Alexis (Lex) Padilla reflects on her time as a University of San Diego (USD) College Corps fellow with San Diego Coastkeeper’s education program.
Alexis Padilla and our Education Program
My time at San Diego Coastkeeper was genuinely life-changing. I served as the education fellow for Education Manager Delanie Medina during the 2022-2023 school year.
Before beginning our program, I felt terrified since I had almost no formal teaching experience and less experience working with children. However, Delanie’s kindness, understanding, and patience helped guide me throughout the year and will stay with me for the rest of my life.
Coastkeeper is a fantastic environmental nonprofit organization. Working alongside and speaking with lawyers, advocates, scientists, educators, and the most inspiring students was a tremendous opportunity. I learned how to connect with the next generation of changemakers through the organization’s multifaceted approach to environmental education, community outreach, science, advocacy, and legal enforcement.
The most important lesson I learned through this fellowship is to consistently ask, “What can you do to make the world a better place?”’
About Coastkeeper’s Education Program
Project SWELL
Project SWELL is an innovative environmental education program that connects San Diego students to local water issues and climate science and empowers them to protect the environment. Project SWELL was developed in partnership with Think Blue San Diego and is available to teachers of grades K-8 within the San Diego Unified School District. Learn more here.
Science to Stewardship
Science to Stewardship is a place-based education program connecting high school students with local water quality issues and empowering them as change-makers in their communities. Learn more here.
