Future Detroit Report v1 Engineering Society of Detroit Institute

FUTURE DETROIT
Envisioning Tomorrow Together Youth Symposium

A Symposium Report Published by
The Engineering Society of Detroit Institute
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Detroit Made
01
Acknowledgements
01
About The Engineering Society of Detroit
01
About Your ESD Institute
02
About the Symposium Process and Outcomes
03
Executive Summary
03
Overvi ew
03
Background
04
Recommendati ons
06
Presentations
06
Wel come to Al l , Darl ene Trudel l , CAE, Executi ve Vi ce Presi dent , The Engi neeri ng Soci ety of
Detroi t
06
The 3 Respects, Al yci a Meri weather, Interi m Di rector, Math & Sci ence Center, Detroi t
Publ i c School s
06
Detroi t Made by Al l of You Here, Robert Fi cano, JD, Wayne County Executi ve
07
Born i n Detroi t , School ed i n Detroi t , Worki ng i n Detroi t , Bi l l Wi nfrey, Chrysl er
Corporati on, Future Ci ty Mentor for Bates Academy, Detroi t
07
Your Ci ty and Your Future, Karl a Henderson, Mayors Of fi ce, Ci ty of Detroi t
08
What do you defi ne as a hero?, Peter Stuart Egel i , Commander, U. S. Navy
08
An Internati onal Symposi um of Cul ture and Di versi ty, Dr. Ral ph Bl and, Superi ntendant ,
Detroi t Edi son Publ i c School Academy
08
The Import ance of STEMSci ence, Technol ogy, Engi neeri ng & Mathemati cs, Ron Smi th,
Di rector of Educati on and Communi ty Outreach, The Engi neeri ng Soci ety of Detroi t
09
Presentations by the Winning Regional Teams of the National Future City Competition
09
The Internati onal Di stri ct of Tri ni t as Aveni r: Detroi t , Wi ndsor and Bel l e Isl e, St . John
Lutheran Team, Tri ni t as Aveni r: Students Mi chel l e Abramczyk, Mackenzi e Hi l l and Andrew
Abraham. Teacher John Pfund, Engi neeri ng Mentor Dr. Li nda Gerhart
10
Detroi t : Bel l e et Pui ssant , Academy of the Sacred Heart : Students, Chri sti ne Sl avi k,
Hai l ey Bri scoe, and Avery Guethi ng. Teacher Debbi e Peters and Engi neeri ng Mentor,
Ji m Meenahan
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Detroit Made
01
Acknowledgements
01
About The Engineering Society of Detroit
01
02
About the Symposium Process and Outcomes
03
Executive Summary
03
Overvi ew
03
Background
04
Recommendati ons
06
Presentations
06
Wel come to Al l , Darl ene Trudel l , CAE, Executi ve Vi ce Presi dent , The Engi neeri ng Soci ety of
Detroi t
06
The 3 Respects, Al yci a Meri weather, Interi m Di rector, Math & Sci ence Center, Detroi t
Publ i c School s
06
Detroi t Made by Al l of You Here, Robert Fi cano, JD, Wayne County Executi ve
07
Born i n Detroi t , School ed i n Detroi t , Worki ng i n Detroi t , Bi l l Wi nfrey, Chrysl er
Corporati on, Future Ci ty Mentor for Bates Academy, Detroi t
07
Your Ci ty and Your Future, Karl a Henderson, Mayors Of fi ce, Ci ty of Detroi t
08
What do you defi ne as a hero?, Peter Stuart Egel i , Commander, U. S. Navy
08
An Internati onal Symposi um of Cul ture and Di versi ty, Dr. Ral ph Bl and, Superi ntendant ,
Detroi t Edi son Publ i c School Academy
08
The Import ance of STEMSci ence, Technol ogy, Engi neeri ng & Mathemati cs, Ron Smi th,
Di rector of Educati on and Communi ty Outreach, The Engi neeri ng Soci ety of Detroi t
09
Presentations by the Winning Regional Teams of the National Future City Competition
09
The Internati onal Di stri ct of Tri ni t as Aveni r: Detroi t , Wi ndsor and Bel l e Isl e, St . John
Lutheran Team, Tri ni t as Aveni r: Students Mi chel l e Abramczyk, Mackenzi e Hi l l and Andrew
Abraham. Teacher John Pfund, Engi neeri ng Mentor Dr. Li nda Gerhart
10
Detroi t : Bel l e et Pui ssant , Academy of the Sacred Heart : Students, Chri sti ne Sl avi k,
Hai l ey Bri scoe, and Avery Guethi ng. Teacher Debbi e Peters and Engi neeri ng Mentor,
Ji m Meenahan
Stand Up. Step Up. Speak Up. Detroit Made. PAGE i
11
Using an Icebreaker Exercise to Brainstorm: What makes a City cool?,
Christopher J. Webb, J.D., FESD, Co-Director, The ESD Institute
12
Joining a Workgroup: Matching the What & How Mega Questions
13
The Workgroup Session Narratives
13
Workgroup I
14
Workgroup II
17
Workgroup III
19
Workgroup IV
22
The Workgroup Reports
22
Workgroup I
23
Workgroup II
24
Workgroup III
24
Workgroup IV
25
Closing of the Youth Symposium
26
Appendix A The Student Signature Declaration
27
Appendix B The ESD Institute Future Detroit Abstract
30
Appendix C List of Participating Schools and Students
31
Appendix D Facilitator Biographical Information
34
Appendix E The Engineering Society of Detroit Board of Directors
35
Appendix F Letters of Support
35
Detroi t Board of Educati on
37
Detroi t Publ i c School s, Detroi t Mathemati cs and Sci ence Center
38
Detroi t Publ i c School s, Of fi ce of Sci enti fi c Studi es
39
Ci ty of Detroi t Ci ty Counci l
40
TBD
41
Appendix G Workgroup IV Supplemental Material
43
Appendix H Student Janel Dyes Proposal
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE ii ESD Institue Future Detroit Symposium www.esdinstitute.net/FutureDetroit
Acknowledgements
A key priority for The Engineering Society of
Detroit (ESD) for almost two decades has been
its educational outreach programs. One of its
most important and long-standing programs
has been the Michigan Regional Future City
Competition. In keeping with ESDs mission of
nurturing our next generation of engineers and
scientists, we challenged this years middle school
student teams to build a Future Detroit in the year
2060. On January 31, 2011, an intense regional
competition was held with over 50 teams invited
to participate. There were winners and losers that
day with the winning team representing Michigan
in the National Engineers Week Future City fnals
to be held in Washington, D.C.
1
This year, ESD decided to add a twist to its
competition program drawing upon its Institutes
collaborative process model based in part upon
the National Academy of Sciences. Under the
banner of Compete, Collaborate & Succeed, we
invited all teams to come together for a one-day
Youth Symposium to share their vision of Detroit.
Our goal was to have the students learn from each
other by interactive, facilitated workgroups based
upon collaboration and teamwork. With over 100
middle school students representing almost 20
Detroit-area schools in attendance, students were
introduced to our enabling and unifying idea of
our student being Detroit Madeand members
of a critical and knowledgeable stakeholder group
that needed to be heard in crafting Detroits future
as a destination to live and work.
2
With the support of the City of Detroit
Mayors Offce, City Council and Detroit Board of
Education, this report represents the hard work
of our students: the leaders of our future. It is our
distinct privilege to give them a voice: Stand Up.
Speak Up. Step Up, Kids of Detroit.
1. We are indebted to the many volunteer teachers,
facilitators, mentors and parents that contributed to our Future
Detroit Youth Symposium. A biographical statement of our
Symposium facilitators is contained in Appendix D.
2. Detroit Made is a trademark of The Engineering
Society of Detroit.
About The Engineering Society
of Detroit
The Engineering Society of Detroit (ESD) was
founded in 1895. Its membership consists of
over 6,500 individuals and 3,000 corporate
members. With its 87 affliated technical societies,
34 construction organizations, 38 educational
institutions, and 52 unions, ESDs reach extends to
over 60,000 technical and scientifc professionals.
ESDs Board of Directors includes a diversity of
leaders in business, government, manufacturing,
engineering and design, academia, and healthcare.
3

ESD collaborates with nearly 100 nonproft
organizations, including: Detroit Regional
Chamber; Detroit Renaissance; Michigan Chamber
of Commerce; Michigan Economic Development
Corporation; NextEnergy; Oakland County;
Oakland County Michigan Works!; Society
of Automotive Engineers; City of Southfeld;
and Wayne County. ESD provides professional
training, certifcation, and accreditation programs
in conjunction with the majority of Michigans
universities and community colleges. Its outreach
programs extend to public and private middle and
high schools in the Detroit Metropolitan area.
4

