Richland Library Fresh Food, Fresh Thinking 2018 Report

An Innovative Approach to Youth Development & Learning in Rural Communities

FARMERS MARKET AT RICHLAND LIBRARY MAIN

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SEEDS SOWING

Like many students living in rural areas across the country, youth in the Lower Richland, South Carolina community are faced with challenges of food insecurity, limited access to broadband access and a shortage of easily accessible learning opportunities.

In 2017, Richland Library received an Institute of Museum and Library Services National Leadership Grant to develop “Fresh Food Fresh Thinking” – a collaborative model for project-based learning, where the library staff worked hand-in-hand with Lower Richland High School students, architects, and teachers to envision a hybrid community space that would house both a public library and a farmers market.

BACKGROUND In 2014, Richland Library began exploring a strategic effort to expand library services in the Lower Richland community. Through the library’s Service Needs Assessment Process, Richland Library staff were able to use a systemic approach to identify the needs for library services among existing and potential customers in the area.

In response to community feedback, the library worked for several years to implement a multifaceted plan for immediate services in the Lower Richland community. While continuing to explore a long-term library option in the area, it has been successful in addressing the community’s needs in the following ways:

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CONNECTED LIBRARY CARD PROJECT (2015) To encourage growth in a community of learners, Richland Library partnered with Richland School District One to provide library cards to all students across the district —including Lower Richland High School. The ConnectED Library Card Project is part of the nationwide Leaders Library Card Challenge, a federal program supported by IMLS and Urban Library Council and developed in 2015 by President Barack Obama’s administration.

LOWER RICHLAND HIGH SCHOOL SUMMER PILOT (2016 & 2017) To help combat the summer slide, Richland Library developed a partnership with Lower Richland High School to offer services- such as internet access, workforce development and early literacy support during the summer months when the school’s library was closed. Open to children, teens and adults, this program helped introduce the library to many in the community who were not regular library users.

In addition, the library’s work with addressing food insecurity and healthy eating was expanding. Our libraries are summer feeding sites and partners with FoodShare Columbia, which provides healthy food boxes for SNAP participants. The library offers cooking classes, free food boxes and kitchen equipment. We have a thriving community garden at one location and plans for another.

Based on our experience and the burgeoning success of our partnership with Lower Richland High School, the library began plans for a permanent library in the Lower Richland community to be colocated with other services critical to the needs of the surrounding community and in close proximity to the high school.

After receiving a $50,000 grant from the IMLS in 2017, Richland Library was able to immediately engage students from Lower Richland High School to begin developing concepts for a future library and farmers market.

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CASE STUDIES During the research and observation phase, Richland Library learned three of the challenges facing the Lower Richland community included food insecurity, limited access to library resources and limited learning opportunities for teenagers. By modeling approaches, tactics and outputs from three similar projects in the region, it was able to successfully touch on each of these challenges.

MILL VILLAGE FARMS, Greenville, SC Mill Village Farms is “transforming vacant properties into bountiful gardens to grow locally-sourced produce for communities that often have limited access to fresh and local foods” as well as “growing employment and training opportunities for community youth.” The organization has been successful at addressing a multiple problems facing their community over the past few years with a multi-prong approach that included teens engaged in working on the farm and selling their products at their own local produce store.

COLLETON MUSEUM/FARMERS MARKET, Walterboro, SC “The mission of the Colleton Museum & Farmers Market is to preserve and promote the historical, natural, cultural and agricultural heritage of Colleton County through the care and conservation of collections, research, interpretation, exhibitions and educational programs.” This organization has capitalized on the mutual benefit of its collective mission as a museum and local food market.

PROJECT H, Bertie County, North Carolina Students worked with designers to create and build a farmers market for their rural community. The project’s goal was to not only design a market for Bertie County but also teaching the students about the design process and how high school students can affect real change.[1]

[1] http://www.millvillagefarms.org http://www.colletonmuseum.org/what-we-do/ http://www.aaonetwork.org/news/articles/interview-matthew-miller-revisiting-if-you-build-it-documentary

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THE PROJECT Inspired by these three case studies, Richland Library developed a curriculum that would ensure students applied a human centered design approach to conceptualizing and designing of a new community space—the same approach Richland Library used to renovate and design ten of its libraries. Known as project based learning, this approach allowed the students to apply these skills and their ideas to a real problem in their community.

