Box City is 35!

"I have never felt so hopeful about the outcome of a workshop. With the Box City process, the participants know and understand in a concrete way what they are asking for." (Transportation Workshop, Washington-Wheatley neighborhood, Kansas City, MO.)

The fact that this quote comes from a neighborhood workshop leader, Hakim Yamini, a nationally recognized community workshop facilitator, speaks to the 35-year success story of Box City, a simple, but complex, community-based education activity. The fact that it has made a successful cross-over from a citizenship activity considered to be for young people to one easily adaptable to the needs of adults makes the story even more phenomenal.

Furthermore, there may be something very special that takes place during the Box City process that is just not attainable with high tech tools or less hands-on experiences. Yamini calls Box City "the missing piece. The piece that will make the plans come true."

Box City is growing up!
2004 marks the 35th year of Box City activities. Participation in Box City is greater than ever. Based on our internal administrative analysis, we know that with our involvement, at least one Box City is conducted some place, nationally or internationally, every week. This represents approximately 10% of the classrooms and community organizations that are using Box City on a regular basis.

Multiplier Effect
Using a simple arithmetic equation whereby every Box City represents at lest 35 participants (a classroom with its associated helpers) we know that 17,500 students are exposed in depth each year to the teachings inherent in Box City. The hands on, exciting, challenging real-world aspects of Box City, teaching responsible citizenship at every level, is what both educators and students are missing in today's educational setting.

Adults React
One of the exciting things about Box City is its use with city planners who are ordering Box City for community groups. They respond, "Box City" is like a "starter home." People learn about city planning principles in a non-threatening, concrete, participatory way that challgnes them to think about the kind environments in which they want to live. Where they can go (hypothetically and realistically) with the simple Box City structure is unlimited and affects their decision-making for the rest of the their lives.

Take a Box City Trip on the Web

1. Want to see who's doing Box City?
2. Want to see who's doing Box City as a city outreach event?
3. Want to read about some real-life solutions in the Box City exercise?
4. Want to see Box City extensions and add-ons?
5. Want to see how community groups use Box City?
6. Want to know more?