Pictured above: Dr. Mari Riojas-Cortez (left), Lauren Chase (middle), and Dr. Annie White (right)
April 28, 2021 – The School of Education at CSUCI is proud to share Early Childhood Studies (ECS) faculty members have won the Center for Community Engagement 2020-2021 Best Practice Award.
Dr. Mari Riojas-Cortez (Chair of ECS), Lauren Chase (ECS Lecturer), and Dr. Annie White, (ECS Assistant Professor) will be honored for their herculean efforts with the one of a kind 2020-21 Service-Learning through COVID award. They will be celebrated at the Center for Community Engagement’s annual Celebration of Service in May.
Dr. Riojas-Cortez, Chase, and Dr. White will be honored for their collaborative and innovative service-learning work which provided opportunities for ECS students to serve the community through virtual student led activities for young children.
The faculty worked in partnership with Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation (CEDC) and Oxnard Performing Arts Center (OPAC) to address the community needs through ECS students providing virtual learning experiences that included lessons focused on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Math (STEAM) in Fall 2020 and the Little Dolphins Virtual Learning Program during Spring 2021. The virtual learning programs, STEAM and Los Pequeños Delfines focused on using culturally responsive children’s literature to engage young children in early learning experiences including reading, writing, math, science, music, physical movement, and language interactions.
The Center for Community Engagement Celebration of Service event will take place on Friday, May 7, 2021 from 11:30 am – 1:00 pm. The invitation is open to all. School of Education faculty and students, as well as local community members are encouraged to attend the virtual celebration.
For more details and to register for the Celebration of Service virtual event please visit https://csuci.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0fC4vH0USRI1xNc.