

“Kathy and I spend four years with these academy students. We are obviously in class together, but we go on lots of field trips together that allow us to get more involved with our students. We tour colleges and visit STEM businesses,” Parks said. “SWES also allows Kathy to really bond with the girls in the club as well. While I probably have the most contact with the students in the academy, they also build great relationships with other teachers in the program. The important thing is that all of them have at least one teacher on campus whom they feel is a mentor and supporter for them.”

MSJC, one of 55 community colleges to receive one of the various awards from The Campaign for College Opportunity, earned recognition for its Equity Designation for Black Transfer-Level English Enrollment. Colleges earning this distinction are recognized for supporting 100% of Black students to enroll directly into transfer-level English. MSJC and the other colleges receiving an award will be recognized at the second annual Excellence in Placement ceremony in May.

Although his official title is Titan Engineering & Technology Academy director, Parks describes himself as “just a teacher who has chosen to put a lot of extra time and effort into something I believe in.”

Parks’ interest in engineering started long before he began teaching the subject. “I grew up working in my dad’s shop where we restored hot rods and jeeps. I also raced motorcycles and was taught to work on my own bikes,”

“The success of our Black and African American students is a priority,” Roger Schultz, Ph.D., superintendent and president of MSJC, said. “Starting in 2019, MSJC became a leader in the state with its Equity Pledge, and soon after a Call to Action that demonstrates our commitment to develop and implement strategies and practices that support Black and African American students. Diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility are a guiding principle at our institution and this he said. “I graduated from Cal Poly Pomona with a bachelor’s degree in engineering. While at Cal Poly I was involved in the Baja SAE and Formula SAE race teams, where I learned a tremendous amount. After graduating, I worked for several motorcycle race teams as well as a few different off-road race teams.”

Parks said the academy’s current focus is on ensuring that its students are equipped as best as possible for college and career when they graduate, just like the 64 that will do so next month. For more information, http://tiny.cc/ tchsengineering or robert.parks@ leusd.k12.ca.us

Children watch a volunteer from the Loma Linda University life science department hold a huge nonpoisonous Boa Constrictor around his neck while others stare at live poisonous rattlesnakes safely displayed inside plastic enclosures at the Inland Empire Science Festival at the WSC in Hemet. and interactive offerings for children about the many life sciences. Docents and student volunteers from the Western Center Academy and MSJC answered questions at the museum. The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday 10 recognition is a testament to our commitment to reduce barriers caused by systemic racism.”

Before AB 705, the vast majority of incoming community college students were being placed into remedial math and English courses that ultimately discouraged and derailed students on their college journeys. Over a decade of research has shown that students’ likelihood of earning a degree decreases when they start college in remedial courses.

Rebecca Teague, MSJC’s interim vice president of student services who also oversees DEIA initiatives and grants, said she is optimistic that this is just the beginning of eradicating disproportionate impacts for the highest priority students.

“We are incredibly proud that our Black and African American students are experiencing a transformational shift in their ability to access and be successful in our transfer-level courses as a result of our intentional efforts to disrupt institutional practices that were previously identified as barriers,” Teague said. “We a.m to 5 p.m. Ticket sales end at 4 p.m. The museum, at 2345 Searl Parkway in Hemet, is closed on Mondays. See westernsciencecenter.org for more information. Tony Ault can be reached at tault@reedermedia.com. are humbled by this award but ultimately inspired to do more to achieve the goals established in our Strategic Equity Plan and serve our students.”

“As we celebrate the record number of California community colleges that are placing students in transfer-level courses, we must remember that equity and success for all students, particularly Black and Latinx students, must be at the forefront of our efforts,” Michele Siqueiros, president of the Campaign for College Opportunity, said. “These colleges are leading the way in providing equitable access to higher education and ensuring that we break down barriers to student success.”

Equitable placement practices have proven to be highly consequential for increasing access to transfer-level coursework, maximizing student success and closing racial/ethnic equity gaps. By starting in transfer-level English, completion rates have tripled for Black students and more than doubled for Latinx.

Submitted by Mt. San Jacinto College.