Some springtime education updates and opportunities

We've been busy tweaking and improving Mannahatta2409.org since launching our original beta version earlier this Spring- if you haven't recently, stop by to create a vision or peruse visions that other users have made.

A user's vision for St. Nicholas Park and the area surrounding City College in Hamilton Heights

We had the opportunity to join the MacArthur Foundation's HIVE program  to use Mannahatta2409 as a tool to teach urban ecology to 18 high school students from around the Bronx. By the end of the program, students had produced ecologically-sustainable visions for the entirety of Manhattan island. Students have since presented their visions at the American Museum of Natural History, the Museum of the City of New York, and WCS's annual Run for the Wild fundraiser event. They are currently preparing to share their work with the rest of the HIVE NYC network at an art gallery in Chelsea.

Left: a HIVE student plays a  game that explains habitat loss in  Manhattan with a Run for the Wild participant; Right: a HIVE student explains his vision for a more sustainable Murray Hill to an AMNH visitor.


WCS is currently in the process of selecting ten high schools and middle schools around New York City to partner with on developing and implementing STEM curriculum focused around Mannahatta2409. Participation in this program would grant schools  full support from WCS educators and 2409 developers, as well as the opportunity to develop curriculum that will be disseminated across the country during the 2014-5 school year. Please share the following link with any schools or educators that might be interested in applying: http://bit.ly/M2409apply.