WACO unseen exposing aspects of our community that are rarely in the spotlight
A A Baylor Baylor Student Student Publication Publication || Spring Spring 2018 2018 Spring 2018 | 1
W
aco is known for a lot of things. It is home to the popular reality stars we love to obsess over, a tragedy at a compound that became a television series and the school that lights up in green and gold. But Waco isn’t known for its extreme poverty. With a rate of 27.5 percent, poverty in Waco is nearly twice the national average of 12.7 percent. From the outside looking in, no one wants to see the community-wide issue. Instead, most see how TripAdvisor declared Waco to be the second top travel destination for 2018 or how more than 10,000 tourists poured into the city for one weekend at the Silos. The complexities and depth of any city is difficult to capture, but the perception of Waco in the mainstream media is incomplete. This is our community. We live here, go to school here and grow here. It is not the responsibility of the world to capture the full identity of our home — it is ours. What do we want the world to see? There is a richness to Waco that should be shared, but the truth is richer and the truth is people are struggling. There are many organizations that are ardently working to better the lives of the impoverished in Waco. From toddlers to teenagers, youth are living in poverty, the greatest threat to a child’s well-being, according to the National Center for Children in Poverty. From the streets to the shelters, Wacoans haven’t forgotten about their neighbors. A part of this community remains unseen, until now. From cover to cover, in this issue of Focus Magazine, we can only scratch the surface of the amazing work being done in our community.
Ta y l o r Wo l f
K r i s t i n a Va l d e z
Letter from the
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Front & Back C over Photos by C orrie C olema n
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24 For more, visit baylorfocusmagazine.com
Poverty in Waco Leaving a Pawprint Teen Hopefulness The Guest House On The Streets
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A Different Shade of Blue Enabling Brighter Futures Rise Above Hope in the Desert Get Involved
Table of
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Did you know?
percent of Waco residents live in poverty
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Poverty in Waco Illustration by Rewon Shimray
33.7%
48.2%
55.1 % Br
16.7% - 19.4%
az
os
Ri
ve
60.9% r
Baylor University
82.5% Br az os Ri ve
r st a
te 3
5
La
Sa
lle
Av e
r
I nte
72.8%
31.4% - 39.6% 36.8% - 39.6%
32.4% Source: The New York Times, Mapping Poverty in America
Waco more than doubles the national poverty rate of 12.7 percent The median annual household income in Waco is about $34,000 All of McLennan County has a poverty rate of about 18 percent East Waco has some of the highest poverty rates in Texas Source: the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2016 estimates
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LEAVING A
PAWPRINT
Students step outside 'Baylor Bubble' and address issue of poverty and homelessness in Waco
Stor y by Bailey Brammer | Photo by Mar yse Bombito The farther students travel outside the “Baylor Bubble” and past the “Magnolia Monarchy,” the more evident Waco’s financial situation becomes. As of 2016, 27.5 percent of Waco residents were reported to live below the poverty line, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2016 estimates. In comparison, the state of Texas has about 20 percent of its population living below the poverty line, and the national poverty rate is about 12.7 percent. With a poverty rate double the national average, homelessness is prevalent in Waco. In 2005, Waco city officials and local service agencies created a 10-year plan to put an end to Waco’s chronic homelessness, according to the city of Waco’s website. While Waco’s homeless population did indeed drop because of these efforts, there is still a pressing need for the various organizations and shelters around the city to offer assistance to those in need. Baylor senior Luke Harris is one of the many students who has taken the city’s poverty rates personally, and he decided to do something to help the Waco community and affect change in any way he can. “Unfortunately, homelessness is extremely common in Waco,” Harris said. “Frequently, I hear students complain about the amount of homeless people asking for food, money or general help
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around the fast food restaurants that make up the ‘grease pit.’ It’s difficult for both the students who do not feel comfortable and for those asking for help who feel marginalized at times.” As a member of the service committee of the American Medical Student Association at Baylor, Harris leads an event called Friday Morning Breakfast once a week. Harris and other members serve a meal to the homeless at the Meyer Center Community Clinic and were part of the reason this tradition was restarted after being inactive previous years. “I love serving,” Harris said. “It energizes me, and when I had the opportunity to work with those who I have a passion for, I decided to do it.” Other organizations on campus also donate their time and money to various philanthropies and nonprofits in Waco. In particular, the Salvation Army offers a multitude of resources to the homeless population, and is always seeking volunteers. The Salvation Army’s purpose is “motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.” Groups at Baylor such as the Alpha Lambda Delta honor society regularly volunteer with the Salvation Army, and the Waco branch alone offers plenty of opportunities for getting involved.
