This week, we were joined by Dr. Tim Gutierrez, Associate Professor of Sociology, who shared his experience teaching incarcerated youth in Riverside County. Most of his students have already earned their High School Diploma or GED and are now working toward their Associate’s Degree.

Despite the challenges of their circumstances, Tim described his students as engaged, curious, and genuinely excited to learn. Many are seizing this opportunity to reshape their futures, and it shows in how actively they participate and how eager they are to dig into the material.

Programs like this remind us of the power of education to open doors, even in the most difficult circumstances.  Tim’s dedication to this work is a big part of what makes it succeed.

We also heard from Nathan Hinckley who is embarking on a project to restore the Tortoise Enclosures at the Living Desert Zoo in Palm Desert.