Running Header: COMMUNITY ANAYLISIS PAPER: KINGSLEY

COMMUNITY ANAYLISIS PAPER: KINGSLEY

Jodie E. Annis
Wayne State University
November 13, 2014

COMMUNITY ANAYLISIS PAPER: KINGSLEY

Past
The small community of Kingsley is located in Paradise Township, in Northern Lower
Michigan. I moved from the Detroit area to this town in 1990, as an adolescent. I graduated
from Kingsley High School in 1996 and purchased my own home within Paradise Township in
1999.
In 1990, this mostly residential village had a population of 740 people with only a few
local businesses (Kingsley, 2014). This community was very centralized with most of the
businesses being within one small city block. The population would have been labeled
segregated due to a great concentration of whites with very few, if any, minority group members
being present.
By 2010, the village of Kingsley experienced huge growth increasing to 1,480 residents
(Kingsley, 2014). This rapid growth was the result of people relocating from the nearby city of
Traverse City, to enjoy life in a more rural community. The majority of those joining this
neighborhood were white Americans, keeping it a segregated community.
Present
Following this sudden expansion, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that 1,429 residents
reported themselves to be white (97.3%), four blacks (.3%), 12 Native Americans, 26 Hispanic
(1.8%) and 11 claimed other (Decinal Census, 2010). The majority of individuals in this
community are employed by businesses in the nearby city of Traverse City. Those employed
within Paradise township work within government jobs, the local school system, building trades,
agriculture or forestry. In 2005, the unemployment rate within Kingsley was 5.89%. This year,
2014, the unemployment rate is averaging 6.56% (Kingsley). This rate is under the state average
of 7.2% (Unemployment, 2014). While the high school graduation rate is reported by the US

COMMUNITY ANAYLISIS PAPER: KINGSLEY

Census Bureau at 84.9%, 4.5% above the national average, those reporting having a Bachelors
degree is only 10.7%, coming in significantly lower than the national average of 24.4%
(Kingsley MI Census Records, 2014).
Since 1990, life within the village of Kingsley has not changed much. The population
has increased, but diversity has not. A few more businesses and an industrial park have been
added to encourage growth. Although this industrial park was built several years ago, it still
remains mostly empty. Over the years of living within this community, it has been common to
see new businesses open and soon close their doors. The most recent Census Bureau information
stated that the median family income was $37,875, while the national average is $50,046
(Kingsley MI Census Records, 2014). The small population and lower than average income of
village residents, makes it difficult for this small village to sustain local businesses.
Implications of Change
The sudden growth within Kingsley caused the school to become overly populated. This
brought forth the need for a new high school, which was built in 1998. With continued growth, it
has become a need in recent years for a new or expanded elementary school. The lower than
average incomes, make it difficult for the community to support higher taxes to fund the needs of
the school system.
The lack of diversity within this community does not make it an appealing place for
minority groups to want to reside. The few families from minority groups often have at least one
white person within the family. This gives these individuals an advantage in that they have
obtained cultural competence within both cultures. A complete minority family may have a
difficult time acclimating to the white conservative culture of this small village.
Reflection

COMMUNITY ANAYLISIS PAPER: KINGSLEY

This communitys rural setting, and lack of diversity helped shape me into the
conservative, Christian that I am today. While many within this community still hold on to many
prejudices, my immediate family helped this to have less of an impact on my personal views.
My father lived in a more diverse area exposing me and my siblings to other races and cultures.
When I was 17, my sister gave birth to my niece, whom was half African American. This helped
me to further understand that color does not determine the value a person holds. Without this
outside exposure to minorities, more bias may have become a larger part of who I am today.
With only 10.7% of the population having a bachelors degree, the push for going to
college after high school was not very high. This view made college seem less important. Few
from my graduating class made the choice to go on to University. No one within my immediate
circle of friends went to college. In fact, three of my friends were planning their weddings
instead of deciding which college they would attend. This made my decision to get married two
months after graduation very normal, and accepted.
Ecological Perspective
When looking at the village of Kingsley from an ecological perspective, one finds many
different aspects of the community. At first glance one finds many families that have individual
cultures of their own, yet when they are all combined, they make up the communitys culture.
The social community is very close knit with many families having lived in the community for
several generations. Kingsley offers and annual Heritage Days Festival to encourage the
community to bond together over a weekend of fun activities for the whole family.
Looking within the community one finds a K-12 school system that achieves above
national averages and has a graduation rate higher than the national average (Kingsley Area High
School). Looking at the employment options within the village one finds very few options

COMMUNITY ANAYLISIS PAPER: KINGSLEY

making employment close to home unobtainable for most. The village offers one modest
grocery store, a dollar general for daily odds and ends, as well as an auto parts store for
automobile repair needs. The village also offers two options for auto repair mechanics. For the
builders in the area and do-it yourself home improvements, the community contains a lumber
yard. These options meet the immediate needs of most families in Kingsley, yet nearby; Traverse
City can meet all of the needs that still exist.
The ecological perspective also requires taking a look at healthcare within the
community. This area has made great strides in the 24 years that I have been a part of this
community. Previously there was a family doctor and a pharmacy. Today, Kingsley meets
almost every need with a health clinic, physical therapist, laboratory, and two pharmacies.
Mental health concerns and specialists would be the only need to leave the community. Overall,
Kingsley from the ecological perspective meets a wide range of needs of the community.
Systems Perspective
Looking at Kingsley from the Systems Perspective, one finds that the social community
works well, but the community is lacking in the areas of consumer goods, employment options,
and an overcrowded elementary school. Public transportation is limited; therefore due to the
rural nature of the community each family may find it necessary to have at least one reliable
vehicle. These things have the potential of placing hardships on families living within this
community, placing some weak points within the systems.
Problem
Since 1990, Kingsley has more than doubled in size. This growth brought with it many
improvements, yet with growth, comes the need for continued restructuring. This restructuring
has occurred in many areas but in some, it remains lacking.

COMMUNITY ANAYLISIS PAPER: KINGSLEY

One positive was that the community voted in support of building a new high school to
deal with overcrowding. This project was completed in 1998, yet today the elementary school is
experiencing much overcrowding forcing fourth and fifth grade classrooms to be in the junior
high. This community has an average income lower than the national average making it difficult
to get the community to fund another building project.
This lower income within the community also makes it difficult for families to afford
reliable personal transportation. The public transportation takes many hours to travel short
distances. This makes it very unreliable to use to get back and forth from employment. This
added hardship makes many choose to leave this community to be within the city of Traverse
City.

COMMUNITY ANAYLISIS PAPER: KINGSLEY

References
Decennial Census. (2010). Comparison of summary file 1 demographics and housing. (U.S.
Census Bereau). Norwest Michigan council of governments
Kingsley Area High School. (n.d.). Retrieved November 12, 2014, from
http://www.publicschoolreview.com/school_ov/school_id/41053
Kingsley, Michigan Population History 1990 - 2013. (2014, May 23). Retrieved November 12,
2014, from http://www.biggestuscities.com/city/kingsley-michigan
Kingsley MI Census Records - Community Information for Kingsley. (2014, September 17).
Retrieved November 12, 2014, from http://www.americantowns.com/mi/kingsley/info
Kingsley, MI Unemployment Rate Report. (n.d.). Retrieved November 12, 2014, from
http://www.homefacts.com/unemployment/Michigan/Grand-TraverseCounty/Kingsley.html
Unemployment Rates for States. (2014, October 24). Retrieved November 12, 2014, from
http://www.bls.gov/web/laus/laumstrk.htm