Some WCPSS middle school students participated in an arts education project that helped build their awareness of the U.S. Census’s impact, and provided a reminder of the lives touched by the U.S. Census to those who work for the bureau in Raleigh.
Elizabeth Grimes-Droessler, senior administrator for arts education, worked with the Raleigh Local Census Office to provide poster frames using the 2010 Census’s theme, “It’s In Our Hands,” to middle school art teachers along with information about the role and importance of the Census. Participating students created their own artistic interpretations of the meanings of “everyone counting.” The artwork now greets visitors to the Raleigh Local Census Office and adorns some of the walls where Census employees are working toward a “complete count” of Wake County residents.
Participation was notably strong at East Wake Middle School, where Grimes-Droessler and local census office manager William Baiocchi presented the school with a plaque and shared more information with the students about its importance to Wake County.
“The first purpose was to … sensitize people to the Census coming in 2010. And, really, one of the most effective ways for families to know about the Census is through their children,” Baiocchi said. “The Congress uses that Census information to distribute $400 billion a year in subsidies, grants, for things like schools, hospitals, roads — it even updates maps for emergency services personnel.” Census data is also used in apportioning representation among the states in the U.S. Congress as well as the state and local levels.
“The Census form is very short, an 8 1/2″ by 11″ piece of paper that will be mailed to all the households,” Baiocchi said. “It’s only ten questions for the head of household, and then for every person who’s living in the household it’s another seven questions. But for an average family of four, I figure, I took a little test myself and it takes less than 15 minutes to complete.”
