Holt High School: Connectivity Through Asset Mapping

The DMC team had the pleasure of joining Ms. Mindy Walker’s junior class at Holt High School in Tuscaloosa County on Wednesday, January 24th for an asset-mapping workshop and discussion about the upcoming Civic Institute. A 2023-2024 Innovator in Civic Education Fellow, Walker has been incorporating deliberative dialogue and resources, such as DMC issue guides, to take a deeper dive into history lessons throughout the school year. 

During our visit, Executive Director Rachel Mosness and Education Coordinator Lauren Lockhart led the students in an asset-based mapping workshop to get the students thinking about their community in a different way. Posing themselves as visitors or tourists, students were instructed to brainstorm their favorite things around town, whether that be businesses, parks, or people. While brainstorming, students “map” out the assets in whatever way speaks to them, seeing the connections in the community on paper.

Throughout the activity, many students identified different things that they felt brought value to their community, such as the Midtown Village, which is a social spot for many of the people in the area, with many of the students gathering together at the smoothie shop. Others explained how their churches have created food pantries and collaborate around the holidays, utilizing student volunteers from Holt, to distribute meals. Above all, the class agreed that the teachers and staff at their school were one of the biggest assets. With teachers who offer their unwavering support, students have opportunities to build on their skills through Leadership Academy and Ambassadors, or create something that fits their interests, such as the Outdoors Club and Bible Study Group. 

At the end of the class, the students were prepped for their upcoming field trip to the Mathews Center’s 8th Annual Civic Institute at the American Village on February 2nd, 2024. Joining attendees from the Washington County Youth Leadership Program, students kicked off the luncheon portion of the Civic Institute by sharing their discoveries during the asset mapping workshop the week prior, showcasing their community. The Mathews Center was thrilled to have the students, staff, and Teacher Fellow Mindy Walker join us for our Civic Institute, and we look forward to continuing this connection with the Holt High School community!