Down by the River

Taking the students down to the river was like dipping our toes into an ancient stream... made of concrete. A strange dichotomy, but a beautiful concept to grapple with.

The students saw the river as a place where graffiti speaks and birds mingle between moss and storm drains.

Down by the River: Sightings
As we headed down the Glendale Narrows we discovered the dangers of non-point pollution - all the junk that you can't pinpoint to a specific source. It was hard for the students not to roll up their sleeves and start to pick up some trash.

Down by the River: A Bit of Clean Up
For those who don't believe.... here's proof that there's fish in the river - carp and other species.

Down by the River: Fish
We ended the day at the Cornfield Park where the remains of the Zanja Madre, LA's first aqueduct system, stand fenced behind the Metro rails.

Down by the River: Zanja Madre
Justin Cram - my dear co-producer in this endeavor - asked the students for a word that would describe their first impression of the river. And here it is:

Down by the River: Last Words
Cool, dirty, big, trashy, resourceful....

That's the river for you.