For lucky middle schoolers in Georgia, an innovative week-long camp uses role playing, field trips, and design exercises to prepare students for further education and careers in architecture, landscape architecture, and planning.
"Created through a collaboration between the Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center (GEHC) and the University of Georgia's College of Environment & Design (CED), the 'Designing Our World' camp offers a one-week program for students ages 11 to 13," writes Carol Myers Flaute, the camp's creator. "Over the course of a week, the children take field trips, practice using design tools and techniques, and discuss issues related to planning and design. In addition, they have the opportunity to meet and interview design professionals, including some CED faculty."
Flaute goes on to describe the structure of the camp, a field trip to an architecturally diverse town, and suggestions for starting a similar program.
"In its first three years, 'Designing Our World' has given more than 40 middle school students a taste of what it is like to work in environmental planning and design fields."
Read the full story: Designing Our World: Introducing Children to Planning
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