At home in Long Beach, a young Olivia Sabourin enjoys gardening with her aunt and uncle. She thinks getting her hands dirty is fun and she likes to see the flowers she planted sprout new leaves and buds. So when she visited Catalina Island with the Boys and Girls Club of Long Beach, Sabourin was excited to pull on gloves and do some gardening outside the Ackerman Native Plant Nursery.
“I’m helping the planet,” she said enthusiastically.
The 9-year-old was one of about two dozen middle school students from Long Beach to join the Conservancy for a day of volunteering, education and exploration.
“A lot of these kids haven’t been on a boat before, haven’t experienced different things like this. And it’s very important because it gives them an idea of what they want to do in the future. This puts them on the right track to do that,” said Miguel Campos, Conservancy volunteer coordinator.
Campos guided the children in pruning overgrowth and clearing brush.
“It’s tough work but it shows them they can do hard work,” said Campos.
Removing problem plants was a thrill for 12-year-old Kendrick Wallace, who teamed up with friends to complete the task.
“It feels good,” he said. “I get friendship time with my friends and have fun.”
Once they finished clearing the plants, the children toured the nursery. There they got to see firsthand the Conservancy’s work growing native plants to help restore Catalina Island.
The students saw how seeds and clippings are collected and learned about the seed bank. Then they set out in vans for Little Harbor.
That was the part Sabourin had been looking forward to.
“I like the Island because it’s really pretty and the beaches are nice,” she said, taking in the scenic views.
Surrounded by stunning vistas, the students took a lunch break alongside an overlook of crashing waves. For the first time on the trip, they observed quietly and not one student was distracted by their phone.
Seeing the Long Beach students appreciate nature made Campos nostalgic.
“Being born and raised on the Island, I didn’t know what I had as a kid,” said Campos. “And now, I have a passion for making our beautiful Island even better.”
And Campos, along with the rest of the volunteer and education teams, hope to instill that respect for the Island within the students as they experience Catalina in this meaningful way.
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Experiences like this can help young students develop a passion for the outdoors and inspire them to be good stewards of the land, whether that’s Catalina Island or their own communities. Your support for the Catalina Island Conservancy’s volunteer and education programs directly funds life-changing opportunities like these.
