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Community Change: Progress vs. PreservationBy KRISTEN STERNBERG Community can mean many things to many people. You may think of your neighborhood as a community. People who gather to share interests and activities, such as on a college campus or in a workplace, also form a sort of community. Towns and cities are made up of numerous, smaller communities such as these — and in turn become communities themselves. As you read about some of the problems communities face, below, be sure to click on underlined words for links to interesting articles in The Daytona Beach News-Journal.
What makes up a community? Community-dwellers tend to have some activities and interests in common; but they also share certain responsibilities. Members may help to keep their neighborhoods clean and free of crime, volunteer their time or services to help others and pay taxes and obey laws designed to make their community a better place to live. In turn, they benefit from its libraries, schools and cultural events, for instance, as well as from police, fire fighting and emergency medical services, among others, provided to most communities. What else do communities offer? Typically, they provide roads, industry and employment. Social service programs--homeless shelters, low-cost medical clinics, job training programs, etc. are basic to many communities. Museums, parks and other cultural and recreational opportunities are also valued. Communities also offer places for worship and social gathering. Media such as community newspapers and television and radio stations provide news of local interest and a way of communicating. The attitudes and actions of individuals who live, work and play in any community are very important parts of that community. See how one individual was honored for his community actions. The political powers that govern larger communities (like Daytona Beach, for example) strive to make them attractive to all. They want to keep the people who are already living there, but they need to attract new residents as well. A community's image is important for many reasons. One neighborhood community called Spring Hill, located in West Volusia County near DeLand, is struggling to rebound from neglect. The issue of how to rebuild the community is currently the focus of much discussion. Necessary growth, however, can change the character of a community. The city of New Smyrna Beach is just one example of a community struggling to achieve a balance between constructing new developments to attract residents and trying to preserve its current, small-town community character. Because most communities must continue growing, local governments look for a balance between progress and preservation. Progress, for these purposes, includes upkeep of roads, facilities and housing, along with new growth and other factors. Sometimes this means that older buildings are torn down to make way for new ones. Preservation is not only retaining a community's character, but also its history. Older buildings, entire districts, even, routinely vanish to make way for new growth. Through measures to preserve historically important buildings, artifacts and other objects, all communities are made richer. If you have ever visited a historical house or museum you probably already know this. Facilities such as Daytona's Jackie Robinson Stadium are, through a community's efforts, preserved for all to enjoy and appreciate. Local officials and private citizens are among those responsible for helping to save this historic ballpark, Without careful planning and attention to achieving a balance between progress and preservation, many more important historical facilities will be lost forever. Take a few moments to think about the people, buildings and character that make up your community. In what ways is the history of your community important? Try to identify the parts of your community you think are worth preserving. The newspaper activities and Web links provided below may help you formulate an answer. Try these interesting activities using The Daytona Beach News-Journal 1. Everyone has his or her own idea of what makes up a community. Express yours with a collage that represents what you think a community is. Clip newspaper photos that reflect the community in which you live. Share your project with friends or family. (Sunshine State Standards: SS.B.1.2.5)
2. Consult several issues of The News-Journal and record the number of local births and deaths reported in each. Average your figures for the two categories and determine which is higher. What is the ratio of births to deaths? What does this information tell you about how a community may grow or decline in population? Discuss your findings with a classmate or friend. (Sunshine State Standards: MA.A.1.2.2, MA.B.1.2.2, MA.D.1.2.2, MA.E.3.2.2) 3. International and national news stories, although they may happen far away from where you live, can have a direct effect on your own community. Skim national and international articles published in The News-Journal over a short period of time. Select the article you believe will have the greatest effect on your community. What is the local significance of the story you chose? Clip the article, attach it to a separate sheet of paper and write a few sentences about its probable effect. (Sunshine State Standards: LA.A.1.2.1, LA.A.2.2.5, LA.B.2.2.2, SS.A.1.2.1, SS.A.1.2.2) 4. Search The News-Journal to identify, in your community, a free event or exhibit for each of the following categories: Sports, Theater or Dance, Music or Art, History and Environment. Challenge a friend to do the same exercise and compare your results. Try to attend one of the events or exhibits you found. (Sunshine State Standards: TH.C.1.2.1, TH.E.1.2.1) 5. Imagine you have been asked to maintain a Web site about your community's history. Use The News-Journal to choose at least 5 articles that would teach others about the important history of your community. Which articles did you select? Discuss your choices with a teacher or other adult. (Sunshine State Standards: LA.A.1.2.1, LA.A.2.2.5, SS.A.1.2.1, SS.A.1.2.2, SS.A.1.2.3, SS.A.6.2.3) A copy of Florida's Sunshine State Standards can be found at intech2000.miamisci.org. Check out these links to learn more
Have a great time visiting the official Web site for communities in and around Daytona Beach. Take a look through the Beach Cam, learn how you can become an E.C.H.O Ranger and find interesting events listed on the Community Calendar. www.volusia.com The News-Journal's Newspaper in Education Web site offers The Oh! Zone, where kids can learn about events happening in their local community. www.nieworld.com/students/ohzone/ Take time to explore this site where you can learn the fascinating history of Holly Hill, or look for information about your own community. www.volusia.com/hollyhill/ The Volusia County Public Library provides an extensive site with special pages for kids and teens, along with listings of community happenings and great links. Find out all the services available to you through your library. merlin.vcpl.lib.fl.us/ TheNewspaper Association of America'sweb site contains links to many newspapers in the U.S. Visit the site and check some of them out to see if they have recently published any articles on this topic. To access the newspapers at the site, select a state from the interactive map. For a listing of international newspapers, visit this web page from Newspapers Online. You'll find the publications organized by continent and by nation. www.newspaperlinks.com The Daytona Beach News-Journal NIE Program, published March 4, 2002 |
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