The LVEHC course transformation grant brought about a new unit in my EVST 220 People, Places, and Environments of the Mid-Atlantic course. With this grant and the support of LVEHC staff, I developed a unit titled, “From Rust to Green” in which students studied accounts of industrial de-development and environmental transformation in the Lehigh Valley. Students were tasked with writing a brief creative non-fiction essay that drew upon their place-based experiences in the region, including the National Canal Museum and the Bethlehem Steel Stacks. We were able to integrate discussions of archives, representation, and publishing into the course as well. Five student essays and photographs were selected for the digital archive; these students expressed gratitude and pride that their work is available for all to read.
