Wofford student researchers asked a group of third graders in Spartanburg to envision their dream neighborhoods. Obstacle courses and trees made of money were two of the more imaginative responses, but what they also gained were crucial insights into the daily lives of local children.
This semester, 62 Wofford students from both of Dr. Alysa Handelsman’s Anthropology of Childhood classes completed a research project on youth perspectives and experiences across Spartanburg’s neighborhoods. They presented posters showcasing their findings in a community data walk on May 13 at E.P. Todd.
“The goal of this project was to determine what kids see and experience each day and how it shapes their perspectives,” says Handelsman, associate professor of anthropology and community sustainability specialist.
Wofford students interviewed 73 third graders about their daily routines, their actual neighborhoods and their visions for their dream neighborhoods.
“Children’s lived experiences often inspired their dream neighborhoods,” says lead student researcher Lily Vandagriff ’26, an environmental studies and sociology and anthropology major from Clinton, Tennessee. She’s been part of this community-based research project since her first year at Wofford.
Wofford students discovered that consistently, E.P. Todd students wanted neighborhoods with more greenspaces and recreation areas and more safety measures. Some even drew communities with security guards, which some Wofford students say is inspired by the school resource officers they see each day. Many responses mentioned preparation for natural disasters, which student researchers link to witnessing the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Some third graders also described their actual neighborhood as their dream neighborhood, and a majority of students discussed neighborhood spaces in relation to people, underscoring the importance of families and neighbors.
The children also showed awareness of family needs and community issues. When asked what they would do if Spartanburg Mayor Jerome Rice gave them $1 million to improve their communities, many said they would use it to help their parents with bills, renovate dilapidated housing or build housing for people who are homeless.
“I am always surprised by how aware the kids are and how well they can articulate what is going on around them,” says Isaiah Mananga ’25, a former student researcher on this project who now works for the Spartanburg Academic Movement as a site coordinator at E.P. Todd. In this role, he helps connect students, teachers and administrators with resources to address their academic needs. As a student, Mananga conducted youth perspectives research with Handelsman at Carver and McCracken Middle Schools. He says working on the project post-graduation has been a full-circle moment.
“The community sustainability program and research opportunities like this one helped me find my footing in college,” he says. “Through my research, I made connections with community leaders that I now work alongside every day.”
Mananga organized the interview days for Handelsman’s classes and helped plan a visit to Wofford for the third graders, during which they learned about the research process.
“These projects allow kids to connect with college students and visit campus, which sparks an interest in going to college,” he says. “For the Wofford students, it inspires a calling for community involvement and opens a gateway for how they can impact others.”
Vandagriff knows her research experience will be especially valuable as she pursues her goal of becoming an educator.
“Learning the value of children’s opinions has been really inspiring to me,” she says. “I have grown to love seeing how each student comes to think of themselves as an important asset to the community.”
This project is an ongoing collaboration with Spartanburg School District 7. Handelsman’s classes have gathered data from four District 7 schools — Carver Middle School, McCracken Middle School, Cleveland Academy of Leadership and E.P. Todd — as well as Meeting Street Academy, formerly in District 7. Dr. Jen Bradham and her environmental science students have collaborated on this project since it began in 2023, contributing expertise in quantitative methods and models. Handelsman hopes the comparative data on youth vision and experience across Spartanburg will help impact local policy in city planning and raise awareness about the depth of youth perspectives.
“Community sustainability is about finding what nurtures, sustains and grows communities on the day-to-day level,” says Handelsman. “Young people have an important say in shaping that.”