Aves Compartidas 2024

In 2024, I was a member of the Aves Compartidas team at the University of Oregon. It's a section of a larger program called the Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) within the Environmental Studies department at the university. 

The Aves Compartidas environmental education program works with elementary students in the Willamette River watershed in Oregon, USA, and El Río Laja watershed in Guanajuato, Mexico. Through the lens of shared migratory birds, the program places an emphasis on both intercultural exchange and environmental education. By focusing on their local environment, the program helps students learn to care for nature, specifically the migratory birds they share. 

In Eugene, OR at our partner school, River Road/El Camino del Río Elementary, my team and I developed and implemented unique curricula for 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders. Third graders learned about pollinators, fourth graders studied terrestrial migratory birds, and fifth graders investigated watersheds and migratory wetland birds. 

These interdisciplinary curricula helped students become aware of the cultural and ecological connections between the Willamette and Laja watersheds. Facilitators used Spanish and English instruction in the classroom to bring intercultural connections to the forefront of our content. A series of five student-centered and action-based lessons culminated in a field trip to Mt. Pisgah Arboretum. By practicing observation, critical thinking, and practical skills like birding with binoculars, students developed the ability to become environmental stewards and advocates for migratory birds.

I was specifically a member of the fourth-grade team, along with my fellow Aves members Ben Adams and Maggie Combs. Together, we worked to edit curricula, create materials, and provide the framework for our students to learn about the beauty of terrestrial migratory birds.