After-school program at Centennial Farm earns an award

Jan. 27, 2016 5:41 PM PT

Costa Mesa’s Parks and Community Services Department was recently honored with an award from the California Park and Recreation Society.

The society — a nonprofit professional and public interest organization — recognized the Ranch Afterschool Program, which provides students with hands-on experiences at the Centennial Farm complex at the Orange County fairgrounds. The fairgrounds administration and Newport-Mesa Unified School District also are partners with the city in the free program.

The students care for the farm’s animals and learn about animal care and agricultural techniques.

The children maintain a portion of the farm’s land by planting, watering, fertilizing, weeding, inspecting for pests and harvesting.

“Agricultural education helps children learn about healthy food choices and teaches them different ways to access fresh fruits and vegetables,” city spokesman Tony Dodero said in a news release. “Most importantly, students begin to understand the deep impact agriculture has in their lives, past, future and present.”

Bradley Zint, bradley.zint@latimes.com

Twitter: @BradleyZint

Bradley Zint

Bradley Zint left Times Community News in 2018. He was a general assignment reporter for the Daily Pilot, where he worked since 2010. At the Pilot, he also was a copy editor, classical music columnist and reporter covering Costa Mesa and Newport Beach. He previously worked in Hermosa Beach, Long Beach, Alaska and Massachusetts. He is a graduate of Cal State Long Beach, where he served as editor-in-chief of its campus newspaper, the Daily 49er.