Summer 2017
Within the first twelve hours of arriving in Boulder, I found myself atop a rocky structure overlooking the city. There were multiple groups of people there: college students, families with young children, and elderly couples, among others. The hot sun reflected off of my sweat-drenched skin, and my brightly colored running shoes stood out against …
Continue reading "Bouldly Doing What I Have Never Done Before…"
Colorful leaves crinkle under my dirt-covered feet on a crisp fall afternoon. The sounds of birds chirping, wind blowing, and laughter surround me. I look at the girl standing next to me, a triumphant smile on her face after successfully descending a steep dirt slope in Ethan Allen Park, a community park in Burlington, Vermont. …
Continue reading "Community as Classroom: What I’ve Learned from Westwood"
For CEDaR's contribution to the planning stages of the Westwood Via Verde tree-planting and beautification initiative, we needed to find a method of observing and recording play and recreational activities in communities to establish baseline levels of usage and types of activities in the neighborhood. To learn more about one established and reliable method, we …
Continue reading "Observe and Report: Community Science and SOPARC"
Art is a powerful means of communication and self expression. It has an incredible ability to unify a group of people. Whether it be music, visual art, performance, or any other form, art makes us feel deeply. It communicates messages that can’t always be described in words, but are felt undoubtably, and shared amongst communities. …
Up until the past two weeks, most of my CEDaR internship work on the Westwood project consisted of independent writing, research, and team meetings. Recently, however, I’ve gotten a taste of what it’s like to work face-to-face with community partners and residents. The first of a series of community meetings my team attended was a …
Continue reading "Diving In: Community Partnerships Come to Life"
In my second week interning at CEDaR, I attended a curriculum training through the Inquiry Hub at CU; and wow, what an experience... Inquiry Hub staff, teachers from the Denver Public Schools, and teachers from Northwestern University in Illinois convened in Boulder to begin work on the first three "Bends" (elements) of a storyline curriculum …
