Local news in the classroom: Weekly roundup 5/13/26 Good afternoon, With spring underway, this week’s featured stories consider the county’s produce, highlighting local efforts to better connect residents with the systems that sustain them. In the Pajaro Valley, a UC Santa Cruz researcher is working to respond to the health impacts of pollution in the […]
Ava Salinas | Educational Programs Assistant
Posted inInside Lookout
Connecting climate science and storytelling at Mission Hill Middle School
Working with seventh grade science teachers Sallie Corbin and Christy Fairbairn, Lookout developed a science communication workshop to support students’ climate change research projects and help students think about how complex scientific ideas can be communicated clearly and meaningfully. The visit introduced students to the basics of journalism, storytelling and audience engagement, with support from UC Santa Cruz science communication graduate student and Lookout intern Cassidy Beach. Students later presented their climate change projects at Mission Hill’s Climate Change Symposium through creative formats including videos, games, comics, sculptures and interactive activities. The partnership marks one of Lookout’s first middle school classroom visits as part of its growing educational initiative focused on media literacy, civic engagement and local journalism.
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Educator Update: PVUSD teachers oppose health benefits cap; Capitola to shift to district elections after lawsuit threat
Local news in the classroom: Weekly roundup 5/6/26 Good afternoon, May Day saw workers advocating for their rights throughout the county, and the theme of advocacy and representation continues into this week’s featured stories. With a strike potentially on the horizon, Pajaro Valley teachers fight against the district’s proposed benefits cap on health insurance contributions, […]
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Educator Update: Capitola renews controversial Flock Safety cameras; Santa Cruz County Public Defender joins statewide funding protest
Local news in the classroom: Weekly roundup 4/30/26 Good afternoon, This week’s featured stories both amplify community voices. The first outlines Capitola’s renewed contract with Flock Safety cameras, and explores the grassroots organization Get the Flock Out’s unwavering commitment to continue to voice their concerns about the company and its impacts. The second article covers […]
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Educator Update: Save the Bay event to feature activists and policy-makers who argue against offshore drilling and PVUSD officials discuss next steps in process of renaming Cesar Chavez Middle School
Local news in the classroom: Weekly roundup 4/21/26 Good afternoon, Happy almost Earth Day! We truly know the important role teachers play in helping students think critically about the world around them and the choices communities face. We hope this roundup will help you in your discussions with students. From environmental stewardship to questions of […]
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Educator Update: Uncertain data about March’s heat wave, and Grey Bears expansion in response to growing demand for senior services
Local news in the classroom: Weekly roundup 4/15/26 Welcome back – we hope you had a restful Spring Break. As classes resume, we’re bringing you a new set of local stories and classroom-ready resources to help students connect with what’s happening in Santa Cruz County right now. This week, we’re looking at two timely topics […]
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Educator Update: Santa Cruz County confronts big questions on energy safety and housing
Local news in the classroom: Weekly roundup 4/2/26 Good afternoon, As Spring Break approaches, we’re highlighting two local stories that raise important questions about growth, safety and community decision-making in Santa Cruz County. One focuses on plans for a new battery storage facility near Watsonville, proposed after the Moss Landing fire, where supporters and opponents […]
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Educator Update: UC Santa Cruz provost changes & Chávez response
Local news in the classroom: Week of 3/25/26 Good afternoon, As Spring Break approaches next week, we’re bringing you a timely roundup of local stories to spark meaningful classroom conversations – whether you’re planning ahead or wrapping up before time off. This week, major shifts are unfolding across Santa Cruz County’s education landscape. At UC […]
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Educator Update: New UCSC report shares farmworker hardships in Central California + six California governor candidates’ share priorities
Local news in the classroom: Weekly roundup 3/18/26 Good afternoon, Along with signs of spring across the Central Coast, new developments in research and state politics are drawing attention to issues shaping the region’s future. A new report from researchers at UC Santa Cruz examines the financial, social and legal challenges faced by farmworkers in […]
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Educator Update: 23-year-old UC Santa Cruz alum launches campaign for the California state Senate seat and Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors continues with ban on immigration enforcement using county-owned property
Local news in the classroom: Weekly roundup 3/11/26 Good afternoon, Along with sunnier evenings and the hint of spring on the horizon, developments in local politics offer some opportunities for optimism. Former Santa Cruz transportation commissioner and student housing advocate Zennon Ulyate-Crow (23) launches his campaign for a California state Senate seat, proposing to tackle […]