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Norwood Elementary School

Health Fair

Gavin Erie

Honor Fraser

Christopher Mattson

Cole Grundstedt

Stephen Schaeffer

Professor E. Arnold

WRIT 340

April 25, 2002

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Table of Contents

Executive Summary

Introduction

History of Norwood

Background of USC Connection

History of the Health Fair

Purpose of the Health Fair

Design Points of Consideration

Layout Design Solutions

Implementation

Communication

Conclusions

Appendices

Appendix A: Maps

Appendix B: Biographies and Resumes of Group Members

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Executive Summary

Norwood Elementary School is a member of USC's Family of Five Schools. This

relationship helps strengthen the bond of these educational institutions located within a very

interesting community. The area of Los Angeles that these schools cover is low-income.

Many challenges face the residents daily. Norwood's Healthy Start Program intends to help

them face one of the most important of these challenges, the health and safety of its families.

One of its main outreach programs is a health fair, intended to bring information and

screenings to the community in a fun and enjoyable atmosphere.

This proposal provides a design for the layout of this health fair. We measured the

playground area and surrounding buildings so that we could create a base map to scale. This

was used in conjunction with the list of expected exhibitors to attend the fair. Using this

information, we decided where and how to place them. These choices take into consideration

such factors as traffic flow, ease of setup, proximity of similar exhibitors, visual appeal,

privacy for certain services, and adaptability issues.

There are eight main elements that compose our layout design. First is the bike rodeo,

which requires a large amount of space and is placed to the far left of the open playground

area. Next, the main exhibitor canopies are located along a main entry path that stretches

from the entrance gate towards the heart of the fair. An information booth is located by the

main entrance and opposite a radio station van. Thirdly, the LAFD truck is located so that it

can have easy access to exiting in case of an emergency. The health screening and testing

exhibitors are placed in and around the two-story classroom building. Each one of these

organizations has special needs, such as privacy, that dictate their specific placements. The

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fifth area is designated for kid's play. This includes arts and crafts, an LAPD car, and an

inflatable bouncer. This area is in the rear of the fair with a large and flexible allocation of

space to allow for numerous different activities. The refreshment stand is centrally located to

provide convenient snacks for all participants. The stage area is next. Located against the

classroom building, it has ample space for seating. Lastly we considered the two existing

structures, the restrooms and the cafeteria. The first will serve the needs of all fair

participants. The second will function as a volunteer break area.

This design proposal meets the considerations that we focused on. It provides Norwood

with a layout that will be employed during the setup process. It will serve as a basis for maps

to guide visitors during the fair. Our design is flexible and allows for revisions to be made if

necessary. This group will continue to stay in contact with Ms. Naya Bloom and Norwood

Elementary School to assist in any alterations and ensure that this layout makes the health

fair a success.

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Introduction

USC is rich and steeped in resources that Trojans themselves continue to be

impressed by. In the last four years the campus has continued to metamorphose. Money,

often in the form of generous endowments, has allowed the campus to grow into the

smashing showcase that it is now, with ever increasing numbers of elaborate fountains, up to

date hardware and software in all the computer labs, and incredible sports facilities.

The reason why USC has been allowed to grow and even bloom in the last years is

because of the pride with which alumni view their college and, in the form of endowments,

the gratitude they are keen to show to the school. The institution helps shape its graduates

into well-rounded individuals, privileged with health and literacy, instilled with the

confidence to make the most of themselves within the areas they funnel into.

Five blocks from this institution of success and privilege is a community struggling,

on a daily basis, with life at its most rudimentary. For most of the population of Downtown

Los Angeles, the issue is not by how much a fountain should be enlarged. It is an inner-city

area where the daily issues include health, safety, education, job security and human rights

such as immigration considerations.

On a first visit to the campus and its surrounding area, the dichotomy between the two

ways of life is about as startling as this introduction is hoping to illustrate. Why has the

surrounding area not been able somehow to thrive off of, and feed from the privilege and

resource beds available at USC?

It was with disparity in mind that, in the wake of the1992 Los Angeles riots and in his

position of influence within the arena of education, USC president Steven B. Sample laid

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down this challenge: "We want parents from all over the region to look at our community

schools and say, 'That's where I want to send my child.'"

