MIAD Bridge

pital

st ch

HAWS Pets

Easter Seals

ren's

CITIES

Kindcare

Hawthhorn Glen Highland School Hmong American Friendship Center Hebron House of Hospitality

Education for Homeless Children Racine

Eisner Museum

High School ect ment Avenue School Elm Creative Arts Elementary School

Homestead High School

on of Photographic Arts Emily Sauer Elementary School

gregational Home

El Centro Council

Hope House

Epikos Church

for the h SpeakingCountryside Humane Society Express Resource Center Crosspoint

Horicon National Wildlife Refuge

Yourself Milwaukee

FAM Allies iscovery

unity Church

House of Peace Food Pantry

Daystar

Hubertus House of Horror

Hunger Task Force In Tandem Theater

Fernwood Montessori School

WorldDungarvin East Troy High School

Fight Asthma Milwaukee

Gaenslen School

Germantown High School

ool

Milwaukee Education Center (MEC)

Milwaukee Enterprise Center

Milwaukee Women's Center

Milwaukee Youth Theatre

Milwaukee Zen Center

Mitchell Park Domes

MPS Outdoor Education MS Accelerated Cure Project

National Abortion Rights Action League

Neighborhood House Next Door Foundation

Media Northcott Community Center

emy Northshore Academy of the Arts

hool Oakton

consin

enter

Kenosha Achievement Center

BRIDGEKiwanis

Havenwoods State Forrest

Milwaukee Christian Center

School of Languages School Milwaukee Milwaukee State Detention Facility

ori

Jewish Home and Care Center

Hartford Mayors Office

at Could Milwaukee Rescue Mission

nter

Jefferson County Dog Park Jeremiah Curtin Academy Jewish Community Center

Guest House Habitat for Humanity

Milwaukee Public Muesum otions orming Arts Milwaukee Recreation Department

rofits

International Learning Center

Growing Power

Lacrosse Club enter Milwaukee Milwaukee Public Library

vices

Indochinese Learning Center

Greenfield Park and Recreation Department

ation Voters Milwaukee Jewish Day School

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Indian Health Center Individual Care for Disabled Child

Girl Scouts Grand Avenue Shool

Gay Arts Center Fratney Milwaukee Milwaukee Historic Society

chool

Independence First

General Mitchell Elementary

Milwaukee County Parks R.N. s Nursery

enter

IN:SITE

Fox Cities Rotary Multicultural Center Friends of Boerner Botanical Gardens

Manor

On Ramp

Outreach Center Waukesha

Pathfinders Peace Action Center

Petitt Center Pewaukee Veterinary Service Phillis Wheatley Elementay School

Pier Wisconsin

Sojourner Truth House

Soldier Home Foundation South Milwaukee High School

South Point Health Center

St. Ann Center for the Intergenerational Care

St. Augustine Parish St. Benedict's St. Francis Children's Center St. Joan Antida High School St. Richard Parish School

Planned Parenthood St.

Vincent de Paul

Prairie View Vetrinary Service Stormonhth Elementary School

Protestant Home Summit Education

Public Achievement Task Force on Family Violence Racine Theater Restoration Group

Ranch Community Services

RAUCH Redline Milwaukee

Renaissance Child Development

Repairers of the Breach

Retzer Nature Center

Ridgewood Baptist Church

Riverbend Nature Center Riverredge Nature Center

The Building for Kids

The Gathering Timber Wolf Preservation Society

Transtar Medical Transportation

Trinity Community Church

Trowbridge Elementary

True Skool

UMOS

Riverwest Co-op United Community Center Riverwest Cooperative Housing Roosevelt Middle School of the Arts

Urban Day School

Rural Land Cleanup Urban Ecology Center Salvation Army Emergency Lodge Schlitz Audubon Nature Center Urban Underground

Grant Elementary Second Harvest US Section Elementary School UW-Extension Silver Spring Neighborhood Center UWM Child Care Center

Sinai Samaritan Hospital Penfield Children's Center Sixteenth Perez Pena Street Community Health Center

UWM Women's Resource Center Villa Terrace Museum Virginia

MIAD Bridge

PARTNER FOCUS:

4

URBAN ECOLOGY CENTER

5

WELCOME

6

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

BY: ROBERT KJENDLIE

In this issue of MIAD Bridge - Partner Focus we will take a look at the Urban Ecology Center and the wealth of community building and educational programs the center offers.

