Summer Camp Guide 2023: Arts camps

• March 26, 2023

ACTING ACADEMY FOR KIDS SUMMER PERFORMING ARTS CAMPS

● Ages: 4-13

● Dates: June 5-Aug. 11

● 24196 Alicia Parkway, Mission Viejo; 14281 Chambers Road, Tustin; 202 Avenida Cabrillo, San Clemente

● 949-427-0072

● www.actingacademyforkids.com

Campers are guided through the production of a popular musical from start to finish. Students take daily classes in music, acting, directing and dance. The weekly program culminates in a Friday showcase. Both virtual and in-person camp options are available.

More from our Summer Camp Guide

Summer is the ultimate balancing act for families
How to book a ‘just right’ camp
Academic and STEM camps
City-run camps
Faith-based camps
Foreign-language camps
Sleep-away camps
Sports camps
Swim, surf and sailing camps

APA KIDS AND APA JR. SUMMER PROGRAMS

● Ages: Grades 1-9

● July 10-21; July 24-Aug 4

● Huntington Beach High School, 1905 Main St., Huntington Beach

● 714-536-2514, ext. 51454

● www.hbapa.org

Students will participate in art, music, dance and acting. Separate camps are offered by grade level. Each camp ends with a showcase performance and a mini art show.

ARTS & LEARNING CONSERVATORY SUMMER CAMPS

● Ages: Kindergarten-12th grade

● Dates: June 26-Aug. 11

●151 Kalmus Drive, G3, Costa Mesa

● 714-728-7100

●  www.artsandlearning.org

Performing arts camps offer instruction in theater, voice, stage tech, instrumental music and dance. Older teens will rehearse “West Side Story” while younger students can play roles in “Annie.” There also are camps devoted to band, strings, musical theater revues and camps devoted to “Encanto” and “Hamilton.” Each week of camp culminates in a performance

ART STUDIO ART CAMP

● Ages: 7-17

● Dates: TBA

● 6450 Westminster Blvd., Westminster

● Studio: 714-899-6001; Mobile: 714-458-2800

● theartstudio.us

All Art Studio camp classes are taught by professional, working artists who also have a mission to teach their art forms. Camps are tailored to the individual from beginning to advanced. Mediums offered this year are oil painting, drawing, sculpting and custom skateboard designing.

CHAPMAN SUMMER CHORAL MUSIC CAMP

The Chapman Summer Choral Music Camp is open to high school students.(Photo by Doug Gifford)

● Ages: High school students

● June 19-23

● One University Drive, Orange

● 714-997-6871

● chapman.edu

Experience college-level singing in daily vocal classes and small ensemble practice directed by Keith Hancock, the Grammy Music Educator of the Year for 2017. The week culminates with a concert in the Musco Center of the Arts. Final date to register is May 1.

THE COLLECTIVE SOUND ACADEMY

● Ages: 12-18

● Dates: TBA

● Vanguard University, 55 Fair Drive., Costa Mesa

● thecollectivesound.com/california-summer-music-camp

Campers will write and perform original music. They will record in a professional studio, film a music video and perform in front of an audience during the three-week session.

CREATIVE KIDS PLAYHOUSE THEATER IMMERSION CAMP

● Ages: 3-18

● Dates: June 26-July 22

●  Camino Real Playhouse, 31776 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano; Laguna Hills High School, 25401 Paseo De Valencia, Laguna Hills

● 949-297-6257

● creativekidsplayhouse.com

With guidance from theater professionals, kids will put together a one-act musical in one week with training in drama, dance, vocal music, set design and more. Virtual options are available.

CULINARY KIDS SUMMER CAMP

Kids in the Culinary Kids Summer Camp at Aliso Viejo Middle School in Aliso Viejo on Friday, July 22, 2022 work as a team to make bacon cheeseburger biscuit pies. Pictured, from left, are Charlotte Thornton, 11, Cassidy Rudin, 9, Delaney Alderman, 9, Annabelle Thornton, 10 and Savannah Mason, 8. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

● Ages: 6-14

● Dates: Weeklong camps June 12-Aug. 4 in Aliso Viejo (except week of July 3); June 12-July 28 in San Clemente (except weeks of July 3, July 17)

● Aliso Viejo Middle School, 111 Park Ave., Aliso Viejo; San Clemente Community Center, 100 N. Calle Seville, San Clemente

● 949-292-4720

● culinarykids.biz

Young chefs gain hands-on cooking experience with camps titled Perfect Pizza Pairings, Terrific Taco Time and Beach Bash: Meals and Treats to Beat the Heat. Note: Book early. Some camps are already full.

FIVE DAYS OF BROADWAY AT THE SEGERSTROM CENTER

● Ages: 11-18

● Dates: Middle School June 19-23 (ages 11-13); High School June 26-30 (ages 14-18)

● 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa

● 714-556-2122, ext. 4104, or [email protected]

● scfta.org

Students will be coached in musical theater performance by professional artists and educators. Campers will build a foundation in music, acting and dance and be introduced to backstage and technical elements of theater.

MUDDY’S STUDIO CLAY CAMP

● Ages: 8-15

● Dates: TBA

● 2610 South Halladay St., Santa Ana

● 714-641-4077

● muddysstudio.com

This camp introduces kids to the art of clay and teaches the fundamentals of ceramics. Work on a potter’s wheel, hand build and glaze pieces created from scratch. Book quickly because spots are limited and filling up fast.

