New Community Collaboration Educates Youth About Urban Planning
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Westfield State University students are teaching local children about urban planning, thanks to a new collaboration between its Department of Geography, Planning, and Sustainability (GPS) and the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Westfield.
Called GPS Kids, the ongoing program was developed during the fall 2019 semester out of a Westfield State regional planning course called “Unjust City,” taught by Alina T. Gross, Ph.D., assistant professor of GPS, who has a history of involvement with diversity and social equity issues. In the course, 20 students learned about community engagement and studied equity issues in urban planning, such as the exclusion of historically marginalized groups.