Community Outreach

The District is committed to and maintains a Community Outreach Program, which enhances the District’s image, promotes public awareness of District’s services, and educates and informs the community on vector prevention and control measures. Community Outreach consists of: 1) Public Information 2) Classroom Education and 3) the Mobile Education Unit program known as the VECMobile. The joint-efforts of these three programs produce quality, cost-effective, educational/informational services and materials for District residents, businesses, and learning institutions alike.

Public Information

The Public Information Program is coordinated by the Public Information Officer (PIO), who provides strategic direction for a comprehensive public relations campaign, promoting awareness and support of District activities amongst the member communities it serves. Multiple projects are handled by the PIO, which include representing the District in media and community relations appearances, preparing news releases, speaking engagements, coordinating community events, launching and distributing District identity and promotional materials, quarterly newsletter “Buzzword”, brochures, and evaluates instructional materials for exhibits, reports, and video programs. The PIO’s active involvement with the Mosquito and Vector Control Association of California’s Public Relations Committee, assesses the PR needs of the association and assists in creating and implementing beneficial communication, education, and advertisement strategies for the organization.

To contact the PIO, please send an e-mail to tdever@glacvcd.org or call 562-944-9656.

Classroom Education

The Classroom Education Program is coordinated by the Education Program Specialist (EPS), who plans, develops, and maintains a systematic, ongoing education program for classrooms within the District. The EPS reaches students through educational materials and lesson plans that follow the California Department of Education Guidelines.

The Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District offers FREE science programs to schools within District boundaries

Program 1: Vector Inspector Program

Program Core:

Students receive hands-on instruction with live specimens and demonstrations by a Teacher/Vector Control Specialist. The lesson covers: mosquito body parts and their function; mosquito life cycle and habitat; effect of mosquitoes on humans; and how to control mosquitoes.

Materials Provided:

• A 28-page activity book, Vector Inspector & the Case of the Most Dangerous Insect on Earth, for each student

• Take-home brochures for parents
• “Vector Inspector” badge/sticker for each student
• A Teacher’s Guide with lesson plans, teaching notes and enrichment activities
• A 10-minute VHS video, “Mosquito: Beat the Bite”
• Live mosquito larvae, pupae and adults
• Aquarium with live mosquito-eating fish

To schedule a class:

Classes are geared towards 3^rd – 7^th grades and last about one hour. Up to three classes can be scheduled at a school in one day. Please reserve your date one month in advance.

Call Karen Walker at (562) 944-9656.

Program 2: Honey Bee Science Program

Schedule a FREE lesson in your classroom that teaches students how to be safe around stinging insects.

Program Core:

The lessons presented by a Teacher/Vector Control Specialist will cover: identification and function of honey bee body parts; honey bee society and communication; identification of dangerous behaviors and safety tips; pollination and importance of bees; and identification of other local, stinging insects.

Materials Provided:

· A “Honey Bee Workbook” for each student

· A Teacher’s Guide with lesson plans, background material, and enrichment activities

· Take-home brochures for parents

· Activity sheets and bookmarks for each student

To schedule a class:

Classes are suitable for 3^rd – 7^th grades and last an hour. Up to three classes can be scheduled at a school in one day. Please reserve your date one month in advance. Call Karen Walker at (562) 944-9656

Program 3: Field Trip Program

Bring your students to our District for an exciting, hands-on, scientific learning experience.

Program Core:

Students are guided through hands-on activities by GLACVCD biologists and technicians. They circulate through five learning stations with lessons on: mosquito biology, mosquito sampling and identification, disease surveillance and prevention, control methods, honey bee biology and Africanized honey bee prevention, technical equipment operations and finally, familiarizing students with the importance of insects in our world.