As in the past we will focus on the organization and the programs as well as give you some information that will hopefully entice you into visiting the Urban Ecology Center to learn more and/or volunteer.

To learn more visit, issuu.com and search MIAD Bridge.

Enjoy the issue.

Rob

7

CONTENTS

PARTNER FOCUS: URBAN ECOLOGY CENTER WELCOME

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR BY: ROBERT KJENDLIE

6

7

CONTENTS

8

MAKING A DIFFERENCE 10

MAKING $1,000,000 10

FEATURE ARTICLE

EXPLORING THE URBAN ECOLOGY CENTER ARTICLE BY: URBAN ECOLOGY CENTER PHOTOGRAPHY BY: ROBERT KJENDLIE

FEATURE ARTICLE

ECO - URBANITE ARTICLE BY RYAN STRZOK ILLUSTRATED BY KEVIN FAHERTY

FEATURE ARTICLE

A PERSONAL STORY ARTICLE BY: KATHERINE WALTON-MYERS LAYOUT BY: ROBERT KJENDLIE

12 19 22

A CLOSER LOOK

NEIGHBORHOOD ENVIRONMENT EDUCATION PROJECT

26

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

MAKING $1,000,000

4-H Art Team Academy of Accelerated Learning

AIDS Resource Center of Wiscons

American Red Cross

Artists Working in Educatio

AVE Campus Ministrie

Barnswallow Cente

BASS Swim TEAM

Bay View High Schoo

Bell Therapy Ben Franklin Elementa BestD Clinic Betty Brinn Childrens Museum

Beverly Living Center

Big Brothers. Big Sisters Blakewood Elementa

Blessed Sacrament Schoo

Boys and Girls Club

Boy Scouts

Brazilian Cultural Foundatio

Camp Heartland

Cass Street Schoo

Cathedral Cente

Catholic East Elementa Over the past 10 years MIAD’s commitment to service learning has grown. Service Learning students have volunteered their time to nearly 225 organizations. Monetarily speaking service learning students have contributed approximately $927,174 in labor to these various organizations. According to statistics provided to me by Ben Rothschild this number should reach $1,000,000 by the end of 2012.

Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearin

L.E

La Ca

La Es

League o

LGB

Life P

Lincoiln Cente

Little Bo

Lloyd St

Logema

Longfello

Loyola A

Lutheran Soc

Marion Center f

Marquette Day

Marshall Mo

Maryland Avenu

MATA Commu

McNair Ac

MEC Middle

Medical College o

Medina Boxi

Mesmer High Sch

MIAD Campus L

10

Milwaukee Achiever Prog

Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control

Milwaukee Bike Collecti Milwaukee Catholic Hou

mg

Child

sin Hos

pital

s Christ

CITIES

on Church

HAWS Pets

Easter Seals

ren's

Kindcare

Hawthhorn Glen Highland School Hmong American Friendship Center Hebron House of Hospitality

Education for Homeless Children Racine

High School Eisner Museum es Project Clement Avenue School Elm Creative Arts Elementary School

er

Homestead High School

Coalition of Photographic Arts Emily Sauer Elementary School

M Congregational Home

Hope House

Epikos Church

El Centro Council for the ol Core Spanish SpeakingCountryside Humane Society Express Yourself Milwaukee

Horicon National Wildlife Refuge

y Daystar ary FAM Allies Fernwood Montessori School cm Discovery Fight Asthma Milwaukee Crisis Resource Center Crosspoint

House of Peace Food Pantry

Hubertus House of Horror

Community Church

ers

rs. ary

ol

WorldDungarvin East Troy High School

b

s

on

d

ol

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ary

ng

E.A.R.N. ausa Crisis Nursery

Gaenslen School

Germantown High School

Havenwoods State Forrest

Milwaukee Christian Center

Milwaukee County Parks

Milwaukee Education Center (MEC)

