Category: Multimodal Compositions

How Youth Education Can Improve Water Equity

Our ultimate goal is to implement more water infrastructure education for the youth, influencing a new generation to become further aware of issues regarding all-around water infrastructure in the future—complex systems are composed of many interconnected parts. Simple systems are systems in which components interact with each other to serve a purpose but aren’t connected in a way like complex systems. Understanding water equity amongst youth is essential because “although we can certainly do our part to conserve this valuable resource, today’s youth will ultimately be responsible for sustaining Earth’s future water supply” (KEYE). 

When it comes to water infrastructure, constructing awareness about the importance of conserving water is vital especially for the youth. Eventually, we will put the importance of water infrastructure in the hands of a new generation. Therefore, we must teach them the reasons behind water conservation and practical usage. Water infrastructure is complex; if one factor changes even the slightest bit, the rest of the system can easily be thrown off. This is why we need to aid in introducing water infrastructure to the youth, and this must be done in interactive ways. Interactive activities, keep people engaged and active in the topic of conversation.

Students are among our most significant stakeholders in this project. Allowing the younger generation to be involved not only helps our water but also helps the environment overall. In addition, better water quality leads to improvement in the overall health of the community. Abbas Hassan states, “The youth demographic represents a dynamic force characterized by enthusiasm, energy, and a deep desire to make a difference. Engaging young people in WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) initiatives taps into their passion for social change and their ability to challenge conventional thinking”(Hassan). These initiatives are essential for human health, well-being, and development. Another stakeholder is taxpayers; their money funds the school and plays a massive part in its budget. JJK and Heartlands are also stakeholders. In particular, JJK participates in your education at their center, so they are particularly important.  Asma Bachikh states, “Stakeholder participation is at the core of effective water and sanitation management. Many countries—83 percent of 94 countries surveyed in 2013-2014—now have stakeholder participation in policies andx/or laws” (Bachikh). This quote shows how much of a role stakeholders, like students and taxpayers, can play in water infrastructure. 

            Youth education influences water infrastructure, and we need to identify the drivers. According to our book Sustainable World by Sonya Remington-Doucette, human actions have become central drivers of changing a system (page 124). There are two types of drivers: direct and indirect. “Direct drivers, drivers that clearly and unequivocally influence the behavior of a system. Indirect drivers are drivers that influence the behavior of a system more diffusely by altering one or more direct drivers” (page 123).  Some drivers in our system of how youth education is influential are the community, government, JJK FAN School, and the education system. For example, in the article “Impact of Youth Education in ASCE Library,” the authors want to let the public know that the youth is underrepresented in discussions regarding the community’s future, even though they are the community’s future (McKoy and Vincent 2007). The communities are an indirect driver as they affect how children interact with the people around them, like their city and counties. Still, it doesn’t directly affect their education on water infrastructure. Other factors related to the same article are cost, benefits, site conditions, and local community factors. 

In the article “Water Accessibility, use and Conservation among Youth: A Comparative Study,” by George Morrara Ogendi and Isaac Ongn’oa, the authors inform readers that education on sustainable water should be taught locally and globally (Ogendi and Ongn’oa). This allows students to become pragmatic leaders and stars and learn to appreciate the environment with a deeper understanding. In our case, the JJK FAN school education system is a direct driver as they interact with the youth and can influence their knowledge of the environment and water infrastructure. Also, going back to cost and site conditions, if JJK FAN can’t obtain the funds, it could affect youth education. If they can’t be taught about the environment and water infrastructure, they do not have a chance to expand their language to others.  

Teachers, students, parents, and the community can come together to improve water infrastructure for the youth. There are various ways to take action since water equity is a complicated issue with many layers. A few examples include extracurricular activities, technology integration, and engaging curriculum. The diagram above shows the connections between the drivers. Each driver plays into the other. For example, JJK and Heartlands can work with the government to produce a curriculum. The teachers teach the curriculum to the students, and eventually, the parents will pick up on what their child is learning. 

The big idea is to incorporate these things into one water infrastructure course for the youth. On the website Thought Exchange, there is a piece that references community involvement’s impact on youth education. “Community is all about creating a sense of belonging. Having a sense of belonging means that students feel accepted, valued, and included by their teachers and peers and consider themselves an important part of their academic community. They are motivated to learn and engage with their course, leading to greater attainment, progression, and improved academic achievement” (Daly). Regarding JJK, getting students involved with the community (and vice versa) benefits their learning potential and many other skills. 

JJK, for example, could start small by creating a gardening club or a science club where they volunteer in the community and test water quality or a research-oriented club where they all come together to combat this wicked problem. Another idea regards technology integration. In this day and age, new technology is popular. Using virtual reality technology, for example, can allow students to see water treatment plants or play games regarding water quality. This will excite kids about using technology while educating them about water technology in their community. JJK has excellent potential to create a great education system focused on water quality. Their new campus will be catered to learning about water and horticulture and will raise a new generation to take pride in our environment. Putting all these together, teachers, parents, and the community can unite to educate everyone about water infrastructure.

Works Cited

Daly, Catherine. “How Community Involvement in Schools Enhances Student Success.” ThoughtExchange, 13 June 2022, https://thoughtexchange.com/blog/community-involvement-in-schools/. Accessed 29 October 2024.