While it is difficult to estimate whether President Sample's vision has been realized

as yet, it is clear that his determination is having an influence. The coming together of this

particular project is an example of the relationship at work on a tangible and personal level.

This proposal is in fact a testament to and an example of the functioning relationship. Had it

not been for a previously established communion, a group of five undergraduates in the USC

Engineering Writing Program would not have been as easily linked up, in a reciprocal way,

to Naya Bloom at Norwood Elementary.

As the Healthy Start Director at the school and with the project of staging a Health

Fair, from conception to completion, Ms. Bloom noticed her ever approaching deadline and

realized she needed help. She found this within plenty of time, thanks to the relations that

have been established since 1994, between USC and the school, through the USC-FFS.

Through the Engineering Writing Program, Ms. Bloom found five students who could help

her move the Health Fair from the inception stage, into and beyond the design stage.

This proposal, therefore, is several things. It is a carefully designed layout for the

Heath Fair at Norwood Elementary on June 8, 2002, which takes important issues like safety,

movement and flow around the booths, privacy for the more sensitive health issues, and toilet

access into consideration. The proposal is also an example of the relationship that exists

between the larger educational institution and the smaller one. It is an actualization of that

symbiotic relationship and a realization of the exchange of resources within the community.

The Writing Program students are a resource to Ms. Bloom and Norwood, and, in the

symbiosis of the relationship, Ms. Bloom's project is a 'resource' for the students. They are

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being given a structured opportunity to exercise their knowledge, see their ideas becoming

realized in a physical sense and, of course, to fulfill their course requirements.

History of Norwood

Neil Miller described Norwood Elementary School as a "bright, happy, festive place,

a community hub," and it is that. At recess the place vibrates with youthful activity: games

and jokes. Otherwise the classrooms are full and the place is quiet but for the sounds of

learning. The students range from pre-kindergarten to fifth grade and they are learning math,

science, social studies, geography, art and music. Literacy, however, is Norwood’s top

priority and led by Principal Rita Flynn, the school

insists that all students be reading by third grade.

The school is located at 2020 South Oak

Street, in Downtown LA, having moved from its

original location, and from where it got its name—

Norwood Street—in the 1930's. The School is over a

hundred years old. Neil Miller, of the USC Trojan

Family Magazine says about Norwood School: "Open year round, it educates a student body

of 1,200 that is predominately Latino (96 percent), with 2 percent African American and a 2

percent combination of Asian, Native American, Filipino and Caucasian students."

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The students are mostly living in the surrounding neighborhood—a residential area

made up of smaller apartments, classic Victorian homes and well kept bungalows—and they

either walk to school or they are bought by family members.

The really notable thing about the school is the extent to which it takes responsibility

for the surrounding community in which its students are growing up. The school works hard

at creating a positive healthy environment in the area by maintaining a close relationship

between the school and the community. Rita Flynn, principal of Norwood Elementary says:

"The synergy in the neighborhood has caused some extraordinary achievements."

Norwood has developed innovative programs whereby it is able to realize and cope

with the "community's myriad of challenges." Helen Franco, a graduate of the USC School

of Social Work explains:

In an urban elementary school the needs of parents and families far exceed

just educating their children. We have health problems, we have need for

counseling, need for networking with government agencies and health and

human service providers.

The school recognized the need for improved parent-school relations. Some of the

parents of students at Norwood did not have the privilege of a full education and are

intimidated by the school as a learning institution. In order to help parents with this issue,

Norwood set up the Parent Resource Center, which encourages parents to be active within

the school. The center also offers services to parents like citizenship classes, computer

classes, a job fair and assistance in job placement.

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In order to make these initiatives possible, Norwood Elementary applied for and

received what is known as a Healthy Start grant. State funded, the Healthy Start Program

supports the idea that "community schools can serve as convenient one-stop centers for

information about health and social services." The Health Fair that Norwood school is

hosting on June 8th

, 2002, is one of the initiatives motivated by the Healthy Start Program.