The ESD Institute was formed through
unanimous approval of the Board of Directors
of The Engineering Society of Detroit based on a
Mega-Question facilitation in December 2008
asking how ESD could better serve its members
and society at large.
5
As a part of its formation,
the ESD Board of Directors established the
Charter of the Institute as follows:
% ESD Institute Vision: Finding a sustainable
tomorrow with integrity that serves our
members and society.
% ESD Institute Mission: Fostering greater unity,
focus, and choice for the implementation
of innovation, maintenance, and attraction
of investment capital and the betterment
ofsociety.
3. Appendix E is a complete listing of The Engineering
Society of Detroit and ESD Institute Board of Directors.
4. Additional information regarding The Engineering
Society of Detroit is available at www.esd.org.
5. Additional information regarding The ESD Institute
is available at www.esdinstitute.net. The Institute is served
by volunteer Co-Directors, David A. Skiven, P.E., FESD and
Christopher J. Webb, J.D., FESD.
Stand Up. Step Up. Speak Up. Detroit Made. PAGE 1
The charge of the ESD Board for the Institute
was to advance, through integrity, excellence,
and collaboration, the successful implementation
of breakthrough consensus-based ideas by
transforming creative and independent thought
into concrete and meaningful action. Often, the
backdrop for the work of the Institute occurs
within the context of conficting views, gridlock,
and distressed societal needs.
The Institute benefts from seed and continuing
funding from the Rackham Engineering
Foundation. Due to the nature and scope of the
Institutes activities, we are, however, continually
seeking additional funding sources that place
a premium on our role as a neutral, problem-
solving forum for the application of independent
critical thinking to solve real-world problems.
Our priority is to foster an environment in which
differing constituents have a place to reason
together free from concern that the Institute has
a pre-determined agenda or unstated desired set
of outcomes. No funding will be accepted by the
Institute that compromises this priority.
About the Symposium Process
and Outcomes
As a matter of process, the ESD Institute identifes
topics for consideration, called initiative.
Individuals are invited to serve as volunteers to
examine a selected initiative in the context of a
workgroup, referred to as a symposium. Typically,
symposium attendees represent a divergent range
of stakeholders with various affliations, expertise,
and perspectives, from university professors
and subject matter experts to local residents
and interested citizens. Attendance at a specifc
symposium is limited by invitation.
Attendees are asked to take off their offcial or
organizational hats and serve as interested and
concerned individuals and not as a spokesperson
or representative of a special interest group
or organization. Symposium participants are
encouraged to be open-minded and use their
good judgment, experience, and expertise in a
productive, positive manner. Attendees are also
expected to disclose any potential for bias or
confict of interest that might prejudice the work of
the Institute.
A symposium usually occurs over a two-
day period and may be continued for further
deliberation if warranted by the Institute.
An internal Institute committee frames the
symposiums initiative; this committee is
comprised of Institute directors and assigned staff,
a select group of ESD Board members, and, as
the symposium venue warrants, representatives
from specifc local or outside organizations.
The Institute also facilitates the work of the
symposium and acts as the meeting reporter.
The goal of the Institute is to establish
and safeguard a productive problem-solving
environment that encourages creativity and
open dialogue in workgroups that are tasked to
achieve new solutions that can be implemented
by policymakers. The Institutes overall focus is
to fnd socio-economic unifers and enablers to
propel Michigans economic and employment
turnaround.
Often this focus takes the form of a timeline
based upon, what we call at the Institute, NOW,
NEW, and NEXT. The NOW is the problem
and solutions presently available or within the
immediate short term. The NEW looks at a two-
to three-year horizon and often fushes out and
accomplishes the hard work of implementation
started in the NOW phase. Finally, the NEXT is
the realization of the vision developed during the
symposium. By using this approach, seemingly
impossible challenges are broken down and solved
while at the same time building an atmosphere of
trust that is the engine of accomplishment and
successful implementation for all diffculties.
While attendees make every attempt to strive
for consensus regarding a report, this is not a
requirement, nor should attaining consensus be
achieved at the cost of weakening the analysis
or conclusions reached during the symposium.
Accordingly, it may be more valuable to the
symposiums purpose to explain the rationale
behind workshop disagreements rather than to
issue unanimous conclusions that are so limiting
in scope that they fail to contribute to a better
understanding of the initiative.
It is important to note that the role of the
Institute is to maintain the independence,
objectivity, and integrity of the process and not to
advance a specifc outcome or result. Symposium
reports are a collaborative and collective result
that represents the end product of all the
participating attendees. In a word, attendees
are the true owners of their work product. For
us at the Institute, it is a privilege to serve as a
means for their collective and innovate work
and a privilege to work with our co-conveners.
The resulting synergies of working together will
hopefully be repeated and enhanced over time
for other communities and public policy issues to
assist in Michigans turnaround.
PAGE 2 ESD Institue Future Detroit Symposium www.esdinstitute.net/FutureDetroit
Executive Summary
OVERVIEW
The ESD Institute has engaged many issues
since its beginnings only a few years ago. With a
healthy sense of the risks associated with bringing
stakeholders in confict together, we have tackled
many important topics ranging from economic
development to rightsizing local governments.
For our Youth Symposium, however, we decided
to take the Institute to another level. As you will
soon read, this effort proved to be one of our most
exciting and inspiring challenges to date. The
Future Detroit Youth Symposium was indeed a
breakthrough in reaching voices often not heard.
We are honored to have played a salient part in
this empowerment of our future leaders.
For the Youth Symposium, we focused on the
students learning to link methods to goals. In
short, our process asked the students to connect
the desired end with the best means of
accomplishing it. Drawing on proven problem-
solving methods, the goal of the Institute was
to have each student learn by doing. Much
like applied engineering tasks, we asked the
students to defne the problem and then fgure
out a consensus-based set of solutions that could
be implemented in a real world setting. This
required giving each student a voice and in return
asking each student to assume a responsibility to
think, participate and fnd common ground in a
workgroup team environment. Easy to say but
diffcult to do for anyone, let alone middle school
students who had just met each other for the frst
time!
BACKGROUND
As an important observation, we believe that
our Youth Symposium builds upon an earlier
examination of education in Detroit that we
conducted in December, 2009. At the request
of a number of interested groups, the Institute
convened a symposium relating to the creation of
a green school entitled The Lean Green School
Initiative. Our complete published report is
available at our website, www.esdinstitute.net.
In the Lean Green School Initiative, we
identifed a continuum or process fow relating to
education that was driven by internal and external
forces some within the control of the school but
many not. What was left unfnished from the Lean
Green Symposium was learning how the students
themselves viewed their schools and education.
The Youth Symposium became our vehicle to fll
this gap.
To draw out our students, we decided to build
upon the core of energized student teams from
the Detroit area that had competed in the Future
City Competition. The result was that over 20
schools came together. Moreover, in our efforts
to touch the largest possible audience of Detroit
middle school students, we reached out to schools
that had not competed or completed the formal
Future City Competition who wished to beneft
from the opportunity offered by our symposiums
inclusive, collaborative, problem-solving process.
To focus our students, we challenged them with
the following Mega Question:
If you were envisioning Future Detroit,
what would it look like and how would you
accomplish it?
To jumpstart thought and creativity, our youth
brainstormed around this question frst and then
voted on their favorite ideas before breaking into
workgroups . Better education, less crime, more
entertainment/talent were the big winners. The
youth were randomly placed into workgroups to
continue to discuss and offer ideas on the issues
raised in the brainstorming session. Importantly,
the workgroups were then asked to deal with
perhaps the most diffcult question of all:
If you were a future leader of Detroit, how
would you accomplish your vision of Detroit?
Each workgroup was asked to complete an
action plan on each of their three consensus-based
priorities including who would be responsible
to make it happen, how would the priority
be implemented. At the end of the day, all
participants heard presentations by each of the
student workgroup teams of their action plans.
Recommendation #1: Safety & Security
Perhaps the most common voice heard throughout
the Symposium day was that the students put a
high priority on safety and security at their schools
and communities and importantly wanted to play
a role in making their schools and neighborhood
safe places now and in the future to live, learn and
work. The reality of crime galvanized the student
into action steps ranging from mentorships,
parent, community, corporate and governmental
engagement, volunteerism, and proactive police
enforcement to junior peer anti-crime training, and
local student groups with high-tech equipment
like alarms, jet packs, networking tools and close-
net informational sharing. Safety was identifed by
the students as a key component of what makes
a city cool. We were not surprised that it surfaced
again in the workgroup reports.
1
It is our recommendation that the
DPS Offce of Inspector General and
the Detroit Police Department consider
the establishment of a transparent
Schoolplace Security Advisory Council
(SSAC) that focuses on schoolplace
abuse and crime directly reporting to
the DPS Police. Similar to the Board of
Police Commissioners at the Detroit
Police Department, SSAC would consist
of critical stakeholders that care about the
reduction and elimination of school-based
abuse and crime. Members would include
representative school administrators,
teachers, students, parents, law enforcement,
community and governmental leaders.
This Council could serve as a platform
to build inclusive and proactive program
recommendations to address school security
issues on a real-time and sustainable basis,
including how to get more youth directly
involved in making their schools safer
places to learn. To enhance cohesiveness
and effectiveness, the SSAC would establish
a School Subcommittee made up of those
schools that elected to play an active advisory
role to beneft the work of SSAC. Members
of the Subcommittee would provide their
specifc needs, experiences and solutions for
SSACs consideration.
Recommendation #2: Interactive Learning
Few are unaware of the daunting challenges
we face in attracting and retaining student
interest in the feld of Science, Technology,
Engineering & Mathematics (STEM). A challenge
in the promotion of interest and competency
in Engineering, for example, lies in its inherent
diffculty to be measured especially in the early
stages of its introduction to both the teachers
and the students. While a students success in
mastering the textbook can be a measurable
outcome that can then be tested and reported as
data for educational, performance and fnancial
considerations, this positive attribute may,
however, be a negative one when applied to STEM
. Specifcally, Engineering is largely a creative,
applied problem-solving discipline. New and
creative outcomes or solutions to problems cannot
be identifed in advance as either right or wrong
and therefore do not lend themselves to an easy
measurable assessment.
Interactive teaching as identifed by our
students as an enabler to accomplish better
educational outcomes can be a useful tool in
advancing STEM and was identifed by our
students as a means to better their education and
opportunities for advancement.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The following list of recommendations of the ESD Institute is derived from the foundational work of the
students who attended the Youth Symposium.
2
DPS Division of Academic Affairs
consider the establishment of a
transparent, district-wide Learning
Interactive Council (LIK) that would
be led by a school administrator appointed
by the DPS Division of Academic Affairs.
The membership of the LIK would include a
math/science instructional specialist to serve
as led coordinator and include representative
teachers, students, parents, and other
educational stakeholders. Importantly,
however, members of LIK would include
engineering and scientifc professionals
to serve as advisors, mentors and other
resources for both teachers and students. LIK
would also include representatives from our
states universities and colleges that offer
undergraduate degrees in STEM-related
felds to serve as an academic resource
for transition to higher education. Finally,
representatives from the business and
labor communities should be encouraged
to participate as active members of LIK to
provide the cutting-edge reality check on skill
level and other requirements for students
to compete as adults in todays global
workplace. To enhance cohesiveness and
effectiveness, LIK would establish a School
Subcommittee made up of those schools
that elected to play an active advisory role
to beneft the work of LIK. Members of the
Subcommittee would provide their specifc
needs, experiences and solutions for LIKs
consideration.
Recommendation #3: Talent & the Arts
Another compelling need generated by many
voices in the Youth Symposium was the desire
for an outlet to foster student expression in the
arts and entertainment felds. This area of focus
had been previously identifed in our The Lean
Green School Initiative Symposium. The A in
STEAM stood for ART and the concept was that
in connection with an progressive STEM program,
schools should add this component. Art can play
a critical role in engaging a wide range of students
and take STEM to the next degree in motivating
students and broadening the benefts of their
educational experience.
For purposes of this Report, we observed that
the students looked upon art and entertainment
as not only a way to fulfll their interests at school
but also a means to build a career path after
graduation. Clearly, the students saw the art and
entertainment industry as a springboard for future
recognition and employment opportunities. The
students had no diffculty in identifying potential
solutions to the How part of the equation
as well. Those ideas are described at length in
the workgroup reports. To highlight a few, the
students wanted to create a forum for the Stars
of Tomorrow with sponsorships from local
celebrities in the Detroit area and to establish
a school entitled Detroit Dance Academy to
provide training in local cultural dance, ballet
and cheerleading with support from our local
professional sport organizations, businesses and
community organizations.
3
City of Detroit, in conjunction with
the New Economy Initiative, Kresge
Foundation and other interested
foundations, establish an incubator
for Detroit middle and upper school student
talent development and arts-related programs
entitled the Detroit Talent Incubator. Home
grown celebrities and other entities in both
in the performance and visual arts should
be solicited to act as potential sponsors
and mentors that could then provide
funding, forums or facilities for practices
and performances by the students. To
enhance cohesiveness and effectiveness, the
Talent Incubator would establish a Student
Subcommittee made up of students from those
schools that elected to play an active advisory
role to beneft the work of Incubator.
Presentations
Welcome to All, Darlene Trudell, CAE, Executive
Vice President, The Engineering Society of Detroit
We welcome you and know that your experiences
today will be unique and hopefully will be a
source of learning in the years to come. First of
all, lets talk about The Engineering Society of
Detroit. ESD is over 115 years old. We have over
6,500 engineers that are all located here in the
South Eastern Michigan regionso we truly are
Detroit Made. Engineers are creators and
innovators. They made your cell phones, IPods,
IPads, laptop computers and will design and
help make the things you will use in the future.
I encourage you to remember all that engineers
do. While you are here today we ask you, as the
young people in our region, to Stand Up, Step
Up and Speak Out! You are Detroit Made.
Please take the stickers out of your symposium
materials and wear them proudly!
The Engineering Society of Detroit extends
a special thank you to our sponsors whose
generous donations have helped to make todays
Symposium possible: Non-Proft Personnel
Network, Rackham Foundation, Citizens
Insurance, and Hartland Insurance.
The 3 Respects, Alycia Meriweather,
Interim Director, Math & Science Center, Detroit
PublicSchools
By the end of today you
will know more people
than when you arrived
this morning. So, right
now, please stand up
and meet someone new.
Here are our Ground
Rules for todays Youth
Symposium.
% Respect yourself and
your ideas and have
enough courage to
share them.
% Respect others peoples ideas and have the
ability to listen and give positive feedback.
% Respect our time by following the agenda and
keep on task.
There are leaders and residents all around this
city today that are watching what you are doing
and counting on your work.
Detroit Made by All of You Here, Robert Ficano,
JD, Wayne County Executive
Engineering is exciting, I know this frst hand.
My background is as a lawyerand I know frst
hand that engineers have more fun! My son is an
electrical engineer and I does exciting things. And,
keep in mind that today a lot of the good things
that are going on in Wayne County are based on
the practice and advancement of engineering and
technology.
A perfect example is the Lithium Ion Battery
manufacturer, A123 who has set up their
headquarters in Ann Arbor. They have grown
rapidly since their start up. A123 is now going
into Phase II of their start up after only 14 months.
Another success story of engineering work is
General Electric Corporation. General Electric
likes what is going on here in our area so they are
continuing to expand and hire more engineers.
This area is well known for engineering
because of the auto industry. There is more
technology on the automobile than any other
product with the exception of the computer itself.
We have the people that create this technology
right here in our area. Engineers are not only
important in our County, State, and Country, but
also all over the world.
The President of China was just here visiting
with us. The current President of China and the
last 5 Presidents of China have all been engineers.
China realizes how important it is to have
engineers to keep their economy growing.
I ask each of you to expand their imagination
and dont hold back! A lot of great technological
ideas have come out of Detroit. Help us to defne
what our next successful technologies will be.
I believe that you students are our future.
You are the ones we are depending on to move
Michigan forward.
Born in Detroit, Schooled in Detroit, Working
in Detroit, Bill Winfrey, Chrysler Corporation, Future
City Mentor for Bates Academy, Detroit
I have been a part of the City of Detroit for a
very long time. I was born in Detroit in 1955,
grew up in Detroit, and received my education
in Detroit. I am very proud to be a product of
Detroit. I went to Williams Elementary, Knudsen
Junior High, and graduated from Cass Technical
High School with a Degree in Design & Drafting
Technology. I attended Wayne State University
and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in
Mechanical Engineering. I also attend the Detroit
College of Law where I received my Juris Doctor
Law Degree (J.D.) I am very proud of todays
youth and the students that are here at the Future
Detroit Symposium today. I believe you are our
futureleaders.
I want to talk a moment about engineers as
inventors. How many of you know who created
the frst combustible engine? Most people think
it was Henry Fordbut it was Karl Benz who
held the patent for the engine that he designed
in 1886. Henry Ford is known for the automobile
because he took an existing invention, put it on
an assembly line and mass produced it. He made
Karl Benzs invention affordable so everyone
could have them. That is what engineers do; they
develop technology and then apply it to make our
lives better.
Here are a few items that you know
today, but werent created until 1955: Remote
TV Controller, Polio Vaccine, Velcro, and the
Microwave. Other inventions and year invented
include some incredible things that we take for
granted today:
% 1958: Jet Airliners
% 1959: Integrated Circuits which has led to the
invention of the computer devices/internet,
social media, etc.
% 1964: Music Synthesizer
% 1968: ATMthe Automated Teller Machine
% 1969: The Smoke Detector
% 1970 Digital Music
% 1973: Cell Phone, MRI
% 1978: GPSGlobal Positioning Satellite
% 1979: Sony Walkman
% 1984: DNA Fingerprints
% 1993: Fuel Cell Vehicles
% 1997: Hybrid Electric Cars
% 1998: Genetic Sequencing, MP3 Player
Engineers have the ability to create something
out of nothingout of the vision in their mind.
You students have the same abilitycreating
your Future Detroit from your vision. I want
you to create a Detroit that you want to live in.
You are our leaders that will make this happen.
I encourage you and I am proud that you are
moving the city of Detroit forward.
Your City and Your Future, Karla Henderson,
Mayors Ofce, City of Detroit
I want to thank everyone here today and The
Engineering Society of Detroit for taking on this
challenge to create our Future Detroit. If you look
at the city of Detroit, we cover 139 square miles.
Over the last few years, the City of Detroit has lost
half of its population. Over 1/3 of our city is now
vacant. You could take the city of San Francisco
and ft it in the areas of Detroit that are vacant.
We are heavily dependent on our automobiles
in our City. We have miles of roadways and
freeway infrastructure which is the primary mode
of transportation for people in our region.
The Mayor is committed to tearing down
vacant and abandoned buildings in our City. But
the big question that is left behind is what are we
going to do with all of this vacant land? To help
answer this question, Mayor Bing kicked off the
Detroit Works Project last summer. The focus of
the project is asking our citizens what they want
the future of Detroit to look like. You students
had a lot of great ideas todaymany ideas that
we have not yet heard from other constituents
involved in defning our Future Detroit. Please
share your ideas today so that we can learn from
your dreams and vision.
The City of Detroit has many assets that we can
build upon. One of the things the City is focused
on is its youth28% of the citys population is
under 18. We need to design a city that is cool for
you, the youth of our City. We want to know what
it will take for you to stay here to live here and
work here once you graduate from high school or
college. We need to understand what types of jobs,
housing, and transportation you will want.
We know that transportation is an important
issue are excited that there has been over 400
million dollars committed to our light rail project.
We are also excited that there is a huge demand
for lofts and family housing in the City. We
are committed to working with developers to
encourage further housing development in our
City. We also want to work with our existing
homewe have many beautiful homes in the city
of Detroit and we are working to refurbish them.
The Mayor is also working to create a city that is
safe and clean.
This project is for youbuilding the future
of Detroit. We hope you stay here and raise your
families here. And if you do leave Detroit, we
want you to come back to Detroit!
I extend to you our invitation to come down
and present your fndings to Mayor Bing and my
staff. Mr. Webb replied that we would take them
up on that offer, but they would need a big room!
What do you defne as a hero?, Peter Stuart
Egeli, Commander, U.S. Navy
I want to ask you a question: What do you defne
as a hero? The students suggested heroes were
persons such as fre fghters, police men, sailors, etc.
My defnition of a hero is someone who gets
up and does something that no one else will. I feel
I am in the presence of heroes right now. This is
very awe inspiring. When I was your age I was
not thinking about saving the world. I love this. A
Hero does things without expecting something in
return.
The U.S. Navy will be offering a raffe prize
today to recognize one lucky school: A tour and
visit on the USS Greyfox. It is a privilege for the
U.S. Navy to be a part of this important event.
An International Symposium of Culture and
Diversity, Dr. Ralph Bland, Superintendant, Detroit
Edison Public School Academy
Today is a moment in history; today we are
attending the frst international symposium.
Why do we say this? We have students here of
diverse culture and nationality. We need come
together more often and do more of this type of
brainstorming. This is a ground breaking moment
so remember this, each of you.
The Importance of STEMScience, Technology,
Engineering & Mathematics, Ron Smith,
Director of Education and Community Outreach, The
Engineering Society of Detroit
As Middle School students, The Engineering
Society of Detroit wants to make sure that you stay
interested in STEM. The Michigan Regional Future
City Competition is an important part in ESDs
initiatives to keep youth interested in STEM.
I am passing around a brochure about the
National Engineers Week Future City Competition
School entitled Dreams Need Doing. This
brochure features a young student from our area
right on the cover. She was from a team that
participated last year and she lives just a few miles
from where we are meeting today. The team that
she participated on last year was the Michigan
Region Competition winner. She and the rest of
her team traveled to Washington, D.C. to compete
and fnished in 5th place nationally. While they
were in Washington, they had the opportunity to
go to the White House and meet with President
Obama in the Oval Offce.
Today, we have two presentations from this
years Michigan Regional Competition. We have
our frst place winners, St. John Lutheran School,
who will be travelling to Washington in a few
days. Also with us today, is Academy of The
Sacred Heart. Sacred Heart was selected as the
winner of the City that best defned what our
Future City of Detroit should be.
Presentations by the Winning
Regional Teams of the National
Future City Competition
The International District of Trinitas Avenir:
Detroit, Windsor and Belle Isle, St. John Lutheran
TeamStudents: Michelle Abramczyk, Mackenzie
Hill and Andrew Abraham; Teacher: John Pfund;
Engineering Mentor: Dr. Linda Gerhart
1
Imagine a Detroit restored to its glory days! In
2176, Detroit has been transformed into a vibrant
cultural and medical epicenter with a diverse,
robust economy. Like its motto It will rise from
the ashes, the city has risen from the ruins of its
past to become part of the International District of
Trinitas Avenir, which means triad of the future.
The triad connects the sparkling Detroit River with
Detroit, Windsor, and Belle Isle.
7

