Friends of the Los Angeles River

Source-to-Sea offers K-12 students access to immersive standards-based STEM education with experiential learning experiences across four touchpoints. Priority is given to schools with the highest % of low-income students (measured by % eligible for FRPM) - a group historically under-represented in STEM. We provide in-class curriculum, a visit from our River Rover mobile-education center, and an interactive field trip to the LA River to focus students on the interconnectivity of our urban ecosystem and the possibilities of various STEM careers.

Putting our award-winning Source to Sea watershed education program on wheels takes our STEM field trips from the LA River into Title I classrooms that are unable to travel to the River due to monetary, geographic, or district administration barriers. The adaptation of our macroinvertebrate lab into the River Rover mobile museum via virtual and audio-visual components will authentically replicate LA River experiences and equitize STEM education to 1,600+ grade 3-12 students in innovative and impactful ways.

Source-to-Sea offers K-12 students access to immersive standards-based STEM education with tailored experiential learning across four touchpoints. Priority is given to schools with the highest % of low-income students (measured by % eligible for FRPM) – a group under-represented in STEM. We provide in-class curriculum, an interactive field trip to the LA River focusing students on the interconnectivity of our urban ecosystem and various STEM career paths, and a take-home toolkit for students and families to learn and build agency together.

FoLAR's paid LA River Fellowship provides equitable access to green spaces and pathways to eco-STEAM jobs for 9-11th grade students, with priority given to Title I schools and students adjacent to the LA River. Throughout the year-long program, Fellows will connect with eco-Professionals, conduct field research, complete a climate communication certification, lead professional events and presentations, and enjoy camping and kayaking in the LA River Watershed to make meaningful connections with LA ecosystems.

FoLAR will collaborate with The Dirty Lab in the Department of Environmental Sciences at the UCR to continue a two-year phytoremediation pilot program that is already underway along the LA River, while also engaging youth and the community in science and the civic process. The pilot program will determine plant-based (phyto) and fungus-based (myco) solutions to removing pollutants (remediation) on the contaminated Taylor Yard G2 parcel – leading to the restoration of a multi-beneficial ecosystem and the future development of a public park.

FoLAR connects people to the River through the Great LA River CleanUp and further engages the public to create a constituency for change.