Mock Box City


The Memphis program included the development and building of a mock city that students constructed with cardboard boxes. Alicia Cobbs, an employee with Memphis & Shelby County Division of Planning and Development (DPD), helped students with their project. “They built communities from boxes to enhance their knowledge of city planning”, she said. City planning is a concept that students weren’t familiar with, but Cobbs, along with two other facilitators from DPD, taught students how to create a community with boxes, and in the process attempted to enhance their awareness of the built environment, and also teach/reinforce relevant vocabulary. The other two instructors were Krishna Kasi and Brett Roler. During the finale it was apparent that the program was extremely effective. What a wonderful way to promote literacy.

The lessons that more than 30 academically at-risk students learned during a 12-week summer classroom program had more to do with the arts than your typical school curriculum. Within that time frame, students ages six to sixteen got an introduction to Gordon Parks, an African-American photographer, musician, poet, novelist, journalist, activist and film director, through a program called, “Literacy Through the Arts.” The program was sponsored by Glenview Community Development Partners, Inc. and funded in part by a State of Tennessee Enhancement Grant and the Tennessee Cultural Heritage Preservation Society.

“We tried to get the kids to see that there was someone who looked like them who went through the struggles of life and still made it through,” said Earlice Taylor, the program’s executive director. “We centered our literacy instruction around Gordon Park’s life and works. Six highly qualified professionals devoted their time for twelve Saturdays to help broaden the literacy skills of these students who otherwise may be devoid of art and culture.”

Click here to view Mock City Report.
Click here to view Mock City Presentation.