PALETTE STATION SUMMER ART CAMP

Chase Hung works on a watercolor of a pirate ship during art camp at Palette Station in Santa Ana, CA, on Thursday, July 15, 2021. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

● Ages: 5-12

● Dates: June 5-Aug. 11

● 1526 Brookhollow Drive, Ste. 84, Santa Ana

● 714-714-0126

● palettestation.com

Teachers will work with campers to create projects using acrylic paint, watercolor, colored pencils, oil pastels and modeling clay.

THE PERFORMER’S ACADEMY

● Ages: 7-15

● Dates: June 5-Aug. 18 (no camp week of July 3)

● 23721 Birtcher Drive, Lake Forest

● 949-609-1600

● performersacademy.net

Campers will rehearse throughout the week and perform a show Friday evening. A video of the show will be shared with the camper’s family. No singing or dancing experience is necessary.

‘PLUG INTO POP MUSIC’ SUMMER CAMP

● Ages: 9-16

● Dates: July 17-28

● Huntington Beach High School, 1905 Main St., Huntington Beach

● 714-536-2514, ext. 51454

● www.hbapa.org

This camp, operated by the Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts, will introduce students to pop and rock instruments (guitar, bass, drums, keyboards), and teach them how to write songs and build their brands. Participants will present a concert on the final day of camp.

SCHOOL OF ROCK

Alani Gonzalez, 13, of Los Alamitos plays “Hey Bulldog,” by The Beatles, along with other campers during the School of Rock Tustin’s Classic Rock camp in 2015. Students spend a week preparing for a performance at the end of the week. (Photo by Nick Agro, Orange County Register/SCNG

● Ages: 7-18

● Weekly camps June 5-July 16

● Locations in Huntington Beach, Rancho Santa Margarita, Santa Ana and Tustin

● 714-847-7788 (Huntington Beach); 949-888-7625 (Rancho Santa Margarita); 949-774-7625; 714-975-9116

● www.schoolofrock.com

Kids learn the basics of playing live music and receive studio/band rehearsal time. Camp includes instruction and clinics with music professionals and a rock show performance.

SEWING CAMP

● Ages: 7-15

● Dates: June 5-Aug. 28

● The District at Tustin Legacy, 2477 Park Ave., Tustin

● 714-259-0946

● createdesignsew.com

The camp offers half-day and full-day sessions and both a regular sewing camp (ages 8-15) and junior sewing camp (ages 7-8). Participants will learn the basics of machine sewing such as ironing, cutting patterns and threading and filling bobbins. Students choose the projects to create. The camp also offers 2-hour Fashionable Fundays workshops on Wednesdays. Off-site options are available.

SOUTH COAST REPERTORY SUMMER WORKSHOPS

●  Ages: Third to 12th grade

●  Dates: Sessions July 10-21 and July 24-Aug. 4

●  655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa

●  714-708-5555

●  scr.org

Students can choose acting, improv or musical theater as their focus for the two-week program. Students will gain exposure to various aspects of theater, such as design, improvisation, combat, singing and play writing.

STEVE & KATE’S CAMP

●  Ages: 4-12

●  Dates: June 19-Aug. 18

● Renascence School International Orange County, 1701 Baker St., Costa Mesa

●  949-669-5134

●  steveandkatescamp.com/costa-mesa

Campers get to choose their own activities from options that include dancing games, karaoke, building and playing games on iPads, a sewing salon, a bakery, a “makery” for creating crafts, water play and sports.

​ Orange County Register 

Summer Camp Guide 2023: City-run camps

• March 26, 2023

ANAHEIM SUMMER CAMPS

Sarah Johnson, 12, competes in archery during Wilderness Survival Camp at Oak Canyon Nature Center in Anaheim, CA on Friday, July 29, 2022. Campers learned shelter building, food and water gathering, first aid and archery. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

● Ages: 5-12

● Dates: TBA

● Various locations in Anaheim

● 714-765-5155

● anaheim.net

The city offers camps to keep kids busy through the summer including CampVenture, a day camp of mixed activities and the O.A.K.S. nature camp inspired by Native American lifestyles. Wilderness Survival Camp at Oak Canyon Nature Center teaches first aid, food and water gathering, and shelter building using resources in nature.

BREA SUMMER DAY CAMP

● Ages: Kindergarten to eighth grade

● Dates: June 5-Aug. 11

● 695 Madison Way, Brea

● 714-990-7179

● ci.brea.ca.us

Games, crafts, computers, sports and educational presentations with weekly excursions and local outings for Knott’s Berry Farm, LA Zoo, other fun locations, swimming, movies and park visits. Registration will open April 20 for residents and April 21 for nonresidents.

More from our Summer Camp Guide

Summer is the ultimate balancing act for families
How to book a ‘just right’ camp
Academic and STEM camps
Arts camps
Faith-based camps
Foreign-language camps
Sleep-away camps
Sports camps
Swim, surf and sailing camps

BUENA PARK YOUTH SUMMER SPORTS CAMPS

● Ages: 7-14

● Dates: June 5-Aug. 12

● Boisseranc Park, 7520, Dale St.; Peak Park Sports Camp, 7225 El Dorado Drive

● 714-562-3858

● www.buenapark.com

Kids will enjoy a variety of indoor and outdoor activities including basketball, dodgeball, kickball and ultimate Frisbee as well as field trips to the Peak Park Pool and Big Air Trampoline Park.

CYPRESS SUMMER DAY CAMP

● Ages: 1st to 7th grade

● Dates: TBA

● Cypress Community Center, 5700 Orange Ave., Cypress

● 714-229-6780

● cypressrec.org

Themed weeks with games, arts and crafts and cooking lessons. Campers take excursions to places such as Discovery Cube Orange County, Knott’s Berry Farm, Big Air USA and Raging Waters.