Background of USC Connection

One of the key bridges that Norwood has built within the community is the one that

extended from Steven B. Sample, the President

of USC, in 1994. It was then that the public-

private partnership between the university and

five schools in the neighborhood was established. The program is called the USC Family of

Five Schools. "USC-FFS provides educational, cultural and developmental opportunities for

approximately 8,200 pre-kindergarten to 12th

grade neighborhood children and youth,"

explains Sample. Jane Pisano, from USC's Office of Civic and Community Relations, who

took the project on board. Back in 1993-94 she met with the principals from five local

schools in surrounding neighborhoods and developed a partnership of reciprocity among the

schools, the university and many of the local community agencies which, with safety issues a

major concern, included the Los Angeles Police Department.

The USC Family of Five Schools program includes Vermont Avenue Elementary,

Norwood Street Elementary, Lenicia B. Weemes Elementary, James A. Forshay learning

Center and 32nd

Street/USC Magnet Center. With this realized, USC had opened a

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metaphorical umbrella on the local community, and by providing access to local resources,

facilities, services and grants was offering them a certain amount of protection against the

inevitable disadvantages faced by people and institutions living in low income areas. The

relationship is not just about money and resources.

As this project illustrates, one of the functions in the connection between Norwood

and USC (by means of the FFS) is that when Norwood is hosting a health fair—as an

extension of its Healthy Start Program—it can appeal to the various schools within the

university for volunteer help. In fact the fair, which has been staged once before in 2000,

relies entirely on volunteers. Ms. Bloom, the Director of the program at Norwood, needed

help at every stage, ranging from assistance with face painting on the day (June 8th

), to

several people trained, but not yet charging for the service, to design and draw up a layout for

the placement of booths and exhibits in the school yard.

USC-FFC has been able to help Ms. Bloom in both areas. Through the USC Art

Department, Norwood is hopeful to find volunteer face painters and through the USC

Engineering Writing Program, Norwood found the resource that has put together for her the

lay out of the 2002 Health Fair.

History of the Health Fair

The idea for a Health Fair came to the fore in the year 2000, as a result of Norwood's

collaboration with the Healthy Start Program. Realizing how few members of the local

community had health insurance coverage, Naya Bloom and the Healthy Start program came

up with the idea of a fair in which the community could be exposed to the relevant

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information.

The fair was a great success, providing food and fun for the children. It was well

attended by the local community with an approximate head count of 600. It was so well

received that La Opinion, the local Hispanic newspaper, wrote a piece about it and another

fair seemed inevitable. But as Ms. Bloom points out, it was an extraordinary amount of work

and only with sufficient volunteer help can the event get off the ground. This year she feels

confident enough, with help from both USC and the Healthy Start Program, to stage another.

It will be better than its forerunner with many more booths and exhibits and an expected

attendance of more than 1000 people.

Purpose of the Health Fair

The Health Fair at Norwood School is being held to achieve four main objectives of

the Healthy Start Program. First and foremost the program seeks to inform and educate the

community about health services. In addition, the program seeks to increase community

access to these health services. These services include everything from dental care to

mammograms and HIV testing.

Increasing access to these vital services will in turn increase the overall health of

families in the community. From healthier families come healthier students. Ultimately, the

Healthy Start Program hopes to promote healthier living for the children of the school thus

improving their learning experiences.

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Design Points of Consideration

We faced many problems when constructing a layout for the health fair. The school

had concerns that needed to be addressed. These presented challenges that were solved

through an effective design layout. Our final design needed to have good traffic flow. The

layout had to be efficient at every stage. Accessibility was an important factor for certain

mobile fair exhibitors. Privacy was an issue for specific booths. The design had to be

visually appealing, and the final design had to be flexible enough to cope with any last

minute changes.

A smooth traffic flow was important to the design. It would give a spacious feeling to

the area and would insure that no part of the fair become blocked or congested in any way. If

people feel comfortable in the space at the fair, while they walk through it, they are more

likely to stay longer and participate. Since the smooth traffic flow design makes each area of

the fair easier to get to, the overall comfort is magnified and areas of shade are easy to find.

The efficiency of the layout is important for both the exhibitors and the participants.

To insure efficiency in the setup process, an exhibitor must be able to find where his/her

booth is to be located. These locations need to be found quickly by having the booths

arranged in logical groupings, say by themes. This benefits the participants as well, for all

the elements of the fair are easy to find, minimizing the time searching for booths while

increasing the time they are being educated about various topics. This also decreases

frustration, which can lead to participants leaving. The efficiency of the bathroom is also

important for both exhibitors and participants alike, for it must be easily accessible for

everyone, yet it must also be out of plain view as not to detract from the overall décor.

