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Silver Lake Leaders Support Full Circle
On Wednesday, October 7th the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council joined with Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti and Los Angeles City Councilmember Tom LaBonge to support the Wildwoods Foundation's Full Circle program in Silver Lake schools, voting to make a $1,000 grant to fund Full Circle.
"Wildwoods Foundation's Full Circle program has provided exciting opportunities for students of Silver Lake schools, by incorporating the natural environment of Los Angeles into our classrooms. We are excited and honored to be a sponsor of this program in our local schools this year," said Michela Bedard, co-chair of the SLNC's governmental affairs committee.
The Full Circle program is an intensive, academically integrated 8-week program for elementary schools that uses ecology as a springboard to help students understand how the principles that govern nature's ecosystems are just as important to the social fabric of our communities: Interdependence, Diversity & Sustainability.
Paul Michael Neuman, chair of the SLNC governing board added, "The Silver Lake Neighborhood Council is proud to be supportive of Wildwoods and Full Circle, for we are delighted with this key educational endeavor that teaches and inspires so many Silver Lake students."
Help from Council District 4
The SLNC grant matches the financial contributions of the two Councilmembers, who also provide buses for the field trips that are such an integral part of Full Circle.
"I am happy to support nature education programs at Silver Lake elementary schools through the Wildwoods Foundation," said Councilmember LaBonge. "The Full Circle program gets students outside to experience nature and learn from it. The health and educational benefits of this program are obvious."
Help from Council District 13
In addition to the transportation support, Council President Garcetti has pledged financial support for the beautification components that are part of the students' upcoming community service projects that concludes each class' participation in Full Circle.
"Wildwoods connects kids with each other and their environment, and helps them develop a positive, empowering vision of their place in our community," said City Council President Eric Garcetti.
Wildwoods' Commitment
"Six years ago we made a commitment to the community and to the schools of Silver Lake when we began Full Circle at Mayberry Elementary School," said Dwain Wilson, Executive Director of the Wildwoods Foundation. "As the Full Circle program has grown and expanded, so too has that commitment grown as we're now also bringing Full Circle to schools in Echo Park and Hollywood."
"That commitment was - and continues to be - a dedication to supporting public education and to providing teachers with tools and techniques that they can use long after the conclusion of the program," Wilson continued. "Quite honestly, Full Circle is often compared to programs that you'd expect to find at a private school. But we believe that every child deserves to have this kind of learning opportunity - not just those kids whose parents can afford to send them to private schools."
Ivanhoe fifth-grade teacher Kim Jones agrees.
A Teacher's Perspective
 "Full Circle enriches the curriculum beyond what is possible in the traditional classroom setting," Jones said. "The students are engaged in meaningful team-building activities that promote scientific inquiry and builds awareness of connections within the community."
Jones, currently in the midst of her second Full Circle program went on to say "I wish every class I have could participate in Full Circle. In fact, I wish every school in the district could participate. This is the kind of program that could really make a difference in a child's life."
How To Help
You can help support the Full Circle program in local schools by making a donation via the link at the top of this page.
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