Similar to Harris, Baylor senior Lindsey Nishimiya works with the Waco Family Abuse Center, which also assists the homeless population, but under specific circumstances. The Family Abuse Center aims to provide housing, food, clothing, counsel and more to victims and families affected by domestic violence. By definition, men and women who live in a shelter are homeless, and the Family Abuse Center tailors its care to individuals who have had to leave their previous homes because of abuse. Nishimiya serves as the Housing Program intern through the Baylor School of Social Work, and said she chose to work there because of what the Family Abuse Center does to help the Waco community. Through federal grants and donations, the center currently houses more than 50 clients, including children. “I think homelessness is a large issue in Waco, and I know that the Family Abuse Center is only able to help a fraction of those people because of their specific cause in domestic violence,” Nishimiya said. “But the center helps thousands of individuals every year in their issues of homelessness. Homelessness is most noticeable in Waco when I take hotline calls at the shelter and see how many people need a place to stay, and aren’t victims of domestic violence.” Although the center’s resources for the homeless are limited to victims of domestic abuse, the city of Waco has made assisting those under the poverty line an active part of its mission moving forward. According to its website, the city of Waco has dispelled eight myths about homelessness, covering common statements such as “all homeless people are drunks or addicts” or “people are homeless because they are lazy.” Harris disagrees with one of these myths in particular, that “homeless people are not our responsibility.” Harris said he sees many ways Baylor students, as well as the entire community, can donate their time and talent to those in need. “Baylor students serving is an incredible
liaison between college students and those who have only dreamed of going to college,” Harris said. “It’s a marvelously humbling opportunity to encourage and empower those. It also gives Baylor students a different perspective on homelessness and joblessness. Many students have never had an intentional conversation with a homeless person before and that can change any person’s life.” Dr. Andrew Hogue, director of the philanthropy and public service program at Baylor, said students, as well as the Waco community, have a unique opportunity to make an impact on the poverty and homelessness enveloping the city. “Any city is made better when there are bright, talented, smart young people choosing to take part in determining its fate,” Hogue said. “Waco is no exception — we’ll be better if more Baylor grads stick around and continue the positive trajectory that this city has been on for the last decade or so.” Hogue also serves as a senior lecturer in the Honors College at Baylor, and said students often take away two main things from his teaching. “They learn some of what it takes to build a strong and vibrant community — that it’s more than just volunteering or giving money, as important as those things are,” Hogue said. “The other is that they realize there is more interesting and inspiring stuff going on in Waco than they ever supposed, that this city is full of social innovators doing creative and highimpact work in more corners than they realized this city has.” Above all, Hogue said his motivation to continue his philanthropic work and to inspire his students stems from deep-seeded gratitude. “We’re all at our best when we’re taking part in things that are bigger than ourselves, things that bring us together when there are so many forces in our world that want to tear us apart,” Hogue said. “I’m convinced that when we’re grateful, we’re also generous, and when we’re generous, we encounter all sorts of good, interesting and hopeful surprises.”
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Teen
HomElessNess
Hopefulness The Cove, local teen nurturing center, offers community support and a safe haven to the homeless and stuggling youth of Waco.
