In their own words...
By Helen Heasley:
Step 1: Community Inventory On the first day of our community inventory, we took notes on our mini field trip. We wanted to see what needs of the Cory/Merrill block were. We found three basic needs: (1) People weren’t picking up after their dogs, (2) there was trash everywhere, (3) there were weeds in the front planter and on Florida St. We decided to do something about this. First, we created an action plan concerning the dog feces.
We decided to place milk jugs with plastic bags in them on the fences around Cory and Merrill. Second we made signs asking people to pick up after their dogs. We placed the signs next to the jugs. Third, we put on gloves and picked up all of the trash on this blocks. Fourth, we broke up into two groups. One with Mrs. Rhodes and one with Tracy. One group worked on Florida St. and the other worked on the planter in front of the school. We pulled all the weeds and picked up all the trash. Finally we were ready for step 2.
Step 2: Issue Selection We found other things wrong on the block. We found drought stress with the trees, uneven watering, either too much or too little. We decided to vote on the most pertinent issues. We chose, (1) weeding, (2) picking up trash, (3) and replanting the front planter.
Step 3: Policy and Community Practice We did not change any policies at this juncture. However, we did change the communities’ practices. We noticed that people were using the plastic bags to pick up after their dogs.
Step 4: Options for Influencing Policy and Practice Next we decided we needed funding. We wrote letters to Earth Force and to the PTA. We also wrote two grant proposals. As a result. Earth Force provided us with shovels and gloves. And the PTA gave us 200 dollars for plants.
Step 5: Planning and taking Civic Action In step 5 we researched and planned for what plants we wanted. We decided to buy perennials, succulents, bulbs, herbs, and drought-tolerant plants. We took two days to do the planting. We placed bulb enhancer in the holes and planted the bulbs. We planted a rose, mums, herbs, and pansies. We also planted succulents. We finished with wild flower seeds that were native to Colorado. Finally, to prevent weeds, we covered the planter with mulch.
Step 6: Celebration We celebrated a job well done! We made thank you notes for Tracy, Mavis, Mrs. Greenfield, and the PTA. We ended with a pizza and a cupcake party! Our final project will involve placing our story on the web.