Michigan Student Caucus Winter Platform 2012. Justice and Equity Topic Coordinators: Megan Knuth and...
Transcript of Michigan Student Caucus Winter Platform 2012. Justice and Equity Topic Coordinators: Megan Knuth and...
Michigan Student Caucus
Winter Platform 2012
Justice and EquityTopic Coordinators: Megan Knuth and Andrew Snow
Background InfoHow can we make policies that better ensure
that all groups and individuals in Michigan are treated fairly by government, by law enforcement, by employers, and by each other? How can we better ensure that everyone's civil, economic, and human rights are protected, while also protecting the public good?
Students brainstormed ideas that would help the state of Michigan to ensure equality for all while maintaining justice
Prominent Ideas and Issues
Many ideas were centered around different certifications for new drivers
One of the most popular was an extra certification including classes for driving in snow and winter conditions
Discussion about the proper implementation of Bridge Cards
Students want to make sure that only those who absolutely need this money receive it
Town Hall MeetingWashtenaw County Prosecutor Brian Mackie
spoke to our class about the issues he sees everyday in his job including the great violence juries see during their trials and how counseling should be provided
He spoke about the change in status for violence against women throughout his years
He also spoke about how a greater police presence, like the program later initiated by Governor Snyder, would help reduce crime rates in Michigan
Welfare Recipient Drug Screening Program
Brent Petrone
Michigan Random Drug Testing LawMarchwinski v. HowardDeemed unconstitutional by federal appellate court
Violated the constitutional ban against unreasonable search and seizure
ProblemsSixth Circuit Court issued no opinion in the case
Vote= split 6-6Tie vote had effect of affirming a district court
decision striking down the program
Florida and Missouri have both implemented drug testing laws in recent years
History
2.5 Million Michigan residents receive one or more forms of welfare benefits
220,000 people receive cash benefits
Michigan Department of Human Services
Eligibility Determined by Local Social Workers
Resident of Michigan Citizen of the United States Low cash assets (limits around $3,000) Income limits
No Drug Testing
Welfare Recipients and Eligibility
Targeted at Family Independence Program benefit recipients
Monthly drug testing paid upfront by recipients
Positive test= ineligible to receive benefits, regardless of type of drug
Individuals who test positive will be able to designate another individual to receive benefits on behalf of their children
Negative test= receive monthly benefits and cost of test will be reimbursed through benefit payment
Failure to take test= receive no benefits
Exceptions
Medicinal Marijuana
Prescription Drugs
Implementation and Oversight
Administered and overseen by Michigan Department of Human Services
Individuals receiving benefits on behalf of welfare recipient’s children will be given payment in the form of an electronic benefit transfer card (similar to debit card) which can be tracked to make sure benefits are being used properly for the children of the original recipient.
Expanding on House Bill No. 5223 (2011)
Revision of House Bill 4551
John Wojciechowski
Perambulatory Clause House Bill No.4551 states that teachers and school
administrators will be evaluated through an objective process. Their students' performance will be measured through "assessments and other objective criteria." The instructors and administrators themselves will also be evaluated through a "transparent process."
It should be stated in the bill that the testing done to measure the students' performance must be not only objective but also well rounded
The evaluations of the students should not take too much time out of the week and instructors should not be allowed to prepare in class for the test prior to. This means that there should not be classes dedicated to passing the test. If the teacher is doing their job, their students should already know the material.
Operative Clause This bill being revised in this way will keep teachers from
narrowing their lessons down to only teach their students how to score well on the evaluation of the students.
The reason these specifications about the bill should be made is because of the problems seen from the testing given by states from the Bush Administration's No Child Left Behind Act.
Also, the standardized tests used for the No Child Left Behind Act are not cheap. The making and selling of standardized testing is a $1.1 billion industry. With each test costing states about $15 a piece.
The reason there should not be time allowed for teachers to over prepare their students for the test is to prevent the teaching of the day to day lessons, which is the most important thing here.
Consolation ClauseFormer Virginia Public Schools teacher
Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J.