FULLERTON CAMP HILLCREST SUMMER DAY CAMP

● Ages: 5-12

● Dates: June 12-Aug 4

● Hillcrest Park Recreation Center 1155 N. Lemon St., Fullerton

● 714-773-5789

● cityoffullerton.com

Camp Hillcrest provides a well- rounded and safe atmosphere for campers and provides instruction in arts and crafts, games and sports. Excurisons include Discovery Cube, LA Zoo, Knott’s Soak City, Medieval Times, among others.

GARDEN GROVE SUMMER DAY CAMP

● Ages: 5-12

● Dates: June 24-Aug. 30

● Atlantis Play Center, 13630 Atlantis Way, Garden Grove

● 714-741-5200; 714-741-5211

● ggcity.org

Campers will receive a camp T-shirt, snacks and refreshments and participate in games, activities and excursions to the beach, Knott’s Berry Farm or an Angels game.

HUNTINGTON BEACH SUMMER CAMPS

● Ages: 6-13

● Dates vary depending on camp selected

● Murdy Community Center, 7000 Norma Drive, Huntington Beach

● 714-536-5486

● hbsands.org

Camp HB offers fun-filled weeks of camp, with themes such as sports, arts and crafts, water week and summer fun, plus on- and off-site excursions.

IRVINE SUMMER CAMPS

Samantha Xia, 6, left, practices with others during Hip Hop Camp at Portola Springs Community Park in Irvine, CA on Thursday, August 5, 2021. The city of Irvine and OC Dance Productions have been offering camps to help kids work out their summer break wiggles while learning some off-the-hook dance moves. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

● Ages: 4.5-18

● June 5-Aug. 18

● Various locations throughout Irvine

● 949-724-6610

● cityofirvine.org

More than 100 summer camps are available, including half-day, full-day or part-time options. Sports, nature, art, theater, tennis, excursions, engineering and more are available.

LAGUNA NIGUEL SUMMER CAMPS

● Ages: First to eighth grade

● Dates: Starts June 19-Aug. 4

● Parks and Rec office 949-425-5100; Recreation Hotline 949-362-4351

● cityoflagunaniguel.org

Campers will experience outdoor play, board and card games, team-building activities, toy building, weekly visitors, science and nature exploration in the Botanical Preserve, arts and crafts, swimming, and diving.

CLUB LA PALMA DAY CAMP

● Ages: 5-12

● Dates: TBA

● George B. Miller Elementary School, 7751 Furman Road, with the final week of camp the La Palma Community Center, 7821 Walker Street

● 714-690-3300

● cityoflapalma.org/daycamp

Club La Palma is filled with action-packed activities and excursions to such destinations as Big Air Trampoline Park, Discovery Cube, Knott’s Berry Farm, and more.

MISSION VIEJO SUMMER CAMPS

● Ages: 5-17

● Various dates and locations throughout the summer

● cityofmissionviejo.org

The city offers a variety of specialty summer camps, including robotics, Minecraft, music video singing, American doll fashion as well as sports and academic camps. There is a also a general day camp called Mission: Camp Adventure.

ORANGE YOUTH DAY CAMPS

● Entering first grade to age 15

● Various dates and locations throughout the summer

● Various city parks

● 714-744-7293

● cityoforange.org

Campers will enjoy sing-alongs, sports, games, crafts and weekly excursions outside the city.

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA SUMMER CAMPS

● Ages: 3.5-17

● Dates: TBA

● Bell Tower Regional Community Center, 22232 El Paseo, Rancho Santa Margarita

● 949-216-9700

● cityofrsm.org

A variety of classes such as art, chess, cooking, dance, cheerleading, movie-making and sewing.

SADDLEBACK VALLEY UNIFIED SUMMER CAMPS

● Ages: Kindergarten to eighth grade

● Dates: TBA

● 949-586-1234

● saddlebackchildcare.org

Camps are geared for elementary and teenage students and include field trips, games, crafts, sports and special events.

SAN CLEMENTE SUMMER CAMPS

● Ages: 3-15

● Various dates and locations throughout San Clemente

● 949-361-8264; or 949-361-8200

● www.san-clemente.org/recreation-community

The city offers more than 200 camps with such titles as children’s theater, active adventure and beach volleyball.

SANTA ANA SUMMER ACTIVITIES

Sebastian Zotea, 8, enjoys a refreshing jump in the Salgado Recreation Center pool during the City of Santa Ana Day Camp on Tuesday, July 27, 2021. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

● Ages: 5-12

● Various recreation centers in Santa Ana

● 714-647-5307

● www.santa-ana.org

Kids can enjoy organized games and fitness activities, arts and crafts, library visits, and computer workshops.

TUSTIN SUMMER CAMPS

● Ages: 3-17

● Various dates and locations throughout Tustin

● Tustin Family and Youth Center, 14722 Newport Ave.

● 714-573-3370

● tustinca.org

This program offers camps in dance and fine arts, sports, science, modeling, theater and more.

YMCA SUMMER DAY CAMP

● Starts in June

● 50+ locations around Orange County

● ymcaoc.org/summer-day-camp

Day camps feature sports and out- door activities, field trips, and specialty clubs like cooking, art, photography and sports. Excursions include the zoo, Discovery Cube L.A., Knott’s Berry Farm and Boomers. The program offers water games, outdoor sports, and arts and crafts.

​ Orange County Register 

How to choose foods that are actually healthy and good for you

• March 26, 2023

When it comes to food and nutrition, figuring out which foods are healthy can be confusing. The government’s definition of healthy food is outdated and health experts don’t seem to agree on what makes a food healthy.