Milwaukee Enterprise Center

Milwaukee Youth Theatre

Milwaukee Zen Center

Mitchell Park Domes

MPS Outdoor Education MS Accelerated Cure Project

National Abortion Rights Action League

Neighborhood House Next Door Foundation

unity Media Northcott Community Center

Academy Northshore Academy of the Arts

le School Oakton

of Wisconsin

ing Center

hool

Life

gram Center

ive use

Jewish Home and Care Center

Kenosha Achievement Center

Hartford Mayors Office

ann Center Milwaukee Women's Center

ue School

Jefferson County Dog Park Jeremiah Curtin Academy Jewish Community Center

Guest House Habitat for Humanity

School of Languages treet School Milwaukee Milwaukee State Detention Facility

ontessori

International Learning Center

Growing Power

ooks that Could Milwaukee Rescue Mission

ycare Center

Indochinese Learning Center

Greenfield Park and Recreation Department

Milwaukee Public Muesum Promotions er for the Performing Arts Milwaukee Recreation Department

for Nonprofits

Indian Health Center Individual Care for Disabled Child

Girl Scouts Grand Avenue Shool

Lacrosse Club BT Center Milwaukee Milwaukee Public Library

cial Services

Independence First

General Mitchell Elementary

of Conservation Voters Milwaukee Jewish Day School

Academy

IN:SITE

Fox Cities Rotary Multicultural Center Friends of Boerner Botanical Gardens

Gay Arts Center scuela Fratney Milwaukee Milwaukee Historic Society

ow School

Hunger Task Force In Tandem Theater

Manor

On Ramp

Outreach Center Waukesha

Pathfinders Peace Action Center

Kiwanis

Petitt Center Pewaukee Veterinary Service

Soldier Home Foundation South Milwaukee High School

Pier Wisconsin

St. Augustine Parish St. Benedict's St. Francis Children's Center St. Joan Antida High School St. Richard Parish School

Sojourner Truth House

South Point Health Center Phillis Wheatley Elementay School St. Ann Center for the Intergenerational Care

Planned Parenthood St.

Vincent de Paul

Prairie View Vetrinary Service Stormonhth Elementary School

Protestant Home Summit Education

Public Achievement Task Force on Family Violence Racine Theater Restoration Group

Ranch Community Services

RAUCH Redline Milwaukee

Renaissance Child Development

Repairers of the Breach

Retzer Nature Center

Ridgewood Baptist Church

Riverbend Nature Center Riverredge Nature Center

The Building for Kids

The Gathering Timber Wolf Preservation Society

Transtar Medical Transportation

Trinity Community Church

Trowbridge Elementary

True Skool

UMOS

Riverwest Co-op United Community Center Riverwest Cooperative Housing Roosevelt Middle School of the Arts

Urban Day School

Rural Land Cleanup Urban Ecology Center Salvation Army Emergency Lodge Schlitz Audubon Nature Center Urban Underground

Grant Elementary Second Harvest US Section Elementary School UW-Extension Silver Spring Neighborhood Center UWM Child Care Center

Sinai Samaritan Hospital Penfield Children's Center Sixteenth Perez Pena Street Community Health Center

UWM Women's Resource Center Villa Terrace Museum Virginia

11

FEATURE ARTICLE

EXPLORING THE URBAN ECOLOGY CENTER

ARTICLE BY: URBAN ECOLOGY CENTER PHOTOGRAPHY BY: ROBERT KJENDLIE

The Urban Ecology Center’s award-winning, state-of-the-art facility at the Riverside Park location serves as a model for green building projects everywhere. Located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the building is an environmental community center that provides childhood education and adult community activities. The Center connects the street, the adjacent Riverside Park, and the city bike path. The Center’s building demonstrates practical, replicable design ideas and techniques.

13

Solar Panels – As visitors climb the building’s 75-foot observation tower made of a recycled steel latticework, they will see 48 solar photovoltaic panels. Inverters allow power to go directly into the area power grid and provide power to the Urban Ecology Center.

