FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — Students at Farber Educational Center are being recognized for their commitment to community service after completing semester-long civic engagement projects that tackled real-world issues and earned them top honors across the district.<\/p>\n
Among those students is junior Arleth Martinez, who spent time volunteering at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo while raising awareness about the conservation of blunt-nosed leopard lizards.<\/p>\n
Martinez’s work was part of a larger initiative at Farber that encourages students to identify community challenges, research solutions and collaborate with local organizations. Teacher Jennifer Gross said the projects are designed to connect students with real-world issues.<\/p>\n
“So, the civic engagement projects are to give the kids exposure to community problems and allowing them to work with our community partners to find solutions for the problems,” Gross said.<\/p>\n
This year, students partnered with 25 organizations, including Beautify Fresno, the Poverello House and the Marjaree Mason Center. Over the course of the semester, students developed their ideas and presented their findings, with some discovering new career interests along the way.<\/p>\n
“It was so much fun learning more about reptiles and the way they react to people and everything,” Martinez said.<\/p>\n
The program’s impact extended beyond individual projects. A total of 92 Farber students were awarded the California State Seal of Civic Engagement, which recognizes excellence in civic education, participation and understanding of democratic principles. The total was the highest among schools in Fresno Unified School District this year, surpassing last year’s leader, Edison High School, which had 82 students receive the seal.<\/p>\n
Gross said the recognition reflects students’ dedication.<\/p>\n
“I’m so happy for our kids, because the kids that did it obviously were committed from the beginning and did a great job and stuck with it the whole semester to finish it,” she said. “So we’re super proud of them.”<\/p>\n
Compared to the previous year, Farber saw a significant increase in participation, with 38 more students earning the state seal.<\/p>\n
For Martinez, the experience has already opened new doors. She continues to volunteer at the zoo and has applied for a paid internship, hoping to build on what she learned.<\/p>\n
“I feel like I’ve never accomplished something as good as this, so I’m just very thankful to Miss Gross and all my teachers, who actually very much helped me,” she said.<\/p>\n
School officials said the projects not only highlight student achievement but also demonstrate how hands-on learning can inspire lasting community engagement.<\/p>\n
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