Demographic Information:

Demographic Wyoming Comparative Statistic

Education Level of Parents

20.5% 79.8% (East Grand Rapids)
(Adults Over the Age of 25)

Graduation Rates 84.2% 89.9% (Michigan Average)

Free and Reduced Lunch 76% 6.7% (East Grand Rapids)

Language Other than English

20.2% 9.3% (Michigan Average)
Spoken at Home (5 or Older)

Median Household Income $48,579 $50,803 (Michigan Average)

174.8 People (Michigan

Population per Square Mile 2,927.3 People
Average)

Demographics Reflection:

The above Demographics are just some of the statistics that highlight certain aspects of

the Wyoming community. This information helps to better understand the environment my

students are coming from and a glimpse of what their life is like. The first statistic on the

education level of parents in Wyoming compared to East Grand Rapids is striking. For one, it

means that the path is most definitely not paved for students on pursuing post-secondary

education. Additionally, this has a direct effect on median household income. While Wyoming is

just below the Michigan average, it would still be less than East Grand Rapids if doubled. Thus, I

need to keep in mind while teaching that my students might not have access to resources or

access to opportunities that students who come from financially stable homes have.

Moving on, the difference in population per square mile is very striking. I already knew

that Wyoming was a very dense area, and I need to keep in mind that these statistics include the
very rural Upper Peninsula. However, when compared to where I live (not went to school) there

might be 50 people in the square mile around my house, and that most likely is an over-estimate.

For one thing, this means my students most likely aren’t getting time or room to reflect away

from the business of their home and school. There will be so many influences (human and not)

around them all the time. From a personal perspective, I feel like that is an environment that

forces you to grow up quickly.

The last demographic that I want to key in on is the free and reduced lunch. This year,

Wyoming was awarded a grant where breakfast and lunch is free for all students because 3 in 4

students are eligible. In comparison with East Grand Rapids, hardly 1 in 10 students requires

lunch to be subsidized. This reinforces what kind of situations my students may be going home

to, where this issue was hardly on the mind of the students in Thornapple Kellogg, where I went

to school. If students are well-nourished coming to school, how can I expect them to make

learning their priority? This also reminds me of my time in Tanzania.