Myself
Arts & Culture
Topic Coordinators:Scott Tuchfeld
Andrew Eisbrouch
A number of proposals focused on education reform based on curriculum changes with regards to culture
Proposals focusing on Art Fairs
Proposals chosen were:“Creating Urban Art Parks in Michigan Cities”“Arts & Cultural Education Requirements in all
Middle Schools Across the State of Michigan”
Arts & Cultures
Arts & Cultures Town Hall Meeting
Jim Burnstein, U of M screenwriting professor and former Vice Chairman of the Michigan Film Office Advisory Council
Lectured on funding cuts with regards to Michigan’s film incentive program
Discussed how important film industry could be to Michigan in terms of economic gains and cultural gains
Jim Burnstein
Allowing the Creation of Urban Art Parks
Alex RedmanWilliam Grenis
Proposal Many cities and towns in Michigan have laws
preventing graffiti in place that are too general and create a limitation on positive artistic expression by urban artists. An example in Ann Arbor Legislature is Chapter 106
Nuisances, Section 9.6, which states, “No person who owns or otherwise controls or manages any property shall permit or allow any Graffiti to be or remain on any surface or structure on the property beyond the time indicated in a notice…“
We propose that the State of Michigan create a law overruling local ordinances such as this, allowing for the creation of graffiti art in designated areas.
In addition to this law, we propose the State of Michigan require Michigan’s largest cities to designate a small section of at least one of their preexisting city parks as “Urban Art Parks”.
Urban Art ParksThe proposed “Urban Art Parks” would create an
opportunity for urban artists to express themselves. This would be achieved by providing an outlet for
graffiti artists (using anything from the wall of a building that is contained within the park to a concrete structure erected within the park) and also allowing amateur sculptors to place their works within the area designated for the art park.
These designated areas would be managed by a third party interested in promoting artistic expression (such as ArtCorps or The Sauvé Art Foundation) or a team of local volunteers.
Need There are many graffiti artists whose creativity is stifled by
not having an appropriate place to create their graffiti art.
By creating an acceptable place for graffiti artists (and other urban artists), the amount of graffiti in inappropriate places will potentially be reduced.
Art has been shown in many different studies to be beneficial for growing children, and many children living in urban areas do not have the resources to express their artistic talents.
Many non-artists appreciate looking at graffiti and other forms of urban art. These Art Parks could attract tourists to the cities that establish these parks, ultimately adding to the cities revenue.
Plausibility and Reception There are several examples of Urban Art Parks currently in
existence such as “The Heidelberg Project”. This is an example of an art park that has developed into a self-sustaining entity (through revenue generated from guided tours and other sources) and even occasionally features work done by professional artists. Amanda Sansoterra, the Emerging Artist Director for the Heidelberg
Project called our proposed art parks a “great idea” and gave us several ideas as to how to make the parks more realistic concept.
We surveyed several art teachers in the Ann Arbor Public School System to gauge interest on the proposal. Everyone that responded was very supportive of the proposal, and several indicated they would be interested in volunteering at the parks if they were established.
Arts and Cultural Education Requirements in all Middle Schools
Across the State of Michigan
Sol Lee, Calie Morrow and Sam Pearl
Arts and Culture School Activities: Long‐term decreasing trend, however, there has been a more rapid decrease over the past decade
Art: Students who take four years of arts and music classes while in high school score 98 points better on their SAT◦ In 2010, Michigan implemented the biggest cuts to state-wide art
funding biggest cuts of 80%.
