Choosing to Participate:
A Social Justice Service Project on Sustainability

Today turned out really well in my opinion. I thought that all of the 5^th, 6^th, and 7^th graders learned a lot today about what sustainability means and what they can do to improve it. It was a great experience to teach the kids about what we’d been studying for so long. It’s the first time I’ve really felt like I could do something with my learning and help out the community by telling everyone about sustainability. I didn’t really think the day could’ve gone any better and I’m very pleased with the way everything went.

Last Wednesday, we started on the project with our door.

On February 9th, Manny, Ella, Maya, Henry, Calen, Niles, and I all met up at the AIANY Architecture Center. We worked with 3rd and 4th grade students on building small models of their own dream “green” buildings. They could place as many bike racks, sun roofs, and subway stops, etc. near their designs as possible. Each of the designs were made up of recycled materials and portrayed what our community will soon become. We helped the students by giving them any of the materials they might need, helping them to come up with any other new ideas, and gluing certain pieces on for them. 

Deion, Jimmy, and i have made contact with the AppleWood Resturant in Brooklyn, which should be a lot easier to get access to in our project than the headquarters of Hardwick Beef in Massachusetts. The owners said that we would be of most use at midmorning and we replied back asking if weekends were okay. They have yet to respond to us, however, we hope to head up there this weekend, if not next.