8.26.2012

VA: Issues + Interests

Last wednesday the leaders of Rosedale Development Association were kind enough to meet with us to discuss the details and issues of their community. Here are some notable points of interest:

  • Need for Visual Identity
  • Communication Difficulties (Keeping in Touch/Language)
  • No Formal Parks and Recreation
  • Childhood Obesity
  • Lack of Sidewalks/Bike Lanes (Safety Risk in Walking or Biking)
  • Lack of Transportation (No School Buses)
  • Possible Mural Update
  • No High School (Must Attend Outside of the Community)
  • Middle School Track in Rough Shape
  • Minimal After School Programs for Students

Personal Areas of Interest:

In my initial research it was apparent that Rosedale is community concerned about their youth and children, which is always a topic that is near and dear to me. The community has already taken many steps to improve the lives of children from the Healthy Kids Initiative, The Walking Bus, Youth Programs and much more. My plan is to possibly team up with the community's schools or the leaders of The Healthy Kids Initiative to help develop solutions to alleviate the problem of childhood obesity (I know this sounds vague). Another area of interest is the Environmental Learning Lab for kids (shout out Jessie Ren), which has a lot of opportunity to help kids learn about their environment and possibly creating a generation of children concerned about the environment in which they reside.

Contacts:

Mary Welsh: Principal, Frank Rushton Elementary
James Poplau: Principal, Noble Prentis
Nanette Coleman: Principal, Rosedale Middle School
Zach Davies: Rosedale, Middle PE teacher
Peter Wetzel: 3rd Grade Teacher, Frank Rushton
Wendy Wilson: Co-director, Rosedale Healthy Kids Initiative
Heidi Holiday:  Program Manager, Healthy Kids Initiative
Erin Stryka: VISTA Volunteer, Healthy Kids Club director

1 comment:

  1. smak, good observations here. you are correct that your first interest area is incredibly vague. you'll have to ask a lot of specific questions to get to an issue that's manageable. what are the various factors that contribute to the obesity problem? -- focusing on one factor will go a long way toward narrowing your focus.

    the environmental learning lab has a good focus, but a lot of questions would need to be asked there to figure out how you could contribute to that effort. it all depends on where they are in the process, which is one thing among many that you'll need to find out. your contribution could range from big-picture planning and organizing creative brainstorm sessions to designing specific experiential educational modules for a larger curriculum. or even just promoting / presenting the idea to generate support and momentum for the project.

    right now i think the latter idea has more potential for a good focus and success, but the former is definitely worth digging more into as well. it all depends on what you're more excited to engage with.

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