How do we cut through the jargon and hype to choose foods that are actually healthy?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s existing definition of “healthy” is from 1994. It provides limits for total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. To qualify, foods must also provide a certain amount of vitamin A, calcium, iron or fiber, meeting at least 10 percent of the Daily Value for these nutrients. But these parameters are 30 years old and both the science and consumers have evolved and changed considerably since then.

It’s important to realize the distinction between a healthy food and a healthy diet. A healthy diet includes a variety of nutritious foods that provide all the nutrients needed to maintain health and energy levels while preventing or managing certain diseases. Foods that are not deemed healthy can still fit into a healthy diet. Of course, there are different opinions on what makes a food or beverage “healthy.”

Last year, the FDA proposed an updated definition of “healthy” claims on food packages with a focus on reducing chronic disease. Changes to the definition of “healthy” would be based on the latest nutrition science, federal dietary guidelines and the current Nutrition Facts label.

Related Articles

Under the proposed definition of “healthy,” a food product would have to contain a specified amount of food from at least one of the food groups such as fruit, vegetables, grains, dairy and protein. It would also include specific limits for added sugars, saturated fat and sodium. All raw whole fruit and vegetables would qualify for the “healthy” claim. Foods and beverages that don’t qualify for the “healthy” claim under the current definition, but would qualify under the proposed updated definition include water, avocados, nuts, seeds, fatty fish like salmon and some oils. Foods that currently qualify as “healthy” under the current definition, but would no longer be considered healthy under the proposed definition include white bread, highly sugar-sweetened yogurts and highly sugar-sweetened cereal.

While experts work to align the “healthy” claim for food and beverage products with current scientific evidence, there are steps we can make to ensure we are eating a diet based on nutritious, health-promoting products.

Check the Nutrition Facts label for sodium content. Products with more than 400 mg of sodium per serving are considered high in sodium and products with 140 mg of sodium or less are low in sodium.
Read for Nutrition Facts food label for sugar content. Ideally, for those two years and older added sugars should be limited to less than 10 percent of total daily calories. This is about 24 grams of sugar or less for women and 36 grams of sugar or less for men daily.
When purchasing grain products like bread, cereal, crackers, tortillas and pasta, choose products made with whole grains that contain at least 3 grams of fiber per serving.
When possible, opt for fresh, frozen and canned meat, poultry and seafood products with minimal added ingredients. Additional ingredients often contribute to excess sugar, salt and fat.
Use the ingredient list on the food package to know what is in the product. Pay attention to the first three ingredients as they make up the largest part of the product.
Look for whole food ingredients from the food groups such as vegetables, fruit, dairy, grain and protein.

LeeAnn Weintraub, MPH, RD is a registered dietitian, providing nutrition counseling and consulting to individuals, families and organizations. She can be reached by email at [email protected].

​ Orange County Register 

Successful Aging: How you feel about your age can affect your health

• March 26, 2023

Q. I am a 75-year-old woman and do not feel my age. I have read there are some benefits to feeling younger. Could you comment on this? Many thanks. N.S

We continue to look for the fountain of youth with lotions, potions, procedures, surgeries and more. Yet the clock moves ahead each year as our chronological age proceeds in a predictable manner. There is another way to think about aging that is less predictable. It’s called subjective aging; that is how old you feel. 

Our subjective age may mean more than our chronological age, according to BBC digital column “The 100 Year Life.” How we feel about our own aging can affect one’s physical and mental health and even longevity. 

Here is some of what we know:

Subjective age: According to a survey by OnePoll, the average person feels seven years younger than the chronological age. Another survey from Denmark found adults over the age of 40 judged themselves to be 20 percent younger than their chronological age. That means an 80-year-old would think of him or herself as age 64. Then there is the philosopher and financier Bernard Baruch who is quoted as saying on his 86th birthday, “To me, old age is always 15 years older than I am.” 

Shared characteristics: People who feel younger than their chronological age share some common characteristics according to a German study of over 5,000 participants. They had a higher sense of well-being, better cognitive and brain functioning and favorable physical health. They also had a better standard of living, a more positive attitude towards aging and were less depressed. In the same study, those with a younger subjective age had a buffer to stress with health benefits that increased with their age. 

Geography matters: In a review of almost 300 studies from across the globe, the discrepancy between chronological and subjective age depended on where you lived. That difference or discrepancy was greatest in the U.S., Western Europe and Australia/Oceania. Asia has a smaller gap. Africa has the smallest gap which might be cultural since elders in collective societies typically are more respected. 

Subjective aging, personality and mortality: In some cases as people get older, they have a tendency to become mellower and introverted and often less open to new experiences. That’s not the case with those considered “young at heart,” according to the BBC 100-Year Life report. Such changes in personality were less pronounced for those with younger subjective ages. Furthermore, those young at heart folks experienced better physical health, less risk of dementia and being hospitalized for illness. Finally, subjective age was more related to mortality than chronological age. 

Tips to embrace your age

“Strive to do what you love for as long as you can do it,” writes Jane Brody, health writer at the New York Times on turning 80. 
“Don’t discard an idea because you think you’re too old to consider it. Challenge your limited thinking,” writes psychologist Francine Toder, emeritus faculty member, at California State University, Sacramento. 
“Take care of yourself, get some reasonable sleep, don’t get overcome by stress and have a good diet,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci in an interview with Jane Brody. 
Be aware of how age biases are influencing your decisions and activities. With good judgment, ignore those who consider you “too old”, that “it cannot be done” or “we’ve always done it this way.” (Skiing at age 92 may not be a good idea.)

