AALEAD YEAH!
By Yonsoo Kang, VA Middle School Program Coordinator
Photos Courtesy of AALEAD Staff
Hello again!
AALEADers at Poe and Holmes Middle Schools have been working to improve their local community. We are part of an advocacy project called Youth Engagement and Health (YEAH!)Project where we try to assess and improve areas in our neighborhood to promote physical activity. Our Maryland friends at Loidermann Middle School (led by YLan Nguyen) are also doing this project while the ones at Argyle Middle School (led by Johnathon Kim) will serve as the control. Designed and funded by Georgia Tech, the YEAH! Project is a great opportunity for many of our youth to understand why it is important to have youth-friendly spaces and what factors can prevent young people access to these spaces. i.e. area is unsafe, dilapidated play equipment.
Areas of Interest
Poe: School track field made of gravel and dirt
Goals
Conduct field assessment
Interview PE teachers about issues with gravel track
Create short survey for Poe students and staff regarding gravel track
Assessing the Condition of the Track
Access and Opportunity to Youth-Friendly Spaces: Can the Surrounding Neighborhood Use the Track?
How the Locations of Trash Cans Affect Spread of Litter
Holmes: Local recreation club
Goals
Conduct field assessment
Brainstorm and finalize solutions to meet youth needs
Create short survey for Holmes students regard the recreation club
Access and Opportunity: What Factors Prevent Youth to Play?
Vy T. Leading the Observer Group
Local Pool (Off-Season)
Holmes Youth Enjoying the Spring Flowers
Both Poe and Holmes AALEADers just completed the fourth of ten project sessions. The youth divided themselves into three main groups: information recorders, observation note takers, and photographers. These groups then went out and did a field assessment to rate the observed area, write problem and positive areas, and take photographs. We needed to gather as much information as possible so we can later craft an effective and convincing project when we meet with decision makers.
We would like to thank Dr. Nisha Botchwey, Associate Professor of City and Regional Planning, and her research assistant, Symone Howard, from Georgia Institute of Technology for providing AALEAD with this opportunity to know more about physical and nutritional health especially for people of color. Thank you for reaching out to us because the YEAH! Project is an interactive way for our youth to become more engaged with their local community. Poe and Holmes AALEADers hope their efforts will encourage more of their peers and the families in the surrounding community to become physically active.
It’s gonna be great! #igbg