Last month, Guadalupe Dunes Center interns Diana Perez, Mariah Gonzalez, and David De la Garza spent two weeks on the East Coast where they toured the Smithsonian Institution, did some sightseeing in Washington, D.C., and learned how to (humanely) tackle a deer.
While that last part doesn’t sound like a typical tourist attraction, it’s an everyday activity for students participating in the Smithsonian’s Future Stars of Science program.
“We tackled Bambi,” De la Garza said during an interview with the Sun.
Along with the wildlife wrestling at the Smithsonian’s Environmental Research Center, the students learned how to identify trees and shrubs, small and large mammal trapping, amphibian and invertebrate sampling, basic GPS/GIS, teambuilding skills, and how to apply for scholarships and intern opportunities.
A highly competitive program, the Smithsonian’s Future Stars of Science accepts fewer than a dozen students from across the United States. The program is meant to give a hands-on experience to students interested in pursuing degrees and careers in science.
“It definitely changed my life around,” Gonzalez said. “I never thought a couple years ago that I’d be doing something like this.”
Perez, who just started her senior year at Righetti, agreed, stating, “I had never heard about the Smithsonian Institution and what they do. We don’t hear about it on the West Coast.”
Perez said that she wants to start spreading the word about the institution and its programs to her peers.
“There are so many things you can do out there,” she said.
Until then, De la Garza and Perez plan to stay focused on science and involved with the Dunes Center.
Later this month, De la Garza will start his annual work with the Dunes Center’s Sand Bandits program, which brings science education to children in the community.
“If I teach this to kids the way I was taught, they might be interested in pursuing something better than being on the streets,” he said.
Perez said that she’s busy applying to colleges—such as UCLA, U.C. Irvine, and U.C. Riverside—where she wants to major in cellular biology. Through working with and researching plants and animals, Perez hopes to help find cures for deadly human diseases such as AIDS and cancer.
Gonzalez is a freshman at U.C. Berkeley, majoring in environmental science. She’s interested in applying for an internship at the Smithsonian.
For more information about the Guadalupe Dunes Center or the Smithsonian Institution, visit www.dunescenter.org or www.si.edu.
School Scene is compiled by Staff Writer Amy Asman. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, e-mail, or mail.
This article appears in Sep 11-18, 2008.