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Feature Articles |
School’s InJuly 15, 2003By Jack SkelleyThe pilot program for an entire semester of UrbanPlan appears to be a hit. A breakthrough effort by ULI Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) to bring community planning and development classes into public schools, UrbanPlan entered the regular curriculum of four LAUSD high schools in spring of this year. Although other ULI district councils have various forms of UrbanPlan programs, this represents the first time anywhere in the U.S. that such classes have become part of the regular school semester curriculum. “The students really took to these classes,” says ULI Los Angeles UrbanPlan Committee Chair Tom Leahy. “The intensity with which they approached this is inspiring.” The four participating high schools were Reseda, Cleveland and Kennedy High Schools in the San Fernando Valley, and Woodrow Wilson High School in East Los Angeles. Over 100 students enrolled. The semester began February 10 when the classes from all four schools attended a kick-ff lunch, orientation and tour of the Playa Vista community in West L.A., giving the students a behind-the-scenes look at a development in the making. Back at their separate schools, students benefited from studies that included guest talks by land-use professionals, including several ULI Los Angeles members. The high point of the semester may have been the competitions. Each student was a member of a team and held a job title such as CEO, CFO, Architect, etc. Each team made a 30-minute presentation (with 15 minutes of questions and answers) and presented a three-dimensional model of its case study for a hypothetical revitalization project. The presentations were made at the public chambers of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and at the Board chamber of the LAUSD. “These students offered their ideas just as if they were candidates for a redevelopment project,” say Leahy. “Their ideas were well-rounded and fully thought-through, addressing concerns such as finance, community relations, design, environmental impact… the whole range of issues associated with a development’s effect upon its urban surroundings, as well as the nuts and bolts of how to get a project funded and built.” ULI Los Angeles UrbanPlan Committee has a commitment from the LAUSD to expand the program to a dozen or more high schools next spring semester. The intention is for the district to fully fund the courses at that time. For this semester’s pilot program, ULI Los Angeles contributed $20,000, most of which went to teachers’ salaries. The teams have also been invited to make their presentations to the Los Angeles Planning Commission. ULI Los Angeles acknowledges the contributions of UrbanPlan’s primary sponsor, Bank of America Foundation, for its generous support. UrbanPlan also received support from Wells Fargo Foundation, Ahmanson Foundation and W.E. O’Neill Foundation. Jack Skelley is public relations director of Rodan Paolucci Roddan, based in Palos Verdes Estates. | |
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