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S t o r y b y Ta y l o r W a r d | P h o t o s b y C o r r i e C o l e m a n | I l l u s t r a t i o n s b y R e w o n S h i m r a y
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common misconception is that homelessness is only experienced by adults and in one certain way. According to the Texas Education Agency, there are approximately 110,000 homeless teens and children enrolled in public schools every year. Sixteen thousand of those children are “unaccompanied,” as in not living in the physical custody of a parent or guardian. The McKinney-Vento Act defines homelessness as “families and students temporarily without a home due to fire, living with a family doubled-up to financial hardship, a student not living with a parent or legal guardian, or living in a shelter, car, or unsuitable living space.” This is the definition The Cove, a nurturing center for teens experiencing homelessness in Waco, uses in their work. Kenneth McAdam, licensed master social worker and program manager, makes sure students are being provided for holistically — this includes making sure they have tutors, available meals, haircut appointments and connections with outside programs. He also coordinates volunteers and the inner workings of the program itself. “My heart has always been for youth,” McAdam said. “I love spending time with youths and getting to see them grow.” The Cove offers food, academic and emotional support via certified counselors and tutors, clothing, safety, shelter and access to healthcare. At The Cove, they have two approaches to working with their students. The first is a strength-based approach that emphasizes selfdetermination and strengths. This approach allows the volunteers,
interns, employees and faculty to help students see themselves as resourceful and resilient in the face of adversity. The second approach is trauma-informed care, which is rooted in an understanding of and responsiveness to the impact of trauma students have experienced. This creates opportunities for survivors to rebuild a sense of control and empowerment. Jordyn Reel volunteers at The Cove every Monday from 6 to 8 p.m., and she wishes she could volunteer more. “For me, when I get there, it’s usually about time for dinner,” Reel said. “I love this so much because we always have a table question while we eat, and each person takes a turn telling us their answer. I love hearing more about the kids and their dreams for their future and what they enjoy — then being able to connect with them on something that they talked about.”
280
There are homeless youth in Waco ISD high schools Spring 2018 | 9
Reel spends dinner time getting to know the students she works with. Afterward, she helps students with homework if they need. “I read with some of the kids,” Reel said. “Then sometimes it just looks like us hanging out, listening to them, playing a board game or just being able to love on them in the best way I can for those few hours.” There are 280 homeless youths enrolled in Waco ISD high schools. Thirty-two percent of these are unaccompanied, which means they are not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian. According to Waco ISD Homeless Outreach Services’ 2015 information, 37 percent of youth in the Waco High School district, 31 percent of youth in the University school district and 29 percent of youth in the Brazos school district are unaccompanied. “The growing problem of youth who experience homelessness deserves support from government, municipal and community agencies,” said Rosemary Townsend, board chair and co-founder of The Cove. Townsend was brought in when other co-founder Cheryl Pooler, licensed clinical social worker and lecturer in the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work at Baylor, reached out and described her dream for a safe space for homeless youth. Whether tending to her board duties, supervising committees or overseeing volunteers and staff, Townsend still finds time to volunteer with the students on Thursdays. Nonprofits are difficult to keep afloat because they don’t have a steady source of income. This forces them to continuously seek ways to raise the funds with the goal of long-term sustainability. According to Townsend, however, having the necessary resources
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doesn’t always guarantee a successful venture. “It doesn’t matter how great the resources are if you haven’t gained the trust of those you serve,” Townsend said. “The students are our most important partners.” The Cove serves students from 14 to 19 years old — all of whom have an increased likelihood of sexual and emotional abuse, human trafficking, depression, suicide and substance abuse. According to the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth, each year in the U.S., 1.6 to 1.7 million youths experience homelessness. Twenty to 40 percent were abused sexually in their homes, 40 to 60 percent were abused physically, two out of three students report at least one parent who abuses drugs or alcohol and 20 to 40 percent have been thrown out of their homes because of sexual orientation or pregnancy. When The Cove first opened on October 3, 2016, it served 61 students during the 2016-2017 school year — 37 of which were unaccompanied. The Cove has since seen eight students graduate from high school, and nearly 88 percent of those graduates were accepted to college or found employment. “They are so capable and resilient,” Townsend said. “And they deserve our support.” Townsend explained that while The Cove is a relatively new organization, their early results and graduation rates validate the importance of the program in providing a safe space for students to acquire the tools that will help them conduct a more successful and productive life. “Cove Scholars want to be contributing members of our community’s future. It is important to give them that opportunity,” Townsend said.