Culture: Students lack knowledge about other cultures stereotypes and assumptions about other cultures
Limited number of ethnic festival activities Stereotypes and racial profiling is a growing issue in the United
States, especially effecting Arab-Americans Arab Americans as an ethnic group are “caught in the
crossfire” Hate crimes and other acts of vengeance skyrocketed
nationwide against Muslims and other immigrants from the Middle East following the 9/11 terrorist attack
Background
Proposal• Two-fold proposal: The education system should increase
middle school student’s education and exposure to arts and culture
• Art: Exposing students to visual, performing and applied art opportunities Many students who have difficulty learning through traditional
methods can benefit from teaching strategies that include other means of learning and subject areas, such as the arts
• Culture: Educating students on other cultures and thus combat the stereotypic views our media conveys
Inside the classroom: Social Studies Classes Outside the classroom: Ethnic Festival Activities (field trips
and class culture shows) Reducing stereotypes of Arab-Americas and stereotypes at
large
CurriculumArts: Changes in the Michigan Merit Curriculum of
Credit Guidelines for Visual, Performing, and Applied Arts The State Board of Education’s expectation should be that all
Middle School students must achieve at the basic level in each of the Visual, Performing & Applied Art and achieve proficiency in at least one of these disciplines
Culture: Changes in the Michigan Curriculum Framework under Strand II. Geographic Perspective Standard, I. Diversity of People, Places, and Cultures Specific guides to educate students on their cultural
backgrounds and others should be added to the resources in tier 3
Human Development and Welfare
Topic Coordinators: Brent Petrone and Alyssa Steinway
Goal: Ensuring that all Michigan residents have opportunities to grow into well-educated, well-adjusted, and healthy individuals.
Town Hall: Prison Creative Arts ProjectProgram Staff discussed with 40 students the
prison system, PCAP, it’s mission, and the effects it has on it’s participants
Popular Topics62 Brainstorm Topics and 34 Proposals
Education ReformMerit Pay, Tenure Reform, and School Choice
Vocational Training ProgramsMandatory Physical Education ClassesFinancial Courses in Michigan high schoolsNutrition in Michigan Public Schools
Class Sizes for Grades K-12 Capped at 20-23 Students to
Promote Academic Achievement Written by Elizabeth Canvasser
The Problem With Class Sizes Today There is no bill or proposal that
deals with the number of students allowed in a class size to promote academic achievement. This means, that a class in the K-12 grade system may have well over 30 students, where students are more likely to fall behind.
Class sizes are large because many schools believe that the money is better spent elsewhere.
There is not enough money in school budgets to pay for smaller class sizes and to hire more teachers.
Hundreds of new teachers are leaving Michigan for positions in other states, a reflection of Michigan’s wealth of teaching colleges, shrinking number of students and budget woes that have forced schools to cut staffs.
Studies show… USA TODAY states that size alone makes small classes better
for kids. Study shows that it is less about how teachers teach than what students think they are capable of doing, which means that they get more one-on-one time with the teacher and are able to work more efficiently in small groups.
•Students are more focused and paid more attention in class and misbehaved less because there was more interactions with the teacher and worked more in teams/ small groups.
•NPR states there is no research or real data that truly supports more unprepared and less qualified teachers will be hired if more teachers are needed in order to produce smaller class sizes.
How Are We Going to Make Smaller Class Sizes?
Teachers that have positions, will not be laid off and more teachers will be hired.
To help pay for this, there should be layoffs from the school’s “extras”
Example: multiple vice principals, number of lunchroom staff, numerous secretaries/paraprofessionals, etc.
More funding needs to be directed towards smaller class sizes instead of extra curricular activities.
Cut block scheduling because it contributes to bigger class sizes. Teachers have more prep-time to plan for longer and larger classes.
Getting Back to Nutrition in Schools
Elise King
IMPROVING HOUSE BILL NO. 4325 SEC.31D.(7) & BUILDING OFF HEALTHY
HUNGER FREE KIDS ACT
House Bill No. 4325 Sec.31d.(7) states, “preference shall be given to food that is grown or produced by Michigan businesses if it is competitively priced and of comparable quality,” but there is no current bill pertaining to nutrition of food for sale in schools.
We are trying to change this bill, by making nutrition the main factor in which institutions choose their food.
The State of Michigan shall require all food served in or out of the cafeteria to be of high nutritional quality. This includes school stores, vending machines, and any food sold multiple times weekly outside of traditional school lunch programs.
Schools must eliminate unhealthy foods outside of school lunch programs by being below caloric, sugar, sodium, fat and saturated fat maximums.
