Re (3) Reuse, Recycle, Repurpose

Thank you all who responded and expressed interest in the Minnesota Remida Dreaming Project. Here is an update in three areas: survey results, our work thus far and an invitation to think together.

Survey results:
We had 30 responses to the survey sent in the Winter 2021 Newsletter. Of those thirty, nineteen people replied with a yes or maybe, with interest in the committee and thinking group. Thank you to all those who responded! 

Our work so far:
We met over Zoom with two people who were instrumental in developing the Inventing Remida Project Portland (IRPP), Will Parnell, a Portland State University professor and Angela Molloy Murphy, a lecturer at the University of Melbourne education center. They shared their experience with IRPP and we shared our hopes for moving forward on this project as a collective. We are grateful for their willingness to think with us.

From our perspective, this Remida - recycle, repurpose center - will be a place to hold materials that can:

• be reused
• be offered to children to honor and support their thinking
• offer education opportunities to educators, parents and community at large
• invite people to look at the impact of materials on our environment 
• be an equitable resource that is offered to all at little to no cost

The heart of our hope will be establishing a creative recycling center with a civic focus. We are on a mission to identify a local name as we find our definition! Maybe you have some ideas.

• Do you or know of someone in your circle with grant writing skills?
• Do you have an idea of space for a first home for the project?
• Do you have a connection to a small business with possible materials to donate?
• Do you patronize a small business or local artist that could be involved?

A few committee members are investigating two nonprofits in Minneapolis in the coming weeks: Belle’s ToolBox and Twin Cities Makers to see if there are possibilities for collaboration.

We have planned a virtual brainstorming session via Zoom on September 26, 2021. We will discuss, question, dream and envision possibilities! If you are interested in joining the conversation or have ideas, email Heidi Wolf (hwolf@bsmschool.org). It is not necessary to be local to the Minneapolis area to be involved - all are welcome! 

Lani Shapiro recently reminded me that the "thinking with" process we hope to offer the children in our care is often left out of our adult experience and practice. In order to work this way with children, we need to have such experiences ourselves. We hope growing this recycle/repurpose center will be a process of true collaboration where we look at the task and move forward together.

Heidi Wolf
Teacher and Director
Little Knights Early Childhood Program
Benilde-St. Margaret’s School
Minneapolis