A letter from a recent Cove graduate
accompanied d I’m homeless/un en though I’ve an en te gh ei am erine Price! I ce the present. Ev My name is Cath ith how I experien pectations. Normally people w do to t lo a s youth. My past ha have exceeded other people’s ex given up. ll, I harder. I haven’t y he tr h to ug e ro m th ed en sh be up, but it’s only pu expect me to give ysical and verbal rienced a lot of ph “I’m joining ROTC.” pe ex e w y, m Ar to t out of the going nowhere” TC When my dad go it went from “I’m I was hoping that being in the RO so e, ur ct ru st d te .” d. ily an da w y I am m “f e. w as us sa w ab ver to me the Army, we ne explained ROTC y le m op en pe th ay d w an e When he was in ar Th never see them. d one. We had a ye would make me didn’t feel like I ha I e us ca be d te That’s what I wan . rced parents got divo e to my mother ing the abusive on r. She met a man be er th fa y m e, it went from with her mothe After the divorc t my mom e, we were living tim e th At e. iv d. He wouldn’t le te us an ab w ly e al w t rb ve ha g w cked out of bein ht us ter that, we got ki ry nice. He boug and he seemed ve moved to another city. Shortly af n’t too far from this man’s we r house that was other. Very ground us. Then oved into a traile abusive to my m m ry d ve an e t m en ca tm be e ar our ap time. H ap me. Shortly come over all the relationship, he threatened to sl ld ou w e H e. us e my education. ho I could continue At one point in th in the kids’ faces. back to Waco with my grandma so y mother was drug tested ed t into our lives. M to move back in with my after that, I mov ol started, CPS go ho sc re y mother fo be th A mon stem. CPS told m e moved to Waco with us. sy r he in s ug dr her kids. So sh and they found e wanted to keep grandmother if sh her saying “You’re ats from my mot re th g in erything tt ge as w 18 and I I wasn’t doing ev n ed he rn w tu t I , se at up t th r ge Afte e would kick you out.” Sh nd the house. almost 18. I can ou ar ne do ed to be ld she thought need counselor and to dI d talked with my an ha I . ve ve Co e Co e th t th t ou d out abou told me ab un ho fo w I n ne he eo w m ’s so at Th me to . She introduced her about my mom t?”. scared. thought “Why no new place. I was a as w It . ed ifi rr felt te after that. me to the Cove, I The first time I ca nice, and it was hard to be afraid so as w But everybody en, my grades friends. Since th e m so ith w in st of my life I left and moved career for the re y m d I turned 18, and de ci de e nfold, and I’v have improved te d then active duty). an d (National Guar it be mental l stages, whether al in t or pp su as a cool lped a lot with ideas by, as well ur yo g in The Cove has he sw ork d an to do my homew eone to talk to and needing som ter school. I’m getting encouraged Cove, I probably t af n’t for The place to hang ou to that. If it was ed us t no telling me “You I’m . te e Cove has been and gradua Th t. ou d pe op dr y would have alread ement is exactly what I needed. ag ur co En ” it. do can be a family. I want to t military. I want an ty w du I e g. in tiv pt ac ce go ac I want to open and other. I want to be will, and I know this for a better than my m s e’ er th person. If to be an optimistic . ay ory. a fact, there’s a w And that’s my st
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the guest house Sto r y by S ava n n a h C o o p e r a n d K r i s ti n a Va l d ez | P h oto s by M a r ys e B o m b ito
As you pull into the parking lot of the massive white building, bay windows covered in toddler’s doodles and stickers greet you. The guest house dog Barney wags his tail when he sees you. It is then that you realize this is not a shelter. The Care Net Pregnancy Center of Central Texas opened in 2004 for pregnancy testing, ultrasounds and peer counseling. Care Net serves more than 2,600 clients a year. In 2016, Care Net opened a second location, a guest house, for pregnant and new mothers. Within McLennan County, there are two Care Net locations, the guest house on 800 W. Waco Drive as well as the medical services on 1818 Columbus Avenue. Unlike The Salvation Army’s Sally’s House, Care Net’s guest house is not a shelter. Care Net gives women and their children a stress-free environment to become stable and find dependable resources. There are 28 beds in the Care Net guest house. “They have such a web of dependency on people that can cause them to fail that we have to get them to see,” Care Net Waco CEO Deborah McGregor said. “We say look, you can have these relationships with people in your life, but these are the very things that cause you to fail.”
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This 14,000-square-foot facility offers mothers and their immediate family members free programs to participate in. Baylor students have a special volunteer room where they chat and receive their assignments for the day. Nancy Rothe, COO of Care Net, said she goes into their volunteer room to greet them every day. Along with volunteers and young children, Barney, the guest house dog, is roaming around. “Barney means comforter,” said Rothe. “He was bought specifically for the guest house, to comfort the children and their families. His home is the guest house.” Care Net’s programs range from life skills classes like budgeting and self-care to monthly Waco transportation cards. Care Net offers various services, including childbirth preparation and post-abortion counseling. While family members are in class four times a week, children spend time with Sara Stanley, a child education specialist, who makes their time more productive rather than just babysitting. “As a pioneer, you don’t really have anybody to learn from,” McGregor said. “We’ve had to figure it out on our own. Every initiative that we’ve added, we didn’t have anybody in the pregnancy center to learn from.”
