Averill Woods and School Workday - "After" Photos and Videos

Thanks to Jason Wilkes and Murdock Jemerson for the photos and to Wes Thorp for the video interview. It was a good day of fun and work. Everyone felt that we accomplished a lot.

Outcomes and Impacts

There were many positive outcomes from the work day.

(1) SPACE. We provided large areas for a "living laboratory" and playspace for elementary school children within this 3 acre woods next to the school. 

(2) CONNECTIONS. MSU students remarked about how much they enjoyed the experience and how they were impressed with the cultural diversity of the school and its programming.  Students left with positive feelings about Lansing schools and Lansing neighborhoods, asking if there were projects they could do in the future.

(3) TOOLKIT.  We obtained a set of tools for continual and ongoing maintenance of the park woods and have shared those tools with other neighborhoods for their work days.

(4) COMMUNITY.  The project brought a variety of people together, strengthening the sense of community among neighbors and a sense of connectedness to community partners.

Teacher thrilled with the outcome

Listen to work day volunteer and long-time Averill teacher, Ann Wesley, discuss the positive impacts of the woods and school clean-up on Averill Elementary Students.

Be sure to check out the "before," "during," and "after" photos and videos.