The project—which spanned the entire school year and engaged 58 students— included two classes at Lower Richland High School—the honors STEAM class and the Civil Engineering and Architecture class.

Additionally, a senior student documented the process and created a film as a final project.

Upon receiving the grant, Richland Library hired a project coordinator at the high school and collaborated with area architects to work directly with students.

The ultimate goal was to expose students to a variety of disciplines and methodologies used to solve community problems and create conceptual projects that highlight how a community space could bring architecture, agriculture and learning together.

In hopes of sharing this work with others, the library and its collaborators have developed three useful teaching techniques and three recommendations for those interested in partnering on similar projects. These are techniques and recommendations that may be used on any community-focused project with student collaborators.

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IDEAS PLANTING

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Participating students and partners will increase understanding of the connection between agriculture, architecture and community needs.

Students will be able to apply design thinking, community engagement and expertise to the development of a solution for rural community problems of food scarcity and limited access to library resources.

The library and its staff will be better prepared to engage their community and maintain ongoing relationships with community partners.

Students will turn ideas and concepts into a plan and design concept for a future hybrid facility to include a farmers market and a public library.

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1 Understanding Connections Participating students and partners will increase understanding of the connection between agriculture, architecture and community needs.

WHAT DID YOU LEARN? “Field trips are important tools to help students imagine how their projects can come to life. Field trips should be to places that are immediately relevant to the project at hand and during the trips students should be prompted to reflect on how what they are seeing will help with their own project. It’s not enough to simply go and look.”

-Student comment on farm field trip

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“This is what teaching and learning should look like everyday.”

SANDRA C. BROSSARD Chief Teaching and Learning Richland School District One

The students from the STEAM and engineering classed took a field trip to Falls Park in downtown Greenville. The park offers the community access to a once neglected waterway— Reedy River Falls—with a variety of activities for all age groups. The students observed how green space and the built environment work together to create a strong community experience.

The students visited Mill Village Farms where they learned about the process of growing, harvesting, storing, and selling produce.

In addition, Mill Village Farms has a strong youth development component where teens play leadership roles on the farm and in its market.

Finally, the students visited the Swamp Rabbit Cafe and Grocery where they were able to see a grocery store and cafe selling locally grown and produced items.

Students from both the STEAM and engineering classes also visited three of the newly renovated Richland Library locations to explore and be inspired by the new spaces.

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2 Developing Solutions Students will be able to apply design thinking, community engagement and expertise to the development of a solution for rural community problems of food scarcity and limited access to library resources.

The Executive Director of Richland Library demonstrated to the STEAM students how to “Map the Customer Journey�. This is a technique the library has used frequently to understand the needs and desires of the community. During the class, the director showed the students how to record what a community member says, use that information to inform an idea, and then draw and write that idea on a vision board, forming the basis for a project concept.

The diagrams shown to the left are examples of the plans developed by the students after gaining understanding of the customer journey.

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“I can do that.

That didn’t seem so hard.”

WHAT DID STUDENTS DO TO RESEARCH AND PREPARE?

It is important to show students how to do what you are asking of them. The team used this teaching strategy numerous times.

The goal is to have the students think, “I can do that. That didn’t seem so hard.” Below are two situations where the in-class demonstrations were helpful: Students used online research, questioned other architects and went out into the field to discover ideas for their individual projects. In-class demonstrations were used to allow students to feel comfortable doing this work.

The licensed architects used a similar demonstration when teaching students to develop a site plan. Part of a class period was used to demonstrate drawing a site plan using trace paper, scales, and colored pencils. Additionally, they used internet research to discover inspirational images that could be used to explain how the site spaces may feel in reality. The students used these techniques with their own ideas and were able to successfully draw a site plan for their project.

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Students used their entrepreneurial skills to conduct plant sales.

Plants that Lower Richland High School students grew were sold at Soda City Market and at the Gadsden Farm Festival. The students plan to work with the community to eventually sell the produce and plants that they grow at a farmers market that they help to establish in the Lower Richland community.

