In a unique educational initiative, fifth and sixth graders from Durand Middle School and The School at Marygrove in Detroit experienced an immersive learning opportunity at Mcity. Situated within the University of Michigan, Mcity serves as a cutting-edge urban mobility research facility, and this year, it hosted the Pop-Up Safety Town Initiative aimed at teaching traffic safety and STEM to underserved communities.
Marking a first-time collaboration, Mcity and Pop-Up Safety Town, co-founded by University of Michigan physician Andrew Hashikawa, welcomed students from both rural and urban areas for a two-day event focused on safety and engineering. “We have never collaborated with this age group, this middle school population,” noted Hashikawa, highlighting the facility’s potential to teach safety using realistic scenarios.
Many students had never visited the U-M campus despite its proximity. “I want them to realize the potential and come to U-M, and say, ‘Wow, you know, this exists down the road,’” Hashikawa emphasized, aiming to inspire future educational pursuits.
Integrating STEM, Safety, and Real-World Experience
The event featured interactive stations that blended theoretical knowledge with practical application. Each child received a helmet, addressing both injury prevention and accessibility issues. “When we looked at their surveys (from previous years), about 50% said that we don’t have helmets and we can’t afford them,” Hashikawa explained, pointing out how essential safety gear often becomes a low priority for families facing economic difficulties.
University of Michigan students guided participants through exercises such as crash-test car building. Aidan Shoresh, K-12 outreach officer with U-M’s engineering honor society, Tau Beta Pi, emphasized the importance of hands-on learning. “For students to get involved, I think it’s really cool that they get to see in person — using their hands and building something that they can actually touch,” Shoresh said.
Medical student Dylan Hogan and U-M undergraduates Ava Rawley and Saketh Addanki facilitated scooter safety tours, allowing students to navigate Mcity’s realistic intersections. The event included other interactive activities like bridge building using materials such as spaghetti noodles and marshmallows.
Teachers noted the value of experiential learning. Angie Jewell, from Durand Middle School, highlighted the creative problem-solving displayed by students during the bridge-building exercise. Laura Bollinger pointed out the educational significance of making mistakes in a controlled environment without the risk of real-world consequences.
For many students from The School at Marygrove, this field trip offered an unparalleled learning opportunity. “They would never have been able to do this anywhere else,” said Pier-La’Shaye Walker, a fifth-grade teacher at Marygrove. “Being here gives them an opportunity to explore and ask questions.”
Bridging Education and Safety
Rebecca Shankster, principal of Durand Middle School, appreciated the opportunity for students to experience college life while learning essential safety skills. “It has been an amazing experience watching them navigate the streets here,” she said, acknowledging the rarity of such experiences for many students.
Educators like Jewell hope to tie these practical experiences into classroom teachings on modern technology. Walker recalled her own formative experiences visiting college campuses as a child, expressing a desire for more students to have similar opportunities.
As the event concluded, students left Mcity with newfound safety skills and a glimpse into possibilities for their future. Hashikawa underscored the importance of such initiatives in promoting safety and education, illustrating the impact of community partnerships in enriching students’ lives across Michigan.