Perhaps American attitudes play a role in needing to perceive ourselves as younger. Age often gets a bum rap and too often is equated with forgetfulness, weakness and decline, according to Becca Levy, professor of epidemiology and psychology at the Yale School of Public Health. Levy shared her experience visiting Tokyo as a graduate student. As referenced in her book, “Breaking the Age Code,” (2022, William Morrow,) people lived longer and had a more positive attitude towards aging. She observed stories in newsstands about older people falling in love, saw crowds in their 70s and 80s lifting weights in the park and noticed music classes with 75-year old’s learning to play the electric slide guitar for the first time. Perhaps in Japan, it’s not necessary to feel younger. 

Here are some takeaways: Know that subjective age effects one’s physical and mental health. Embrace the years you have lived. And you are as old as you feel, except when getting senior discounts!

Thank you, N.S. for your good question. Stay well and know kindness is everything. 

Helen Dennis is a nationally recognized leader on issues of aging and the new retirement with academic, corporate and nonprofit experience. Contact Helen with your questions and comments at [email protected]. Visit Helen at HelenMdennis.com and follow her on facebook.com/SuccessfulAgingCommunity

​ Orange County Register 

Indigenous tribes work with Swedish and CSUN scholars to thrive in California

• March 26, 2023

By Marianne Love, Correspondent

In four years, researchers in the San Fernando Valley and Sweden will have documented how Indigenous societies survived ongoing challenges they face due to climate change and ‘colonialism,’ the historic attempt to wipe out tribal cultures in Southern California.

California State University, Northridge history professor Natale Zappia and a team of Swedish researchers are splitting a $1.43 million grant from the Swedish Government Research Council for Sustainability to compare the experiences of the Chumash, Tataviam, Kiz-Tongva-Gabrieleno and Kumeyaay tribes in Southern California to those of Nordic Sápmi, whose Sámi people still herd reindeer as did their ancestors.

“The Swedish grant is unique and exploratory in nature,” Zappia said. “With historians, the nature of our research is more focused on narratives and direct collaborations with Indigenous communities.”

Natale Zappia talks following a tour at Chatsworth Lake Manor on Friday, September 16, 2022. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

The project is being overseen by Zappia, with project partners from the Chumash, Kiz-Tongva-Gabrieleno, Tataviam, and Kumeyaay tribes, whose cultures have inhabited broad regions of Ventura, Orange, Los Angeles and San Diego counties for thousands of years.

These tribes not only survived climate change and colonialism — they are thriving.

“All of them are here,” Zappia said of native tribes in Southern California. “Their landscapes have been colonized, but they are still engaging in climate resiliency projects, and their ecological knowledge informs scientists.”

Jesus Alvarez, a member of the local Fernandeno Tataviam Band of Mission Indians, has a gardening background. He said that despite their devastating history, many Indigenous people are involved in staying connected to the land.

“We are a landless tribe, and that’s a sad thing to say,” he said.

But Alvarez is involved in efforts to understand the land and its history. He has been part of the LA Landscape History Project, which, among its many goals, is mapping the ancient Los Angeles River. And now he is involved in historical aspects of the Swedish grant.

“The (land) is part of who they were,” Alvarez said of the region’s tribes. “When you are eating a peach from your tree, there’s nothing better than that. … You recognize the engagement of land. You understand the seasons, it’s really profound. It should be going back to that. Bring the whole family together (to understand) the disconnection from the land. It’s special to do that.”

Jesus Alvarez, a tribal senator for the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians, poses on Thursday, February 23, 2023 in his San Fernando garden where he planted fruit trees and native plants. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

The connection between historic Indigenous practices that are centuries old, and modern-day practices that address climate change, are very real, Zappia said.

“Native communities are actually collaborating with Cal Fire and state agencies to (share their knowledge of) how to burn landscapes traditionally, because that actually leads to less fires.”

The Swedish grant is an effort to understand how Indigenous societies in Orange, Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties survived when faced with devastating challenges caused by the twin forces of colonialism and environmental change. The four-year research project is aimed at producing a book, building an innovative website and holding international workshops at which Native partners in the U.S and Sweden can exchange ideas.

Alan Salazar talks with Sarah Rascon during Winter Solstice Sunrise Ceremony held by the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians and DWP at Chatsworth Nature Preserve in December. (Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)

Zappia, who is part of the international team of researchers who will share data, said lessons for surviving dramatic change can be found in the experiences of Indigenous people.

Among them are the Sámi people, whose ancient territories still stretch through northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Kola Peninsula in Russia.

Climate change threatens the world’s biodiversity. Researchers hope that, in exploring the past, this project could help apply historic Native practices to modern-day climate change.

The grant is also about building relationships and supporting Native tribes through funding, workshops, and opportunities to discuss and spread the word about the tribes’ approaches to the climate and environment.

Underlying the grant is the idea that incorporating native solutions in a rigorous way could provide answers.

Zappia’s team also collaborated with a multi-institutional team of scholars on the LA Landscape History Project, in which Alvarez is also involved, that looks back at least 6,000 years. The project helps to see into the past, connecting it to the present, Zappia said.

“If you play around with the map, you can see the landscape change and what has remained,” Zappia said. “Much of it, of course, has changed. But there are certain pockets, both Indigenous as well as ecological pockets, that still continue or have adapted.”

From the Swedes’ perspective, the idea is to investigate how Indigenous nations maintained cohesion and passed on their knowledge despite the destruction, via colonial expansion, of the environment in which they lived — and which nurtured them.

