Project – July 5-6, 2008

What?

Project 180 is a county-wide program of gang prevention in Bakersfield collaborating with law enforcement, courts, local service agencies, schools, parents and children to bring it about. Project 180 is charged with turning things around by providing three direct services: mentoring for at risk children, understanding through a program called Parent Project and aggression replacement training for at risk students.

On July 5th Project 180 brought eight students from Bakersfield to participate in the Rio Limpio: Tule River Clean-Up and outreach event. They spent most of the morning picking up trash and talking with river users before taking a break at the end of the event to swim in one of the Tule’s amazing swimming holes. For most of the students this was the first time swimming in a river. After the event the students headed over to River Ridge Ranch where they set up camp, ate dinner together and had a very personal time of reflection after spending some more time swimming and exploring their surroundings. Sunday morning the students woke early and drove up to the Trail of 100 Giants where they planted and watered Giant Sequoia seedlings. They took the initiative and decided that they wanted to name the trees that they planted and come back in the future to see how their trees were growing. The day was a success and an experience that they will never forget.

Why?

No one, other than gang members, wants gangs in their schools and communities. Much has been said about the destructive nature of gangs and how the perception of their power influences at risk children; one of Project 180’s goals is to identify at-risk youth in Kern County to keep them out of gangs and out of trouble.

Who?

Kevin Keyes, Salvador Arias and Carlos Gomez from the Kern County Superintendent of Schools Office led the group as Gang Prevention Specialists. Keyes and Arias identify at risk students and refer them to the best fit among dozens of community partners that offer mentoring through healthy activities and even job training. Mr. Keyes, Mr. Arias and Mr. Gomez brought eight students with them from different areas of Kern County and agree that next time that number will be doubled as these eight go back to their neighborhoods and tell other students what they did and what they accomplished at the Rio Limpio Clean-Up event.

Where?

The students worked hard cleaning up trash along the Middle Fork before taking a break for lunch at which time they explored some of the great rock water slides on the Tule just above Upper Coffee Camp. They then headed over to River Ridge and were able to explore the foothills with a hike to an old Native American encampment. The next day they made their way up to the Trail of 100 Giants where they watered and planted Giant Sequoia Seedlings.