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2016 Autumn | Arts & Humanities, Education & Outreach

Local Community-Art Projects Foster Environmental Stewardship in Students

Student(s):

Anna Carney

Program or Department(s):

  • Program on the Environment
  • University of Washington

Site supervisor(s):

Rachel LeQuire

Partner(s):

  • Student Conservation Association

Faculty advisor(s):

Stanley Asah Associate Professor at the University of Washington, School of Environment and Forest Sciences

For my project, I was interested in how environmental education can be more effective at empowering students to use their technical knowledge to become active stewards in their own neighborhood. To accomplish this, I worked with the George Washington Memorial Parkway National Park Service to research, develop, and implement art installations and nature programs at various park sites. Through my scholarly research and hands-on experience, I found that place-based community art is an advantageous tool that strengthens student stewardship by integrating several interconnected disciplines in the scope of one project, grounding issues in a personal setting, and encouraging creative expression.