SPANISH CLASS TO GO ABROAD.Byline: Daily News SANTA CLARITA Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, - The popular Spanish Language Spanish language, member of the Romance group of the Italic subfamily of the Indo-European family of languages (see Romance languages). The official language of Spain and 19 Latin American nations, Spanish is spoken as a first language by about 330 million persons Institute at College of the Canyons College of the Canyons is one of the fastest-growing community colleges in the state. According to the National Junior College Research Association, College of the Canyons consistently ranks in the top 50 community colleges in the nation. will hold a one-week course on campus in July, and then students can take a study trip to Central America Central America, narrow, southernmost region (c.202,200 sq mi/523,698 sq km) of North America, linked to South America at Colombia. It separates the Caribbean from the Pacific. . During the study trip, students will practice their language skills and learn about the cultures, geography and biology of Costa Rica Costa Rica (kŏs`tə rē`kə), officially Republic of Costa Rica, republic (2005 est. pop. 4,016,000), 19,575 sq mi (50,700 sq km), Central America. and Nicaragua, as well as the region's history from pre-Columbian times to now. The one-week, on-campus course on language and culture will be held July 25-29. The study trip to Central America will be from July 30 to Aug. 11. The college's fall semester will begin Aug. 15. People can enroll in either the on-campus course or the study trip - or they can enroll in both - for varying amounts of credit. In both, they can earn up to 12 units of college credit in biology, history and Spanish. Enrollment will cost $26 per unit for the course on campus. In addition to enrollment fees, students will pay about $1,845 for the study trip, including round-trip air transportation from Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. to Nicaragua and from Costa Rica to Los Angeles; 11 nights in a first-class hotel; most meals; round-trip bus transfers; and several tours. ``This is an outstanding opportunity for students and community members to experience the richness of two countries in Central America," said Claudia Acosta, a native of Nicaragua and chairwoman of the college's foreign-languages department. The educational elements of the trip will be provided by biologist Miriam Golbert and history professor Brad Reynolds. Students will get a glimpse of the region that vacationers rarely experience. ``While the countries we will visit have a similar biodiversity, they are countries of great contrast politically, economically and socially,'' Acosta said. With Golbert, students will look at contemporary issues in environmental biology in Costa Rica and Nicaragua and gain some understanding of conservation and biological diversity in Central America. She is an associate professor of biology at College of the Canyons and holds a master's degree in cellular and molecular biology molecular biology, scientific study of the molecular basis of life processes, including cellular respiration, excretion, and reproduction. The term molecular biology was coined in 1938 by Warren Weaver, then director of the natural sciences program at the Rockefeller , as well as a doctorate in education. Reynolds is chairman of the college's history department and a specialist in U.S., Caribbean and Central American history. He earned his doctorate in history from the University of Southern California The U.S. News & World Report ranked USC 27th among all universities in the United States in its 2008 ranking of "America's Best Colleges", also designating it as one of the "most selective universities" for admitting 8,634 of the almost 34,000 who applied for freshman admission and will instruct on the history, customs, economic and political development of Central and Latin America. An information meeting will be held at 1 p.m. next Tuesday in the campus library on campus. For information, contact Acosta at (661) 362-3530 or by e-mail at claudia.acosta(at)canyons.edu. |
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