A favorite saying of preservationists is, “the greenest building is the building already built.” This semester, the Historic Preservation Program’s Graduate Student Organization (HiPO) is sharing that philosophy with the next generation by putting them in the shoes of those who shape our cities. Using a unique, interactive planning activity, HiPO students led 30 third graders from Edward Felegy Elementary School in Prince George’s County in constructing a model city that helped them learn the key concepts in city planning and sustainable living, and provided them a better understanding of what makes a great community.
“We were so appreciative of this experience for our students,” said Michelle Patricia Parker, the art teacher at Edward Felegy Elementary School. “This project took a year-long focus on community-building and preservation of the environment and brought it to life. The graduate students’ knowledge, enthusiasm and patience in working with our students to design a “green community” also exposed them to the ideals of teamwork, responsibility and organization.”
Ms. Parker was connected with HiPO by UMD Director of Preservation, Don Linebaugh. “It is so important to bring our disciplines to students in public school,” he said. “Once I brought them the idea, the HiPO students took over with enthusiasm. They should be applauded for their initiative and dedication in developing this program.”
Using recycled materials and paper model houses, the students worked to create a model “green city” that incorporated important concepts of architecture, preservation and urban planning. Each student was also assigned a “job” for their city, ranging from mayor to landscape architect, helping them understand the many important roles that go into creating a community. The graduate students, who collectively come from a variety of disciplines at MAPP, guided the Felegy students in their construction and spoke about their respective fields of study at UMD.
“The project with Felegy Elementary School is a fun way to explore the linkages between preservation, planning and architecture, said HiPO President Tom Gross, an Urban Planning and Preservation graduate student. “It also demonstrates the opportunities that exist to engage young children in a discussion about the built environment and the ways in which sustainability and design go hand in hand.”
Preservation students leading the exercise included Diane Bickel (Architecture and Preservation), Jamesha Gibson and Tom Gross (Planning and Preservation), Kara Johnston (Architecture and Preservation) and Imania Price (Preservation). HiPO hopes to continue to build this relationship with Felegy Elementary and conduct more activities with the students in the coming years.
"I was thrilled to work with the children on this project,” said Imania Price. “It was great to help them understand a little bit about where they live."