With drones becoming increasingly more prevalent in photography, construction, journalism and other career fields, Fullerton College has a program that offers basic and advanced drone-piloting classes, along with courses to show students how the remote-controlled fliers are used in specific fields and the process for securing FAA licenses.
As the Orange County Register reported this week, the program has also been giving an aerial assist to the Shark Lab at Cal State Long Beach. Drone pilots from the local college are contributing bird’s-eye views to help researchers monitor the behavior of the great whites that share our coastal waters.
“It just shows how we can use (drones) within a study,” said Fullerton College student Emily Viveros. “Yes, you can fly drones, and that is great, but we are implementing it with something that is so cool.”
Fullerton began teaching drone journalism classes a year ago and now offers a full slate of courses. Meanwhile, additional partnerships are in the works, including a potential venture with the Orange County Water District.
And here are some additional stories we’ve been tracking this week:
- The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in a case that could have profound ramifications for public education. At issue is a contested provision of the Montana state constitution that prohibits public aid to private schools, including religious institutions. Legal experts say the decision could pave the way for public funding of religious education.
- More than 200 educators, activists, law enforcement personnel and others gathered Wednesday for the second of two forums aimed at combating incidents of hate in Orange County communities and schools.
- Hundreds of students from more than 40 local high schools are getting ready to compete for team honors and individual glory at the 52nd annual Orange County Academic Decathlon. The event is set to take place over two consecutive Saturdays starting this weekend.
- A student from OCDE’s Skyview School won the top prize in a contest organized by the OC Health Care Agency for artwork aimed at preventing minors from using alcohol.
- The Arbolita Visual and Performing Arts Academy in the La Habra City School District has earned the 2020 California Exemplary Arts Education Award, an honor presented to just 13 schools statewide.
- More than 300 students recently attended Garden Grove Unified’s seventh annual Latino Unidos Conference on the campus of Cal State Fullerton. The Jan. 11 event provided leadership training to help young people achieve academic and personal success.
- The Newport-Mesa Unified School District and its teachers association have reached a tentative contract agreement after almost a year of negotiations.
- Not many know that a persistent group of Oakland high schoolers fought to make Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday a state holiday. Nearly 40 years later, current students from Oakland Tech are honoring the class of 1981 and telling their story with an original play.
- Gov. Gavin Newsom has indicated he would like to see more transparency in how districts spend money under the Local Control Funding Formula, which was designed to channel more resources to English learners, foster and homeless youth, and low-income students.
- The Garden Grove Unified school board recognized Athletes and Coaches of Character from each of the district’s seven comprehensive high schools at its Jan. 21 meeting.
- The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing and state lawmakers are separately considering options for replacing a reading instruction test that’s become a big hurdle for a lot of aspiring teachers. About one-third of those who take the exam fail it their first time.
- The CSU system is postponing a vote to formally approve a plan that would make a fourth year of high school math a requirement for college, citing the need to further analyze the impact.
- A group of students had to be evacuated from Laguna Road Elementary School in Fullerton after an unoccupied science lab caught fire on Wednesday. Classes weren’t in session at the time, but about 30 students were taking part in an after-school program.