Malibu Surfside News

14 | August 6, 2020 | MALIBU SURFSIDE NEWS NEWS
malibusurfsidenews.com
California
Wildlife Center
First year won’t be the same
for university students
Online classes, lack of
social events a challenging
way to start college
SCOTT STEEPLETON, Editor
Having suffered injuries to its legs and an eyelid, this mule
deer fawn was in bad shape. But after medications and
rehydration, it is on the mend and could be back in the wild in
October. SUBMITTED PHOTO/HEATHER PATRICE BROWN
CWC’S patient of
the week: Injured
mule deer fawn
HEATHER PATRICE BROWN
CALIFORNIA WILDLIFE CENTER
On July 21, California
Wildlife Center received a
mule deer fawn from Santa
Clarita. It was lethargic and
had wounds on its legs and
eyelid. Staff immediately
administered pain medications
and antibiotics and
treated his wounds topically.
Luckily his abrasions
were superficial and did
not require sutures. Technicians
also gave the patient
subcutaneous fluids
to combat his dehydration.
At this stage, the fawn’s
prognosis was guarded, and
staff was concerned about
his ability to recover.
The day following his arrival,
the fawn still had low
energy and hadn’t eaten
anything. Staff tried handfeeding
the deer wild grape
leaves, a snack they usually
enjoy, but without success.
Fortunately, a day later, his
appetite and energy improved
thanks to effective
medications and rehydration.
He was soon standing and
would try to head-butt staff
when they approached. It
is reassuring for us to see
aggression in wild patients
because it means they have
retained a healthy fear of
humans.
Four days after his arrival,
the fawn was introduced
to the other five deer in
care. He had made a quick
recovery and his prognosis
is now listed as good.
He will be released with
the other fawns in October.
California Wildlife Center is
a 501(c)3 nonprofit that provides
medical and rehabilitative
care to more than 4,300
sick, injured, and orphaned
native California animals
every year.
Alexis Thomas was hoping to join
a student club or go out for a sports
team when she starts college. But the
17-year-old from Malibu realizes the
pandemic — which has led to distance
learning, a dearth of athletic
opportunities and little in the way of
meaningful social interaction — has
changed all that.
Like others who graduated from
high school this year and were looking
forward to university life, Alexis,
who will be studying hospitality and
tourism management at California
Lutheran University in Thousand
Oaks, is rethinking what “going off to
college” is all about.
“Distance learning is a bit more
challenging for me because I naturally
work harder in a classroom setting
than somewhere else, like home,”
the Malibu High School graduate told
Malibu Surfside News. “Also, I am
more motivated and less likely to be
distracted being in a classroom than
doing school virtually.”
Pre-pandemic, Alexis said she
would have been “thrilled to have
been able to do all my school work
at home. But going through it now
has changed my opinion. I’ll definitely
miss being in a classroom with
a teacher and classmates, as well as
being able to sit in a different location
for each class.”
“Virtual learning can be difficult for
me,” she added, “because it is sometimes
hard for me to sit in one place
over a long period of time.”
While looking forward to joining
a club or a sports team, Alexis now
realizes “the college experience I
dreamed of will probably be different
than I was expecting.”
Jibriel Taha, an 18-year-old graduate of
Malibu High School, will be attending
Stanford University in the fall, studying
economics and political science.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Another member of the MHS class
of 2020, Jibriel Taha, one of the 14
valedictorians, said distance learning
is neither as effective nor enjoyable as
in-person learning, “but circumstances
make it necessary, so I’m trying to
make the best of it.”
The 18-year-old will be attending
Stanford University, studying economics
and political science.
“Although there will probably be
fewer activities, I’m hoping there will
be enough to get a good college experience,”
he said.
“Because many of the activities
will take place virtually, it will be
more difficult to determine whether
the activity is a good fit and something
I would like to pursue further,”
he added.
Taha said he’d much rather be in a
physical classroom with a professor
and other students.
“Hopefully, we’ll be able to get
back to that soon.”
Malibu High Principal Patrick
Miller told Surfside, “Similar to our
(grade) 9-12 students, we know that
the freshman experience for our graduates
in the class of 2020 will be different
as well, regardless of their college/university
choice. Like our grade
Because of the pandemic, said Malibu
High 2020 graduate Alexis Thomas,
17, “the college experience I dreamed
of will probably be different than I was
expecting.” SUBMITTED PHOTO
9-12 students, they will miss out on
many of the aspects of school beyond
the strict academics.”
Miller likes to say that no matter
the grade a student is in, 90 percent of
schooling is social.
“People think I’m crazy when I say
that, but in meaningful learning … the
academic and social development are
intertwined,” he said. “At a time of
social/physical distancing, it’s hard to
do that hands-on, mind’s-on learning
that is part of our school and part of
the college experience.”
“I would encourage all of our graduates
to stay focused on their goals
and to press forward with a positive
attitude, finding ways to apply themselves,”
he added. “They should look
for ways to develop that independence
that is part of the college experience,
not rely too much on Mom’s laundry
service or cooking, regardless of how
their classes are being delivered.”
Why wait for the print version of our
award-winning coverage? Subscribe to
Malibu Surfside News for online access
to stories like this along with news as it
happens on our website malibusurfsidenews.com.