Hi this is Mr. Lee, the digital media and photography facilitator with STEAM for Social Change.

The first week of STEAM at Linden SDA is off to a great start. Last week the students, Ms. James, and I had a discussion about how each of us would envision a version of Merrick Blvd that is more welcoming and beneficial for the community.

Using Google Maps and Photoshop I created a Merrick Blvd coloring book that the students could use to develop their ideas for dream organizations, stores, recreation centers, community centers, etc. on paper.

The assignment not only prepared the students to begin thinking about how we could make Laurelton (or similar communities) a better, more inspiring place to live and grow, they also offered the students a real world application to the digital media and 3D printing projects that they will be putting a lot of effort into later on.

STEAM is aiming to cultivate a team of students to compete in Future City Competition, an annual competition between students to create digital renderings of practical improvements upon their communities.

Students at other STEAM for Social Change sites have gotten press coverage for their social change projects, and we are hoping to add Linden SDA students to that list.

Below are a few examples of students’ assignments from my lessons last week. You’ll see that some students took the opportunity to exercise their entrepreneurial minds with businesses that they’d like to own and place on Merrick.

Some of those same students and others also drew in bookstores, cafes, community centers, and non-profit organizations.

In addition to the drawings, the students answered three questions:

1. What do you like about Merrick Blvd.?
2. What don’t you like about Merrick Blvd.?
3. If you could have one dream place of any kind on Merrick, what would it be?