Our Last Week in the Midwest
During out last week in the midwest, we spent four days in Minneapolis. The schools were a range of sizes and scattered across the city (even one in Saint Paul)!
Students from South High School walk towards the bus in Minneapolis, MN.
One class we worked with, at The Blake School, was called “Global, Local.” Students in the class pick a topic they’re passionate about, research it in a global (and local) context, then work with a local organization related to the topic. Students were researching topics ranging from deforestation, to sexual violence, to water access. It was great to hear their insights into how these issues, which often seem far away or overwhelming, were playing out in their own communities around Minneapolis.
That was a common theme in Minneapolis, where many of the students expressed recognition of the issues that we discuss in the MVP. “At the end of the day, we’re all people. Everybody needs a chance,” said Elijah, a student at Paladin Career and Technical High School, as he walked through the cubes after class was over. He stayed up until the end of the between-class break, digging into the images and telling us how his goal in life is to help others.
Our final stop in the midwest was in Iowa City, IA. The visit gave us an opportunity to see a community with one foot squarely in Iowa’s agricultural production and one in the more diversified industries that come with hosting a major university. That balance came out in students’ personal experiences and observations about community development.
We spent two days driving to New Mexico, where we will spend the next two weeks in Santa Fe and Albuquerque before starting the long trek back east. For now we’re enjoying the 60 degree weather and sun!