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 issues that particularly concern his generation, including the rising cost of living, housing shortages and government accountability. At the same time, in a move supported by immigration advocates and other county officials, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors moves forward with a ban that prevents federal officials engaged in immigration enforcement from using county-owned properties. We will dive into these stories below.
You can now read the top winning stories of our annual Student Journalism Scholarship HERE! Our top three students were Jesus Heredia Collazo from Watsonville High School, Brady Clark from Coast Redwood High School, and Valeria Marquez from Watsonville High School. You can read about the journalism scholarship and what made these winning stories special here. I want to give a big thank you to everyone who told their students about Lookout’s journalism scholarship!
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CURRENT EVENTS TO USE IN YOUR CLASSROOM
Here’s a roundup of recent articles you could use in your classroom. Explore the linked lesson plans below for simple ways to facilitate reflection on these local events. Interested in more stories? Browse all our recent coverage here.
Recent UCSC grad hopes to be one of youngest elected to California Senate
Why it matters: Zennon Ulyate-Crow, who started being politically active in eighth grade, has recently launched his campaign for the California state Senate District 24 seat, encompassing his hometown of Topanga in Southern California. A recent UCSC grad at 23 years old, he would be one of the youngest people elected to the chamber.
In the classroom: What previous public policy and political experience does Ulyate-Crow have? What are the four main issues Ulyate-Crow is running on, and why might they be particularly important to younger generations? Why might varied age representation in state government be a good thing?
Supervisors move forward with ban on feds using county property for immigration enforcement
Why it matters: A new ordinance by the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors would guard county-owned parking lots, buildings and open spaces against use as processing locations, operation bases, or staging areas by U.S. I.C.E. agents and Customs and Border Protection agents.
In the classroom: What do you think the Board of Supervisors is trying to protect with this ordinance? What is the effect felt in the community when agents use or take up these spaces?
LOCAL NEWS
Supervisors see belt-tightening ahead with Santa Cruz County budget deficit projected to hit $23M in ’26-27
By Max Chun
March 11, 2026
Santa Cruz County faces a hefty deficit going into annual budget hearings. County supervisors weighed in Tuesday on what’s most important in the 2026-27 fiscal year as leaders […]
Even the fastest bird on Earth can’t outfly bird flu
By Cassidy Beach
March 8, 2026
Peregrine falcons — long celebrated as one of the greatest wildlife recovery stories in modern history — have seen rapid deaths across the greater San Francisco Bay Area since 2022. Long-term monitoring […]
With mental health organization in limbo, homeless service provider’s proposal to run some programs sparks worries about peer-based model
By Max Chun
March 4, 2026
As the Mental Health Client Action Network works to get back on its feet, homeless services provider People First of Santa Cruz County could operate some of its programs. But MHCAN members worry outside management […]
CALIFORNIA NEWS
Trump’s Medicaid work mandate could kick thousands of homeless Californians off coverage
By Kristen Hwang / CalMatters
March 6, 2026
A majority of California’s roughly 180,000 people experiencing homelessness have health insurance through Medi-Cal. Providers predict that many will lose insurance under President Donald Trump’s upcoming work mandates even if they qualify for exemptions.
EDUCATOR RESOURCES
21 Podcasts for the STEM Classroom
From Common Sense Media, a collection of STEM-related podcasts, organized by grade level, with options from K-12.
STUDENT STORIES
Students from all over Santa Cruz County entered our Journalism Scholarship which highlights an unsung hero from the Santa Cruz County community. The 2026 winners have been chosen and they are published here and on the Student Stories page.
Thank you for all the work you do in our community. Your efforts help younger generations build media literacy skills, engage with their communities, and grow as active democratic citizens. If you’d like to learn more about our school programs, get involved, or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at interns@lookoutlocal.com or my mentor Jamie Garfield (Director of Student and Community Engagement) at jamie@lookoutlocal.com
Best,
Ava Salinas
Educational Program Assistant
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