Nature-Oriented Backyard

Context

This was a landscape design project I completed for a course on the relationship between children and nature. The course introduced literature that spoke on the value of natural areas for children's development cognitively, developmentally, and physically. While the physical benefits are obvious, nature can also help children to perform better in school and be more likely to get along with their peers. This is because of nature's ability to help children de-stress and regain their ability to focus in a similar way to how most adults experience the benefits of nature.

Problem

The prompt was to design a space that children can experience all the benefits of nature previously mentioned. I chose a backyard because this is often the space that is most accessible to children who live in single family housing because it is right outside their door. Parks are not always available and that is a separate problem.

Goal

The goal of my design was to create a backyard that has something to offer for children ages 6-18. Inspired by my own upbringing and time spent in the backyard, I wanted to create a space that would allow for solo play both in and out of parental view to let them be themselves and would enable children to learn about natural processes in the environment.

Solution

Five distinct areas in the garden offer a multitude of activities and benefits to child development. A firepit is an attractive addition for teenage children who may prefer to socialize around a fire and use it as homebase for a game of flashlight tag. Pollinator habitat with small trails and a private area lets children learn about insects and have a quiet, secluded place to play. A pergola allows for easy viewing of the pollinator habitat and a shaded place to draw, journal, reflect, and have conversations. The vegetable garden, herb garden, and compost bin allow younger children to learn about how things grow and die. This is a great place for children and parents to spend time together and can be a great opportunity for children to develop healthy eating habits when prepping vegetables in the kitchen. Teenage children may get a sense of accomplishment from having more responsibility in helping tend to it.

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Statement of Impact

I want to be able to say that I contributed to bringing a stronger health focus to the communities I work with and to help foster better governance between different groups by encouraging co-ownership of initiatives and projects. This will be facilitated through strong communication and data sharing to create better decision-making. Examples of this would look like a planning department and a health department working together to put systems and technologies in place to measure how changes in the built environment are impacting human health in order to prevent or provide adequate counter-actions to minimize ill-health effects. In the communities I work in, my goal is to help people have a higher quality of life of life and die by natural causes instead of ill-effects of the environment around them.

Statement of Leadership

I would like to focus on my project management skills to ensure that people are being given impactful work that they benefit from professionally. I would also like to further work on my public speaking and customer service skills as I interact with the public and other stakeholders in my work.

Professional Goals

Goal 1: Attain AICP within six years of graduation.
This goal is important to me in order to demonstrate my dedication to the field and be held accountable to the ethics that AICP status represents.
Goal 2: Attain Certified Health Data Analyst (CHDA) within four years of graduation.
I view this as critical to attain so that I have more trust with institutions that collect and maintain health data. This trust will be important when I am working at an institution whose work is more on the planning side and may be less trusted by healthcare professionals I am seeking to work with.

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Housing Affordability in Chicago's Near West Side

Context

This was part of a class where we learned the basics of R to create a policy proposal that would be persuasive through storytelling.

Problem

I chose the Near West Side of Chicago as my area of interest given its rich history and because it is home to the Illinois Medical District, a concentration of healthcare institutions and biotechnology companies.

Goal

From reading the history of the neighborhood, it began to seem like gentrification has been occurring over the last few decades. Seeking to understand this trend better and desiring a solution for more original residents to remain in the area, I began to search for answers on how to reduce displacement.

Solution

By examining Chicago's Affordable Requirements Ordinance, and the requirements of building housing in Opportunity Zones and how this relates to the Low Income Housing Tax Credit, I created a policy proposal that would give more residents the opportunity to stay while developers would receive federal benefits from providing said housing.

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USDA Summer Meals Program at the Douglas County Health Department

Context

Completing an internship was part of the requirements of my MPH degree. I completed this internship with the Douglas County Health Department in Tuscola, IL during the summer.

Problem

According to Feeding America, there were 600 food insecure children in Douglas County, IL in 2022. Parents and children experience stigma when going out in public to receive free food.

Goal

The purpose of the Douglas County Health Department's Summer Meals Program is ensure that children who are on free and reduced-price lunches during the school year have the opportunity to continue receiving free meals during the summertime when school is not in session. DCHD staff decide to pivot and create a direct-to-door food delivery service.

Solution

Twice weekly food deliveries to enrolled families in towns across Douglas County were completed for approximately two months during the summer. Driving across the county can take up to half an hour, posing a problem for refridgerated food during the hot summer. Fortunately, local churches opened their kitchens to us, allowing for food to be held closer to where enrolled families lived, drastically shortening the amount of time foods like milk and cheese were outside of a refridgerator. This allowed for 157 children to receive free meals for the majority of the summer weeks.

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Flyers for USDA Summer Meals Program at the Douglas County Health Department

Context

Completing an internship was part of the requirements of my MPH degree. I completed this internship with the Douglas County Health Department in Tuscola, IL during the summer.

Problem

Families that choose to be enrolled in the summer meals program often have lower levels of health literacy than families that are of a higher socioeconomic status. This creates a knowledge gap based on socioeconomic status.

Goal

Communicate information about the Douglas County Health Department's services in a discrete way when delivering food.

Solution

To add an outreach component to the summer meals program, flyers were included with lunch bundles. I updated the flyers to include clearer images and newer designs to be more inline with today's graphics. What you see below is my effort and these were distributed to families.