Tag: Spring 2018

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Reimagining Muncie’s Foodshed

Indiana is an agricultural state with the value of agricultural products sold in excess of $11 billion. Then, why do we still have hungry people in our backyard? Like many Rust Belt regions of the country, East Central Indiana (ECI) experienced a slower recovery from the 2008 economic downturn. Once a reliable choice, careers in car and industrial manufacturing have been severely limited. ECI counties show some of Indiana’s highest poverty and unemployment levels. As well, nearly 17% of ECI residents and 25% of children are food insecure. How can we help local farmers expand their share in the food market AND help feed hungry people in our communities? These issues are complex and multi-faceted. In this project, students explored the issues surrounding food insecurity and methods of developing sustainable food systems in Muncie and East Central Indiana. We explored ways to best serve our community and empower a resilient and sustainable food-based economic engine that has the capacity to provide fresh, healthy foods to its residents.

Faculty Mentor: Josh Gruver
Department: Natural Resources and Environmental Management
Community Partner: Muncie Food Hub Partnership, Edible Muncie, Urban Garden Coalition, Ball State Student Farm
Students: Kaitlin Carroll, Libonique Chandler, Kristina Chier, Praphulla Devanapally, Abby Fischer, Dylan Ford, Maryssa Gosnell, Rachael Hanley, Paige Jones, Mitch Kaverman, Kami Kleefisch, Kate Koenig, Tyler Mulhall, Garrett Mullins, Hunter Phillips, Preeti Samra, Caroline Tegeler, Taylor Wilson, Nora Zaher

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Reber Woods

Reber woods is a diverse, wetland area that was recently acquired by Muncie-based Non-profit Organization Red Tail Land Conservancy. With the help of nine Ball State Students, Red Tail and students a part of the sustainability immersive learning course are working together to create a nature preserve on the property to ensure the healthy development of the ecosystems that are located there. Ideas for a –net-zero energy, sustainable structure –that would serve as a headquarters for the organization have been mapped out by architect and urban planning students. Nature trails and educational material about the wildlife on the land are being considered by biology students. Additionally, community outreach programs hosted by the marketing and journalism students are also underway. These parts are coming together to create a space for the Muncie Community to learn about sustainability, wetlands, various tree species, and several types of wildlife that are native to the area.

Faculty Mentor: Kevin Kenyon
Department: Sustainability Minor Program
Community Partner: Red Tail Land Conservancy
Students: Holly Biller, Tyler Freudenthal, April Hart, Breanna Heath, Andrea McDermott, Paul Nicholas, Noah Porter, Ki Shirey, Lena Spotts

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Professional Practice for the Visual Artist

This immersive learning project covered professional practices for the visual artist from administration through creative production and final presentation involving 3 components: arts management, production and exhibition, and a professional toolkit. An interdisciplinary group of students worked with the Muncie Arts and Culture Council (MACC) to develop 3 projects: PlySpace Artist Residency, a new NEA funded artist in residence program; That One Film Festival, a 2-day event featuring experimental film from around the world, and the production of a a community engaged public artwork.

Faculty Mentors: Brent Cole, Maura Jasper
Department: School of Art
Community Partner: Muncie Arts and Culture Council
Students: Alexis Brooks, Danielle Campbell, Mallory Creekmur, Veronica DeBone, Mike Dorsey, Mikey Higgins, Megan Lange, James Lupkin, Rowan Mayo, Summer Moore, Megan Sutton

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Philosophy for High School Students

Philosophy encourages students to ask questions, look at familiar things in new ways, listen to one another, and examine personal beliefs and positions. It is a fantastic way for high school students to learn about themselves and the world around them. It also helps them prepare for their futures in a complex, ever-changing world. Students in this immersive learning class explored best practices in philosophy education for high school students, ran a high school philosophy club at Muncie Central, and finally, planned and hosted an innovative, state-wide, high school philosophy conference at Ball State.

Spring 2019

Faculty Mentor: Sarah Vitale
Department: Philosophy and Religious Studies
Community Partner: Muncie Central High School
Students: Mendim Akiti, Hannah Bartholf, Kasey Brandenburg, Grace Dudas, Daniel Klinestiver, Zoe Lawson, Abigail Meus, John Rash, Cameron Surdyk, Dusti Troyer, Alexis Wood

Spring 2018

Faculty Mentor: Sarah Vitale
Department: Philosophy and Religious Studies
Community Partner: Muncie Central High School
Students: Justin Archer, Hannah Bartholf, Elizabeth Bolinger, Daniel Klinestiver, Zoe Lawson, Michael Mares, Owen Miller, Luke Owens, Gabriel Shetterley, Lexi Wood

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Nutrition Grows on You! A Nutrition Demonstration Project for 4th Grade Students in Muncie Public Schools

This project was a collaboration between Chef Christopher Polo of the Muncie Community Schools (MCS), Chartwells Dining Service K-12, and the senior dietetics students in NUTR 456 Community Nutrition. The students worked with Chef Polo to design, develop, and implement interactive nutrition education lessons, food demonstrations, and taste testings for all fourth-grade students in MCS. The students learned first-hand from Chef Polo about the food habits and behaviors of children. Chef Polo worked with the students to identify healthy recipes for taste-testing and simple healthy recipes the children can make. This collaborative project introduced the students to a potential career in school food-service while concomitantly providing them with a hands-on nutrition education experience. Similarly, the fourth graders were introduced to a variety of new foods, learned basic nutrition information, and practiced basic cooking skills which will help them and their families eat healthier.

Faculty Mentor: Carol Friesen
Department: Nutrition and Health Science
Community Partner: Muncie Community Schools
Students: Brianne Abell, Kailey Adkins, Morgan Brebberman, Dina Choucair, Molly Dirrim, Hope Eckland, Rachel Erdman, Shanae Gambles, Bradley Horton, Jonathan Isbill, Alexis Kampe, Sara Kruszynski, Adrienne Mayfield, Justin Pineiro, Alexis Sewell, Allie Shrader, Tieara Smith, Carly Spirito, Dakota Stites, Toni Stoermann, Sarah Tinkle, Cassidy Wheeler, Beth Wolters, Macey Zimmerman

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Mathematics in Cultural Contexts 2018: Emergent Professionals Today and Responsible Educators Tomorrow

In this partnership with Muncie Community Schools, participants engaged with elementary students and teachers at East Washington Academy to develop knowledge and skills for fostering children’s learning, with special attention to mathematics. Through the range of experiences, participants acquired the disposition to critically reflect on the larger social, political and cultural forces at work in American culture, the K -12 educational system as nested within it and locate themselves as culturally situated emergent educators. Participants also worked with parents to develop an understanding of the cultural contexts of children’s lives and encouraged building awareness of children’s mathematical learning experiences in the home and family life. Collaborative, interdisciplinary learning experiences for participants included working with the teachers to provide supplementary mathematics instruction for small groups of children, designing and implementing lessons for whole-class instruction, and designing and implementing a Family Math Night as the primary setting in which to engage parents and children in doing mathematics together! Students also supported a blog (https://preparingtoteachk12.wordpress.com/) aimed at building community and camaraderie among teacher candidates at a challenging time for the profession.

Faculty Mentors: Sheron Fraser-Burgess, Sheryl Stump, Lynette Varner
Departments: Educational Studies, Mathematical Sciences, Elementary Education
Community Partner: East Washington Academy
Students: Emily Alig, Sydney Amstutz, Lilia Arroyo, Megan Chalfant, Erin Halioris, Ayrrana Hickman, Logan Inman, Bryttani Knight, Josie Valentine