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This layout must not only be organized, but it needs to also look organized. This

overall visual appeal of the fair is important if people are going to visit, and stay, and

participate.

Some of the exhibitors will be using large trucks for their booths. This creates an

obvious design layout challenge. The vans and trucks must be able to arrive safely at their

designated area while the other booths are setting up. There must to be enough room within

their designated area to maneuver their vehicle into position without the potential of

inflicting damage to the permanent surrounding structures.

A select few booths at the fair will be conducting services that warrant confidentiality

and privacy. These booths need to be accessible to those who wish to visit them, yet they

also need to be visibly private from the general public. The location must also be away from

heavy foot traffic and the general flow of the fair to insure seclusion. It is with these goals in

mind that we construct a feasible layout for the Norwood School Health Fair.

Layout Design Solutions

Three main objectives dictated our final design: the existing space considerations, the

needs of the health fair and the needs of particular exhibitors. The most significant decisions

to make were in regard to space. If something did not fit in a given area, it was obviously not

an option. Then we looked at the needs of the exhibitors. Their needs dictated where they

could be placed. Concurrent with this, we considered the setup issues. We tried to insure that

no exhibitor would be blocked in or out by an earlier arrival. Next, we decided whether

particular placements were in line with the goals of the health fair. Finally, we looked to see

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if the overall flow was adequate and if the design was convenient and aesthetically pleasing.

The first item that we chose to place was the bike rodeo. This had the largest space

requirement, so its location obviously had to be selected early on in the design. Directly in

front and to the left of the entrance is the large blacktop area of the playground. This is all

flat space, and the ground resembles typical bike riding surfaces, so it is an ideal location.

By placing it all the way to the lower left corner, we give a more than adequate amount of

space for them to set up how they want to, while still leaving plenty of open space for the rest

of the exhibitors to be placed. (see Appendix A.2)

Next, we considered the main exhibitor booths, as they are really the heart of the

health fair. The area consists of thirteen to fifteen 10' x 10' canopies, each hosting one to two

exhibitors. It was decided that having these placed along both sides of a main entry path,

similar in concept to Disneyland's Main Street, would ensure that all entering guests would

pass these booths. At the beginning of this row, next to the entrance, is the information

booth, where people can pick up maps and get information as they enter. On the opposite

side is the radio truck or booth, as they provide an excitement level and will be a visual and

auditory draw from the street. The row design also allows for canopies to be added or

subtracted from the end as different exhibitors get confirmed or cancelled. Finally, there is a

break halfway down the row so that traffic flow can move to the outlying exhibits, especially

the immunizations to the right. (see Appendix A.3)

The final exhibitor of major consideration was the Los Angeles Fire Department,

LAFD. They are supposed to be bringing one of their large trucks to show kids and to

promote fire safety. This has a large space need, as well as special considerations due to the

fact that the truck must be able to leave quickly if it is needed for an emergency. We decided

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that the truck should not be far from the gate, as there will be many children in attendance,

and we would not want the truck hurrying across a large playground full of kids. There is a

large space available near the access gate, so we chose to keep the truck right next to that. It

is still near the other areas, and ends up not being too far from the LAPD and other kids

activities, so this works out quite well. (see Appendix A.4)

We were able to then begin placing the rest of the items remaining for the fair, and we

began with the screenings and immunizations. These are also key aspects of the health fair,

as they help with the goals of making for healthier people in the community. Two of the

exhibitors, H Claude Hudson and Multiservice Family Center, require private indoor rooms.

