Supporting High School STEM Achievement and Environmental Justice Through Hyperlocal Air Quality Monitoring:
A Case Study of Environmental Education in Providence, Rhode Island
By Vasu Jayanthi
Historically overburdened communities in Providence face both inequitable proximity to environmental hazards as well as a lack of access to earth-science-based education in their public schools. Providence public school student performance in STEM remains significantly below city and state averages. Vasu Jayanthi makes the case for environmental education frameworks that integrate local data and students’ lived experiences.
In this work, Vasu argues that these shortcomings in environmental literacy compound the injustice of inequitable exposure. Providence students impacted the most by exposure to environmental contaminants may be among the least equipped to pursue careers in Earth and Environmental Sciences and in environmental advocacy.
Working in collaboration with Brown University’s DEEPS CORES (Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences Career Opportunities and Research in Earth Science) program, Vasu and the Breathe Providence team developed two educational modules and a field trip experience for Hope High School students. Each module aimed to connect students to Earth Science topics in a locally-relevant and socially conscious way.
Module Objectives and Active Status
Driving questions that guided the module development
The first module, “Air Pollution,” introduced students to the basics of urban air pollution and gave students the opportunity to collect real-time pollution data in the classroom using handheld AirBeam sensors. The second module, “Environmental Justice,” asked students to examine demographics and pollution in Providence, and included an activity utilizing city-wide data from the Breathe Providence network.
The ultimate goal of this project is to set a precedent for teaching Providence-specific scientific explorations at public schools, in order to promote self advocacy and awareness in environmentally vulnerable communities.
Final outlines of the two modules
Vasu intends for DEEPS CORES to reuse her modules in the coming years. She also envisions the use of the modules in other schools, potentially through organizations like the Boston University-NASA GLOBE group. Hope High School students may also have the opportunity to use AirBeam sensors for independent projects, or even participate in Breathe Providence through programs like PrepareRI.