Salvation Army

Every Centenary student who plans on graduating must complete a service-learning requirement. This semester I am working with the Salvation army and The Boy's and Girl's Club to complete this requirement. Today was my first day and KC (head of development) gave me a little history behind the salvation army. The two shelters in the Shreveport-Bossier area serves some 5,000 meals twice daily. They are in great need of volunteers and were happy to have me for my 30 hours needed. Their is a large population of Shreveport-Bossier that depends on non-profit organization's, like the salvation army, for shelter and food. During the hours i worked today, i met with a majority of the children who arrive at the Boy's and Girl's club after school. The children are all african american and from low-income families. I look forward to working with these children and volunteering my services to this great organization.

Sports: Keeping Kids out of Trouble?

http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/4-12-2001-2977.asp

Jack Hustlar; 4/12/2001

Founder and CEO of the North American Youth Sport Institute

Jack Hustlar responds to a questionnaire talking about Sports and delinquency prevention. He talks about how the boys and girls who participate in sports learn positive characteristic traits. This includes better academic performances, fewer problems in school, and an upward social mobility orientation. Boys and Girls who participate in sports are less likely to be involved with certain social issues (teen pregnancy, drug and alcohol abuse, and school problems). When a child plays a sport, he or she is likely to develop some type of role model to help them become a better player. This may include a parent, teacher, coach, or professional athlete. Hustlar mentions how coaches and parents are interested in encouraging and pushing players to strive for the next level of play (high school, college, pro..). Young boys and girls can use sports as an activity to play after school, or a way to live their life and earn an education. During high school, I personally was faced with a situation that if it wasn't for sports I wouldn't be were I am now.

After School Tutoring

Earlier today the Centenary Baseball Team visited Meadowview Elementary School in Bossier to help tutor students. Meadowview Elementary is a neighborhood school (meaning children can walk to school). When we arrived at the school, we met with the principle and she gave us a little background on the students. Most of the children resided from lower-socioeconomic households. After completing the 4th grade students must pass the "leep" test in order to advance. Students who don't pass are required to take summer school and/or repeat the 4th grade. The students we tutored were part of an after-school tutoring program. The principle assigned 2 Centenary players with each classroom. My classroom consisted of about 8 students. For the next two hours we helped the students complete their basic math worksheets. This was a great experience and the kids loved having us their. I spoke with the principle before we left, asking her a couple questions about juvenile behavior among the students. The first thing she told me was that most of these children walk to school, and the neighborhoods they live in are of lower class. Without me even mentioning my research project, the topic was being discussed. I'm assuming that she meant, since the students live in lower class neighborhoods and walk to school, they are more likely to be involved with criminal behavior. She explained to me how it was her (i assume the school's) job to find after school activities and programs for her students. I have arranged a meeting with her later in the school year to learn more about these programs and pick her brain.

Gridiron Gang

Just finished watching the film Gridiron Gang, starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. The film is about teenagers at a juvenile detention center who gain self-respect and confidence by playing football. Johnson plays the role of the detention center counselor who uses his leadership skills to change the lives of the young men. Even though their locked up, they can still make something out of their lives. I look at this movie as an insight into connecting opportunities with juvenile behavior. I imagine that most of these young men chose to take part in a criminal act (which landed them locked up). Opportunities may have been crucial in this decision. A teenager may have less opportunities to play sports, get a good education, and be surrounded by parents who love them. Resulting in them taking the wrong path in life. This movie utilizes opportunity to bring success. By participating in football, these young men develop certain skills which they haven't been exposed to before. These skills include: teamwork, respect, leadership, commitment, and hard work. So basically, it takes them getting arrested in order to be exposed to life-long skills which are vital.

Dr. Rich Reaches Out to Help Young Men

From a story on NPR's Morning Edition, February 9, 2010.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122791527

A professor at Drexel University School of Public Health, Dr. John Rich conducted a study to help African American men. Throughout the 90's Dr. Rich worked at Boston City Hospital during a time of high violence. Rich began noticing the number of young black men arriving with serious injuries. Most of the doctors and nurses assumed these men weren't "true victims" and had done something to get themselves hurt. Rich started interviewing these men to find the truth behind their stories.

According to the young men's stories, many of them weren't responsible for their own injuries. Some were robbed, one was walking home and caught in the line of fire, and others were in the wrong place at wrong time. Dr. Rich explored the emotional wounds these young men were feeling. Those wounds dealt with their safety. Dr. Rich grew up in Queens with a father who was a dentist and mother a teacher. He was exposed to a different upbringing than these young men were. His opportunities were a lot more plentiful.

My research of connecting social class with juvenile behavior includes this lack of opportunity for most lower income families. Young men who grow up in low income households receive fewer opportunities than men in middle-upper class ones. Juvenile behavior and activities can be a result of these limited opportunities.

Update

Well its mardi gras break and their's snow in shreveport, couldn't ask for much more. Within the next couple weeks I should be starting my interviews and collecting more data. I have also talked with some friends about starting a focus group. The focus group will be a great way to find out some of my friends thought's on police, crime, etc..... Looking forward to it.

Money does help!

I was reading up on some online articles when i stumbled along a "reader's comment" section of the New York Times website. A gentleman talks about his sons navigation through the juvenile justice system. His son was able to avoid detention for his crimes due to the help of a good attorney and high school principle. As i focus my research on lower income households, their ability to afford a good attorney to get their son out of a pinch, may be slim to none. Maybe I'm just jumping to conclusion, but here is another example of the opportunities the lower social class families don't have..................