They are performing such services as weight testing, mammograms, and other medical

examinations. Naya Bloom informed us that the classroom building nearest the playground

was the only one they wanted to use for public access during the health fair, and that building

has two classrooms on the main floor. This made the decision very simple for these two

exhibitors. (see Appendix A.5)

A third exhibitor, California Hospital Medical Center, is also doing screenings and

immunizations, but simply requires a flat space to do so. We decided to give them the area

near the backstop so they can setup as they see fit. This keeps them near the other screenings

in the building, and also near the main row of exhibitors as well. (see Appendix A.5)

Finally, there are going to be two mobile screening trucks, one with dental care and

one offering AIDS testing. The AIDS truck needs to be in a semi-private area, given the

sensitive nature of the services they offer. However, it is ideal to keep them near the other

screenings and not so far removed that no one goes there. The parking lot area that currently

holds dumpsters and storage bins can be cleared out for the day of the fair, and having this

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area creates the perfect solution to that problem. It is around the corner from the main traffic

flow areas, out of main sightlines, away from the children's activities, yet still easily

accessible and directly next to the building with the other screenings. For the dental care

truck, privacy is not as much of an issue, and it is probably the most children-oriented of the

screenings, so we felt that an open area near the back of the playground, between the bike

rodeo and the kids activities area, was the best solution. (see Appendix A.5)

This kids activities area was selected for the entire back portion of the area, as it will

draw kids into the fair, while keeping them spread out. Congestion of all the families in one

area is a major concern, so it was decided to use a lot of the open space against the back

classroom buildings for these items. The actual details are still being decided on, but there

will likely be face painting, arts and crafts, games, and other activities. Also in this area are

two more concrete items, the LAPD unit and the inflatable bouncer. (see Appendix A.6)

The Los Angeles Police Department will be bringing a squad car and crime

prevention activities, and the school personnel would like to have them as part of the kid’s

area. We therefore placed them against the back areas, but directly above the access gate for

easy driving access. This also places them near the LAFD truck, once again keeping the

similar exhibitors together. (see Appendix A.6)

The inflatable bouncer is likely to be a major draw for the children, so we wanted to

have this in a controlled area. We also wanted it to be near the back, acting as a magnet to

bring children all the way in and see everything along the way. The best place for this was

an open area between two of the rear classroom buildings. This was directly at the rear of the

main row of booths, so it creates an appealing visual image there. A very nice side effect of

choosing this location was that an approximately four-foot high chain link fence surrounds it.

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There is a gate in it, allowing this to be used for crowd control purposes. The bouncer will

be in a secure location, ensuring that no one will be tampering with it. A queue can be lined

up along the fence, and only a certain number of kids can be let into an area at a time,

providing for a more safe and enjoyable atmosphere for both the kids and the supervisors.

(see Appendix A.6)

Following the placement of all of the exhibitors, we had some of the Health Fair's

own facilities to consider. First was a single canopy for selling refreshments, such as nachos

and soda. We wanted this to be in a fairly centralized location to be convenient for all

people. An ideal location was found directly between the two handball walls. The space

between them measures 12 feet, allowing for one of the ten feet by ten feet canopies to fit

there, with existing boundaries blocking access from two sides. The remaining two sides can

be used for service queues, doubling the potential efficiency of the booth. The money will

then be in the middle of the canopy, secure from all four sides. This area ends up being near

our next item, the stage and seating area. (see Appendix A.7)

There will be a performance stage with seating around it for the raffle drawings,

ballet folkloric performances, and perhaps children's skits. This has been held in the past

against the east wall of the classroom building that will hold the screenings, and we think

keeping this here is the best choice. The wall is painted with a mural of Los Angeles,

providing a beautiful backdrop for the stage. The building also provides easy access for the

power supply for the P.A. and sound system equipment. This sound equipment will be

placed in a canopy that is located next to the stage and out of the way of any traffic. Finally,

there is a sufficient amount of seating space to the east of the stage. This seating is between

the refreshments and the restrooms, so the area will be convenient for resting and relaxation

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while watching a performance or simply taking a break. (see Appendix A.8)

The restrooms are obviously a fixed location, so there were no real considerations

given to those, other than making sure nothing was blocking the entrances. They are near the

stage, refreshments, and children's areas, three of the more important areas for them to be in

proximity to. (see Appendix A.9)

Finally, the cafeteria is to be used as the exhibitor reception and break area. This

location is far removed from the rest of the fair, in an area that the school would like to keep

as off-limits to the general public. It also has the existing food facilities to serve as an area

for breakfast and lunch for the exhibitors and volunteers. By keeping this food location

separate from the other refreshment stand, a private area will be created for the workers, and

the people attending the fair won't have to go far for their refreshments. (see Appendix A.9)

For a synthesis of the preceding design considerations and choices see Appendix A.10.

