 

<Images/CRClogo%20copy.gif>

California Raptor Center
Staff and Volunteer
Newsletter

*Overview <Index.htm>*
	
*Student Staff * <StdntStff.htm>
	
*Volunteers <Volunteers.htm>*
	*Outreach* 	
*Obituaries <Obituaries.htm>*
	
*Babies <Babies.htm>*
	
*What's New/Related Items * <WNewRltdItms.htm>

 

The California Raptor Center Outreach and Education Program

 

Between 1982 and 1986, Jo Cowen worked at the CRC as a regular
volunteer. Wanting to learn more about native California vegetation she
combined her time between the Arboretum and the CRC. As opportunities at
the Arboretum grew, she discontinued her hours at the CRC. During the
next few years she became very involved teaching science to children.
This work led to Project Wild and Project Learning Tree workshops.

An elegant prairie falcon pose


In September of 1992, an article appeared in the Davis Enterprise and
the Raptor Centers need for an education program. She sent in her
résumé, and the rest is history!! This was an opportunity for the CRC to
have a really organized program.

 

She developed the current Education Program:

 

    * Following up telephone reservations with a confirmation letter;
    * Sending the visiting party a pre-visit preparation package and map.
          o On the day of the field trip, the group starts in the
            classroom with a 30 to 45 minute presentation. At this time
            the kids are asked many questions. The group is then divided
            into 2 or 3, depending on the overall group size, and each
            group does the same things in rotation. A couple of
            assistant docents arrive at this time and conduct tours of
            the cages where the non-releasable birds live. Then it's off
            to the museum to dissect pellets, handle the owl skin and
            wing and view the other exhibits. When the rotations are
            complete, everyone is brought back to the classroom. A group
            vote is taken on which raptor to sponsor. Then it's time to
            study and the skins.
                + After pleading with the assistant director at the
                  time, she was granted permission to let the kids
                  handle the study skins.
                      # Which by the way is the favorite part of the
                        tour. A comment heard often is " I liked the
                        dead birds best"!

Sponsoring a Raptor Center Raptor

The group's donation determines which raptor they sponsor. Students are
asked for $1.50 each and a typical 2nd or 3rd grade class donates $30.
Fourth, fifth and sixth grade classes with 30 kids usually donate $45.
Frequently, that $45 rises to $50, meaning they can adopt an eagle, or a
small raptor plus a big hawk, owl or turkey vulture.Balzac and Juliet
Many classrooms donate more money and resident birds are often sponsored
all year long. We are happily the recipients of a yearlong class
fundraising project.

The Education program has been very successful and every year it raises
up to $3,000 for the CRC

The docent assistants that work with Jo on this program are Lis Fleming,
who has been helping with the program for about 10 years, and Cay Pratt,
who has been helping for about 5 or 6 years. Lis also does all the
publicity for CRC events, and Cay does offsite raptor puppet
presentations for pre-schoolers.

 

*Overview <Index.htm>*
	
*Student Staff * <StdntStff.htm>
	
*Volunteers <Volunteers.htm>*
	
*Outreach*
	
*Obituaries <Obituaries.htm>*
	
*Babies <Babies.htm>*
	
*What's New/Related Items * <WNewRltdItms.htm>