Urban architects and ciil engineers deeloped an ambitious master plan anchored by tree-lined
canals and wide bouleards, a orested green beltway park, desirable residential communities, and
walkable, energetic commercial and entertainment districts. Just oer one million ortunate residents
enjoy sae and careree liing in energy sel-suicient, hyperbaric accommodations in ormerly-
abandoned industrial complexes renoated with sustainable materials.

1he district is proud host o the Lxpo 216 \orld`s lair and the LXXI Olympics, the irst-eer
international games. 1he district has been reinented as a result o the inusion o reenue or
inrastructure projects rom the Lxpo and the games. 1hriing medical, energy and transportation
industries blossomed and the district is now a tourist destination in the international spotlight.

Domestic automakers that made Detroit the Motor City hae combined to become 13: 1rinity
1ransport 1echnologies, global leaders in transportation systems. 13`s PiezoQuadPods oer our
transportation modes: land, sea, air, and eleated perpendicular parking against buildings. 1he pods
proide uniersal accessibility or handicapped and elderly residents. Cartridge-like PiezoQuadPods
lock and load into trackless mass transit and underground railroad systems connecting the city`s nine
population neres centers. Piezoelectric energy harested throughout the city in roadways,
walkways, ootwear, and een clothing powers the transportation system.

NeuronStar is part o General Medicines, national medical-technology diagnostics and
communications leader. NeuronStar, along with the 1riniStar Alzheimer`s Solution, successully
preents Alzheimer`s and proides real-time remote medical monitoring. 1riniStar uses piezo-
picogenerators to harest bloodpower, is controlled by NanoSpecNet spray-on computing systems,
and includes medication made rom local ginkgo trees and hyperbarically-grown herbal cat`s claw, all
grown in our Lastern Market.

1he Intelli-Grid controls communication, power-distribution, water-distribution, and waste-
management systems. Bionic contact lenses and LduStar proide a irtual learning interace which
improes cerebral unction, allowing globally-competitie students to retain eerything they learn -
or lie!

1he carbon-negatie community produces more energy than it consumes. \ind energy is harested
rom bladeless air multipliers and engineered-algae towers generate hydrogen. Michigan Basin
subterranean salt reseres produce energy rom a closed-loop cycle! Blue Lnergy is created rom a
salinity gradient rom mixing resh rier water with brine. Space-based solar energy is collected 24,
and beamed to concentrating solar mirrors ocused on salt power towers. 1hese molten salt towers
conert brackish Blue Lnergy water into turbine-turning steam. Salt mines also supply molten salt
nuclear reactors and are adanced-research sites or solar neutrino energy haresting.
Belle Isle
Windsor
Detroit
Urban architects and civil engineers developed
an ambitious master plan anchored by tree-lined
canals and wide boulevards, a forested green
beltway park, desirable residential communities,
and walkable, energetic commercial and
entertainment districts. Just over one million
fortunate residents enjoy safe and carefree
living in energy self-suffcient, hyperbaric
accommodations in formerly-abandoned
industrial complexes renovated with sustainable
materials.
The district is proud host of the Expo 2176
Worlds Fair and the LXXI Olympics, the frst-
ever international games. The district has
been reinvented as a result of the infusion of
1. Their actual model was being shipped to the National
Future City Competition so they demonstrated their city using
a display board along with posters.
revenue for infrastructure projects from the
Expo and the games. Thriving medical, energy
and transportation industries blossomed and
the district is now a tourist destination in the
international spotlight.
Domestic automakers that made Detroit
the Motor City have combined to become T3:
Trinity Transport Technologies, global leaders
in transportation systems. T3s PiezoQuadPods
offer four transportation modes: land, sea, air, and
elevated perpendicular parking against buildings.
The pods provide universal accessibility for
handicapped and elderly residents. Cartridge-
like PiezoQuadPods lock and load into trackless
mass transit and underground railroad systems
connecting the citys nine population nerves
centers. Piezoelectric energy harvested throughout
the city in roadways, walkways, footwear, and
even clothing powers the transportation system.
NeuronStar is part of General Medicines,
national medical-technology diagnostics and
communications leader. NeuronStar, along with
the TriniStar Alzheimers Solution, successfully
prevents Alzheimers and provides real-time
remote medical monitoring. TriniStar uses
piezo-picogenerators to harvest bloodpower, is
controlled by NanoSpecNet spray-on computing
systems, and includes medication made from local
ginkgo trees and hyperbarically-grown herbal
cats claw, all grown in our Eastern Market.
The Intelli-Grid controls communication,
power-distribution, water-distribution, and waste-
management systems. Bionic contact lenses and
EduStar provide a virtual learning interface which
improves cerebral function, allowing globally-
competitive students to retain everything they
learnfor life!
The carbon-negative community produces
more energy than it consumes. Wind energy is
harvested from bladeless air multipliers and
engineered-algae towers generate hydrogen.
Michigan Basin subterranean salt reserves produce
energy from a closed-loop cycle! Blue Energy is
created from a salinity gradient from mixing fresh
river water with brine. Space-based solar energy
is collected 24/7 and beamed to concentrating
solar mirrors focused on salt power towers. These
molten salt towers convert brackish Blue Energy
water into turbine-turning steam. Salt mines
also supply molten salt nuclear reactors and are
advanced-research sites for solar neutrino energy
harvesting.
The district is a recreational paradise.
Residents enjoy upscale holographic shopping,
hyperbarically-grown Eastern Market produce,
PiezoGolf, glistening freshwater beaches, lively
casinos and nightlife, and world-famous Belle Isle
mineral baths. Future Detroit will be a great place
to live, work and play.
Experience the jewel of the Great Lakes region.
Experience Trinitas Avenir! We are building a
future city of Detroit.
Attendees wished this team good luck as they
travel to Washington to compete in the National
Future City Competition.
Detroit: Belle et Puissant, Academy of the
Sacred Heart TeamStudents: Christine Slavik, Hailey
Briscoe, and Avery Guething; Teacher: Debbie Peters;
and Engineering Mentor: Jim Meenahan
The scene takes place at a Detroit meeting after
the great food of Detroit.
Detroit: Belle et Puissant! The strong, the
mighty, the beautiful, the future! Currently, when
we picture Detroit we remember it for being
the motor city, the city where shining sports
vehicles are just around the corner and theres
the familiar sound of engines being revved. Its
what we remember as home. Belle et Puissant, is
the perfect example of a city in the future, whose
priorities are clear; providing a safe and healthy
home for everyone. The disabled and elderly are
welcomed with open arms, and are cared for as
part of a close family.
Detroit is the leader in the conservation and
recycling of the Great Lakes and has become a
role model for the rest of the world regarding the
safe use of natural resources as a source of power
for the city and the entire area. The use of water
turbines, wind turbines and other sustainable
resources for our energy sources have become a
way of life. The improvement and reliability of
batteries have changed our way of using power.
Imagine how you feel when you enter a library.
A handful of us at Academy of the Sacred Heart
are bookworms. None of us could imagine being
blind or dyslexic and not being able to read; to
feel that pure joy and sheer delight when you
open a book and get excited about the characters.
We want people who are visually impaired to
have that same feeling. So weve created a piece
of technology PEMS, the Pico Electrical Memory
System, that helps all to see and also to read. This
technology helps with the hard of hearing and
several other disabilities. This chip helps people to
stay healthy and remain safe.
Belle et Puissant also focuses on comfort and
being green. We make transportation as easy
as possible. Using the existing layout of the
city, several Maglev tracks were built using the
median strips of Gratiot, Woodward, Michigan
Avenue, Grand River, and Jefferson Avenue. The
Maglev is a type of elevated transport that uses
magnets and most importantly, no fossil fuels, it
is a greener than the standard system. It features
solar paneling and magnetic rails, the stronger
magnets allow it to travel quickly and quietly to
the destination sooner. The loss of most fossil fuels
forced the auto industry to develop new modes of
transportation and once again Detroit became the
capital for clean air and clean transportation.
As the fossil fuels ruled the 20th century,
fresh water has become the gold of the 22nd
century. As one of the cities on the Great Lakes,
Detroit has become a center for entrepreneurs,
companies, industries and has surpassed Chicago
as being the place to live and raise a family. Detroit
has now adapted to the modern needs of all
members of society. Belle et Puissant, suited for
all the disabled, elderly and entire family, is the
perfect city. Come and see what Detroit: Belle et
Puissant has to offer you and your family.

