Exploring Post-Modern River Cities

THE CHALLENGE: WAMC Northeast Public Radio, a public radio station in the Northeast based in Albany, and serving a wide regional audience, has invited students to participate in a panel of local community experts to discuss how to create sustainable change in cities. As questions arise about what sustainable change means to cities struggling to become economically vital, students address issues that demand a critical look at how the socio-cultural, geographic, political and commercial history and development of Troy affect its ability to model the concept of new urbanism thriving in dozens of cities across the U.S.

ABOUT THE PROJECT: Over five weeks, students create a proposal for sustainable change for Troy. Their proposals, rooted in a particular category of municipal change, must reflect an awareness of the history, economics and politics surrounding related issues, and account for the reasons why post-industrial cities sometimes suffer economic decline. What assets does Troy have that can move it forward in the current social-political landscape? Students’ written proposals prepare them to contribute meaningfully to a discussion involving Troy-area revitalization professionals that will be broadcast on WAMC’s afternoon program “Speaker’s Corner.” To prepare for this discussion, students meet with key facilitators of re-urbanization efforts, including the mayor of Troy, local experts in history and culture, and community organizations.

INTEGRATING NYS LEARNING STANDARDS & KEY IDEAS: This project integrates English Language Arts (ELA) Standards and Social Studies Standards.

• ELA Standard 1: Language for Information and Understanding — students listen, speak, read and write for information and understanding.
• ELA Standard 3: Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation— as listeners and readers, students analyze experiences, ideas, information and issues presented by others using a variety of established criteria.
• ELA Standard 4: Language for Social Interaction—students use oral and written language for effective social communication with a wide variety of people to enrich their understanding of people and their views.
• Social Studies Standard 3: Geography — students use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the interdependent world in which we live – local, national and global – including the distribution of people, places and environments.
• Social Studies Standard 5: Civics, Citizenship, and Government — students use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the roles, rights and responsibilities of citizenship, including avenues of participation.

BEYOND NYS STANDARDS: This project goes beyond New York State standards as students interact with urban revitalization professionals to examine ways that a city identifies social and economic issues affecting its future and engages a broad public to develop sustainable economic planning for its future.

BUSINESS PARTNERS & EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES: Students draw on the expertise of professionals from the Business Alliance for Tech Valley High School, some of whose work directly involves the commercial and business growth of Rensselaer County, to gather information about Troy’s current plans and programs. Students are involved in considering the implications of new technologies on cities such as Troy.

IT TOOLS FOR PROJECT PLANNING & COMPLETION: Assignments are contained in a “project briefcase” (digital portfolios of all project materials) and are accessible to students and parents at all times. These portfolios include project calendars, important dates and deadlines, readings, assessment rubrics, student “contracts” for behavior and performance, and timelines for completion.

REAL-WORLD ASSESSMENT: The final project assessments include student participation in a panel discussion recorded for public radio, to be aired for a wide regional audience. Students interact with area professionals (“experts” on the topic of urban revitalization) in discussing ways to invigorate the local economy and boost the social infrastructure of Troy.

REAL-WORLD IMPLICATIONS: Students propose ideas for sustainable change and debate the feasibility of these ideas with professionals involved in city renewal. They become active citizens during this project as they address problems that confront a nearby municipality.