This proposal is in accordance with the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010 which regulates cafeteria and food service nutrition.
WHY CHANGE IS NEEDED 17% of children in the U.S. are obese. From 1980 to 2000, obesity rates
for children tripled.
A poor diet can lead to many life threatening diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, lung, esophageal, stomach, and prostate cancers. Poor nutrition also has negative effects on behavior and academic performance.
Empty calories from added sugars and solid fats contribute to 40% of daily calories for children and adolescents aged 2–18 years, affecting the overall quality of their diets. Approximately half of these empty calories come from six sources: soda, fruit drinks, dairy desserts, grain desserts, pizza, and whole milk.
Adolescents drink more full-calorie soda per day than milk. Males aged 12–19 years drink an average of 22 ounces of full-calorie soda per day, more than twice their intake of fluid milk (10 ounces), and females drink an average of 14 ounces of full-calorie soda and only 6 ounces of fluid milk.
HOW TO CHANGE HOUSE BILL NO. 4325 SEC.31D.(7)
First off, we would like to improve current Michigan Bill to put nutrition before saving money. As of now, institutions chose their food based on price rather than nutrition.
To change the nutrition in schools, we would like to implement the ideas of The Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010 beyond cafeterias . This program has been phasing in healthier requirements to all school lunch programs, creating better cafeteria offerings.
Schools using NSLP & Healthy Hunger Free Kids requirements offer students well balanced meals that limit caloric and sugar intake. No more than 30 percent of calories can come from fat and less than 10 percent from saturated fat. School lunches provide one-third of the Recommended Dietary Allowances of protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, iron, calcium and calories.
HOW TO CHANGE HOUSE BILL NO. 4325 SEC.31D.(7)
The State of Michigan shall require all food served in or out of the cafeteria to be of high nutritional quality. This includes school stores, vending machines, and any food sold multiple times weekly outside of traditional school lunch programs.
Schools must eliminate unhealthy foods outside of school lunch programs by being below caloric, sugar, sodium, fat and saturated fat maximums.
Vending machines would have to follow the above requirements and would only be allowed to sell low fat milk, water, and 100% juice as NSLP requires. This would require a change in orders from vendors to suitable items only, which all vending machine product manufacturers offer, such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi's wide range of beverage brands.
END GOAL OF CHANGING NUTRITION BILL
The goal of changing House Bill No. 4325 Sec.31d.(7) is to increase the health of students. This program will limit individual items sold to calories less than 150, no more than 30% of calories from fat, no more than 10% calories from saturated fat, total fat less than 50%, no more than 180mg sodium, no more than 40% daily sugar, and saturated fat 12%
Each school should be required to apply for grants that are offered by USDA and other organizations that support healthy nutrition in schools.
House Bill No. 4325 Sec.31d.(7) should be edited to only straying from USDA NSLP meals if Michigan food is of equal or better nutrition, not “comparable quality.”
Topic Coordinators: David Kozlowski and Joshua Zeman
Environment and Health
Goal of Environment and Health
Asked students to make policies that would create healthier and more sustainable environments across Michigan.
Also wanted to make policies that would help residents of Michigan lead healthier lives.
Policy Ideas included a tax on plastic bags, more accessible recycling bins, healthier options in school cafeterias.
Environment and Health Town Hall Meeting
On March 28, Dr. Barry Rabe from the University of Michigan Gerald Ford School of Public Policy spoke to MSC.
Dr. Rabe spoke about his research concerning public opinion and climate change in Michigan and across the country.
Spoke of how a majority of Americans believe that state and local governments share responsibility for addressing the issue of climate change.
Environment and Health Proposals in Platform
Requiring Schools Throughout the State of Michigan to Have AED MachinesAuthored by Josh Leighton and Scott Tuchfeld
Protect Michigan’s Great LakesAuthored by Brett Singer and Charles Breitbart
Requiring Schools Throughout the State of Michigan to Have
AED MachinesJosh Leighton and Scott Tuchfeld
The IdeaReduce the risk associated with not having AED
devices on site (particularly at sporting events)
An increase in activity-related deaths that could have been prevented with an AED machine
On November 8, 2011 a group of Michigan Senators introduced Senate Bill No. 801, which would "ensure that an automated external defibrillator is present at the public school, and that the automated external defibrillator is readily accessible to staff, pupils, volunteers, and guests."