Communications director Isabel King was an intern when she first started working at Care Net. King was kicked out of her home when she became a teen mom. She felt pressure to abort her child, so her work with Care Net is even more special to her. She has grown attached to the residents and their babies. “Watching them grow is amazing,” King said. “I think it’s harder for us because we get attached to them and we get attached to their babies. As staff, we do feel like we don’t want to let them go, but you’re excited for them at the same time because you watch them come in almost broken and see them blossom as they leave.” Residents can stay through their entire pregnancy, but they need to be actively progressing toward full independence. Each room has two bunk beds, dressers, desks and closets. Residents have access to the community kitchen, laundry room and living room. Residents have an assigned mailbox and a set of tableware that corresponds to their name. Outside of the guest house, there is a classroom, an infants room and a toddlers room.
“We knew women needed community and a lot of them were coming from poverty,” McGregor said. “We believed that a lot of women were strong enough that if they just had the chaos out of their life and didn’t have to pay bills for a minute, they could get their wits about them and become independent.” Once a guest feels ready to leave the center and is prepared to fully stand on her own in the world, Care Net then hosts a going-away party for her. McGregor hopes that women in difficult situations don’t make a decision about their pregnancies until they have explored all their options. “Don’t make any decisions until you have gotten information on all the help available,” McGregor said. “Everything from knowing how she will talk to her parents to connecting her to other [young women] who have been through the same thing. There’s nothing like looking somebody in the eyes and saying I’ve done this, here’s how you do it and it’s going to be great. Finally, I’ll tell her you’re going to be great at this. You don’t have to do the whole pregnancy today, you just have to do today, today.”
Barney is Care Net’s guest house dog. His job is to comfort the children and their families. The name Barney means comforter.
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Wacoans, waiting for breakfast outside the Salvation Army, briefly share some thoughts and stories. Here’s a glimpse into their lives.
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On The Streets Photos by Corrie Coleman | Repor ting by Meredith Wagner
From the Reporter — Initially, there was a slight hesitation when I approached these interviews, mostly out of fear that my questions may not be welcome or that my intentions may not be understood. Perched across from four strangers on a sunny Sunday morning, I found just the opposite. It was simple. They wore their hearts on their sleeves. We spoke of family and childhood, love and death, dreams of living in luxurious castles. We pondered some of life’s biggest questions. We laughed and cried.
We had just met. I may never understand what it feels like to lose everything or to be in a position of heightened vulnerability as many in Waco experience every day. But our dissimilarities didn’t seem to inhibit our ability to connect or respect one another in the least. However different, we found common ground in our curiosity for life, our hope for a better future and our desire to live in a less divided city. As Waco continues to grow, my hope is that its residents feel unafraid to integrate, to ask questions, to sit still and listen to their neighbor.
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Dwayne Good was born in Waco. At one point in his life, he traveled to California to get a general education and learn how to weld. After receiving his degree, Good returned to Waco and worked in construction for much of his life. He is now retired and trying to fix up his house and feed the birds. When asked why he feeds the birds, he said — “Respect for life. People lost a respect for life.”
“People get caught up in religion. When a person does religious things, they’ll feel religious, but that’s not salvation. [The churches] have a ‘do it yourself’ system, which is basically what religion is — a ‘do it yourself’ system — but with Christ, you have to wait on Him. I’m trying to give you some Scriptures. I should give you something.”
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Lanette Farmer attended McLennan Community College to be a nursing assistant after graduating from high school in Waco. Farmer worked at various nursing homes as a nursing assistant until the commute became too difficult without proper transportation. She returned to Waco to work in a hanger factory.
“It kind of started when my grandfather passed away. It’s been going for three years — I’ve been struggling for three years. I pay child support, so my checks will go to them; and I have about a hundred bucks left. It’s not enough to pay bills. I was raising them for 10 years until, well, it’s a long story… Their dad went to prison, and so his mom has the kids. I can’t even really talk about it. It’s been really tough.”