Examining the What Question through an Icebreaker Exercise:
What makes a City cool?, Christopher J. Webb, J.D., FESD,
Co-Director, The ESD Institute
Student attendees were asked to envision that they were passengers that had just boarded a 747
airplane together. They were headed to another place in another timeFuture Detroit. Unlike normal
trips, the passengers would have the power to create their own destination. The only catch was that they
had to work together to make their individual dreams a collective dream of where they wanted to go. The
fight would last for only six hours the time left in our Youth Symposium so each would have to get
acquainted, start sharing with each other, prioritize their ideas and then fnd the ones that they would
pursue together before the plane landed at their destination.
To help the passengers, Mr. Webb served as their pilot for the fight. He came over the
loudspeaker and asked each passenger think carefully about how they would answer this fundamental
question: What makes a city cool? Then, putting the plane on autopilot, he went back to the passenger
cabin and asked each in round robin fashion to introduce themselves and give their response. Below are
the thoughtful and inspiring responses of the students:
% Kids Activities
% Buildings
% Skyscrapers
% Colors
% More playgrounds and more
cars
% People transportation
% Engineering
% Architecture
% Technology
% Architecture
% Amusement parks
% Educating children
% Water parks
% Communications
% Good economy
% Good government
% Main Attraction
% Mayor
% Nice Appearance
% Job Opportunities
% People make the city cool
% The Diversity of People
% Eco friendly materials
% History of the city
% Events and National
Landmarks
% Events for all age groups
% Great City Council
% Uniqueness
% Entertainment
% Clean areas
% Designs of the Buildings
% Environment around us
% Attractions in the City
% Environment
% Handicapped Access and Help
for the Handicapped
% High Speed Internet
% Low Unemployment Rates
% All the different people that
you meet make the city cool
% Recreational Activities
% Schools
% Education
% Cool Communities
% Cleanliness of our river
% Culture of the city
% Art, murals and paintings
% Trees
% Science behind city is built
infrastructure
% How many successful people
are in the city
% Different service opportunities
% Being Green and Better
Healthcare
% New Ideas
% Transportation
% Having as many people as
possible off of the streets
% Less pollution
% Gm Building
% Jobs
% Diversity
% Friendship and Equality
% Involvement in the
Community
% Whatever you think is cool is
cool
% Animals
% Nature
% Money
% Athletes
% Lawyers
% New technology
% New Inventions
% People
% Workers
% Environmental Activity
% Good Economy
% Clean environment
% Good Healthcare
% Medical Advancements
% Less Pollution
% Lakes and Rivers
% Beeches and Hang out Spots
% Safeness of the Environment
% Schools
% Houses
% Air Transportation
% Walkability
% Solar power
% Making Equipment
% History and Culture
% Global Learning
% Diverse Economy and Sparkly
Architecture
% Solar Panels
% Good Mayor
% Jobs
% Clean and Safe Area
% Advanced, High Tech Schools
and Colleges
% Available Medical Treatment
and Affordable/Accessible
We captured on posters all of these ideas from
our passengers and now came the time for them
to pick their top ones to begin the hard work of
prioritizing the many into the few that would
then be the focus of their efforts for the rest of the
plane trip.
Prioritizing the WHAT
Question, Our Youth
Symposium Students in Action
Customary to past symposia process, we gave
each student a set of 12 dots. The instructions to
each of the students was simple: Get up and go
to all of the posters in the room, read what you
have listed and then put your dots on the ones
you like the most. The students were free to put
all of the dots on one item if they wished but they
only had 12 dots that represented their votes to
prioritize the ideas presented. This would be the
frst of three democratic moments of voting in
which the students would evaluate their ideas in
order to arrive at their fnal recommended action
items to envision their Future Detroit. Before
everyone started to vote, we reminded them that
the mission was to address the What Question
that had been in their symposium abstract:
If you were 30 years old working and living in
Detroit, what would be your vision to live and
work happily there?
It is diffcult to capture in words the energy
and excitement that everyone experienced as the
students began to the voting process. To convey
this in perhaps a manner that is refective of the
impact of todays world, we have capture in both
a short and long version the students on video.
Please visit www.esdinstitute.net/FutureDetroit to
view this incredible undertaking by the students.
Joining a Workgroup: Matching
the What & How Questions
to fnd Sustainable Solutions
Just before the voting began, we asked our
students to count off for purposes of assignment
them to our four workgroups. Most of the students
had sat together by schools and this method mixed
the students so that we could maximize their
opportunity to learn from each other and practice
the essence of collaborative learning.
We reminded the students that once their
voting had been accomplished, they would
have a lunch break and then they would go to
their workgroup rooms knowing what were the
priorities of the entire student body. Armed with
this information the students in their respective
workgroups would then tackle the hardest part of
the symposium by trying to answer following the
How Question:
If you were a future leader of Detroit, how
would you accomplish your vision of Detroit?
WORKGROUP SESSION
NARRATIVES
Workgroup I Session Narrative
Spy students in Detroit. Sound like fantasy? Not
to a group of middle schoolers who gathered on
a Saturday in the dead of Winter to talk about
what they want their future to look like in the
City of Detroit. These students made it clear that
they have lots of ideas to share and they want to
be personally involved in making exciting things
happen in their City.
This workgroup focused on entertainment/
art and crime. Students shared more of what they
envision in these areas and then discussed how
they would accomplish it.
BRAINSTORMING
On the heels of Eminems Chrysler ad, the
groups ideas focused a lot on how to get
celebrities to come back and help the City,
particularly by discovering and encouraging local
talent. The idea getting the most support was to
have a group of celebrities sponsor competitions.
The focus was not on an American Idol type
competition but a much broader vision involving
all performance (music, dance, juggling, and
acrobatics. They eventually included visual arts,
such as painting, graphic design, car model
design and architecture in the mix. Such a
competition would lead to encouraging more
creative people to come to Detroit. Because
funding for the competition would come from
celebrities, students started to think of other
ideas celebrities could fund including high school
scholarships for art and performance, track and
feld competitions funded by star athletes and
start-up money to grow a real talent industry in
Detroit, this could create new jobs and help the
City improve itsimage.
When the topic moved to crime, the room
immediately became even more energized. CRIME
was the topic that garnered the most passion/
interest. There was a consensus that crime affected
everyone in the room and agreement that crime
is a key obstacle that needs to be overcome .After
one young man told a story about how a group
people in a community helped police identify
gang members by their tattoos, students started
to share more ideas about how they could be
involved in fghting crime. The students were very
aware of the crime around them and very anxious
to improve it. Many/most were also intrigued
by and attracted to the notion of having the
opportunity to get involved personally.
Ideas generated during this time included:
high tech crime and forensic agencies locating
in Detroit, a military base or weapons ranch
located on vacant land to build and test high tech
weapon systems; harsher penalties for drop outs,
metal detection systems and camera surveillance
in neighborhoods. But when the idea of Spy
Students was suggested, the group went into a
frenzy of ideas around crime fghting technology
like robot dogs, jet packs and watches with special
communication systems.
Following the brainstorming session, the
workgroup voted on their favorite ideas:
% Spy kids/Jetpacks
% Talent Competitions
% Cheerleading teams
% crime/high tech weapons R&D
A decision was made to divide the workgroup
into three smaller discussion groups to develop
action plans on the Spy Students and Talent
Competition ideas and then the students self-
selected along gender lines into two different
groups, one to deal with cheerleading and the
other to discuss high tech weapons.
There was great energy in the smaller groups,
made it much easier for students to not just
throw out more ideas but to really envision what
it would take to make it a reality. Each of the
smaller groups presented their top two ideas for
implementing Spy Students and the results were
amazing.
One group redefned the term SPY to be an
acronym standing for Semi-Powerful Youth and
the term JETPACS as another acronym standing
for Just Everyday Technology Protecting All
Children! Another group elaborated on special
communication systems that would be necessary
to make Spy Students work including: phones
using blue tooth and GPS technology, a hotline for
a network of covert spy students to report crime
as they see it happen. The third group focused
on a training camp sponsored by the CIA and/
or local police for junior spies or crime fghting.
They also talked about having real jet packs that
use compressed air. The most students were most
engaged during the spy students discussion. In all
the groups there was a defnite indication in the
room of faith in technology as a savior/solution to
the crime problem.
Each group was also asked to present their
plans to promote talent. One group envisioned a
national agency founded in Detroit but having a
presence in major cities. Another group discussed
an Americas Got Talent type approach and yet
another group conjured an outdoor car show
for specialty vehicles that would be a sort of
performance art for cars with hydraulics. Two
groups discussed a version of a talent company
located downtown and organized like a co-op to
share and generate revenue.
The last two subgroup ideas were Cheerleading
and High Tech crime fghting ideas.
The contrast was stark. The group looking at
high tech crime fghting focused primarily on
advanced weaponry for fghting crime. Much of
the time was spent on how to build (or attract)
such an industry. One thought was to utilize
vacant land as an incentive.
Similarly the group discussing cheerleading/
dance promotion for Detroit took aim at how
to create an entity to train young people to be
involved in these activities. This topic morphed
to a discussion of a sort of performing arts/
danceacademy.
Workgroup II Session Narrative
After an intense plenary session where 107
students from Detroit and suburban schools
were invited to share their ideas of what makes a
city cool, a smaller group of approximately 30
students with 3 facilitators dove deeper into the
ideas that arose from the plenary session.
We started with facilitator introductions: Robert
Prudhomme, an architect and community activist
with an interest in sustainable development,
Shawn Crump, a master electrician with deep
roots in Detroit, and Speranta Maior, an architect
and immigrant whose lived, learned and worked
in metro Detroit since she was about the age
of the student participants. After the facilitator
introductions the students were invited to stand
up, step up and speak up for Detroit.
The dialogue between facilitators and students
was fuid, often times one idea merged into
another, keeping the focus on one topic diffcult
to control, at times. All ideas were entertained
and there was great respect between the
participants; the room had a certain palpable
energy of excitement. Hands went up in the air
before the facilitator had a chance to fnish asking
and there was always more to say on any given
topic.
A week after the event, the facilitators distilled
a plethora of ideas that were brought up during
the workgroup session that broke down into four
main categories that would, according to this
group, transform Detroit into a cool city:
% Variety, a break away from monoculture:
varied modes of transportation, varied
shopping experiences, varied communities,
varied foods, varied destinations, variety
of services in one area, varied cultural
destinations, more local music, Detroit to keep
developing artists and what it was once known
for: Motown and thus reconstruct a positive
image of Detroit, recycle old buildings and
build new development around older ones
creating a varied urban experience
% Transition, from large to small: smaller cars,
smaller distances, smaller shops, smaller
classrooms that are more like families, a break
away from city sprawl, reliability on local
rather than global
% Safer environments: sustainable, healthier
foods and modes of life, walkable communities,
vertical gardens, smaller controllable
communities, interconnected buildings, places
to hike
% Innovation: high tech modes of transportation
that include fying personal transportation,
sustainable and renewable sources of energy
for operating technological equipment,
betterschools
BRAINSTORMING
1. Variety
The group was varied. By a show of hands,
fve or six of the students were born outside of
the United States. They value bringing their
own cultures to Detroit and want their ideas
heard and applied. The majority of the students,
born and raised in Detroit or suburbs also had
varied backgrounds, came from different types
of schools including public, private and charter
schools. What they all seemed to know was
that their city can be better if some changes are
adopted and they have hope to see these changes
in their lifetimes. They desire vibrant areas with
a variety of destinations within walking distance.
They imagine this can be done by delimitating
specifc areas, like the Central Business District
of Detroit, and within these compact areas create
communities with multiple and varied services
and a mix of residential and commercial zones.
One student who didnt speak much, after a lot of
debate raised his hand and said: I have an idea
for how to fx this city: make a perimeter of an
area, bring in business, refurbish that area and fx
it frst.
Among the services provided in these compact
areas would be nurse stations because, one
student said: doctors are not always necessary
for all health problems as well as community and
recreation centers. There would be transportation
hubs with an offering of a variety of modes of
transportation that include jet paks, fying cars,
use of the waterways, subways, bicycle and
pedestrian paths and an expansion of the people
mover. They suggested that the waterways are
not being used suffciently and they would like
to see more water and air transportation in the
future. Walkability was high on the students
mind and it was quickly linked to health, safety
and community building. The students desire
more parks and they suggested eliminating
roads to create more places for nature preserves
with animals, zoos and green areas. Students
expressed that the city requires more plowing of
snow on the streets, cleaner streets, safer streets.
All these concerns would be alleviated by making
communities more compact.
The students suggested that the creation of
community groups responsible for trash pick-up
and for enforcing safety would greatly improve
the current situation. The students were in
favor of refurbishing old buildings rather than
demolishing them and building new communities
that are mixed with the old. The students enjoyed
the thought of buildings that are more artful and
allowing graffti in cities. The Heidelberg project
was brought up as a successful art project that
has helped the city build a better image and one
that uses recyclable materials to produce art. In
discussing art and culture, the kids thought that
there was a need for more agencies that would
attract and keep varied local talent. Variety in
the school curriculum was also discussed as a
step to improving education. Students felt that
school hours felt long because academic subjects
are not suffciently interwoven with creative
and hands on educational experiences during a
school day. Students reported that just academics
are boring and listening to rap artists when
learning would be a good alternative to learning
and that there ought to be more opportunities
for the young to learn from older people such as
mentoringactivities.
Students said that compact communities would
also alleviate the problem that some districts
are facing of not having suffcient student age
inhabitants, thus resulting in school closings.
2. Large to small
One student thought that one of the things
that hurts Detroit most is its bad image (see
AppendixH) and she prepared a written
document the night before the symposium
where she expressed her thoughtful wishes for a
FutureDetroit.
The notion of transitioning from large to small
was woven in various discussions and it was
closely linked to local vs. global. The student
entertained the idea of the production of smaller
and more simple cars that more people could
enjoy. They thought that smaller cars could be
parked easier, would produce less pollution and
would be cheaper to produce because they require
less materials. There were several comments about
a desire to have an opportunity to buy in smaller
community shops with local products. There
was an understanding that smaller classrooms
with more teachers that care about teaching
would produce better schools. The students enjoy
academics and sciences but fnd that hands-on
exercises would keep their interest in academics.