The ProposalExpand Senate Bill No. 801 to include all
elementary, middle, and high schools as well as public universities and public recreation centers
Require two or more AED machines per institution
The Revised School Code Act 451 of 1976 should be amended to require teachers to be re-certified every 5 years or upon new hire for AED training.
Consultations High School Physical Education teacher
High School Assistant Principal
Peer baseball player involved in freak accident
Proposed by Brett Singer & Charles Breitbart
Protect Michigan’s Great Lakes
The Problem: Statistics On average, 24 billion gallons of untreated sewerage are being
released into the Great Lakes each year
In 2009, over 3,000 beaches across the state closed due to high pollution and bacteria level
According to the Natural Resources Defense Council’s “Testing the Waters 2010” report, which examined the highest bacteria levels amongst 3,000 ocean beaches, bays, and lakes across the nation, Michigan had 3 beaches ranked in the top 10
More than half of of Michigan’s streams and hundreds of acres of wetlands have been left vulnerable to pollution, many of them leading to the Great Lakes
The Great Lakes accounts for approx. one-fifth of the world’s fresh surface water
“The lakes contain the world’s largest system of freshwater islands, some of which are refuges for rare and endangered species”
The Problem: Effects The pollution of the lakes harm not only the surrounding environment
and local species but also harm the amount of tourists in the area
Drinking water: 30 million people across the nation rely on the Great Lakes for water everyday
The region is home to 30% of Canadians and 10% of Americans
Fishing: Approx. 5 million people fish in the Great Lakes
Wildlife: Restricts wildlife and fish growth, wildlife deformities and spread of diseases, degrades natural communities, and limits wildlife consumption
Tourism/Economy: Detriment to Michigan’s $12.8 billion travel industry, as pollution hinders recreational activities
The Solution: Take a Stand
Michigan should take a stand and set precedent for surrounding states to further protect Great Lakes
Propose adding civil infractions for polluters to SB 0176
Need to reprimand anyone who dumps wastes into wetlands, rivers, and lakes with a fine, that varies by the amount or type of waste dumped
Create designated dumping areas to protect the water supply of the Great Lakes and its wildlife
Wetlands can help filter pollution before it enters the Great Lakes
With about half of the historic coastal wetlands in the Great Lakes being lost, now more than ever we need to protect them
Increased funding is necessary to clean up pollution, but without civil infractions, will be a waste of money, since there would be no consequences prohibiting people from continuing polluting
Economic PolicyBari Abrams
OverviewWhat policies can we create that will help
Michigan create a stronger, more diversified economy?
2 proposals chosen for platform• Increase the Tax on Cigarettes by Lauren
Schiller and Stephanie Smith• Incentivizing Start-ups and High-Tech
Companies in Michigan by Jake Rosenfeld and Josh LeightonOriginally two separate proposals synthesized into
one
Town Hall MeetingSplash.fm• Founded by University of Michigan junior, Alex
Gatof
• A music discovery social network that allows you to share music with others
• Highlights need for ambition and innovation among younger individuals in MichiganSimilar to that of Jake and Josh’s proposal
Increasing the State Tax on Cigarettes
Lauren Schiller Stephanie Smith
The Related IssuesThe current state tax on a pack of cigarettes is $2.00
According to the American Lung Association, the average cost of a pack of cigarettes in Michigan is $6.54 However, each pack costs the state's economy $22.48
20.5% of the adult population in Michigan smokes cigarettes
Secondhand smoke is the third leading cause of preventable death in Michigan
Smokers cost the Michigan government $10.9 billion annually
Senate Bill 517 proposed to reduce the tax from $2 a pack to $1
Our ProposalWe propose to raise the tax on each pack of
cigarettes by 15 cents A 7.5% increase
Smuggling is a significant issue that could be heightened with a tax increase
Michigan State police relies on 5 officers to patrol smuggling throughout the stateThis additional revenue would be used to increase the
enforcement on smuggling
However, the positive outcomes from this minimal increase in price outweigh the negatives
ConsultationsPaula Malone, University of Michigan Economics
Professor, supports a small tax increase Cigarettes are an inelastic good, so when the price
increases consumers look for substitutes, in this case smuggled cigarettes.