Re-used Materials – Many of the items and materials within the building have a unique story and origin, from the chairs made out of sustainable wood to the hardwood floors and brick chimney repurposed from old buildings.

Using recycled and durable building materials reduces waste and brings a sense of warmth and community to the building.

14

A Recycled Exterior – The building exterior features galvalume siding and roofing. It is made from 80 percent recycled material, should last more than 50 years with no care and is 100 percent recyclable for future use.

Green Roof Garden – A live, growing green roof sits atop the building and manages excess water runoff by keeping it out of the sewers, insulates the garage, and reduces temperature gain from the roof. It is also a sensory garden of native plants and directs overflow water to an on-site pond through underground pipes.

Rainwater Restrooms – The restrooms at the UEC use rainwater to flush toilets and let users choose between a half tank or full tank flush. Three 350-gallon stainless steel water cisterns collect rainwater that falls on the roof and store it for use. This unique restroom system has even been featured on the Travel Channel.

15

"From the 75-foot Observation Tower, children and adults can take in the views from river to lake"

Solar Panels – As visitors climb the building’s 75-foot observation tower made of a recycled steel latticework, they will see 48 solar photovoltaic panels. Inverters allow power to go directly into the area power grid and provide power to the Urban Ecology Center.

16

The View from the Top – From the 75-foot Observation Tower, children and adults can take in the views from river to lake and observe many species of birds that can be found on this key migration route. The Tower houses a weather station and becomes a telescope observatory on starry nights. It’s also home to the largest outdoor rock climbing wall in the Milwaukee area.Otatem re rem quiae sequi doleni untur sus, samus, optas ut pre sequatatium dolectus sintotaquam dolupta autaesciis sequae pa nons

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FEATURE ARTICLE

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ECO - URBANITE ARTICLE BY RYAN STRZOK ILLUSTRATED BY KEVIN FAHERTY “It is the workers at the organizations I volunteer for who confirm for me that environmentalism is not about trying to use less but about trying to be more” (Beavan 203). This quote by Colin Beavan, the author of No Impact Man, touches close to home with me because taking the service learning class forced me to get out of my shell and volunteer. It’s allowing for me to volunteer for a cause that I see to be important, which is an environmental cause. With one of the most influential environmentalists saying that the best way to change the way the earth is being treated is to volunteer your time, passion, and self to an organization it definitely puts a giant smile on my face when volunteering.

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"My preconceptions were that it was just another nature park but once actually experiencing it fully it was much more than that. "

Before working at the UEC I didn’t know what to expect.

My preconceptions were that it was just another nature park but once actually experiencing it fully it was much more than that. It turned out to be extremely engaging. The center brings the community together in many different ways that I had no idea about. What surprised me the most about my placement in volunteer services was the difference between the Riverside Park and Washington Park. I believe that the Washington Park needs a lot of up keep and more workers and I see funding being a thing that stands in the way of Washington Park blossoming into the community that Riverside is.

I believe it is on the right path though. As for experiences go I would have to say Washington Park proved to be the best. It all started on Saturday when weeding at Washington Park for a good four hours. I was weeding by myself minding my own business when a little voice came up

behind me and exclaimed, “Hey! Sucka!” I turned around to see a ten-year old little kid with stitches under his eye. He then said, “Can I help you weed?” I replied, “Of course.” For about the next two hours we talked back and forth laughing and joking about random stuff. He asked if I was a football player and dubbed me the nickname Lil’ Wayne. I said, “Do I look like Little Wayne to you? He laughed and said, “No.” His name was Tavares and also went by the nicknames Chris Brown and Man Man. Everyone at the UEC knew him by Man Man so I stuck with that one. It was funny to find out too that he wasn’t even apart of any of the youth science clubs at the UEC. He was just from around the neighborhood and came to hang out. At the end of the day when we were done weeding I carted him around in a wheelbarrow through Washington Park while we talked about flying to the moon in cardboard space suits and drum lines. He made my work probably twice as difficult but he made my week. It was a real eye opener to see the kind of kids from that neighborhood. Overall the Urban Ecology Centers have opened me up to the community of Milwaukee as a whole. It has made me closer to the people here and the causes