They considered the high school drop-out rates a
result of school being perceived as boring. A desire
for more social interactions in smaller settings was
also implicitly expressed. Several comments were
made during the break that the symposium was
a good opportunity to meet new students from
different backgrounds, something that they are
currently lacking because of distances between
destinations and lack of public transportation or
social interaction that would be made possible
by more public experiences such as public
transportation.
3. Safety
Safety was of high priority to the students. They
spoke about lack of safety on the streets and
lack of safety in their schools. During break, I
approached one student who didnt speak much
during the workgroup session and asked him
what concerned him most. He told me that being
recruited by gangs and the persistent approach
used by gangs to recruit and teach kids criminal
activities such as selling drugs or breaking
into cars was a real an immediate problem he
was constantly facing. On another level, the
safe path to a good and affordable education
was brought up in the workgroup session.
The students considered affordable, high-tech
education one signifcant and transformative step
towards improving the city. Ideas for funding
safety initiatives included using free labor from
inmates. In the discussion about safety, there was
recognition that poverty and lack of jobs are the
fundamental drivers for criminal activity.
4. Innovation
Innovation was discussed on all levels from sci-f
visions of fying modes of personal transportation
to rethinking lunch in schools. Students talked
about food in schools being unhealthy and
not conducive to learning. Students all agreed
that if they were involved in the food making
process in school during lunch break, that would
be a better alternative to the frozen, fast foods
that are currently available to them in most
school cafeterias. They liked the idea of having
community and home gardens where fresh
locally grown foods would be produced. They
entertained the idea of vertical organic farms.
They talked about these options being viable
solutions for making food cheaper and healthier.
Students saw high-tech solutions as enablers
for improving the standard of living for more
people. For example they enjoyed the idea of
programmable, driver-less cars for blind people.
Other innovations such as matter transformation
for transport, teleportation, iron-man like
technologies, water powered cars that pollute less,
levitation technology, fying capes, magic carpets,
on-star technology for the human body, robots
to fght wars, robotic suits, time travel.
Many innovations revolved around
transportation. It remains clear that rooted deeply
in the psyche of these middle schoolers is that
Detroit is Motor City!
The results from the voting system are included
in The DO Action Report for Workgroup 2.
Workgroup III Session
Narrative
1
Theres an enthusiasm that comes with the
unknown an undercurrent of excitement
springing from this new experience. And that
excitement is felt by students and adults alike!
What makes a city cool? The ideas are fun,
varied, advanced, green, safe, healthy, and hi-tech.
Everyone seems to appreciate the opportunity to
voice their opinion in front of their peers.
BRAINSTORMING
Our ideas begin with education, walkability/
transportation, and handicap access, but those
quickly morph into additional concerns about
healthcare, the environment, and the economy.
Theres good group participation at the onset of
our workgroup, which is a relief. There had been
concern that the students might be timid; but
theyre getting a lot of additional ideas out and on
the boards. Their priorities appear to be education
and healthcare.
As more students become willing to share,
the discussion transitions into what makes a
good doctor. Ideas include the doctors interest
in kids, and his ability to relate to the patient.
When prodded for how they will ensure that
the Future Detroit has good doctors, a few of
the quieter students speak up. These kids are
problem solvers. They also have a good analysis
of the viability of each option. But its very
clear from their ideas and opinions that they
consider the voice of the general population of
utmost importance. Perhaps theyre using this
opportunity to be heard to say that theyre tired of
being ignored?
Education becomes the next hot topic and
the idea foodgates are now opened. Even more
students who havent previously spoken up
raise their hands to share what they want to
see changed. Future jobs and job training are
important. Ideas continue to range from foreign
language exchange opportunities to actual school
building logistics, quality of the study materials to
quality and passion of the teachers, and the overall
learning environment. These kids care about their
education. Every kid who hasnt participated
1. The Institute has abbreviated this narrative for purposes
of the presentation of this Report. The entire Narrative is
an exciting and comprehensive window into an interactive
workgroup in action and is available in its unedited draft form
upon written request.
yet has an idea on how to make education better.
And they are passionate about how they are going
to make this happen. They want live interaction
between the students who are learning and
the administration making the decisions about
education. And these arent fantastical ideas
eitherthey realize that education is important; and
they believe that the people in charge should care.
Student involvement in the decisions that are made
is constantly reinforced. They also want to stress a
global view of collaboration. These students realize
the value of reaching out and sharing ideas globally.
They also want to focus on parent accountability.
Environment is now the latest hot topic. Hands
are a raising for what they want the environment to
look like in Future Detroit. There is lots of passion
about mandatory recycling and punishment for
litterers. There are also lots of ideas on renewable
energy. The good ideas get students from different
schools interacting as side conversations. Theres a
mutual respect for the ideas shared. Excitement is
now building over how these environmental goals
get implemented. It is suggested to expand the
refund policy to include more recyclablesnot just
pop cans.
Now we focus on the How Question.
Create a city-wide education. Have volunteers
planting trees! Have community groups planting
trees! A community childs planting brigade. Why
dont we stop these meetings and start planting trees
today? We dont need to buy seeds; they fall from the
trees. (Acorns, maple seeds, pine cones)
Next, the students want to tackle the economy.
Tax credits for living in the city. Need to trust the
economy. End tax cuts! The government needs
the money! (No Tea Partiers here!) End all wars
(nuff said). What does the economy mean? What
does a middle school student understand about
the national or global economy? Yet they make
comments about we need to pay our debt before
we invest in any new technology. Are these their
thoughts or the thoughts of others (adults) being
used?
How do we get to a better (or balanced) city
budget? Have more entrepreneurs. Dont spend
everything in one area. Bring businesses into
the city that provide jobs. Have more diverse
businesses. Get away from reliance on the auto
industry. There are no Wal-Marts or Meijers in the
city limits. Why is that? The general feeling is that
the City environment needs to be more attractive.
That will encourage businesses and people to move
into the area.
How do we make Detroit more attractive? Buy
local. Build new buildings. Focus on the Great
Lakes (our assets). Clean up the neighborhoods.
Pick up the trash. Build new houses. (If you build
it they will come) Make a community out of
the area. Detroit should be making the exports.
Have an idea for a store or product. Come up
with the money. THIS IS THE NEW DETROIT. It
is not what it used to be. Things have changed.
Start our own and have reliance from within.
No one suggests that the solution is outside. All
suggestions focused on building from within.
Detroit City Charity (a Detroit lottery). The City
should provide metal detectors in the stores for
greater security.
Online learning is of very high interest.
The students want to look in on other cultures
and share their experiences with the world.
Classrooms could be wired so parents can see
if their kids are learning! An interest in foreign
language learning and seeing what is going on in
other countries. The students are very interested
in getting an international scope in learning. Pen
pals exchange students Which of these is the
best idea??? Online learning. On Line Learning
how? Teacher sends power points on algebra.
Students studyclassrooms are NOT NEEDED.
Teacher videos. Parental interface back to a
desire to keep your parents close. There should be
an online portal for the class.
The students are very passionate about
smaller class sizes. How do they achieve this?
Ideas include creating buildings designed to ft.
Hire more teachers. Create classes that bring back
vocational subjects such as woodwork, metal
work, etc. They want options besides readin,
ritin, rithmatic. More gym and stuff like that.
(Sure.) Hey, wait a minute (Jane) this is more
Whats we need the HOWS! Classroom
sizes smaller classes mean smaller classrooms.
Fund raisers for the schools! Popcorn, candy,
pizza kits
While the facilitators get organized for the fnal
push to the report, the kids are freed to wander
about. Will they ever return? We have yet to
experience RED DOTS! Will we actually reach a
conclusion? Will it be the same conclusion of other
groups? At last, there is the distribution of the red
dots. Each student only has three to choose from.
Our choices are narrowing.just like in real life!
ONE DOT PER AREA. Choices have to be
made! Resources (dots, money, ideas) are limited.
What a life lesson. How many dots do we get in
life? Can we get more if we use them up? Can we
change our dots as we change our mind? Grow
older, learn more
RED DOTS: What are do you want our report
to focus upon? Tick tock, vote your dot.. A
bulletin form the home offce. There will be blue
dots in a follow up session. Joy, MORE DOTS!
What have our dots told us? Are dots the way
of the future??? What color are YOUR dots?
HEALTHCARE: Its all about Doctor Training.
Who is responsible? Retired Docs who want to
teach. But wait, what do the old guys know? Chris
pops inSign your report. Why does CW talk
so fast?
What are the training standards? Rules,
curriculum. Answer: Surgeon General (A
government answer). Medical colleges might
work, national medical associations,
So HOW do we get this going? Answer: A
test on patients (Oh yeah, I want to be the test
dummy). Or, test on other doctors, now theres a
good idea. Wait a minute, maybe we are talking
about peer review. Hospitals rank the doctors.
Supervisors elected by medical staff. How much
do you think this would cost? A better medical
program How much? (Jane Persists) $320,000
one student ventures, $800,000,, $500,000,
$250,000. $600,000 average
ENVIRONMENT: Community Involvement!
Who is it? Detroit residents! District Residents.
(District?) The Mayor should be responsible City
Council, Government Employees. OK, HOW
are you going to get them involved? Mandatory
meetings and involvement. A day of service for
all citizens. Send out fyers. Law Enforcement.
The GREEN POLICE! OK, about the cost $2,000,
$500,000, $1k per month per worker, $400,000,
$20,000 Where do they get their concepts of
money? No one has approached a million or
billion amounts that are in the paper everyday.
DO they relate this to themselves, their homes, their
household wealth? Not clear cross talk from the
room next door is making it more diffcult to work.
Environment is getting nosier. Pressure builds to
get to the bottom line $500 per person.. The
bidding continues. $1,500 per person, its not real
money fnal bid $1,300 per person.
EDUCATION: Make it fun and active
WHO is involved The schools arent they
the problem in the frst place? The school board
now there is a productive group, residents,
corporations, we are running out of time
How do we implement: Principals.
Corporations, the city, fund raisers, car washes
meeting totally out of control. Walls are opening,
focus lost, moving to large group setting. last
question, how much does this cost? The bids are
open again. Control is lost, the mob wins to
the barricades! Vive la revolution!
Workgroup IV Session
Narrative
1
Per the guidance of the ESD Institute, one of
our chief intentions was to introduce a socially
equitable, free-thinking collaborative learning
processes to students. We also intended to
harness their insights to provide an opportunity
to translate these ideas and suggestions into
meaningful action.
Workgroup #4 was facilitated by four
individuals who served in multiple roles
in interchanging roles: Shani Allison,
Emile Lauzzana, John Sier , and Ian
Tran. Approximately 32 middle school students
participated in our workgroup. One to three adult
chaperons, and occasionally an ESD/ESDI staff
member or camera person would join us in the
room to observe.
Students introduced themselves, the
institutions which they represented, and shared
what they appreciated about the places from
which they came at the start of the session. These
students hailed from STAR Academy of Dearborn,
Academy of the Sacred Heart the Universal Public
School Academy of Dearborn, the Detroit Edison
Public School Academy, and the Detroit Public
School District.
BRAINSTORMING
Workgroup #4 was to elicit the how out of the
plenary sessions what: students in workgroup
#4 gave ways to achieve the visionary student-
driven themes highlighted in the preceding
plenary session. From the plenary session, the
following topics seeded the framework for our
workgroups discussions:
% Entertainment/Attractions
% Good Education
% Jobs/Good Economy
% Eco-Friendly/Low Pollution, Clean and
NeatCity
% Infrastructure, buildings, and Architecture
% Safety, good emergency and health care
services
Threads of these remained throughout the
workgroup sessions and were eventually focused
1. The Institute has abbreviated this narrative for purposes
of the presentation of this Report. The entire Narrative is
an exciting and comprehensive window into an interactive
workgroup in action and is available in its unedited draft form
upon written request.
and prioritized into four particular areas of
insight. Interestingly, students ultimately rejected
the latter category, healthcare etc., as a top
three priority, though themes of it were found
throughout discussion in the other topics:
1. Education
2. Economy/Jobs
3. Entertainment and Community Assets
4. Health care, safety, and environmental justice
Verbal student involvement was outstanding
from the start, there were often more hands in the
air or ideas coming forth than the facilitators could
capture at once. The facilitators suggested that
the students write all of their ideas down to help
stem the fow of input; many of these comments
and ideas were later collected and are included
in Appendix A. For the few students who were
particularly quiet, several facilitators made sure
to invite them to participate or joined them
inobserving.
Partway through the morning session the
group began to lull, and students were also
asked to reseat themselves so as to be in the
company of new acquaintances. This change in
social dynamics helped to spur a resurgence of
student input. Every idea contributed during our
preliminary brainstorm sessions elicited insightful
stories, and the workgroup quickly cohered via
resonating educational experiences common to all
of the students in the room.
As student suggestions accumulated, desires
for particular outcomes in education transformed
into subtle stepping stones for interdisciplinary
implementation in the frst half of the
groupsession.
Education
It was clear the students had a strong desire to
discuss education and the many issues they faced
daily in their schools and communities. Key
themes of this discussion included:
% learning options and opportunities for
individualized educational advancement
% quality learning resources and opportunities
% equitable access to technology and internet
resources
% greater standards for educational achievement
% peer to peer education
% integration with institutions of higher
education
For example, a recurring discussion concerned
a students proposal for personalized evaluations
for students that would help schools, public
or private, match the pace and educational
standards of each individual student whenever
they transferred to a new school. Another student
suggested that students who exceeded the
learning standards of particular age-based classes
at the new institution to which they are transferred
to should be offered opportunities to tutor
other students or advance to more appropriate
courses - even if with older students. By show of
hands, nearly all of the students had transferred
from another school at least once in their
educationalcareer.
Over two-thirds of these students could not
take textbooks home with them. Some students
remarked that they had limited access to the tools
necessary for their school assignments which
required the use of certain computer programs
they claimed that they often spent more time
waiting to use the computer, and would not be
able to fnish the assignment because they cannot
work on the computer at home. By show of hands,
most of the students also did not have internet
access at home.
Students almost unanimously emphasized the
importance of mentorship, educational resources,
and stable learning spaces for students to utilize
after school. They proposed community homes
with committed teachers who would work to help
them in their education outside of school. The
students distinguished these community teachers
from natal and foster parents in that the teachers
are selected by their passion and training in
helping, student encouragement, and teaching.
There was consensus agreement in integrating
