"City Life"

at the Hollywood Stars led by Melissa Reyes

LACER is all about exposure—exposure to the arts, literature, the theatre, dance and music, and now because of the work of Melissa Reyes, Program director at Le Conte Middle School, it is also exposure on a regular basis to a variety of interesting city landmarks. As Melissa says, “We try to take our students to places that most parents might not know about or have time in their busy lives to take their kids.” [for more see the side bar on the right]

Olvera Street

January 2005

Borders Books and Music

March 2005

 Amoeba Music

March 2005

Universal City Walk

April 2005

[photos by Melissa Reyes]

 "City Life"

an interview with Melissa Reyes

by Susan Philips

Appropriately named “City Life,” on any given Tuesday, up to twelve students walk, hop on the bus or ride the subway to places like the Downtown Library, the corner of Hollywood and Vine, Olvera Street, Amoeba Record Store, Borders Book Store, Universal City Walk and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Once there, the students have a question or two to answer.

Where does the name of our city come from? Why is the mall at Hollywood and Highland designed the way it is? And, who is Pio Pico?

For those of you who do not know the answers, our students learned that Los Angeles comes from La Nuestra Senora Reina de Los Angeles; Pio Pico was the first Governor of Mexican and Afro American descent in California; and the mall at the corner of Hollywood and Highland is designed to make you feel like you’re on vacation so you will spend more money.  In addition to finding answers to questions, the students also learn about the geography of the city and how to use public transportation.

But for Melissa, the most important thing they take away from the experience is a deeper understanding of their own identity as well as other cultures, things she was not exposed to as a child. As she explains, “Like many of the students in the program, I grew up with two hard working parents who often worked two jobs to make ends meet. I never had anyone who explained things to me.

I started City Life” because I would like my students to have opportunities I did not have.  These kinds of experiences teach them how to become better citizens of the world.”

LACER

Afterschool Programs

Literacy, Arts, Culture, Education and Recreation

1718 N. Cherokee Ave., Suite A

Hollywood, California 90028

323 957-6481 tel

323 957-6480 fax

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501(c)(3) corporation and all contributions are tax-free.