Professor Gunlög Fur, deputy vice chancellor for sustainability at Linnaeus University in Sweden, called the project “urgent,” in that it “recovers traditional ecological knowledge, and puts it to use in a most densely populated area, heavily affected by climate warming.”

Fur said they hope that looking at efforts to recover ecological knowledge through Indigenous traditions will “deepen” understanding and how people respond to climate change and loss of biodiversity, “by sharing practices between and among Indigenous communities and with non-Indigenous neighbors.”

Fur added, “We hope that this will also contribute to strengthening Indigenous claims for protecting fragile environments.”

Native tribes around the world have survived using traditional prescribed burning and farming practices. Experts say these are akin to sustainable farming, sustainable forestry and sustainable herding.

In California, Zappia said, Indigenous communities continue traditional practices such as gathering acorns in the fall, and using managed farming and managed fishing techniques — practices that go back thousands of years.

Indigenous people “survived by doing what they had always done, and now they are getting more recognition — partly because of the awakening of mainstream cultures, but also because of climate change,” Zappia said.

“They need to know these stories. If you don’t have the stories and you don’t have the culture, sustainability is not going to work. Climate change isn’t going to work without people buying into it. And you need to have a framework — history.”

One important aspect of the separate LA Landscape History Project, as it relates to the Swedish grant, is that it builds and creates a partnership with Indigenous collaborators from Southern California and Los Angeles.

Related links

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Alvarez, of Fernandeno Tataviam Band of Mission Indians, said his tribe is looking at the possibility of getting land to preserve and use for ceremonial events. He hopes they can work with children to educate them about the losses the tribe has seen over the centuries.

“It wasn’t long ago that cultures knew farming, knew the land,” Alvarez said. “Even the school system is set up for harvesting times — that was based on that lifestyle. So I like the idea of going back and doing that. I’m excited. It needs to be done, it’s going to be done and it’s going to click with everyone.”

​ Orange County Register 

Splash Mountain closure date at Disneyland still to be determined

• March 26, 2023

The impending closure of Splash Mountain will take place soon, but an exact date has yet to be announced when the Critter Country attraction will begin a yearlong transformation to a new Princess Tiana theme.

It appeared from Disneyland’s website early Sunday morning that the classic log flume ride would go dark in early May, but that information was not correct.

SEE ALSO: Splash Mountain water sells on eBay for $200 after Disney World ride closes

After its closure, Splash Mountain will reopen at Disneyland and Walt Disney World in 2024 with a “Princess and the Frog” theme based on the 2009 Disney animated film.

The Splash Mountain attraction at Walt Disney World closed in January. Disneyland’s Splash Mountain underwent a seasonal winter refurbishment in January that was unrelated to the planned “Princess and the Frog” makeover.

SEE ALSO: What to expect when Disneyland rethemes Splash Mountain

The reimagining of the Splash Mountain rides will remove thematic elements related to “Song of the South” — the controversial 1940s animated film criticized for perpetuating racist stereotypes that has been disowned by Disney.

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will tell an extension of the “Princess and the Frog” story that picks up after the final kiss between Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen. The new backstory for Splash Mountain will follow Tiana and Louis the trumpet-playing alligator as they prepare for their first Mardi Gras performance.

SEE ALSO: Disneyland Splash Mountain makeover is going to take some time

Tiana’s takeover of New Orleans Square and nearby Critter Country has already begun.

In February, Disneyland began transforming the French Market restaurant in New Orleans Square into Tiana’s Palace — the New Orleans restaurant run by Tiana in the “Princess and the Frog” animated film.

Eudora’s Chic Boutique retail store opened in Disneyland’s New Orleans Square in September. The Tiana-themed store is named for the seamstress mother of the animated Disney princess.

SEE ALSO: Meet the Disneyland cast member who wants to change Splash Mountain’s story

The Princess Tiana makeover of Splash Mountain has been years in the making.

Walt Disney Imagineering has been developing a “Princess and the Frog” backstory for Splash Mountain since 2019 and settled on many of the concepts for the reimagined attraction in summer 2019.

Disney announced in summer 2020 the Splash Mountain log flume rides at Disneyland in Anaheim and the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Florida will be transformed by Imagineering with a new theme based on “The Princess and the Frog” animated movie.

SEE ALSO: Disneyland Splash Mountain makeover is going to take some time

The move by Disney in 2020 to announce changes to the rides followed a flurry of social media buzz calling for the parks to update Splash Mountain’s controversial backstory amid social justice protests across the United States sparked by the death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis.

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Splash Mountain features characters and songs from Disney’s 1946 “Song of the South” film based on the “Uncle Remus” stories — a collection of folktales from the Southern plantation era compiled by Joel Chandler Harris and published in the 1880s — that have been criticized for perpetuating racist stereotypes. Disney shelved the controversial live-action/animated musical film in the 1980s and the company’s CEO Bob Iger said the movie will not appear on the Disney+ streaming service.

SEE ALSO: What happens to Disneyland’s Critter Country after Splash Mountain makeover?

“Princess and the Frog” was celebrated as Disney’s first animated depiction of an African-American princess. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for best animated feature and received two nods in the best original song category for “Almost There” and “Down in New Orleans.”

​ Orange County Register 

Wealthy? Educated? You’re primed to live through COVID-19

• March 26, 2023

Remember being thrust into that Salvador Dali painting? Aisle after aisle of empty store shelves melting into bleak oblivion … finger paintings cracking in abandoned classrooms … blue industrial gloves in the supermarket …

We knew squat about the new virus sweeping the planet three years ago. Our hopes for normalcy — nay, for survival! — hung on the development of new vaccines to keep the beast at bay. In a stunning triumph, science delivered. But millions, to this day, refuse the needle — a refusal that researchers say has resulted in hundreds of thousands of unnecessary deaths. 