The Field Trip Includes:

• Station One – the Boardroom: Students are introduced to the District’s history and mission, learn the meaning of “vector” and watch a short video.
• Station Two – the Laboratory: Students use microscopes to view and discuss the complete life cycle of a mosquito (egg, larva, pupa, adult).
• Station Three – Fish and Traps: Students see biological control in action when live mosquito larvae are added to a tank full of fish. Three mosquito-sampling methods (traps) are demonstrated. The wild bird and sentinel chicken serology program is discussed along with the encephalitis transmission cycle.
• Station Four – Honey Bee Biology: Students view a local stinging insect collection. The importance of honey bees to our environment and Africanized honey bee awareness are discussed.
• Station Five – Vector Vehicles: Vector Control Specialists demonstrate the operational functions of specialized vector vehicles.
• The Insect “Petting Zoo:” All students view our extensive insect collections and can touch, hold or pet our live insects with the field trip staff.

To schedule a field trip:

This program is only offered from November 1^st through April 30^th. Field trips have been limited to only 4 per month due to staffing limitations. The program takes about 2½ hours and is open to 3^rd – 12^th grade students. We can accommodate groups of up to 125 people and our facilities are handicapped accessible. On-site parking and restrooms are available. It is advised, to schedule a field trip in the beginning of the school year because the field trips are limited. Field trip location: 12545 Florence Avenue, Santa Fe Springs, CA. Call Karen Walker for information or to schedule: (562) 944-9656.

Mobile Education Unit (VECMobile)

The Mobile Education Unit Program (MEU) known as the VECMobile, is first of its kind in the nation aimed at teaching fifth-grade elementary school students about vectors and vector-borne diseases. This unique 35 foot traveling RV classroom makes science come alive for youngsters.

This program is administered by the MEU Coordinator/Grant Administrator, who is responsible for departmental oversight, coordination of the VECMobile staff, mobile vehicle, elementary school visits, after school enrichment programs, and community events. Additionally, the MEU Coordinator/Grant Administrator seeks procurement of grant funding in support of the MEU and oversees the District’s non-profit foundation. Two Education Program Assistants supervise and teach students on-board and outside the VECMobile’s Exploritorium Research Center.

Program Core:

One 5^th grade class, approximately 35 students and one teacher, spend 1½ hours inside the VECMobile and outside in the Exploratorium. Inside, half the class rotates to four different stations and participates in hands-on lessons. Outside, the other half of the class rotates through five stations. After 45 minutes, the two half-classes switch.

The VECMobile Includes:

Pre-visit materials delivered to the school one month before the visit.

• A “Vector Inspector” activity book for each student
• An extensive VECMobile guide for the teacher including lesson plans, the entire VECMobile curriculum and a list of science, language arts and health standards that apply to the curriculum.
• Pre-test

VECMobile activities inside:

• Four teams of students rotate to each station. They are required to follow directions listed on a flip chart and answer questions on a data sheet for each station.
• Station One: students build a large model of a female mosquito
• Station Two: students view the 4 stages of the mosquito life cycle under a microscope
• Station Three: using a computer and CD-ROM, students view how a female mosquito takes a bloodmeal and how she transmits an encephalitis virus
• Station Four: students view three types of fish in a fish tank, study larval behavior and fish morphology, make a hypothesis on which fish will be the best mosquito predator and conduct an experiment to prove their hypothesis.

The Exploratorium activities outside:

• Students learn how to look for and eliminate mosquito-breeding sources. They have the option to eliminate their backyard breeding sources at home, fill out a form and send it back to us. We will send them an award for helping control mosquitoes.
• Students discuss the current vector in the news with a VECMobile instructor.
• Students are taught how honey bees are beneficial to our environment and how to stay safe around stinging insects.
• Students view an insect collection, read clues on identifying types of insects, and fill out an activity sheet identifying the type of each insect in the collection.
• Students match up pictures of insects on their activity sheet to the insects in an exotic insect collection from around the world. They write the country each insect is from under each picture on the activity sheet

To schedule a VECMobile visit, please call Linh Dang at (562) 944-9656. Please reserve your date one year in advance.