About
Anderson Valley
Anderson Valley is a small, rural community, nestled between rolling hills in Mendocino County. Here in the heart of wine country, across the hills are endless grapevines, and on the valley floor, redwoods brush the sky. The community is made up of four towns; Navarro, Philo, Yorkville, and Boonville, the primary town. Boonville only has one school district, which contains the Anderson Valley Elementary School and Anderson Valley Jr/Sr High School.
Although Anderson Valley is known as a destination for wine and nature lovers, the majority of students in the AV school district tend to come from low-income, immigrant families. Many of these students are also Latinx, almost entirely from rural parts of Mexico. According to the 2021 Census ACS Report, the median household income is $38,563 in AV, which is about $40,000 less than the California median household income.
Anderson Valley is geographically isolated, with the nearest larger community being a 45 minute drive from Boonville. Without the regular services most communities have easy access to, it can be difficult to find recreational and entertainment activities in the valley. Furthermore, in Anderson Valley, there are no free public gathering spaces for teenagers, aside from the one AV Community Park (which is designed for young children).
Anderson Valley has a severe lack of spaces for teenagers. A skatepark not only would provide such a space for teenagers, but also bring together a diverse community of humans who connect through this shared space and activity.