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Implementation

For implementation, our existing scale diagram of the area needs to be converted as

seen fit by the current school mapmaker. We recommend that the mapmaker make two

functional versions of the map. The first map’s purpose is to provide the individual health

fair attractions with their location as well as the location of all the schools resources. These

resources include water and power supply, dimensions of their allotted area, as well as a

detailed location of all the booths.

Secondly, the health fair participants will use the map. This map still has the

locations of all the exhibitors, but it no longer needs the more utilitarian resources. Both

maps should emphasize the location of the entrance to orientate the viewer, the location of

the restrooms, and perhaps special attractions that the Health Fair wishes to emphasize this

year. Easy to follow maps are vital to the successful implementation of our design, for even

the best engineering projects may fail if they are implemented poorly.

Communication

To implement this design for the fair, communication is critical. Naya Bloom, who is

directing the Health Fair, school administration, and individual Health Fair attractions must

all coordinate with each other. On April 22, 2002, Chris Mattson conducted a meeting

between two of these three groups. He met with Mrs. Bloom and representatives of the

administration; including Principal Rita Flynn and the head custodian. During the meeting,

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they discussed the viability of the design and the reasons that alterations from past designs

should be employed. Moreover, these people provided valuable insight as a result of

attending past fairs.

Individual exhibitors already contacted Mrs. Bloom with their special needs;

however, shortly before the day of the fair, they must meet again to see if the design will be

sufficient to meet their needs. We do not expect this to be a major problem and, given the

flexible nature of our design, we have arranged to be available for last minute revisions

during the summer.

School

Administration

Health Fair

Attractions

Director: Naya

Bloom

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Conclusions

As a result of the pre-established connection between USC and Norwood Elementary,

via the USC Family of Five Schools program, the USC resources were available to be

funneled towards Norwood when it needed help. The relationship is reciprocal. On one hand,

USC was able to provide a team of five undergraduates from the Engineering Writing

Program to tackle the design and layout of the Health Fair. Conversely, students themselves

were provided with an interesting project they used for their writing course. Norwood is

offering the students the invaluable experience to execute their skills in the form of a

proposal, knowing that their work will be realized.

This work refers to detailed maps of the overall layout and design. The design

strategically places exhibitors in the best location to fit their needs. Our group took

measurements to ensure accuracy in our design. We then proceeded to generate scaled maps

using Microsoft Excel. From these maps we were able to realistically design a layout that

achieved all of our main design goals, while still holding true to the wishes of the school. The

design can be altered up until the day of the health fair, when it will be used as the setup map

for volunteers and the basis of the pamphlets used by fair attendees. Ultimately, this map will

help Norwood Elementary School put on a successful health fair in 2002 and beyond.

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Appendix A.1 - Existing Structures

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Appendix A.2 – Bike Rodeo

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Appendix A.3 – Main Booths and Canopies

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Appendix A.4 – Fire Department

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Appendix A.5 – Health Screenings

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Appendix A.6 – Kid’s Area

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Appendix A.7 - Refreshments

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Appendix A.8 - Stage Area

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Appendix A.9 – Restrooms and Exhibitor Break

Area

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Appendix A.10 – Final Layout

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Biographies of Group Members

Gavin Erie is a sophomore at the University of Southern California pursuing a

Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering. In the summer of 2001, he gained experience

identifying and analyzing health and safety hazards for the ChevronTexaco Refinery in El

Segundo, California and will work there again this summer.

Honor Fraser

Cole Grundstedt is a junior majoring in Industrial and Systems Engineering at the

University of Southern California. He plans on pursuing a career in Management Science

and has accepted a summer internship position with Bechtel SAIC Company working with

performance and risk analysis for the Yucca Mountain Nuclear Storage Facility.

Christopher Mattson is pursuing a Bachelors of Science in Industrial and Systems

Engineering at USC. He is very active in the USC Marching Band and other music activities.

Originally from Minnesota, Chris works at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, CA and is very

interested in theme park design..

Stephen Schaeffer is a Renaissance Scholar candidate at the University of Southern

California. He is a junior majoring in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Economics.

Currently, Stephen works as an intern for Exxon Mobil Corporation at their refinery in

Torrance, CA.

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Special Thanks to:

Elisabeth Arnold

Naya Bloom

Rita Flynn

Norwood Elementary School