b'Literacy and Library Accessin Lowndes CountyJabrehia S. Green and Johnnie McCaySponsor: Dr. PriceLiteracy is important for childrens educational success and employability. Valdosta City literacy data shows that literacy rates in Valdosta are low in comparison to other areas in Georgia. What literacy opportunities are available for children in the Valdosta-Lowndes County area? Where are public libraries and little free libraries located and what are the characteristics of the surrounding census tracts? We used both quantitative and qualitative analysis to answer these questions. For quantitative analysis, we used data from the US Census and compared three different census tracts in terms of household and family characteristics, internet access, income, transportation, and school enrollment. We gathered qualitative information from two interviews with a local librarian and a site visit to the Little Free Library in downtown Valdosta. We conclude with policy suggestions to increase literacy and access to public libraries, including raising awareness of the resources available, reading challenges at schools, and education for parents on the importance of forming reading habits at home.Food Deserts and Food Insecurityin Valdosta, GeorgiaZachary S. Collis and ZyRonica S. LindseySponsor: Dr. PriceThe goal of this project was to document the presence of food deserts in Valdosta, GA and analyze the factors affecting food insecurity. The questions we posed were: Do food deserts exist in Valdosta, Georgia? And how does lack of public transportation affect individual food purchases? Recent research shows that there are over 6,500 food deserts in the United States. Research also shows that minority communities were the most affected by food deserts. In this study, we used an interview, survey, and site visits to assess the impact of food deserts in the lower-income, mostly minority neighborhoods of Valdosta and how this impact differs from that of those who live in more wealthy neighborhoods. The couple we interviewed discussed the difficulties of purchasing quality foods without access to a vehicle. The site visits revealed obvious quality difference in fresh produce and meats depending on the neighborhood average income. Both findings were reiterated by the 100-person survey we conducted, in which most respondents lived in food deserts and around 30% of respondents found it difficult to commute to the grocery store.58'