This chapter focuses on two remote rural communities that engaged young people in meaningful community development efforts to build social capital. One community connected youth to the assets of the community and created opportunities for young adults to strengthen social networks. The other created partnerships and networks to build…

University-community partnerships offer synergistic spaces for communities to address difficulties and universities to meet their missions. Geographers are well positioned to participate in these partnerships, owing to the discipline's integrative nature, spatial perspectives and analytic approaches, and its attention to social and environmental…

When River Crest Elementary School opened on September 2, 2008, it was clear that the effect of a "green" school would extend beyond the students who walked through the doors for class each day. The 93,450-square-foot facility in Hudson, Wisconsin, serves as a catalyst for sustainable change and has been an educational tool for…

A considerable literature exists documenting the migration movements of individuals. For example, James Jasper (2000) has written that Americans "change our residence... more often than any other culture except nomadic tribes". The average American moves every five years, making this compulsion to move an important part of the culture.…

The role of land-grant university Extension specialist originates in a community of place, enters into communities of interest to leverage resources or partnership opportunities, and returns to the local level with more effective outcomes than possible by operating solely within the community of place. A case study describes synergistic specialist…

Nineteen Wisconsin counties were the site of the four-year Rural Development Demonstration Project, one of five such projects in the nation. Among the project's objectives were to accelerate sound economic, social, cultural and environmental development and to provide alternatives for living in non-metropolitan areas while providing greater…

The 3-year Citizen Leadership Program was designed to develop citizen-directed planning in Wisconsin. The first year focused on citizen involvement in land use planning; the second year, on community goal setting; and the third year, on community development projects. A representative group of 30 citizens participated in the program's workshops…

Observes the changes in public education that occurred along the Wisconsin frontier. As the territory progressed, education changed from a winter-term only enterprise lead by male farmer/teachers to a full term lead by professionally trained women teachers. Identifies professionalization as the greatest influence on the feminization of teaching.…

The numerous layoffs of low-income workers that occurred when the nation's economy slowed in 2001 have created numerous challenges for local Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs. By increasing collaboration between community economic development and workforce development efforts to serve low-income residents, states and…