Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/784242
198 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • W I N T E R 2 0 1 7 Plants are propagated at school greenhouses for restoration in the wild. The Cycle of Restoration Program in Seaside and Marina is for 3rd-6th grade students and includes native seed collecting. And, as participants move through middle school and high school, they are invited to participate in additional service learning and volunteer projects throughout the region. CSUMB graduate Alyssa Schaan started working with RON during college, and stayed with the organiza- tion as an AmeriCorps em- ployee and full-time program coordinator after finishing her undergraduate anthropology program. Inspired by how out- door education can transform students' lives, she is now exploring that positive impact in a masters-level thesis project. Schaan recalls the reactions of the Salinas Valley students she took to the Pacific Ocean as part of RON's Flows to the Bay program. "For some, it was their only beach trip of the year. Others had never seen the ocean before, even though they lived just 20 or 30 minutes away. It was a life-changing experience for them," she says. "Those kids may not remember the names of the plants they saw that day, but they will never forget the first time they saw the ocean." While Return of the Natives teaches students about plants, pollinators, animals and conser vation, Schaan believes that the long-term lessons extend far beyond the natural world. " RO N o f fe r s s t u d e n t s oppor tunities to discover things that they didn't know they'd love. Sometimes, they're just surprised to discover that they like dirt—and that it's OK. That's fun. They might not grow up to be environmental scientists, but they're exposed to new opportunities to push themselves and discover new passions." To volunteer, donate or learn more about the Return of the Natives Restoration Education Project, please visit csumb.edu/ron. RON's founding teachers first set out to beautify schoolyards and strengthen students' connections to the environment, while providing safe and easy access to outdoor education.