- B90 -

Wilderness Arts and Literacy Collaborative Integrating Environmental Education and Ethnic Studies to serve San Francisco youth INTRODUCTION TO WALC The Wilderness Arts and Literacy Collaborative WALC is an academic program at two public high schools in southeast San Francisco Balboa High School and Downtown Continuation High School that uses the integration of environmental studies and ethnic studies as the foundation for an interdisciplinary educational experience. WALC serves primarily lowerincome youth of color who have historically been underserved many of whom are placed at risk of academic underachievement or even dropping out of high school. As such WALC utilizes environmental themes such as biodiversity interdependence flux equilibrium and sustainability to integrate science history literature writing art and math within rigorous and relevant curricula that centers the historical and contemporary experiences of people of color. A multitude of field studies such as camping trips day explorations and habitat restoration are interwoven with classroom learning to create a highly engaging educational experience providing a conceptual and experiential framework that directly helps our students understand the books write the papers complete the projects conduct the workshops analyze the experiments compete in the debates deliver the presentations and finish the numerous other assignments we require to ensure their academic growth.