Young people are most likely be to affected by this tax increase
In 2009, Rhode Island increased the tax by $1, making the new state tax $3.46 Its pack sales decreased by 14.7% while its revenue
increased by 15.1% This trend was also seen in Texas, Washington D.C., Iowa
and Maryland
Incentivizing Start-ups and High-tech
Companies in Michigan
Josh Leighton and Jacob Rosenfeld
The IdeaStop the “brain-drain” from the great
school system in Michigan
Incentivize the diversification of the Michigan economy
Make Michigan a desirable place for those interested in going to Silicon Valley or New York
The Proposal
Part 1Extend the high-
tech MEGA tax credits Compromise with the
current cost cutting initiative by including stricter job creation provisions
Grow the tech sector of the Michigan economy, keep business and engineering graduates in-state
Part 2Lower-interest
loans for tech start-ups Increase the amount
of funds provided by the Capital Access Program to new local businesses
Increase the appeal of living in Detroit and surrounding areas due to the influx of new tech entrepreneurs
Consultations Michigan graduate moving to Detroit
Business major and Michigan native
Business major, P.I.T.E. minor interested in the green industry growth in Michigan
The Employment and Fiscal Effects of Michigan’s MEGA Tax Credit Program – the W.E. Upjohn Institute
Business major involved with the TechArb and the Center for Entrepreneurship
Recruitment officer for a large financial services firm
Coordinator of TEDxUofM
Community Revitalization and Social
Entrepreneurship
Callie Morrow and Josh Leighton
Overview What can specific communities in Michigan do to become better places to
live?
Focus on social entrepreneurs making life lasting changes on communities that need our help
Social Entrepreneurship, 3 Dimensional:The third dimension, the real world of impact is united with the traditional investment equation of risk and return.
Philosophy: Regarding the key to a healthy society is if we all rise together.
Social Impact: A social initiative goes beyond volunteering and will be sustainable in the long term.
Impactful social initiatives establish community roots that people continue to be involved in.
Proposals60 Proposals
Revitalizing parks and public spaces
Facilitating commercial revitalization
Coordinating community cleanups and bright elimination
2 Proposals Voted into Platform
Nutrition and obesity issues in Michigan targeting specific groups of people
“Preventing Malnutrition in Children”
“Government Sponsored Food Trucks”
Preventing Malnutrition in Children
Calie Morrow
The State of Michigan has the 4th highest Body Mass Index in the United States
School Breakfast and School Lunch Program participants obtain about half of their food energy intake for the day from school cafeteria foods
The Number 1 meal served to children in U.S. schools is chicken fingers and French fries
94% of school lunches failed to meet the U.S. Agriculture Department's regulatory standards
0 schools met the sodium benchmark
1/5 schools served lunches that met the total fat standard.
