CASE STUDIES
The Cody Youth Ambassadors: Voices for Change and Hope in the Cody Rouge Community
DETROIT INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY @ CODY
DETROIT, MICHIGAN
PROJECT SUMMARY
The Detroit Institute of Technology (DIT) @ Cody is an urban high school located on the west side of Detroit, Michigan, about two miles from Rouge Park and the Rouge River. To start their project, youth ambassadors (e.g., members of a DIT club who, for many years, have worked together to address local stewardship issues) and DIT ninth graders asked the question: What is a healthy community? Their answer led them to adopt nearby Rouge Park and use it as the focus of their investigations and stewardship action.
This project was supported by the Southeast Michigan Stewardship Coalition, one of nine regional hubs that comprise the Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative.
“Place-based educators in many urban schools start with fewer resources…in this respect, place-based education–and the role it plays in engaging the community–is about survival and creating a circle of support around you that can help you get a quality education and transform your community into a healthy and safe place.”
Chad Segrist
Teacher, Detroit Institute of Technology