higher education institutions like community
college and University programs with their
schools. This relationship, as well as additional
non-traditional course options (a specifc example
included more offerings in arts and theatre) would
also help expose future students to additional
career opportunities. Students expressed a
keen desire for more interactive educational
processes and better contextualized educational
content
2
. In discussing education in arts and
entertainment, one student asserted that Detroit
is music. Taking funding and options for art
programs away takes from its future talent.
There was also a strong sense of student
interest, engagement, commitment, and service
to their immediate communities and region. This
2. For example, processes in education can be implemented
through activities in hands-on, project (e.g. http://www.pltw.
org/), service learning (e.g. http://www.rootsandshoots.org/),
and place-based education (e.g. http://www.michiganplt.
org/ ) that provide relevant and meaningful examples for the
application of concept.
was often attributed to their involvement in
initiatives coordinated by disparate institutions
such as their school, church, and youth programs
including the Future City competition. However,
some students did lead projects of their ownin
one case a student helped clean up and repaint a
room in her own school. Students affrmed that
service opportunities for middle school students
are valuable yet sparse. By the second half of
the session, this place-based ethos was also
refected in many suggestions for the revitalization
ofDetroit.
Jobs and Economy
Making Detroit a positive place to live and
the localization of its goods and services were
identifed as important steps for job creation
and economic renewal. Students acknowledged
that personal sacrifces would need to be made
and pointed out diversifcation from Detroits
local industrial manufacturing employment
base to increases in information, services,
and technological felds as new approaches
to Metro-Detroits business environment. A
business incubator and/or more companies and
venture capital groups were recommended to
help local and other prospective entrepreneurs
createbusinesses.
3
Entertainment and Community Assets
Students proposed that famous Detroit athletes
or musicians should give back by working with
3. The role of education in entrepreneurship was briefy
touched upon in the afternoon workgroup session too.
Making public buildings available for activities like sports
that draw citizens to businesses was another recommendation.
Commitment from individual citizens, local and neighboring
Detroit communities, entrepreneurs, and government were
identifed as requisite for the success of these initiatives.
schools to teach in the city and/or provide funds
to boost the recovery of its rich cultural and
physical heritage and future. This was initially
addressed as Arts, Culture, and Entertainment,
but soon became a conglomerated category of
artistic, athletic, cultural, entertainment, and
physical environments as students questioned
the paradigm and substantiated the defnition
of entertainment. Some students introduced
contemplative recreation in natural areas or to
historical buildings as being equally important
aspects of entertainment. Two students suggested
tours for promoting awareness of community
assets, one student explained that her interest in
places like the Michigan Central Train Station and
buildings in Detroits downtown arose from her
increased awareness of the area as she researched
for the Future City competition.
4
Detroits Vacant Space
While vacant lots and blighted homes were a clear
issue of concern, one student proposed that vacant
spaces could be converted into Ecopark spaces,
and others added that vacant lots could also be
used for festivals and carnivals once cleaned
possibly as collaborative showcases of service and
talents from students of many schools. Students
remarked that these community assets could
present the face of a Detroit media campaign
similar to the Pure Michigan or Chrysler
Imported from Detroit advertisements. Students
believed that capturing positive and meaningful
events are crucial to spurring sustained attention
and interest in Detroit.
4. Several students also relayed their disappointment in
the lack of community centers and places for children to play
and explore. Other than some basketball, theres nothing to
do for kids in Detroit. They got casinos, and sports stadiums
downtown butwe cant do anything at those places.
Health Care, Safety, and Environmental Justice
This topic was not identifed as a top three
priority by the students and thus no outline was
created, though the discussion merits mention.
Several facilitators introduced health care as a
topic for focused discussion during the second
session; safety and environment were necessarily
explored as well. Students expressed consensus
on the access and availability of health care and
proposed alternatives for funding or mitigating
the necessary costs for health care. Students saw
additional opportunities conducive to business
creation through private fundraising, bolstering
business and venture capitalist incubators, and
government supported monetary donations and
donations for public land.
5
Quality ftness and health education for food
and healthy living were seen as important to
students. Fitness and health education were
addressed for schools and on community levels.
Prevention through recreational exercise, local
growing/gardening
6
, and increased walkability to
community features were mentioned.
Concluding Remarks
The work of the students was
inspiring to us and we hope
they will be to all generations.
The inquiry, innovation, insight,
and constructive suggestions
provided by these students
reveal an up-and-coming
Citizenscape dedicated to
engaging education, economy, and the socio-
geographical dimensions of Metro Detroit through
open dialogue, consensus building, and solutions-
oriented leadership.
These elements of education, economy, and
community identity may be seen as a baseline for
a brighter future. The qualities necessary to carry
them out are alive and well in many of the youth
among our communities today. What remains for
current leaders is to take action through the very
same processes depicted above to equitably foster
a foundation for which these students will work
with in their Future Detroit.
The future becomes the present by the moment.
5. Some students suggested that the land be donated
through the government, if implemented, community land
trusts (CLT) may be a viable means for governance (see www.
smallisbeautiful.org/clts.html for details on CLTs)
6. The Greening of Detroit currently has a variety of
educational programs which may aid in achieving some of
these objectives (see www.greeningofdetroit.com).
Workgroup I Report
Following the brainstorming sessions all group
members were asked to prioritize the top ideas.
The consensus of the group focused on a total of
three ideas, two related to Entertainment and one
related to Crime. Action plans were developed for
each idea:
ENTERTAINMENT I
% WHAT: Identify and grow talent in Detroit
through the creation of a Talent Company
called Stars of Tomorrow and through
competitions like Detroits Got Talent for
both performance and visual arts (architecture,
painting, model design).
% WHO: All age groups of Detroit residents;
Celebrities from Detroit
% HOW: Detroit residents get to vote on the talent
during annual competition with the winners
getting to be part of the company;
% COST: Agents are hired for the winning talent
and they share a percent of earnings with the
building owners to help pay for the company.
National celebrities born in Detroit would
sponsor the competitions.
ENTERTAINMENT II
% WHAT: Create a Detroit Dance Academy
as a training ground for young people as
professional and amateur Cheerleaders and
dancers.
% WHO: Detroit youth 717 (amateurs) and 18
and over (professionals); sports teams; donors
% HOW: Auditions for kids under 17 to learn
and perform cultural dancing (salsa, African,
other) and cheerleading. Perform at concerts,
shows, sporting events. Use vacant building
downtown for academy.
% COST: Charge fees for performing at shows,
sports events, get famous company (Alvin
Ailey) to do fundraiser, charge for tuition and
optional living expenses.
CRIME
% WHAT: Create a kids crime fghting group
called SPY KIDS: Semi-Powerful Youth and JET
PACS: Just Everyday Technology Protecting All
Children.
% WHO: Detroit Youth 12-17, Police mentors,
Federal Government
% HOW: Kids are trained at special crime fghting
and junior CIA camps. Trained kids get
mentored by police and a special hotline is set
up specifcally for Spy Kids to report crime in
neighborhoods, schools.
% COST: Fees are charged for camps ($60),
with some kids getting scholarships. Federal
Government (Homeland Security?) funds this
project.
Workgroup II Report
Following the brainstorming
sessions all group members
were asked to prioritize the
top ideas. The consensus of
the group focused on a total
of four ideas, two related to
Transportation and the other
2 on Safety and Education.
Action plans were developed
for each idea:
SAFETY AND SECURITY
% WHAT: Improve Safety and Security in the
City.
% WHO: Citizens, neighborhood watch groups,
police, mayoral responsibility, teachers and
parents to have more interactions
% HOW:
By installing more alarms
By a no tolerance policy for bullying in
schools
By building up the reputation of the city
By having more police living in various
neighborhoods
By more community involvement
By having more neighborhood watches and
policing
By getting rid of abandoned and derelict
properties
By Re-construct the building wall on
streets by building complete and diverse
communities
% COST & HOW TO PAY FOR IT:
Raise money through fundraisers
Government grants
Taxes
Pay for this by leveraging taxes, bonds and
loans
Community fund raisers
Grants from charitable philanthropic
individuals and organizations
HIGH TECH TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS
% WHAT: Develop Flying Car Technology and
Perfect Electric Vehicles
% WHO:
Inventors
Individuals with great ideas
Corporations that listen to people with
greatideas
% HOW:
Grants
Come up with clear ideas and develop a
marketing and advertising plan
Start with what you already have: retool
existing factories and plants
Use your power for good and not for
personal greed
Taxes
Fundraisers
Money from tourism
Use folks in criminal justice system to
generate revenue stream
Barter and trade
Volunteerism
EDUCATION
% WHAT: Improve education and make it more
affordable.
% WHO: Robert Bobb, Citizens, School Board,
Teachers that care, Government, Students, Bill
Gates
% HOW:
More family support
Hiring teachers that care
Make schools more like families
Changing value system from money to
passions
Students themselves investing in their own
futures
Develop a credit bank where you get paid
in services and goods for what you have
provided and get your education paid for
this way
Borrow money from China
No cost, just time and care
ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS
% WHAT: Develop more routes, more nodes,
more types of roads, more varied personal
transportation systems such as hovercraft or
fying jet paks, more varied and sustainable
fuels for transportation (wind, hydro-cell),
more lanes on highways affordable.
% WHO:
Architects and engineers should be
empowered to develop these alternatives
Mayor Bing
% HOW: through taxes and grants
% COST & HOW TO PAY FOR IT: $20-30 million
and Kwame Kilpatrick should pay for it as
afne.
Workgroup III Report
Following the brainstorming
sessions all group members
were asked to prioritize the
top ideas. The consensus
of the group focused on
a total of three ideas:
Healthcare, Education and
Environment.
HEALTHCARE
% WHAT: Better doctor training
% WHO: Retired doctors, Experienced doctors,
Surgeon General, Colleges, National Medical
Association
% HOW: Patient feedback, Peer review, Hospitals
to rank doctors, Staff elected supervisor
% COST: $600,000.00
Workgroup IV Report
Following the brainstorming sessions all group
members were asked to prioritize the top
ideas. The consensus of the group focused on a
total of three ideas: Healthcare, Education and
Environment.
EDUCATION
% WHAT: Improved education
% WHO: Students, Parents, Teaching, Admin,
Government, Mentors, Tutors
% HOW: Community homes, committed teachers,
peer to peer education, comprehension not
memorization, Cleaner schools, lower student
teacher ratio, Lower student/teaching ratio,
higher standards for educational performance,
Increased after school activities, Field trips
and colleges/universities coming to schools
earlier (k-12) Resource availability: dictionaries,
thesauri, almanacs, etc. and technological
learning tools (internet, computers)
% COST: Tech and resources, Field trips, More
staff, Transit, Advertising and fundraising
ENTERTAINMENT AND COMMUNITY ASSETS
% WHAT: Engage all age group in creative
entertainment pursuits
% WHO: All ages (children-seniors), Actors,
Musicians, Authors, writers, athletes,
ENVIRONMENT
% WHAT: Community involvement in the
environment
% WHO: Detroit residents, Other district leaders,
City Government, Mayors Offce, Student
Council, Government employees
% HOW: Mandatory meetings, Flyers/
advertisement, Law enforcement
% COST $750/person
EDUCATION
% WHAT: Education fun and active
% WHO: Schools, Students, Board of Education,
City Government, Citizens, Community,
Mayors Offce Corporotions
% HOW: Corporate involvement, City sponsored
feld trips, Educate principals with direction of
Board of Education
% COST: $500,000.00/year
producers, managers, magicians, comedians,
other entertainers, sports team owners, media,
editors, community leaders
% HOW: Write letters to the people listed under
the who section, Bring more sports to the city,
The people identifed in the Who group should
volunteer their talents to give greater exposure
to talented and aspiring individuals, Make art
more interactive and visible
% COST: Advertising, art; more media coverage,
More resources in the school for arts, Media
makes sacrifces, Specifcs: Sport, arts, etc.
facilities
JOBS AND ECONOMY
% WHAT: Attract more jobs and improve the
economy
% WHO: Citizens of Detroit, Community,
Entrepreneurs, President, Government
% HOW: Create new businesses, More exports,
fewer imports, Make more within Detroit,
Govt. supports via donations and loans, real
estate, etc., An idea company that takes in all
ideas, and puts them to usesupports other
businesses (business incubator and venture
capitalists), Make public buildings available for
sports and other events to draw more people to
the area
% COST: Diversify from Manufacturing
automotive economy to information center/
services and tech; Personal sacrifces
Closing of the Youth
Symposium
This was a day of accomplishment for the 107
middle school students from around Detroit.
First, lets start with their passion.
Imagine for a moment when we kicked off the
symposium by asking each student to stand up,
step up, and speak up to answer the question of
the day, What makes a city cool? If you had any
doubt that our future leaders might lack courage
or creativity, just look at a short list of some of
their answers:
% The People
% Good Government
% Architecture
% Technology
% Infrastructure
% Safety
% Ideas
% Jobs
% Diversity
% Clean Environment
% Schools & Education
% Healthcare
They certainly set their standards high! Most of
us could not have done better in coming up with
those answers.
But they didnt just stop with great ideas!
The work of our students went far beyond
dreams, goals, or what we called throughout the
Symposium, The What Question. The student
faced head-on the tough realities of realizing those
dreams by telling us how they would get their
goals done by answering The How Question, as
we called it.
And they were not bashful. They rolled up
their sleeves and did not back away from the
challenge. In fact, they embraced a fundamental
process tool often left out of public policy debates:
inclusive problem solving through teamwork.
Regardless of background, grade, or school, they
all became citizens working together and learning
from eachother.
Lastly, lets take a good look at ourselves!
Perhaps, like many of the parents, mentors,
teachers, civic, and business leaders and other
adults who were privileged to observe the
Symposium frst hand, you as a reader of this
report may come away nourished by a renewed
faith in our coming generation of leaders. But
this sense of optimism will likely be tempered
by the sobering refection of what we have yet to
accomplish on their behalf: our unfnished mission
to give these citizens the opportunity of fulflling
their dreams.
And, so, The Engineering Society of Detroit and
its Institute extend our appreciation to everyone
who made this special day one that will serve as a
lighthouse for those struggling with todays harsh
realities of impasse and intractable confict in our
region. Let this report enable us to set aside our
differences, come together, and make the future
a better place for those young citizens who have
spoken.
We would like to leave you with a true story
from one of the many dedicated elementary/
middle school principals in Detroit. Early on in her
assignment, the principal confronted the grip of
two competing gangs at her school. Taking the two
gang leaders to an elementary school classroom,
she asked them to say hello to the students. After
some awkward hellos, she asked each gang leader
to shake the individual hand of the students.
When they did, the principal put her hand over
the two and said, Protect our little ones. Those
gang members embraced the mission and the
school became neutral ground that was off limits
to gang colors and harm.
When you put down this report and consider
its contribution, we urge you to take the hand of
each student and become a part of a turnaround
that will make a positive difference in our region
and the lives of our little ones.
Appendix A: Student Declarations

