With support from the California Arts Council, YUBA COUNTY SUTTER COUNTY REGIONAL ARTS COUNCIL will establish a program that engages young students in art projects promoting an understanding of green spaces. This class will use art as a jumping off point to explore our green spaces with an effort to answer the question, “How does urbanization affect surrounding rural areas?” Together we will study ecology, investigate benefits of the outdoors through art and develop advocacy toward protecting green spaces in our community. These after school visual arts classes will serve students in one of the lowest HPI designated quartiles in the state where none currently exists. The emphasis will be on elementary and middle school students in the Marysville and Yuba City Joint Unified School Districts, where currently no visual arts classes are offered.