Khaliliah Ivree Mitchell has been a mother since she was 14 years old. She has about 10 children, some of which are her godchildren. Mitchell volunteers at church for 10 hours each week and plays the guitar, keyboard, piano and trombone. Her favorite book is the Bible, which she says she has memorized. She wasn’t able to graduate high school and hasn’t had a consistent place to live — “A few weeks, I had been outside. I had tried to rent two apartments from someone to stay there, but it all didn’t go well. I had found the Salvation Army for the Sally’s House… I was staying outside for a few days.”
“I wouldn’t mind staying in a castle. There’s an empty castle I found with 100 bedrooms, but it’s supposed to be haunted. If somebody would please let me stay in the castle, I would stay there by myself. I would sleep in all the rooms each day. I want that castle so bad.”
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Don Joslin sandblasted and painted water towers for 10 years. Recently released from prison, he now spends his days looking out for his friends, trying to avoid the “fast life,” and staying at the Salvation Army. “I help out here. I try to give back, ‘cause you know, it’s a blessing to get what we get.” “If there’s one thing that Waco needs, they need some place other than the Meyer Center to get IDs and stuff. They won’t let me use their services. That’s the only thing keeping me from being able to get a job — I don’t have my ID. I lost it along the way. If Waco had one or two places that would just do that, I think a few more of these people wouldn’t be [on the streets]. I would say probably 40 percent of them don’t have IDs. I don’t know who to go to talk to about that...”
“I have two little girls. I raised them by myself for 10 years. Three years ago, I lost them to Child Protection Services. I got a letter when I was in jail saying that they ask about me everyday, and they want written contact with me, so I got to write them a letter. Their mom is chasing dope — whatever — one of us had to be responsible.”
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a different shade of
Blue Stor y by Aaron Cobbs | Photos by Sarah Barrientos
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% 9 .
30
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en rty r ild ove h p c n h i t , wi g o n ac lies livi i e W m n I fa ar 8 of r 1 e d un
Welcome to The Blue House In the Kate Ross government housing complex, there is The Blue House, an after-school childcare center sponsored by Baylor Missions and Crossroads Fellowship Church. For one hour each day, neighborhood kids come to The Blue House to work on their homework, get tutoring and participate in games and other activities with the volunteers. After a hard day’s play, kids can win prizes or receive snacks and food to take home. Ten years ago, Crossroads Fellowship Church bought two houses that were condemned. They tore down one house so they could open up the field and repaired the other to use it for a summer day camp. At that time, most of the kids in the Kate Ross neighborhood were in summer school, and the church learned that the kids needed help with schoolwork. Joel and Sarah Nelson, co-leaders and co-founders of The Blue House group, gathered a group of volunteers and decided to tutor the kids themselves. Since then, The Blue House group has met with Kate Ross kids every Tuesday and Thursday after school to tutor and play games. When The Blue House first opened in the neighborhood, the kids did not trust the volunteers. Their outside environment and experiences had made it difficult to trust and rely on others for guidance and nurturing. “When they come from the streets, it’s pure survival mode,” said Kerry Chapman, who has been volunteering at The Blue House for 10 years. “But, when they’re here, they get that love and attention that they’ve wanted.” Baylor Missions partners with Crossroads Fellowship Church to volunteer at The Blue House. Michael Valencia, the co-leader of the Baylor Student Missions division of Blue House, said it’s hard to be a new volunteer and to connect with the kids, but the eventual bond is rewarding. “The true relationship develops when the kid remembers your name because you’ve been there,” said Valencia. The origins of the housing complex were as pure as the Blue House. The founder, Kate Ross Padgitt, was a major
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e liz bo . m ity sy n e re lu se rb d lo an co e e ac Th pe 20 | Focus Magazine
"When they come from the streets, it's pure survival mode. But, when they're here, they get that love and attention that they've wanted.” philanthropist. She donated to the Paul Quinn College and to the Central Texas College, both historically black institutions in Waco. In the mid-1900s, the city of Waco converted her homestead into the current Kate Ross government housing complex. In her honor, the city named the complex after her. However, despite the good intentions of Padgitt, the complex has seen better days. In this neighborhood, there are crowded schools, crowded homes and even more crowded children who are either forced to stay in their confined areas or forced to leave because of redevelopment. “In this neighborhood, there are about 3,000 people,” said Joel Nelson, co-founder of The Blue House. “That is a high population density. Ninety percent of the kids go to the same school and see the same people. If you have an incident or a fight, they never get to get away from it.” The philosophy of The Blue House is that when they’re there, they get to be a kid. They get to smile, and they get to have fun. “We’re trying to provide a place where they can have a normal time,” said Nelson. “A couple of hours a week is not going to
change the world, but it’s good to know that they have some place that they can go.” The Blue House provides that center that will extend far beyond school years. High school seniors have visited volunteers, saying how their time in The Blue House changed their lives and brought them peace. As the peacemaker between the neighborhood and the kids, The Blue House is a refuge — a place where the impoverished kids don’t just survive, but thrive.