FUTURE DETROIT:
ENVISIONING TOMORROW TOGETHER
A Symposium Abstract
1

The City of Detroit has experienced more than four decades of
economic, manufacturing, population, education and infrastructure
decline. Once again, under a new city administration, the aspirations
are high. Everyone is hopeful. At the same time, a few miles away from
the city center, the 115-year-old local Engineering Society of Detroit
(ESD), is keeping its promise and commitment to raising the future
generation of engineers by being the regional sponsor to the Future
City
competition. ESD is in its 16

th
year of sponsorship but 2010
marks the first time that ESD is launching a new and exciting
competition called Future Detroit.
While city leaders continue to devise a plan to return Detroit to
a globally competitive center for technical innovation, what has never
been done in this process is listening to the plans emerging from the
minds of those inhabitants with the richest imaginations: Detroits
children. Right after its launch, 26 Detroit public, private and
parochial schools embarked on the challenge to dream up a future
Detroit. The opportunity to match Detroits need with the creative
minds of Detroits youth, is what has made launching the local
component of this national competition an immediate success.
To envision, think big and formalize ideas by producing
papers, three dimensional computer renderings and scaled tabletop
models is an incredible challenge and learning opportunity for the 6
th
,
7
th
and 8
th
graders embarking on the Future City
competition
challenge. According to the International Association for Educational
Achievement, the United States is rapidly declining when compared to
other countries achievement of students in math and science. These
skills are critical if our region is to maintain a prominent position in
the development of new technology. The Future City
program is a
STEAM based initiative, raising student interest in Science,

1
2011 The Engineering Society of Detroit. All rights reserved.
Appendix B: Symposium Abstract

Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics. Michigans Future
City
a powerful, enriching experience for the children and important

to the region.
Following the Future City competition, the Engineering Society
of Detroit Institute (ESDI) will conduct the Future Detroit:
Envisioning Tomorrow Together Symposium, where Future City

contestants express the ideas and opinions that were generated by
their teams while developing their competition entries. Together, the
former contestants will create a team that will collaborate in drafting
a collective vision for a future Detroit. Following the process
established by the National Academy of Science Foundation,
symposium facilitators will begin to engage participants with an
icebreaker question:
What are the things that make a city cool?
Our facilitators will then ask all the students to engage the following
Mega Question:
If you were envisioning Future Detroit, what
would it look like and how would you accomplish it?
After discussion on the Mega Question, participants are asked
two start from scratch questions, which will be debated in self-
selected workgroups. Both questions require the students to envision
themselves as adults, living in the Future Detroit they created. One is a
micro-level question and is about the individual living in the city and
the lifestyle the city offers the individual, the second is a macro-level
question that asks about larger issues affecting the city:
infrastructure, policies, transportation, economies. The workgroup
questions are as follows:
1. If you were 30 years old and living in Detroit, what
would be your vision in order to live and work
happily there?
2. If you were a future leader of Detroit, how would
you accomplish your vision of Detroit?
The results of the symposium will then be collected, edited,
and shared in the form of white papers with the community, local and
state leadership. This symposium interaction is meant to be an
enriching personal experience for those involved as well as for the
community. Three student presenters from the best five teams, a total

