The Met Sacramento, Sacramento, CA

Even though over 13,000 children in Sacramento County are thought to live in areas that are at high risk for lead poisoning, the community is scarcely aware of the problem. No organizations or local advocacy groups focus on child lead poisoning in Sacramento, a vacancy that student researchers at The Met Sacramento intended to fill. Using data from the Center for Disease Control and the Environmental Protection Agency, these students mapped "hot zones" where children might be more susceptible to lead poisoning and published their findings in a community report.

They also helped organize lead testing that gave homeowners the real data they need. Going door-to-door in nearby neighborhoods, Met students surveyed homes in high risk areas and found that almost fifty percent of homeowners were at moderate to high risk of possible lead poisoning. Together with other local health organizations, the students have begun a special campaign to make sure their community has the information and resources to identify and avoid harmful lead exposure.

Final Products Our Lead-Safe PowerPoint presentation (4.4 mb) Survey for determining risk of lead poisoning A sample of the results from our survey

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