“Students were taught personal budgeting basics, the basics of business plans, and the economics of one unit. We also discussed how the difference between a construction budget and operating budget, how libraries are funded, and what library budgets are comprised of (salaries and benefits, collections, maintenance, etc.). Included in this were the concept of being ‘good stewards of money,’ public trust, accessibility, accountability, and inclusivity.”

Jennifer Naimzadeh

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NEVER

WEEKLY

16%

MONTHLY

29% ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR

16%

How often do you visit a library?

Community Survey Results

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SIX OR MORE TIMES A YEAR

26%

3 Engaging Communities The library and its staff will be better prepared to engage their community and maintain ongoing relationships with community partners.

37%

4.4 /5

The library offers programs, services or resources that address community needs

4.3/5

The library is an active contributor to problem solving in the community.

OF STUDENT SAY THEIR FAVORITE THING ABOUT THE LIBRARY IS READING BOOKS

23%

SAY IT IS THE ENVIRONMENT AND ABILITY TO DO HOMEWORK

71%

WOULD TRAVEL UP TO 10 MILES TO GET TO A LIBRARY

71%

SAY THEY LIKE BEING OUTSIDE

73%

LIKE TO READ

Student Peer Survey Results

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Watch our video online at www.richlandlibrary.com/freshfoodfreshthinking 16

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PARTNERING STRONG COLLABORATION & COMMUNICATION It is extremely important to have strong collaboration and communication among the project partners. Since there is limited time with the consultants, the teachers will need to be committed to carrying the work forward. Collaboration and communication also help tailor the assignments to the specific skills and abilities of the students while meeting the learning objectives of the class and the project.

SHARED GOALS Clear goals and expectations need to be set so all partners know what to expect. These goals should not only be project-based but should address the learning needs of the students. For the Fresh Food, Fresh Thinking project, the learning of the students was of primary importance as one of the overarching goals was to address the limited access to learning opportunities for teenagers.

FLEXIBILITY While it is good to have shared goals, it is important to be flexible.

Projects with students often take turns that are unexpected, and it is important to respond to those events. It is also important to stay flexible and change according to student needs and abilities.

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4 Designing A Concept Students will turn ideas and concepts into a plan and design concept for a future hybrid facility to include a farmers market and a public library.

“It’s like a sense of accomplishment really, having people use what you made. It’s a really good feeling.”

Joshua Bell, Senior, Lower Richland High School

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STUDENTS PRESENTING THEIR FINAL DESIGNS The architecture students took their knowledge of residential design and transferred much of it into commercial design. Early portions of the commercial design project compared commercial building systems to residential systems.

The students took the library program and the client groups ideas and first created bubble diagrams.

The bubble diagrams progressed to initial floor plans with lessons on space planning and facilities. Initial floor plans were revised several times during the project.

The architects led lessons on site planning and each student produced initial site plans for their client. Feedback from the clients (The STEAM students acted as clients for this project.) was used to adjust all plans. Finally, presentations and final plans were completed and shared with the community.

The Civil Engineering & Architecture students learned to present their ideas in several formats ranging from informal conversations with the STEAM students, quick conversations with community members, and formal presentations with questions. Techniques include the use of BIM and Revit software as well as hand drawing techniques.

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USEFUL TEACHING TECHNIQUES IN-CLASS DEMONSTRATIONS Showing students how to do what you are asking is crucial. The goal is to have them think, “I can do that. That doesn’t seem too hard.” When reflecting on the project, Lower Richland High School Engineering Instructor Mark Kirlough said, “This is how teaching and learning should be every day. Things should be so real that it is something the kids will remember for the rest of their lives.”

ACTIVE CLASSES Don’t be deterred if you don’t have classroom teaching experience. Teaching a high school class is much different that leading a library program. Classes should be fun and engaging.

Since time with consultants and library staff is limited, any background or preparatory work is best done prior to their specialized sessions. Time with subject matter experts should be spent doing work in real-time, so that students can receive immediate and interact one-on-one with these professionals.