21

MIAD Bridge

A PERSONAL STORY

ARTICLE BY: KATHERINE WALTON-MYERS LAYOUT BY: ROBERT KJENDLIE

The UEC is a place; I personally, would never have found about, visited or have cared for if it was not for this class. I took a tour and immediately fell in love with the area, the mission, and the opportunities. I have always been a fan of, and a follower of the sciences, biology in particular, and by hearing that there were research opportunities available to participate I was sold. I am also not an outdoorsy type of girl; I rarely leave the house if it is not for a concert, or school. I have found myself outside, working, and working hard this summer, something I have never done before. I love it.

Not only did I find that with the UEC there is a great deal of

22

trust in the people that they work with, but also that they will go out of their way to find a fit for you there that will best use all of your skills, desires and talents to the fullest of your abilities. This is something I found very comforting and exciting about what I was doing at the UEC. I was mulling about, attending the regular scheduled volunteer opportunities, when I got up the idea to send and email and ask if there could have been something more, “me,� more my style that I could do. Just to see. And sure enough I was given the name of a person who I could contact about opportunities. Within the week I was able to not only be participating in more artistic, more fulfilling proj-

ects, but I also was trusted with very expensive equipment, keys and money with which to run errands. The warmth and trust given by the people who I was working with was startling.

It was as if they had always known me, knew what I was capable of and what they wanted from me. The UEC uses their volunteers in a way that I find really endearing. They want you to give your best with the time, energy and effort that you are offering, so why not make sure it is something you can stand behind and enjoy doing. The confidence they showed in me was quite heartening, and therefore I was more able to stand up and what they asked me to do. Running er-

rands was something I was more than happy to do, although, riding bikes is not my favorite activity. I was excited to do the work, saw where I was coming from, as in the case as the great adventure to Utrecht, and ask for not only discounts but to hand over a card that said “I am an ambassador for this organization, please take me seriously!�

I also got an assignment, to both repair and spruce up an exhibit in the basement of the UEC. It was a donation from another MIAD student years ago. It was a thesis project all about recyclables. I spent hours re-researching the information so I could understand the topic, but also do a good and proper job at honoring

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MIAD Bridge

" It was as if they had always known me, knew what I was capable of and what they wanted from me."

I actually believe in. Something that I can stand behind, and I am excited to see if there will be any donations made to the group, not only for the project, but in the name of sustainability. It’s exciting, and exhilarating. And maybe, just maybe, I will keep donating my time to the crew of people that I am working with.

The UEC is not really going anywhere. I used to think charity and volunteerism was a, pardon my French, crock of shit. I am one who often thought “where are the people helping me?!” and “bullshit this is it’s own reward!” but how wrong I was.

This has become something really exciting, fun and something I may want to pursue. I am now a proud member of the UEC, I will

be using their kayaks and canoes and other activity equipment on my own time, possibly attending seminars, and continuing to help out whenever I can.

I do not like to sound cheesy, but this class has actually made a huge difference to me in finding pride in a city I resented, (I have missed Chicago so desperately for past 3 years) and I have really gotten a sense of bearing within the city for what the compass of fun and quality points to beyond the bars and the state fair, the baseball games and the Rave concert hall. There is a great deal of fun to have beyond the borders of what I ever would have expected.

And although I still do not enjoy the curriculum of this class, I am

MIAD Bridge

NEIGHBORHOOD ENVIRONMENT EDUCATION PROJECT The Neighborhood Environmental Education Project (NEEP) at the Urban Ecology Center is the cornerstone program in a multi-pronged approach to keep our parks safe, teach neighborhood kids about the natural world and improve the neighborhoods in which the Center operates.

Young people today spend an increasing amount of time confined indoors while green spaces in and around cities are under-used and often abused. The increased lack of exposure to nature and outdoor time during childhood has adverse affects on development, environmentally sound behavior and retaining science concepts.