Data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the California Department of Public Health reveal a disturbing, if predictable, pattern: Vaccination status goes hand-in-hand with education and income, in near lock-step.

More modest Southern California is vastly less-vaccinated than wealthier Northern California, with perhaps a slight under-performance by Santa Clara County.

This would all be a numbers game except for one thing: Unvaccinated people are about three times more likely to die from COVID-19 than are vaccinated people.

As we toss our masks — even in healthcare settings — and reclaim pre-pandemic normalcy, we should understand that it comes at a price: The lives of our parents and grandparents.

The overwhelming majority of COVID-19 deaths in the Golden State — 72% — are among those 65 and older.

“We’re saying, ‘This pandemic is over; older adults, tough luck,’” said Dr. John Swartzberg, clinical professor emeritus of infectious diseases and vaccinology at UC Berkeley. “Older adults have to take responsibility for themselves because they can’t count on society to protect them. That is a sad thing.”

More than 1.1 million Americans have died of COVID-19 — some 267,000 last year — and we’re on track for another 100,000 or so to die this year as the unavoidable price of returning to normal. That toll far exceeds even the worst flu season, and suggests a flip view of seniors as expendable.

Marisela Munoz holds a photo of her mother Evangelina C. Martinez in 2020. Martinez died of COVID-19 in Sylmar at the age of 93. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

“There is absolutely ageism at work here,” said Andrew Noymer, an epidemiologist and demographer at UC Irvine. “The mortality we’re seeing in the older age group is being downplayed in the public consciousness, and by statisticians who should know better.”

Health, wealth

We know that being affluent, educated and vaccinated can keep you alive. Here’s the evidence:

• In Marin County, 90.4% of folks had the primary round of shots, and 41.6% had the latest booster against omicron. (There, 60.1% have at least a bachelor’s degree and median household income is $131,008.) As we said, there has been one COVID-19 death for every 821 residents.

• In San Francisco, 85% of folks had the primary, and 41.4% had the booster. (There, 59.5% have at least a bachelor’s, and median income is $126,187.) There has been one COVID-19 death for every 691 residents.

• In Santa Clara County, 85.5% had the primary and 32.9% had the booster. (There, 54.4% have at least a bachelor’s, and median income is $140,258.) There has been one COVID-19 death for every 720 residents.

• In Alameda County, 84.1% had the primary and 35.6% had the booster. (There, 49.6% have at least a bachelor’s, and median income is $112,017.) There has been one COVID-19 death for every 783 residents.

• In Orange County, 73.8% had the primary and 23.6% had the booster. (There, 42.1% have at least a bachelor’s, and median income is $100, 485.) There has been one COVID-19 death for every 396 residents.

• In Los Angeles County, 74% had the primary and 23.7% had the booster. (There, 34% have at least a bachelor’s, and median income is $76,367.) There has been one COVID-19 death for every 283 residents.

• In Riverside County, 60.2% had the primary and 18.3% had the booster. (There, 23.4% have at least a bachelor’s, and median income is $76,066.) There has been one COVID-19 death for every 359 residents.

• In San Bernardino County, 57.9% had the primary, and 17.2% had the booster. (There, 21.9% have at least a bachelor’s, and median income is $70,287.) As we said, there has been one COVID-19 death for every 271 residents.

These numbers didn’t surprise Swartzberg at all.

“They’re consistent with all the literature,” he said. “Being fully vaccinated markedly decreases the risk of hospitalization and death. Most people, informed with this data, would make the rational decision to avoid hospitalization and death and get vaccinated.”

But not everyone is informed with the data — or trusts it, based on variables like education, historical mistreatment in the health care system, and the “bizarre politicization” of vaccines, he said.

“History isn’t going to treat kindly the people who’ve politicized vaccination,” he said. “They’ve caused an awful lot of people to lose their lives. It’s tragic.”

Life expectancy fell almost a full two years in California in 2020, and data suggest another half-year drop in 2021, the first appreciable downturns since World War II, according to the Public Policy Institute of California.

Outlook

The good news, experts said, is that we’re at very low levels of significant disease compared to just about any other time since the pandemic began.

Why? Most everyone has been infected or vaccinated  — or both  — by now, in excess of 90% of the population. That has built an “immunity wall” that didn’t exist three years ago, Swartzberg said.

We’re also dealing with a virus that is much more transmissible — and much less virulent — than any variant that preceded it.

But what’s next?

“It’s really hard to say,” said Noymer. “The crystal ball is getting hazy. It’s clear that COVID is just not as bad as it once was. We can argue about why, but the fact is, it’s just not as bad. I think COVID will keep receding in people’s consciousness.”

But will COVID-19 remain an afterthought? No one dares venture a guess. The virus has proven again and again that it can turn on a dime.

“Right now, the psychology of the country is that we’re going to be living with COVID at a low level, and I will live my life the way I want to live,” Swartzberg said. “That’s the advice you’re getting through public health. Nobody knows what spring, summer, next fall are going to be – but I’m in the camp of the optimistic.”

Swartzberg is aghast that masks are no longer required in healthcare settings — where older, frailer, sick people turn for help — and said the FDA and CDC should do what Canada and the United Kingdom do — push spring boosters for older people at risk of bad outcomes.

The FDA is weighing whether to do just that. A decision is reportedly forthcoming.