FIELD TRIPS Field trips are important tools to help students imagine how their projects can come to fruition. Field trips should focus on places that are immediately relevant to the project. During the trips, students should be prompted to reflect on what they are seeing and how it will impact with their own project. It’s not enough to simply go and look.

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The Fresh Food, Fresh Thinking grant project provided Lower Richland High School students the opportunity to look at solving problems in their community which include food insecurity and limited access to library resources. They were able to dream, create and explore the possibilities of building a public space that could house both a library and a farmers market.

The experience of learning from architects, visiting new libraries and exploring farmers markets gave them invaluable insight into the design process and provided them with new learning opportunities. Teachers were excited to have a real-life scenario to engage their students in project-based learning. Richland Library was able to gather more information about community needs and how to innovatively approach youth development and learning with the students.

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GROUND WORK MIX-USE FACILITIES

http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2012/05/buildings/lbd/powerful-partnerships-mixed-use-development-library-by-design-spring-2012/#_ MILL VILLAGE FARM, GREENVILLE SC

http://www.millvillagefarms.org/ COLLETON MUSEUM/FARMERS MARKET

http://www.colletonmuseum.org/ PROJECT H AND BERTIE COUNTY, NC

http://www.ifyoubuilditmovie.com/project-h/ FARMER’S MARKET START-UP GUIDE

https://farmersmarketcoalition.org/types/market-start-up-and-development/

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SC FARM TO INSTITUTION (PILOTING PROGRAM AT OUR NORTH MAIN LOCATION)

http://scfarmtoinstitution.com/ GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT LIBRARY ROLE IN COMMUNITY

http://publiclibrariesonline.org/2013/04/community-centered-23reasons-why-your-library-is-the-most-important-place-in-town/ PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES –LIBRARY ATTRIBUTES

https://www.pps.org/reference/libraryattributes/ RICHLAND LIBRARY LINKS

www.buildingyourlibrary.com www.learncreatesharevision.com

FRESH FOOD FRESH THINKING

PROJECT TEAM Project Lead

Melanie Huggins Executive Director, Richland Library

Roberta Phillips Planning & Projects Director, Richland Library

Project Lead

Jennifer Naimzadeh Teen Services Manager, Richland Library

Joey LeRoy Multi-Media Designer, Richland Library

Constantina Green STEAM Coordinator Lower Richland High School

Darlene Paradise Grants Coordinator, Richland Library

Gretchen Lambert Architect/Owner, Studio 2LR

Sarah Maner Manager, Richland Library Southeast

Amy Pederson Drama Instructor, Lower Richland High School

Sallie-Hambright Belue Associate Professor, Architecture Clemson University

Caroliegh Frentzel Data Analyst, Richland Library

Melissa Billie Projector Coordinator, Hopkins Middle School

Mark Kirlough Engineering Instructor, Lower Richland High School

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NOTES

Participating Students from Lower Richland High School: Alston, Javon Anderson, Isaiah Anderson, James Brown, Christian Burrell, Harley Cunningham, JaKeria Durham, Kylin Ganzy, Jamison Harkless, Jeremiah Huguenin, Curtron Jacobs, Timothy Johnson, Essence Jones, Cameron Kimbler, Dakota Mickle, Jayden Myers, Katelyn Pinckney, Nariah Rentz, Kori Sanders, Makayla Smith, Charles Still, Justin Thomas, Danielle Whitman, Nickolas Williams, Nigel Civil Engineering & Architects Students Bell, Joshua Chapman Booker, Tremell Nakiem Folk, Darryl Sa-quan Ganzy, Darius Jakobi McGhee, Khalil Antwaun Malik Myers, Antonio Tyrone Thompson, Ernest Alexandre’

Anderson, Kamari Arnold, Jason Barber, Naejuan Britt, Kadence Dean, Dewon Garrick, Staci Gilmore, Kahida King, Zoria Mack, Kameron McDonald, Tamia Nelson, Chenelle Robinson, Ashanti Ryant, Uniti Scott, Keianna Sims, Caliyah Sistrunk, Devin Smith, LaShelle Smith, Savion Taylor, Delazon Thorne, Jahari Tillman, Shawntresse Weston, Mykayla