For Pacoima residents, seeing youth transform graffiti-laden walls into historical murals is a welcome change in a city plagued by crime and socioeconomic struggles. For youth, creating murals is a way to improve their community, build self-esteem and promote cultural awareness.

"This city is used to having taggers and gangs take over our streets with graffiti," said Nestor Garcia, 17, a junior at San Fernando Valley High School. "By replacing graffiti with murals that reflect our history and culture, we hope to improve our city and educate our community."

The mural project is one of seven service-learning components of a UCLA urban environmentalism class taught by Professor Carl Maida linking UCLA students and faculty with community members and San Fernando High students. The projects focus on environmental and safety issues affecting Pacoima. Participants are part of Project GRAD Institute, a college outreach program involving UCLA, CSUN, Mission College and the environmental organization Pacoima Beautiful.

Last fall, UCLA's relationship with Pacoima was further strengthened when the university established its newest Community Education Resource Center (CERC). The Northeast San Fernando Valley CERC, housed at the Pacoima Youth and Family Center, is one of six UCLA community centers located in low-income areas throughout Los Angeles. First established in 2000, CERCs aim to work systemically with youth, families and communities to remove barriers to achieving educational goals. Other sites are located in Inglewood, downtown Los Angeles, East Los Angeles, Cudahy and Watts.

"Like all CERCs, the northeast San Fernando Valley site has the mission of strengthening the college-going culture of a community, particularly one where few students go on to higher education," said CERC Director Gayle Byock, special assistant, Chancellor's Office. "This particular site has a very strong community and higher education collaboration, partnering with community-based organizations to offer the best possible resources and programs to its residents and a wonderful learning location for UCLA students."

The newest CERC is engaged in a number of programs aimed at improving the educational outcomes of the area's children. VISTA volunteers -- provided to UCLA by Americorps -- work at the site daily to design programs that provide leadership and mentoring to youth. UCLA undergraduates tutor middle and high school students through the Work Force Initiative, a university work-study program. Beginning in May, UCLA will host a monthly literature night to promote literacy.

For many years, students from UCLA's Division of Public Health and Community Dentistry, chaired by Professor Marvin Marcus, have offered preventive dental care clinics and workshops in the area. Moreover, UCLA's Department of Family Medicine will soon establish a clinic in Sun Valley staffed by medical residents. Also being planned is a College and Career Center.

Partnering with community groups, UCLA supports the center by conducting research studies and projects that affect underserved communities and offers faculty expertise to improve the environmental and educational health of the northeast San Fernando Valley.

"Our collaboration with UCLA allows us to expand both knowledge and services to our residents," said John Messina, director of the Pacoima Youth and Family Center. "At the same time, UCLA representatives obtain hands-on experience at the grassroots level in working with the community."