Students in local elementary schools had the opportunity to become Town Planners for a day through Indian Trail’s Box City program. Hosted by the Town’s Planning Department, Box City teaches students the importance of planning when it comes to development, zoning and land use in cities and towns.
During the school day, students constructed buildings to place in their city using materials provided by the Town. Students could create whatever came to mind, such as houses, stores, restaurants and hospitals. Each student created his or her own box. Representatives from the Planning Department, along with Town staff, Planning Board and Tru Homes volunteers, then walked groups of students through developing their very own city, explaining why structures are placed in specific locations.
Once the cities were built, the Planning Department staff selected four box designs from each school. The students brought their chosen boxes before the Planning Board on Nov. 19, with one winner being chosen from each school. All contestants received a certificate of achievement, while the winners will receive an additional certificate and a pizza party for their classrooms.
“Congratulations to this year’s winners,” said Brandi Deese, planning director. “The students are always so creative with their designs and ask great questions as they build their cities. We appreciate the teachers letting us come into their classrooms and love getting the chance to teach students about how their town works.”
In addition to Box City, representatives from the Town’s Engineering Department also provided students with a lesson on stormwater.
This year’s Box City program visited Indian Trail Elementary, Porter Ridge Elementary, Sardis Elementary and Shiloh Valley Primary.
“The Town would like to thank The Moser Group for sponsoring the program this year, as well as Tru Homes employees for volunteering with us,” said Deese. “Their support allowed us to make the program better than ever. Having volunteers from all areas of the town gave students the chance to see how many people and kinds of professions it takes to make a town operate.”