of 15 students, will be invited to share their vision of Detroit with a
larger audience of students from the 21 remaining schools.
The process of the symposium is inclusive and outcome-
neutral. The ESD Institute has a proven track record of bringing
together leaders from business, labor, government, academic and the
professions throughout Michigan to identify consensus-based
initiatives to turn Michigans economy around. Attendees at past
symposia have generated breakthrough ideas such as a new Michigan
investment zone that will allow us to compete globally as an exporting
state and the Blue Economy that will attract water-focused businesses
ranging from the manufacturing of alternative energy products, to
growing our food for a healthy tomorrow in an urban setting.
Future Detroit: Envisioning Tomorrow Together, will be
ESDIs first youth-based symposium. We are eager and excited to
work with the students of Detroit and the metropolitan area as they
envision and draft their vision of a future Detroit. At the end of the
one-day symposium, parents, mentors, community members and
leaders will be invited to listen to a presentation of the outcome.
Following the symposium, the facilitators are asked to write
symposium reports and recommendations resulting from the
workgroups. The resulting body of knowledge will be published in the
ESD Institute series of publications and the results will be shared
publicly.
Appendix C: Participating Schools & Students
Academy of the Sacred Heart
Bloomfeld Hills, Michigan
% Hailey Briscoe
% Avery Guething
% Christine Slavik
% Bates AcademyDetroit,
Michigan
% Sonja Allen
% Alanna Hall
% Yolanda Perry
Burton International School
Detroit, Michigan
% Brandon Crosson
% Rain Hoskins
% Donald McGowan
% Christopher Smith
% Marcus Wingo
% Tierra Robinson
% Sheldon Snead
% Joshua Williams
CornerstoneDetroit, Michigan
% Jerod Willis
David Ellis Academy West
Redford, Michigan
% Camery Abram
% Clarence Cochran
% Payton Coleman
% Danielle Gaston
% Alyson Grigsby
% Jala Jackson
% Amari Jones
% Paul Jones III
% Shannon Moore
% Mariah Odems
% Talynn Williams
Detroit Edison Public School
AcademyDetroit, Michigan
% Brittany Andrade
% Justin Barry
% Kaprice Bates
% Maestro Boyd
% Marcus Covington
% Jazzmin Ford
% Madison Hunter
% Darian Jackson
% Dominic Lane
% Matthew Lenton
% Darius Moore
% Charliah Morgan
% Kia Woods-Wall
% Amber Young
Detroit Service Learning
% Gabrielle Hawkins
% Mia Norris
% Joshua Watson
O.E. Dunckel ElementaryMiddle
SchoolFarmington Hills, Michigan
% Joshua Bocker
% Elizabeth Ho
% Joshua Kavner
Frank Murphy Elementary/
Middle SchoolDetroit, Michigan
Erma L. Henderson Academy
Detroit, Michigan
O.W.Holmes Elementary/Middle
SchoolDetroit, Michigan
% Fekrah Al-Souf
% Osama Altwil
% Al Hasan Alyafai
% Yakoob Mana
% Saeda Shalhout
% Suzan Shalhout
% Alicia Shami
% Dania Talos
Paul Robeson/Malcolm X
% Lucas Beal
% Andre Carlisle
% Rickey Glasper
% Catera Green
% Alexus Hunt
% Franklin Madu
% Ijeoma Onyene
% Justin Perry
% Takia Ruff
% Ashley Thomas
% Larry Tufts
% Khelsi Williams
Phoenix AcademyDetroit,
Michigan
% Joseph Curtis
% Juan Diaz
% Ryan Klecha
Pulaski Elementary/Middle
SchoolDetroit, Michigan
% Autumn Dickson
% Chann Neal
Star International Academy
Dearborn Heights, Michigan
% Malak Beydoun
% Ali Alardi
% Isa Almozrouei
% Mariam Almozrouei
% Mahmoud Mohammad
St. John Lutheran School
Rochester, Michigan
% Andrew Abraham
% Michelle Abramczyk
% Mackenzie Hill
Universal AcademyDetroit,
Michigan
% Abdulrahman Ahmed
% Habeeb Al-Shohatee
% Aiya Charara
% Niveen Elayan
% Joze Garcia
% Aiah Khalil
% Sarra Metoui
% Almotawakil Nassr
% Amjed Nassr
% Sam Nassr
% Sabriyyah Ricketts
% Dianna Saleh
% Rozan Shohatee
% Ali Safawi
Marvin L. Winans Academy of
the Performing ArtsDetroit,
Michigan
% Erika Pugh
Appendix D: Facilitator Biographical Information
Shani Allison
Shani Allison works as a Program Management
Analyst for Ford Motor Company in Dearborn,
MI. In this position, she oversees the planning and
executing of complex systems and/or projects
related to the Escape vehicle line. Her previous
position was a Product Development Engineer in
the Global Core Cockpit Electronics Department of
Ford Motor Company. Prior to joining Ford in July
2001, she interned for two summers at Goodyear
Tire & Rubber Company in Akron, Ohio as an
electrical engineer working on the design of the
airplane tire machine.
Shani is committed to giving back to the
community, and to the development of future
engineering leaders. She has taken an active
role in the Jackie Robinson Foundation Alumni
Association (JRFAA). Shani serves on the advisory
board for the Penn State Engineering Diversity
Program, where she helps make decisions about
programs that will increase the number of multi-
cultural students interested in engineering and
increase the retention rate for multi-cultural
students in Penn State University (PSU) College
of Engineering. She is also career panelist speaker
for the PSU Women in Engineering Program
Orientation (WEPO), which is a four day program
that welcomes frst year women engineer students
to PSU College of Engineering. Shani is also an
active member of The Engineering Society of
Detroit (ESD) and the Detroit Alumni Extension of
the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), of
which she was recently President.
Shani holds a Bachelors degree in Electrical
Engineering from The Pennsylvania State
University (PSU), and a Masters in Engineering
Management from The University of Michigan.
Shawn Crump
Shawn Crump is a Business Representative for the
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
(IBEW) Local 58. He is a member of Local 58s
Examining Board and also serves on the Detroit
Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee (JATC)
and on the National JATC. Shawn has been
appointed to the Detroit Workforce Development
Board and serves on the D4 collaborative (Doing
Development Different in Detroit), where Local
58 maintains a leadership role on behalf of
organized labor. Additionally, Local 58 is a major
training partner on the US Department of Labor
Energy Training Partnership Grant, and Shawn
is Local 58s representative. This $4.3 million
Recovery Act grant provides a training pipeline
for potential apprentices and prepares Local
58 journeymen and apprentices for renewable
energy certifcations. Shawn began his electrical
career as an apprentice in 1992 after attending the
University of Michigan and went on to earn his
journeyman (1996) and master (2005) electrical
licenses. He has worked on numerous projects
as a journeyman and foreman. He served as the
general foreman for Sachs Electric on the Detroit
Water and Sewage Department instrumentation
retroft (PC-713) at the Wastewater Treatment Plant
2000-2003.
Victoria Kovari
Victoria Kovari is a grant writer and development
consultant with the Engineering Society of Detroit.
Prior to joining ESD, she was the National Field
Director and Interim President of Catholics in
Alliance for the Common Good in Washington
DC. She has worked as a community organizer,
political consultant and housing developer for
numerous non profts over the last nearly 30 years.
In October 2002 she was one of 20 community
leaders in the U.S. awarded the Ford Foundations
national Leadership for a Changing World Award.
A graduate of the University of Michigan, she has
served on the faculty of the Schools of Social Work
at both the University of Michigan and Wayne
State University.
Emile Lauzzana, AIA, LEED AP
Emile Lauzzana is the Executive Director of
Energy Works Michigan. He has worked in the
design and construction industry for over 20
years. A consistent focus of this work has been
to develop capacities for implementing energy
effciency and renewable energy technologies. He
has taught courses at the University of Michigan
and Eastern Michigan University in building
science and sustainable design, and continues
outreach and advocacy activities in RE/EE
through professional organizations. He earned
a Masters of Architecture from the University
of Michigan College of Architecture and Urban
Planning and a BS from the University of
Michigan Department of History.
Bob Leonard
Bob Leonard is President of Metro Stamping and
Manufacturing in Redford, MI.
Gary E. Mach
Gary is best known to Detroit audiences as the
host of the WDIV Channel 4 televisions long
running childrens science program Kidbits,
which aired from 19811997. Gary is an actor,
writer, lawyer, and event host. He is now seen
nationwide on public access cable channels
(including Detroit Channel 22) appearing and
producing a childrens science television show
for the Engineering Society of Detroit, called
SciEngiMathePloration.
Speranta Maior
Speranta Maior is currently Director of Special
Projects of the Engineering Society of Detroit and
Assistant Director of the Engineering Society of
Detroit Institute. Despite her extensive global
travels and work/living experiences abroad, she
has considered Metro Detroit her home since she
and her family immigrated here when she was
13 years old. She was trained as an architect at
the University of Michigan Ann Arbor where she
earned both a Bachelors of Science in Architecture
(1998) as well as a Masters of Architecture (2000).
She has distinguished herself as a designer,
both during her academic career and beyond
by winning various prestigious design awards
including being the frst prize recipient of the
Willeke Design Competition, an honorable
mention for the Wallenberg Competition and
second prize winner in the international ideas
competition for a Future Communication Booth.
She served in the role of lead architectural
designer for various high profle projects that
include small residential, as well as large scale
projects in St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, New York
City, Detroit, Las Vegas, Graz-Austria, and most
recently, Granada-Spain. Speranta is passionate
about building anything and mostly about
building it better.
Siraj Mumin
Siraj Mumin is a mechanical engineer with
Consumers Energy Company. Consumers Energy
currently has him involved in a rotational program
that promotes rapid growth and development in
distribution and customer operations. Throughout
his career, he has concentrated on natural gas
distribution, transmission and storage. Siraj
has served voluntary roles in several different
organizations such as the American Association of
Blacks in Energy (AABE) and Young Engineers
Council with ESD. Siraj holds a Bachelors of
Science in Mechanical Engineering from Oakland
University.
Robert Prudhomme
Robert Prudhomme has over 35 years of
experience in design, construction, and
community advocacy. He is committed to
furthering the concept of sustainable development.
His focus is infll development using the triple
bottom line- Environment, Economy, and Equity-
and LEED-Neighborhood Development as flters
to inform the design process.
He serves the community as President
Emeritus of Transportation Riders United and the
Mission & Program Committee of the River Raisin
Institute. The work of the RRI is to serve as a
transformational learning ecological center.
His work includes educating the public and
public offcials on the environmental, social, and
economic implications of public transit, in terms
of air and water quality, sprawl, healthy lifestyles
and economic and social equity factors.
In addition to his work at TRU and RRI, he has
served on several sustainable design related bodies
including LEED- Neighborhood Development
committee, Chairman of the Ferndale Board
of Zoning Appeals, & Ferndale DDA Design
Committee.
Mr. Prudhomme is currently is working
with the USGBC - Detroit Regional Chapter
on the LEED Neighborhood Development
Committee to create viable, exciting, livable
neighborhoods around alternative transportation
and the subsequent land use and social equity
implications.
John M. Sier
John M. Sier concentrates his practice in dispute
avoidance and resolution of commercial, health
care and construction contract issues as the
head of the frms construction and commercial
litigation group. In the construction industry, Mr.
Sier has experience in analyzing legal aspects
of various project delivery methods including
drafting construction contracts as well as assisting
in dispute resolution and project completion. In
health care, Mr. Sier has handled matters involving
staff privileges, antitrust, Medicare and third-party
payer reimbursement issues as well as HIPAA
compliance issues. He received his Juris Doctor
and Master of Arts in Mass Communication and
Journalism from Drake University Law School and
Graduate School in 1986. He has published articles
and presented seminars on construction, health
care and commercial issues.
Melissa M. Slotta
Melissa M. Slotta is a 3rd year law student at
Wayne State University in Detroit, MI. She holds
am Masters of Public Health degree from the
University of South Florida as well as a Bachelors
of Science from Central Michigan University.
Jane Tate, J.D.
Jane Tate is currently the Assistant Director of The
Engineering Society of Detroit Institute (ESDI).
Jane received her Juris Doctor from the Detroit
College of Law in 1994 and a Bachelor of Applied
Arts from Central Michigan University in 1985
with a major in Broadcast and Cinematic Arts
and a minor in Journalism. Jane is trained as a
mediator and owns her own mediation practice,
Mediate Michigan LLC.
Ian Tran
Ian Tran is a senior pursuing his B.S. in
Environmental Science at the University of
Michigan-Dearborn (UM-D). Tran was an invitee
and contributor to the Engineering Society
of Detroits (ESD) 2009 Lean Green School
Symposium education working group; he later
served on the DEPSA Steering Committee and
championed concepts of place-based education
and triple bottom line sustainability. He was
awarded a UM-D Department of Natural
Sciences Scholarship Seat in 2009 to contribute
to the Paragon Leadership International/
NextEnergy Epprentice Challenge alternative
energy economic and education working group;
its project outcomes shall be utilized by the
Michigan Wind Institute. Tran contributed
comprehensive solutions in waste reduction,
energy sourcing, green infrastructure,
education, community and ecological economic
development for the City of Dearborns
Sustainability Master Plan and for the 2009 102nd
Air Waste Management Association conferences
Environmental Challenge International as
UM-Ds team lead. Tran is President of the
Student Environmental Association at UM-D
and served throughout 2010 as a spokesperson,
moderator, and environmental interpreter for
the Dearborn Sierra Club Cool Cities group
to foster comprehensive sustainability efforts
among community leaders in the Dearborn area.
He was awarded as a UM-D Difference Maker
and has since been appointed to the Mayors
Environmental Commission for the City of
Dearborn in 2010.
Tran has also worked in numerous educational
capacities either directly with hundreds of 3rd
grade-College students as an orientation leader,
writing consultant, student naturalist, or tutor
at UM-D or through contributions to nationally
recognized educational programs for K-12: the
2011 Future City Competition learning blocks via
the ESD and The Henry Ford Museums Rouge
Truck Plant as a representative of the U.S. Green
Building Council-Detroit Regional Chapter in
his role as a member of the projects advisory
committee.
Lynley M. Weston, PE, LEED AP
Lynley M. Weston is an Engineer and Sustainable
Construction Manager for Turner Construction
Company, a Detroit-based commercial builder
in Michigan since 1913. She has helped provide
LEED AP staff training, consult on LEED
Certifcation-seeking projects, and create
construction waste diversion and indoor air
quality management implementation plans. Born
and raised in the Great Lakes State, she graduated
from the University of Michigan with a BS in Civil
Engineering and has recently become a licensed
profession engineer. She also plays an active role
in the Young Engineers Councila professional
development and volunteer group facilitated by
the Engineering Society of Detroit.
Appendix E: The Engineering Society of Detroit Board of Directors
William P. Russo
ESD President
Director, Global Powertrain
Manufacturing Engineering
Ford Motor Company
Terry J. Woychowski
ESD Vice President
Vice President Global Vehicle
Program Management
General Motors Corp.
Steven E. Kurmas, PE
ESD Treasurer
President & COO
Detroit Edison Co./DTE Energy
Darlene J. Trudell, CAE
ESD Secretary
Executive Vice President
The Engineering Society of
Detroit
Richard J. Haller
ESD Immediate Past President
President & COO
Walbridge
Katherine M. Banicki
President & CEO
Testing Engineers & Consultants
Michael D. Bolon
Senior Vice President of
Enterprise Strategy & Chief
Technical Offcer
General Dynamics Land Systems
Keith W. Cooley
CEO
Principia, LLC
Michael F. Cooper, PE, FESD
Managing Principal
Harley Ellis Devereaux
Patrick J. Devlin
Chief Elected Offcer
Michigan Building Trades
Council
Thomas M. Doran, PE
Principal/Vice President
Hubbel, Roth & Clark, Inc.
Robert A. Ficano, JD
Wayne County Executive
Wayne County
Subhendu Guha, PhD
Executive Vice PresidentPV
Technology, Energy Conversion
Devices
Chairman, United Solar Ovonic
Kouhaila Hammer, CPA
President & CEO
GHAFARI Associates, LLC
Susan S. Hawkins
VP, Planning & Performance
Improvement
Henry Ford Health System
Byron A. Kearney
VP Scientifc Labs & Proving
Grounds
Chrysler, LLC
Mary L. Kramer
Publisher
Crains Detroit Business
Gail Mee, PhD
President
Henry Ford Community College
David C. Munson, Jr., PhD
Robert J. Vlasic Dean of
Engineering
University of Michigan
Douglas E. Patton
Senior Vice President,
Engineering
DENSO International America,
Inc.
Yogendra N. Rahangdale
President & CEO, Whitehall
Industries
James M. Safran, PE
President & CEO
Beaumont Services Company,
LLC
Kirk T. Steudle, PE
Director
Michigan Dept. of Transportation
Satish S. Udpa, PhD
Dean, College of Engineering
Michigan State University
Mumtaz A. Usmen, PhD, PE, FESD
Retired/Interim Dean, College of
Engineering
Wayne State University
William J. Vander Roest, PE
Engineering Director
TRW Automotive
Lewis N. Walker, PhD, PE
President & CEO
Lawrence Technological
University
Appendix F: Letters of Support
Appendix G: Workgroup IV Supplemental Material
Many students had more ideas than they had
opportunities to verbally express. We encouraged
them to write their comments down and collected
their comments. The following are suggestions
compiled from students, some anonymously
submitted.
Student #1
Morecommunitycentersfllingthespotsof
vacant lots so that kids can get tutored if they
need it
Moreprogramstocleanupthecommunity
Weshouldtakedownthoseburnedand
abandoned houses because if you went to Detroit
for the 1st time, they are the frst thing you see
Student #2
Thecityshouldcleanthestreetsmorefrom
snow because many vehicles are getting stuck
and a lot of accidents are occurring
Student #3
HealthCare
Lesspollution
Hospitalsgivingmoneydonationstothose
who need it
fundraiserstoearnmoneyforpeopleinneed
universalcoverage
morehealtheducation
notobacco
healthdiscussiongroups
encouragegood,healthybehavior
Asthmaawareness
Discouragebadhealthbehavior
Putupnosmokingposters
Nursesinallschools
Morehospitals
Wecouldmakecarsthatrunonotherfuels
Student #4
Teachersshouldenhancetheirteachingskills,
they shouldnt teach something and once kids
comprehend it, leave it behind in that lesson.
Whatever was learned in previous lessons
should also be carried on in future lessons,
things are obviously learned for you to carry on
into the future, but if it is never brought up the
knowledge on those specifc things will be left
behind and forgotten as if never learned. When
a teacher teaches something they should bring
it up in at least one future lesson. In doing that,
it will result in kids achieving at a higher level!
Student #5, Academy of the Sacred Heart
Environment
o Encourage:
People
Fundraisers
Donations
Nosmoking
Tree/otherplantplantings
Alternativerenewableenergy:
geothermal, wind, solar, water
o Create events for:
Planting
Cleaningupschoolgrounds,parks,other
places
Fundraisers
Generalandmainideas
o Export more
o Zones for industry outside city
lesspollution,lawsforindustryabout
safety and pollution limit
o Diversifed economy
o More theaters
o Healthcare: more clinics
o Education:
moreclasses
quizzesatendofeachsemestertokeep
schools at the same pace
thesearedistinguishedbyprivate,
public, etc.
Student #6
Smallerclassesforstudentswholearnatslower
paces and put faster learners in different classes
Morecomputerstostudyfortestsandquizzes
in school
Morehands-oncurriculumtobetter
understand the substance, learning methods
that encourages all styles and senses
Weneedtolearnmoreabouthistorysowe
can actually tell someone about the new
experiences
Moreinteractivegamesthatstimulateyour
mind into learning how to interact with people
Morematerialsneedtobeprovidedto
students that focus on successful life-skills and
preparedness
Moreencouragementforstudentstodobetter
and to achieve their future life goals
Entertainmentandinteractivecommunity
features should be kept
Moremuralsandwallsforstudentstopaint
and be creative to express how they feel
through art
Filmtheimportantthingsinlifelikekidsdoing
ecofriendly things to help the environment
moresportstostayphysicallyactiveand
healthy, also education for personal hygiene
Weneedaccesstonewthingsliketickets
to concerts or entertainment and historical
buildings
Higherexpectationssothatstudentswhoexcel
faster than others can go into another grade
level instead of staying there
LessviolenceonTVbecauseitencourages
people to do what they see and hear on TV: be
violent
Thinkpositiveabouttheoutcomeandfuture
provided for you and look back on how far
youve come
Haveschoolsincorporatemoreresourcebooks
like history books, thesauri, dictionaries, and
almanacs
Schoolsshouldhostfestivalsanddonatethe
money to charity
Fewertoxicspraystopreventasthma
o Because people might not know what to do
when someone has an asthma attack
Theworldisreliantonmoney,weshouldgo
back to bartering and trading
Remindstudentsofabiggerrewardsinlife
Testsshouldntbewritten,theyshouldbeoral
and you should be judged on how well you
understand the information
Morelittleshopsandstallsrightoffofthe
streets and people having fun instead of
studios in the middle of boring buildings where
people are driving by and cannot enjoy them
Severalschoolscouldcometogetherandputon
a carnival in a park to showcase various talents
obtained by students
togetpeopletonotrememberDetroitforthe
vacant buildings and lots, construction workers
should wait until they are able to put up a
new building right after tearing one down to
downsize the number of vacant lots
Student #7
Thecityshouldbuildorre-openschoolsinthe
Metro Detroit area
Detroitshouldstartperformingserviceslike
plowing the snow and ticketing those who
dont clean their property
PeopleareleavingDetroitbecauseofthepull
facto from other cities, they clean streets and
get rid of destroyed homes
Appendix G: Workgroup IV Supplemental Material
Appendix H: Student Janel Dyes Proposal
Appendix H: Student Janel Dyes Proposal
Stand Up
Step Up
Speak Up
2011 The Engineering Society of Detroit. All Rights Reserved. This Report may not be reproduced in whole or
in part without the express written permission of The Engineering Society of Detroit.
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FUTURE DETROIT

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