From campus to cabin, Ramos is no chicken

 In the crunch of city life, it’s easy to lose touch with nature. We merely glimpse at the ocean waves, talk on our cell phones when we take dog walks through the park, and believe “organic” just means it’s from Whole Foods. However, if we stopped to look around, we might find there are benefits to living in the moment.Samo’s Irene Ramos has discovered this. She doesn’t take nature or healthy living for granted.Ramos, previously a counselor at Samo, now works in the Physical Education department. She appreciates the extra time outdoors her new position provides. The Compton-born Los Angeles native spends her spare time working on the upkeep of a state-of-the-art log cabin and chicken coop in Mount Pinos, about 80 miles north of Santa Monica.“I enjoy doing tile work and painting on the cabin,” Ramos said. “And now the chickens are laying three to four eggs a day.”She has five chickens and supplies regular Samo customers with eggs, including I-House adviser Yunuen Valencia.“In a meeting at school, Irene mentioned how she raised chickens,” Valencia said. “So I wanted to try them.”Ramos gives Valencia about a dozen sterile chicken eggs every three weeks. Valencia trusts what Ramos feeds her chickens, and appreciates how fresh and organic the eggs are.Although Ramos enjoys the relaxation of Mount Pinos and truly being one with nature, she is energized by her work at Samo setting goals for her students.  When Ramos earned a degree in physical education, she specialized in outdoor education. Returning to P.E. after many years in administration, she sees great results from her work.“I love being back,” she said. “The kids are really motivated.”Her students have been weight training and are proud of their progress. In the weight room, the kids look as if they are training for a marathon. But they aren’t working out in order to win a prize or competition. They are training solely for the purpose of self-improvement and personal growth.“I went from benching 75 to 105 in three weeks,” sophomore Kiyan Yazdani said.Ramos continues to track the progress of the students she worked with as an adviser. She supports her students, whether it’s by finding the best college match for this year’s seniors, or by establishing habits for a long, strong life, full of healthy choices and activity, for her students.Ramos’ passion for teaching is deepened by her own quest for self-development. She drives up to her cabin at least once a month where she pursues goals she’s set for environmentally responsible outdoor living.“I’m trying to learn a lot about self-sustaining living and gardening,” she said.Ramos plans to install solar panels on the cabin and wants to eventually raise alpacas.Asked about how she envisions the future, Ramos doesn’t hesitate. “My hope is that by the time I retire, I will be able to live in Mount Pinos full time,” she said.Chloe DirectorStaff Writer