How Communities Can Help Homeless Students

Gentrification has become a buzzword among community leaders in South Carolina’s upstate communities. While it is understood that gentrification can have its negative impacts, what community members don’t often realize is the toll it takes on children struggling to learn and grow in an environment where they are continually being uprooted. Edgar Henson, Administrator at Mauldin Middle-school, joins us to discuss how his experience in school leadership and his education with Furman Graduate Studies has opened his eyes, not only to the needs of our communities’ struggling students, but to the opportunities for communities to take part in answering needs within our local school systems.

See Transcript Below:

“Earlier in the Ed.S. program that I’m currently in, we took a social justice class.  I think for me personally, one of the things that I was able to glean from this class, that has been long lasting with me, was when we went out and did a tour of the city of Greenville. We were looking at the gentrification process and talking about the number of homeless students that we have in Greenville county schools, and the number of homeless people that we have in Greenville County. To see that… It was astonishing to me.

We have the hashtag #yeahthatGreenville. Yes, THAT Greenville. We have this booming place where a lot of millennials are coming, and the job market is booming, and it’s fun and it’s exciting. But then, from downtown where’s all this fun and excitement, you go a few blocks over and it is someone’s nightmare. Seeing that really opened my eyes to (the importance of) partnerships with with school and community. To really look at our roles in the school, and as a leader in the school wondering “Are we doing all that we can to meet all of our students?”

I would just say to our community members: become a part of the community. Become a part of your school community, volunteer, and come into our schools whenever they’re hosting some sort of coat drive or food drive or whatever it may be. Even if you don’t have a kid in school, participate in it.

The more that every student can see something different from what they see on a day to day basis outside of their mom, dad, or grandparents.  If they can see someone different, or in a different light, it will give them a different view of something else in the world that maybe they haven’t encountered. If we can just get every school community to help and pitch in, and to volunteer to mentor a young man or young girl, it will be greatly appreciated because it’s most definitely needed.

I think when we can do those things, do them with fidelity, and in a way that doesn’t minimize anyone’s successes, that’s when we have great schools, that’s when we have great communities, and that’s when we will reach our potential as a state and as a nation.”