17% of children in the U.S. are obese
From 1980 to 2000, obesity rates for adults doubled and rates for children tripled
Statistics
Coordinated School Health Program
Preventing malnutrition through 3 implementation strategies:
1. Nutrition Education
2. Healthy School Meals
3. Support: Coordinated School Health Team
Ensuring leadership—oversight and support
Organizing school health teams—build structures for coordinating activities and engaging family and community stakeholders
Conducting an assessment—determining what is needed and what is already in place to address those needs
Creating an action plan—setting priorities, developing implementation strategies, and evaluating the process
Developing a communications plan—communicating with and involving the community
Success StoriesSchools with effective Coordinated School Health Programs have reported: improved student performance/higher test scores, new levels of
cooperation and collaboration among parents, teachers, school and health officials, and organizations within the community
11 Michigan Schools teamed up with MSU Extension and Michigan Team Nutrition to integrate nutrition education into reading, writing, and other core subjects
Parents indicated their children made positive changes since the start of the year including: Eating healthier snacks (52%) Being more active (49%) Trying new foods (49%) Eating more fruits and vegetables (41%)
9/11 schools sustained the program
Sponsored Food Trucks
Kirby Jacobs and Samantha Goldner
The ProblemObesity in Michigan is contributed to the rising
trend of consuming fast foods in the state
In impoverished cities around Michigan, there is a lack of accessible, convenient and inexpensive healthy food
Communities like Pontiac, and Benton Harbor are “food deserts”
The convenience of fast food chains eliminates the presence of traditional, ethnic food options in these communities
Why Should the Government Sponsor Food
Trucks?
Opening cost of food truck - $30,000
Food trucks are a growing trend in U.S. cities
They provide quick, convenient, cheap meals
Serves healthy foods with zero trans fats
Comparable prices to fast food chains
How Will This Work?
State government will reallocate funds from Snyder’s budget to fund the food truckProposed investment of $30,000 per food
truck
Amend section 289.6133 of the Food Law of 2000 to include financing for the food trucks
Amend section 289.6135 of the Food Law of 2000 to include health restriction for food on trucks
From the Expert….
Nick Tobier – Art & Design professor, Director of Social Engagement Community Town Hall meeting – March 7th,
2012
Focuses on the integration of art and society
Lack of healthy food is the #1 problem present in impoverished Michigan cities
Sources
Interview with Morgan Furlong
Community Town Hall Meeting – Nick Tobier
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdch/Nutrition_chapter_283592_7.pdf
http://www.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/2011-08-10-gourmet-food-trucks_n.ht
http://berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2009/03/04_obesity.shtml
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carolyn-scott/healthy-food-trucks_b_1371195.html
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/five-things/starting-your-own-food-truck/4268/
ServiceRich Abdy and David Stover
Enacted Service Proposals-Pick up Litter on Campus by Megan Knuth
-Sports Equipment Drive by Josh Leighton
-Write a Letter to Soldiers Overseas by Brent Petrone
-Send Holiday Cards to Children’s Hospitals by Elizabeth Canvasser
-Donate Books and Other Necessities to Libraries by Ariana Conti
Pick Up Litter On CampusEasy way to make the community a cleaner
place
People make a difference and others can learn from this
This might inspire others to throw their garbage away or to pick up litter
Cleans campus areas after they have been littered, especially when visitors come in large numbers
Sports Equipment DriveCollected several items for DETROIT PAL, an
organizer of youth athletic leagues in Detroit.
Write a Letter to a U.S. Soldier or Veteran
• 1.435 million active duty personnel in the U.S. Navy, Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard
• 21.8 million military veterans in the U.S.
• 68 students wrote a personal or anonymous letter to a soldier who is fighting for our country or a veteran who has fought for our nation to thank them for their selfless efforts of protecting American citizens and upholding American Exceptionalism.
Send Holiday Cards to Children’s Hospitals
Colorful greeting cards and holiday cards were created and sent to Children’s Hospitals.
The cards are given to the children and also used as decoration around the hospital rooms.
A holiday card is beneficial because it shows the child that someone is thinking of them during a special time of the year. Many children that are hospitalized are also not able to spend the holidays at home with family and friends, and these cards put children in the spirit of the holidays.
Holiday cards in children's hospitals serve the purpose of distracting the child of their injury or illness for a few moments.
Over 23 members from Michigan Student Caucus committed, and have been individually sending cards to Mott Children’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and Hugs and Hope (a group that sends cards to children’s hospitals)
Donate Books & Other Necessities to Your Local Library
Items Needed - Ann Arbor District Library
Books published within the last 5 years
Children’s books
Cookbooks
Anything by a classic author
Paperback novels
Mysteries
Science Fiction
Textbooks (< 10 years old)
Books on CD