The uptake of the most recent booster has been abysmal, Noymer said, so it’s clear why the U.S. has embraced an annual COVID-19 vaccine schedule.

“I think they’ve just decided it’s going to be like the flu shot, and anything more often than that isn’t sustainable,” he said. “There’s not a lot of transparency around these decisions, but it’s not an unreasonable one, given the low numbers. Doing a full-court press for a 10% uptake is not going to be a winning strategy here.”

Time may tell which approach is best — or it might not. Meantime, it’s every man for himself. If you want or need extra protection, it’s on you.

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​ Orange County Register 

Summer Camp Guide 2023: Summer is the ultimate balancing act for families

• March 26, 2023

As a mother of two, there comes a day every spring when a wave of panic washes over me as I realize that summer is approaching steadfastly, and with it many, many weeks devoid of plans(or structure) for my children.

Don’t get me wrong; I savor meandering summer days, trips to the beach with little to no agenda, and the occasional road trip to visit grandparents, aunts and uncles who live out oftown. But those do not fill an entire summer season. For La Habra City Schools, for example, instruction ends on June 1 and begins Aug. 15. That’s 10 full weeks — and some change — ofbreak.

For many local parents, this is where summer camp comes in — though the sheer number of camp options can be as overwhelming as the 70-plus days you’re trying to fill. But you have tostart somewhere. Sometimes I even print out an empty calendar of the summer months, plug in happenings already scheduled, and go from there.

More from our Summer Camp Guide

How to book a ‘just right’ camp
Academic and STEM camps
Arts camps
City-run camps
Faith-based camps
Foreign-language camps
Sleep-away camps
Sports camps
Swim, surf and sailing camps

Word-of-mouth helps me each summer; my 10-year-old daughter has been doing varying camps since she was 5. I ask neighbors and fellow parents at school what camps their kidshave loved (and not loved), and I consult local publications, where camps tend to advertise or be reviewed.

Stephanie Mack, a mother of three in Costa Mesa, says she usually splits her kids’ summer in half: five or so weeks of camps and five or so weeks of down time or vacation. She admits,though, that this plan is doable because she works part-time, and the part-time work is flexible in nature. But also achieving that balance of “things to do” and time to just be is the goal.

“We all thrive on some structure,” she said, “so summer camps are important. I see my girls growing up with old friends and new, and benefiting from exposure to different activities and opportunities. Camps provide structure, fun, education and physical activity. So they are a win.”

Mack looks for camps that check multiple boxes; they must admit both 7- and 9-year-olds so that she’s not shuttling kids to different sites, and offer activities that align with interests. Luckily,her older daughters tend to like the same things. Last summer, that included one week each of golf camp, craft camp, basketball camp and Vacation Bible School. The summer before, tenniscamp was in the mix.

Sometimes a camp is selected because it offers a new opportunity. For example, Mack’s kids don’t take golf lessons during the school year, so summer camp is a great time for them to build their skills on the green. Mack will also sign them up for a week or two of “theme-less” camp at their school.

I follow a similar thought train for my now 10-year-old daughter. She often requests a week or two musical theater camp, per her interest, and then we try new things. Last summer that meantswimming camp and writing camp, and this summer, we’re hunting for a cooking camp, because making omelets, waffles and smoothies all on her own has become part of life at home lately.

Rachel Kirshenbaum, a director with Steve & Kate’s Camp for six years, says parents might also think about how a particular camp is organized, and/or what their philosophy is for camperlearning. Steve & Kate’s Camp has locations around the country, including one in Costa Mesa, and they all follow the company’s core value of self-guided learning; myriad activities are set uponsite, from stop-motion animation to sewing, and kids come and go as they please.

“We encourage campers to use their reasoning skills to navigate the activities at camp,” she said, “and rather than training our staff to do things for the kids, we aim to train the kids to thinkon their own, so that they feel confidence in their ability to figure things out.”

If that “free-range” style isn’t ideal for your child, you’ll likely lean toward a more structured camp. Kirshenbaum understands that parents know their child best, so it’s important to choosea setting where you predict your child will feel successful and have fun.

Other things to consider include time frames of a camp, flexibility of dates, and of course cost. Steve & Kate’s camp is incredibly flexible; you can buy just one week of camp, or a full summerpass, or drop in for just a day. In terms of cost, Mack says that she sees local camp prices range from $300 a week to $800, which can be prohibitive for parents, especially if they havemore than one child of summer camp age. Determine a budget that works for your family and stick with it.

My family saves dollars throughout the year in anticipation of a few weeks of summer camp, and we chalk it up as a mental, emotional, and physical health plan for our oldest child. She’s at theage where I see her droop if she’s without friends for too long, or on a screen for too long, or not “sweating it out” in some capacity each day. “Camp Mama,” which we affectionately call anysummer day when I push her out of the house and into the great outdoors for a dose of Vitamin D, is our default when a summer camp hasn’t been booked. Neighborhood walks, beachsessions and park play dates are affordable ways to be active and offset camp costs. But when you can save up and send them to camp, you’re bound to feel good about the expenditure.

Shannon Tripp, a pediatric nurse and parenting expert, agrees.

“Summer camp is a great opportunity for your kids to focus on their own identity and independence, Tripp said,” and this can be great for their overall mental health. We’ve never had as large of a mental health crisis as we have now for our youth. Kids are so inundated with the web, social media, and their phones; summer camp is an opportunity to get off of that, especially for teens. Exercising and being outside is healthy and healing for kids as well. If your child is nervous about going to camp, it’s important to remind them that every kid there is experiencing the same things and that there will be adults there to help.”

​ Orange County Register