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| Program days are the heart of the TLT community involvement experience. Select a program day from the menu below for more details. |
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During the school year, 4 classes of students get an inside look at Sonoma County and its issues through this 9-month program emphasizing hands-on learning and critical thinking — as they and their new friends meet decision makers, solve problems and discover how Sonoma County works.
Program days are designed to give students a local perspective and opportunities to meet local leaders, so the agendas vary according to the issues and community.
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Parent - Student Orientation
Parents and students learn about the TLT program, the day program details, the goals and expectations, and hear the experiences of TLT graduates. Students get together with Robert Ethington, head of Student Affairs and Leadership at Santa Rosa Junior College and facilitator of the retreats, meet each other and participate in get-acquainted activities. 7-9 p.m. |
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 Retreat
Students get to know each other and the community, focusing on skill development that includes goal identification, problem solving and team building.
Students spend a full day with Robert Ethington, retreat facilitator and coordinators participating in activities practicing leadership skills, creating relationships, and discussing views and community issues.
The retreat includes opportunities to practice teamwork, like coordinating a group jumping rope! |
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 In small groups students discuss what community issues are important to them.
Students work in groups to formulate some ideas on what community issues are most important to them and presenting their ideas to each other, which is an example of the format of some of the TLT days to come. Students share their ideas with each other and notice their similarities and appreciate their differences. |
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 Law Enforcement Day
Participants gain an understanding of the scope of law enforcement, the training and community involvement of law enforcement agencies. Students learn how local agencies handle gang activity, graffiti abatement and tagging. They meet the dog that sniffs out narcotics and learn how the CHP officers practice using a shooting simulator. They learn about the range of training for officers and the scope of their community involvement.
SWAT team officers from the Sheriff’s Department show the equipment used in their crime control efforts. |
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 Students watch a rescue simulation by the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department helicopter, Henry 1.
Reach Air Ambulance lands their rescue helicopter and discussses how they respond to accidents and crises that need immediate evacuation. |
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 Agriculture & Natural Resources Day
Participants become acquainted with the diversity of the environment in Sonoma County, gaining an understanding of the significance of our agricultural and natural resources, and the challenges communities face in sustaining these resources.
The Press Democrat records this rite of passage for TLT students learning how to artificially inseminate a cow at the La Franchi dairy. A visit to the Sonoma County Water Agency dams and wells on the Russian River shows the natural filteration process and the inflatable dam that aids spawning fish as well as regulating water flows. |
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 Students visit the Sonoma County landfill on Meacham Rd. to learn about all the recycling efforts being made to cut down on garbage being trucked to other sites. Composting and methane gas generated electricity are two more efforts to be sustainable. |
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 Human Services Day
Participants learn about both public and private sector human service providers and recipients gaining meaningful information and experiences. Human service issues and resources are examined.
Hunger 101 — learning how people get enough food to eat.
Students visit sites that provide services for the homeless. Redwood Gospel Mission offers food, shelter and recovery programs, as well as feeding thousands a Thanksgiving meal. Student hear the stories of people who are recovering from addiction. We also visit the Family Support Center and the Homeless Services Center who offer housing and services to homeless families and individuals. |
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 Helping students at Kid Street Learning Center with their school work.
Working with children at Kid Street, many of whom are from disadvantaged backgrounds, is rewarding. The children love having the one on one experience. At Redwood Empire Food Bank students participate in Hunger 101, taking on roles of families who are in difficult situations and learning the challenges they face in getting enough food to eat. |
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 Government Day
TLTers learn about the impact of government on their lives, what services government provides, and who pays for them. Students interact with government decision makers, gaining an understanding of the decision-making process.
After hearing an overview of local government, students hear from representatives of all levels of government about their work and how they got where they are. They also discuss and decide what government should and shouldn't pay for after learning where the money comes from and where it goes. |
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Discussing the issues that a city council tackles.
 A mock City Council listens to presentations by citizen groups.
Students worked in small groups with mentoring by experts to choose how to cut the Santa Rosa school board budget by $5 million. The challenge is a real issue and the decisions of the student groups was relayed to the school board members. |
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 Health Day
Students are offered a variety of perspectives on health care and access to health care. They discuss and present their views on how to best educate students on their own health care.
Discussing teen health issues and possible solutions. |
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 Students visit Kaiser Permanente and hear from Dr. Bob Schultz, head of Kaiser in Santa Rosa, about the state of health care and how communities are dealing with challenges in providing care. Job shadowing is a highlight of the day as they follow the routine of doctors, nurses, technicians, and other career possibilities. A discussion in small groups about the state of health care and the health care bill before Congress shows the challenges and opinions about what should and shouldn't be covered and how.
Job shadowing in a laboratory at Kaiser. |
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 Planning & Development Day
TLTers examine the balance between growth and the environment. Students are introduced to the major issues and trends relating to growth, development and planning that affect the community.
Mentors from all facets of development, from planning, zoning and regulatting to conceptualizing, designing and building, work with students to create a project that is currently being considered or in process. |
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 Students offer their ideas and designs taking into consideration all the possibilities for use and all the considerations for surroundings, safety, accessibility, sustainability, comfort, etc.
Discussing the challenges and opportunities for downtown development.
Presenting student plans for creating a thriving environment around the coming railroad transportation plans. |
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 Business & Tourism Day
Students learn about the needs of small and large businesses in Sonoma County, the pros and cons of attracting new business to the area, and the challenges of doing business, making a profit, and being a responsible corporate citizen. Tourism as a major component of business is profiled.
Students hear from business owners and leaders how a business is started, from concept to reality, and work in groups with business experts coming up with an idea and following it through the details of starting a business. They learn the challenges and rewards of being in business. And they hear from business leaders about the importance of being involved in a community.
Students create a business with help from mentor, Ted Grafe. |
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 A tour of Amy’s Kitchen to learn about a successful local business is a highlight of the day.
Amy’s Kitchen is a highlight for the Santa Rosa classes. Amy's makes organic vegetarian food, hire many non-english speaking employees, offer classes in English and Spanish and offer their employees good conditions and benefits. And the students love Amy's pizza for lunch! |
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 Media & Communication Day
Participants become acquainted with the essentials of effective communication, and get the chance to exercise those skills. Students learn about the types of media in the local community, and how these mediums are changing and how they affect people’s lives.
Students plan which articles would go on the front page of the Press Democrat and how they should be laid out to offer readers the information they want and the information they need in a format that is compelling. |
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 Students celebrate the last day of the TLT year at Chevy’s for lunch, provided by the Press Democrat.
Student learn about information technology and the different ways communication happens, as well as what the future holds. They discuss the pros and cons of today’s media environment. Students get experience in formatting a commercial, writing a newspaper article, creating a blog, and discussing how we can communicate with each other effectively. |
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Graduation!
A celebration of the TLT experience for students and their families. |
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