Middle Schoolers Build Their Own Cities in Rutgers-Newark Summer Program

Pink City may be the only place on earth where the rooftop restaurant is a  McDonald’s.

It’s one of several amenities middle schoolers added to an apartment complex created for an urban design class offered to middle schoolers through Rutgers University-Newark’s Center for PreCollege Programs’ PreCollege Academy.

“We thought it would be convenient for people downstairs if they don’t feel like cooking or driving anywhere,’’ explained Alicia Edwards of Newark, one of 18  students in the Urban Innovations course, where they learned about architecture and urban planning before designing their own communities.

Throughout the summer, students stepped into the role of city planners, designing communities that reflected not only their creativity but also their growing understanding of what makes neighborhoods safe, accessible, and welcoming.

But as their city took shape, the students quickly realized that every creative idea comes with practical considerations.

"We took some feedback and put a border around it," Alicia said after her team recognized the rooftop restaurant needed a safety barrier.

Working in teams, they discovered how thoughtful planning influences the quality of life in the communities where people live, work, and play, and challenged them to think critically about the residents who would one day call their cities home.

The class invited them to imagine themselves as future leaders, capable of solving complex problems in their own towns.

Students decided where to locate hospitals, community centers, housing and playgrounds. They chose where to put green space and how to landscape parks and gardens.

The course began with lessons on urban planning, architecture, and community design. Students examined site plans, blueprints, and floor plans while learning how cities are organized and what makes neighborhoods successful.

They also toured the Rutgers–Newark campus to observe how spaces are  designed before transforming their own ideas into three-dimensional models using cardboard, construction paper, and popsicle sticks.

"We had them ask themselves, does it make sense for a hospital to be next to an apartment or a library?" said Program Director T'Leya Walker. "We asked, what's interesting about the city you live in?"

In Garden City, students placed a hospital adjacent to a park to improve accessibility. "If someone got hurt or injured, they could go straight to the hospital," explained Mariam Mosaad of Bayonne.

The designers of Window City prioritized transportation by adding a bus stop and oversized stop signs for pedestrians. "Because safety is everything," said Sani Wilkins of Newark.

His team also included a large multipurpose community center designed to bring neighbors together. "This is why the building is so big," he said.

The creators of Folk Valley designed a community park inspired by a fictional cyclist they invented named Ultra Rider, whose frequent visits made him a local favorite.

The park's name, however, was chosen democratically.
"We had a poll and people voted," Marques said.

In addition to learning collaboration and problem-solving skills, the class gave students a chance to immerse themselves in a field that they might not have known about otherwise.

"It gives them an idea of the different routes they can take," Walker said, noting that students learned about college majors and academic pathways—including art history, mathematics, and the sciences—that can lead to careers in urban planning and architecture.

Serving more than 2,000 students  annually, the Center provides academic enrichment, mentoring, and career exploration opportunities that help students between the ages of 12 to 18 develop the knowledge, confidence, and skills needed to thrive.

But for many, it is a pathway to higher education. The college acceptance rate for students enrolled in center programs is 88 percent. Most students are from Newark and nearby towns but it accepts students from other counties as well.

"Even for students who don't intend to become urban planners, the course may spark an interest in civic engagement like serving on a municipal planning or zoning board one day," said Marcel Vaughn Handy, the center’s  Associate Director of Innovation and Strategy.