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
emy
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
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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
er
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.
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"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
18
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
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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. 27
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