Hassan, Abass. “Empowering Change Agents: Youth Engagement in Wash Initiatives.” LinkedIn, 9 Aug. 2023, www.linkedin.com/pulse/empowering-change-agents-youth-engagement-wash-abass-hassan-#:~:text=Young%20minds%20are%20inherently%20curious,drive%20innovation%20and%20push%20boundaries. 

KEYE. “Cultivating sustainability: Why we should educate youth about water usage and conservation.” CBS Austin, 3 June 2024, https://cbsaustin.com/sponsored/spotlight/cultivating-sustainability-why-we-should-educate-youth-about-water-usage-and-conservation. Accessed 29 October 2024.

McKoy, and Vincent. “Impact of Youth Education.” ASCE Library, 2007, https://ascelibrary.org/doi/10.1061/JWRMD5.WRENG-6315#core-c17. Accessed 29 October 2024.

Water Accessibility, use, and conservation among youth: a comparative study.

https://brill.com/edcollchap/book/9789086866915/BP000026.xml

Chapter 19, Page 221-227  Author George Morrara Ogrndi and Issac Ong’oa

Sustainable World by Sonya Remington- Doucettle  2016

Page124 

“Youth and the Integrated Management of Water Resources.” United Nations, United Nations, www.un.org/en/chronicle/article/youth-and-integrated-management-water-resources. Accessed 3 Nov. 2024. 

Defining our Wicked Problem

When you were younger, did you ever think about water infrastructure in your free time? Yeah, me neither. Quite honestly, I had never thought about it until I started college and was forced to learn. I wasn’t looking forward to it, but it really opened a new perspective for me. Water infrastructure is a very complicated issue that isn’t just geographical, but also has a great deal of social injustice also. There are so many layers to water infrastructure, which make it such a wicked problem. 

 I have lived in the same house my entire life and go to college just 20 minutes from it, so I am very familiar with the area. If you were to stand in my driveway and walk 10 minutes in every direction, you’d be in a new, very different, community. One of the communities is Caseyville. Caseyville didn’t have the best of anything. The schools were run down, the houses weren’t kept up, and you wouldn’t feel safe walking alone on the street at midnight. On the other hand, Edwardsville had everything: nice neighborhoods, places to shop, and several nice schools to choose where your child got their education. It all comes down to which community has more money, and it is painfully obvious.

Water infrastructure goes hand in hand with socioeconomic standings. The wealthier communities get higher quality water and the communities with more poverty get the short end of the stick. Wealthier people pay more money in taxes, which in turn generates more money for the city to put towards its needs. This makes sense, but not when it comes to basic human needs. I remember my friend from Edwardsville coming over to my house for the first time. We got ourselves a glass of water and she pointed out how it tasted differently. I thought she was crazy. She said it tasted like dirt compared to the water that came out of her refrigerator.

Water infrastructure and equity is hard to define. Most of us can see how this is a problem, but it is hard to say why. Some people may say it has something to do with the government, others may say it is due to high poverty levels, and some people simply don’t care. It is a lot deeper than we think. Most of us are agreeing there is a problem, but not doing anything to resolve it. The definition of the problem is vague, which means it truly is a wicked problem 

There is no “getting to the bottom” of a wicked problem. There are no solutions but also infinitely many solutions. As solutions arise, new problems will also. When we dig so deep into these problems, we are so sure we are making progress, but only to find out we are only uncovering other problems too. For example, Collinsville High School is breaking ground on a new Vocational center across the road. Great, right!? However, when they were digging, they found an old ammunition stand that was full of lead. This can affect water quality in Collinsville, so the city must spend more money to combat this newly risen problem. This is just one example of how one problem leads to the next. Wicked problems have no endpoint. 

There is a reason we say resolving the wicked problem instead of solving. There is no clear solution and the solutions we try are irreversible. If we think something will work, but when it is all said and done, we realize there is no progress. There is no getting that money, time, or effort back. We don’t live in a perfect world, and there is no undoing the past. However, these resolutions can make monumental progress in making these communities better places. We live in the Midwest. We are known for farming, tornadoes, and coal. I think that is so interesting because those all counteract each other. Tornadoes destroy farming and coal mining has damaged the soil for farming. Nonetheless, what resolutions may work here, may not work in other areas because we are unique. Some areas where I grew up consist of fields and farms while another community down the road can have a strip mall with large subdivisions. This shows that even within the same community, we tackle problems differently. There are good and bad parts of New York, but we won’t resolve a socioeconomic problem the same way we do here. There are many factors that go into this, such as plants, jobs, weather, and money. These factors are extremely different even in neighboring states. 

When you get a boil order notice on your door in the morning, you don’t think much of it. Yes, it’s annoying because you haven’t brushed your teeth yet, need to shower, and you were planning on making dinner tonight, but it’s important, nonetheless. Wicked problems are urgent, especially having to do with water. Everyone needs clean water to survive. This is a public health issue that needs light to be shined on it immediately. 

Hearing the term “wicked problem” may sound intimidating and impossible to resolve. We can still make strides to make a difference, as this problem is urgent. We need to make sure our children are healthy and safe, as well as the current residents. Everyone should have access to clean water, regardless of where they live and how much money they have. 

Works cited

https://www.pollardwater.com/product/pre-printed-door-hangers-notice-boil-water-100-per-pack-in-red-psab013/_/R-4934284

https://karibu.org.za/follow-up-community-fighting-for-their-lives-because-of-dirty-water/