Napa RCD’s youth education program strives to connect kids to nature, starting them on a lifelong journey of stewardship. Recently, we had the chance to connect kids to the nature hidden in our soils.
This year at Pueblo Vista Elementary’s Career Day, Miguel Garcia, Napa RCD’s Sustainable Agriculture Program Manager, brought soil science to life for nearly 100 fourth and fifth-grade students, entirely in Spanish. Because Pueblo Vista is a dual-language immersion school with many Hispanic students who speak Spanish at home, the presentation became a unique opportunity for students to see science through their own language and culture.
Miguel explained that even though he is a scientist, his laboratory is the great outdoors. Instead of a white coat, he wears a hat, long sleeves, and sturdy shoes to protect himself from the sun and wind. He shared how his work helps farmers who grow the food we eat and why protecting the soil and the life within it is essential for healthy farms and a healthy planet.
The highlight of the day came when students became scientists themselves. Working together, they counted earthworms in soil samples to help measure soil health. Some kids jumped right in, excited to touch the soil and find the wriggling worms, while others watched carefully before deciding to join. By the end, nearly every student had reached into the soil to hold an earthworm, discovering how these small creatures play a big role in keeping the earth alive and fertile.
For many, the experience was about more than science. Seeing a bilingual Hispanic scientist speaking their language and representing their culture reminded students that they too belong in the world of science, and that the path to discovery can begin right beneath their feet.
