By Tom Miller

The Lamar Bruni Vergara Environmental Science Center at Laredo Community College did its part as an international host during the recent Washington Birthday Celebration. Four hundred students from Nuevo Laredo and 80 from San Antonio were special guests Feb. 11-20.

A Border PACT grant sponsored by Texas A&M International University enabled these Sister City students to attend a field trip at LBVESC, culminating a month long study of the RÌo Bravo. Eighty United South High School students from the Academy of Global Business/Advance Technology enthusiastically mentored these students. At the Center, they were given classes in our shared watershed, water testing, and wetlands, and enjoyed hands-on learning with many of the resident animals.

The International Schools of San Antonio has sponsored a senior trip to the interior of Mexico the last few years. This year they spent a few nights in Nuevo Laredo to observe a maquiladora and a colonia and help out at a Laredo elementary school. For their community service project, they decided to work on the Center’s Paso del Indio nature trail. Working in four teams headed by LBVESC staff, they blazed, cleared, and mulched almost a 1,000-foot brand new trail addition. All had a very positive experience and they look forward to continuing this support next year.

The additional outdoor animal enclosures have allowed our four-month bobcat and raccoon to stretch out and act a lot less paranoid. These animals have been very intently observed and cared for during special research projects led by Professor Rukmani Viswanath, who assigned several students to these projects.

Already, the George Washington Middle School has adopted the female bobcat and we will have a special presentation during our 3rd year anniversary celebration on April 16.

Although the Science Center will be closed during Spring Break, March 9-16, do plan to see lots more on your next visit. For more information, call 764-5956.

(Tom Miller is the director of the LBVE Science Center at Laredo Community College