The Neighborhood Environmental Education Project combats these problems by offering local K-12 schools a program for students to enjoy and learn from the forests and wetlands in their own neighborhoods.

Students receive high-quality science and environmental education in the 15-acre natural area along the Milwaukee River in Riverside Park and in the 125-acre Washington Park. Since most of these schools have no natural land of their own, the Urban Ecology Center becomes their permanent outdoor laboratory.

The Urban Ecology Center contracts with entire schools, as opposed to just a single class, to work consistently with groups of students year after year. In this way, NEEP is designed to establish lasting relationships with children by partnering with neighborhood schools. During multiple visits throughout the year, students become familiar with the park under the guidance of an experienced environmental educator and build upon science concepts introduced in the classroom.

" high-quality science 26

and environmental education"

Since the program’s inception, it has grown from serving 11 schools out of a doublewide trailer to serving 44 schools in two locations in the 2009-2010 school year. Some other numbers about the program: 85% of NEEP students are on the National School Lunch Program, which provides free or reduced lunches to those living below the poverty line. Approximately 75 percent of this population is African-American, 15 percent is Latino, 5 percent is Asian and less than 5 percent is Caucasian or other races.

5 to 10 programs, designed to meet grade-specific learning goals, are available to teachers. The Milwaukee Public Schools topical framework and Wisconsin Model for Academic Standards in Science and Environment Education were used to develop the programs.

Teachers also have the option to have the Center teaching team design a program around specific learning goals.

UEC maintains a 1:14 teacher/ student ratio in its programming. To maintain this ratio, volunteer educators help when needed.

Participating schools receive 24 half-day field trips throughout the four seasons.

Consistent contact is maintained through trips to the UEC year after year.

Partnering schools pay $4,000 per year to participate in NEEP. The actual cost of the program is $9,000.

Foundations and businesses fund the remaining $5,000.

15 passengers fit on each of the UEC’s minibuses, which provide transportation to and from the Center. Learning begins the moment students board the bus; UEC teachers are the bus drivers and programs include a bus-ride activity.

Participation in weekend programming has increased 100%, which is largely because of the increased number of participating schools.

40+ schools are eligible to participate in NEEP. NEEP serves schools within a two-mile radius of each of the UEC locations to ensure that the Center is in walking distance of low-income area families who may not have access to a car.

The number of schools served

by NEEP has increased 3times between 2003 and 2006.

For more information about NEEP, contact Beth Fetterley, Director of Education and Strategic Planning, at bfetterley@urbanecologycenter.org or (414) 964-8505.

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4-H Art Team Academy of Accelerated Learning

Child

AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin Hos

American Red Cross Chris

Artists Working in Education Churc

AVE Campus Ministries Proje Clem

Barnswallow Center

Coalitio

BASS Swim TEAM Cong Core E Bay View High School

Spanish Crisis R

Bell Therapy Ben Franklin Elementary Di BestD Clinic Betty Brinn Childrens Museum

Commu

Beverly Living Centers Give Special Thanks To:

MIAD Shawn K. Simmons Kevin Faherty Bryan Padovano Ben Rothschild Radostina Maramska Agnes Urban Ecology Center MW CD4 class.

W

Big Brothers. Big Sisters.

Blakewood Elementary Blessed Sacrament School

Boys and Girls Club

Boy Scouts Brazilian Cultural Foundation

Camp Heartland Cass Street School

Cathedral Center

Catholic East Elementary

2011Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing

L.E.A.R

La Causa Crisis

La Escuela F

League of Conserva

LGBT Ce

Life Promo

Lincoiln Center for the Perfo

Little Books tha

Lloyd Street S

Logemann Ce

Longfellow Sc

Loyola Acade

Lutheran Social Serv

Marion Center for Nonpr

Marquette Daycare Cen

Marshall Montesso

Maryland Avenue Scho

MATA Community M

McNair Acade

MEC Middle Sch

Medical College of Wisc

Medina Boxing Ce

Mesmer High School

MIAD Campus Life

Milwaukee Achiever Program

Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Center

Milwaukee Bike Collective Milwaukee Catholic House