EnviroFest at Chollas Park Press Release

Local Youth Organize New Festival to Help Build Environmental Stewardship of Chollas Park

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

EnviroFest at Chollas Park Will Use Music, Arts and Hands-on Workshops to Educate and Engage Park Users of All Ages

(San Diego, CA) After helping to remove 186 pounds of trash, 67 pounds of recyclables and 18 pounds of dog waste from Chollas Lake and North Chollas Community Park last September, local middle and high school students decided it was time to teach lessons in environmental awareness. Who are their students? The hundreds of people of all ages who visit the North Chollas Community Park and Chollas Lake areas but might not know how to preserve them.

The team of youth - formed through a partnership between the non-profit San Diego Girls Alliance and UCSD Preuss School's Interact Club - has organized a family-oriented environmental education and awareness festival: EnviroFest at Chollas Park. The event will take place on Saturday, June 4th, from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m, at Chollas Lake Park located in the Oak Park community.

"We hope young people in particular will hear and embrace the message of conservation, recycling and preservation, and then become actively engaged in promoting and protecting this community asset," says Brigitte Taylor of San Diego Girls Alliance. "We believe that our work can encourage others to listen to the voices of students and realize the contributions they can offer in their neighborhoods."

UCSD Preuss School’s Interact Club president Brittany Taylor agreed, “we hope this activity will bring greater awareness to this park and its issues, helping to create long-term solutions."

Although hundreds of people from all parts of San Diego County flock to Chollas Park each day to bike, hike, walk, play sports or simply enjoy its natural beauty, the park and canyon area suffer from vandalism (graffiti, overturned porta-potties), illegal dumping of trash and appliances, dog droppings, and trampling of preserved areas.

EnviroFest at Chollas Park will feature hands-on activities that engage participants as well as workshops by local artists, including Mario Torero and the Community Actors Theater.

What: EnviroFest at Chollas Park

Where: Chollas Lake Park
6350 College Grove Drive
San Diego, CA 92105

When: Saturday, June 4, 2005
11 am - 4 pm

Highlights:

• Sierra Club will lead guided tours along the creek and talk about the importance of wetlands to water quality and endangered species.
• Performances by actors from the Community Actors Theater.
• Hands-on learning booths and educational exhibits focusing on enviro-science and conservation including presentations by Solana Center for Environmental Innovation, City of San Diego’s Environmental Services Department and I Love A Clean San Diego.
• Painting workshops and various art-related projects.
• Composting demonstrations.

The San Diego Girls Alliance and the Interact Club recruited the team of youths to promote environmental education and interaction between schools and the broader community. A non-profit organization established in 2003, the San Diego Girls Alliance provides mentorship to girls and young women. One of its primary goals is to encourage personal development while engaging young women in community service, helping them to identify neighborhood needs and to come up with creative responses. The student members of the Interact Club plan and participate in service learning and civic engagement projects that benefit San Diego communities.