A
miniature model of Jacksonville constructed by students at Pine Forest
School of the Arts is now on display in City Hall in downtown Jacksonville.
Students at Pine Forest learned first hand the
importance of community planning and design. Starting in August, students
researched buildings and spaces in order to create their very own
quarter-scale city.
The 1,200 square foot display, dubbed Boxenville
by the Pine Forest students, is comprised of buildings made from cardboard
boxes, roads, sidewalks, parks and landscaping, all surrounding the
beautiful St. Johns River.
“This is an exciting way for our students to
understand the importance of proper community planning,” said Duval County
Public Schools Superintendent Ed Pratt-Dannals. “Integrating arts into our
academic programs gives students the opportunity to learn using both
creative and rigorous standards.”
The display in City Hall follows the unveiling of
the cardboard city October 24 at Pine Forest. Students held an election and
The Honorable Corey Kreisel, a second grader, presided over an official
ribbon-cutting ceremony at the school.
The Boxenville was made possible through a grant
to the Jacksonville Chapter of the American Institute of Architects with the
purpose of bringing design education into the public schools. Glen Dasher
is the local AIA president and Joanna Rodriguez was the AIA chair of the
Pine Forest project.
The display in City Hall concludes November 2.