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Enabling
brighter Futures
Stor y by Kaitlyn DeHaven 22 | Focus Magazine
T
he Baylor University School of Education is extending its reach and connecting with the Waco community through their mentor program EnAbled for College. The program consists of Baylor graduate students mentoring local at-risk and/or disabled high school students. Once a week, five graduate students from the School of Education go visit Waco High School and McGregor High School to meet one-on-one and mentor juniors and seniors in regards to post-secondary education or placement. The program started four years ago and is funded by the AT&T Foundation. The AT&T Foundation believes in helping kids in need who want to go to college or need help taking that next step after high school. Dr. Terrill Saxon, interim dean of the School of Education, said these high school students would usually be first-generation college students, so they might not have the resources to pursue postsecondary education on their own. He said that through EnAbled, students learn practical things, such as how to do a FAFSA and how to send in applications for colleges and scholarships. Tamara Hodges, senior lecturer in the department of educational psychology, helps lead the program. She said that in addition to learning practical skills, students build relationships with the mentors and learn about themselves and what they are capable of. “When somebody is beaten down pretty hard by society, if they don’t believe [that they can graduate], they don’t see it,” Hodges said. “So some of the things we build into these kids is self-advocacy, self-efficacy and how to ask when you don’t know.” Hodges said this guidance is vital during a student’s transition
period because it could end up defining the rest of his or her life, and maybe even affect generations to come. “They’ve gotten scholarships, they’ve gotten accepted and they’ve been given hope,” Hodges said. “It’s life-changing. It’s generationschanging.” Saxon said that while the program greatly impacts the high school students involved, it also leaves a significant mark on the graduate students — helping prepare them for their future careers in education. “They are in a school setting helping children who have impediments to their progress and education, and so they get to be part of a program that focuses on removing those,” Saxon said. “A bit of mentoring goes a long way with these kids. [The graduate students] are getting good exposure to the population that needs them the most.” EnAbled has experienced a few changes during the four years it has existed. Hodges said that in addition to realizing they needed to start mentoring students before their senior year, they realized they could have a greater impact by widening the scope of students they reach out to. “It used to just be kids at-risk, kids who had failed a grade, were considered homeless or lived beneath the poverty level — but really, AT&T encouraged us to start looking toward kids who have learning disabilities as well because it’s kind of an under-served population,” Hodges said. “The kids can do it, but they don’t have a lot of leadership and guidance that they need to do it.” According to the 2017 GradNation report, the likelihood of students with disabilities graduating from high school is extremely low in most states. Thirty-three states in the U.S. reported high school graduation rates for special education students
below 70 percent. Hodges said that, in addition to this, there is a low amount of research that has been done for post-secondary education for students with disabilities, which deters the students from trying without help. She said this makes EnAbled’s job even more vital to the community in that it is bringing something new to the table, and serving an under-served population. Hodges and Saxon both said that they hope to see expansion of the program in the future. “I would love to do just [previews] of [the program] for sophomore year [students],” Hodges said. “It would be great to have the seniors talk to the sophomores, to have peer mentoring or to have kids who have graduated high school come back from post-secondary placement and say, ‘If I can do it, you can do it.’” Hodges said they see better results the longer they work with
the students, but the amount of work the program can do relies heavily on funding. “Our funding cycle impacts a lot,” Hodges said. “If we could go in during the spring before [the next school year] and talk to counselors, pick our kids and be ready to go, we could save the whole month we spend doing that in the fall.” Hodges said some of the biggest difficulties the students face are things that some people would never think of as potential barriers, such as internet and transportation. She said EnAbled has really helped students by giving them someone to help them problem solve and overcome the obstacles that stand in their way. “Some of these kids are homeless, work full-time — stories we can’t even imagine,” Hodges said. “We have so many stories of kids who have written back to their mentors and say, ‘Nobody could’ve helped me like this.’”
'They've gotten scholarships, they've gotten accepted and they've been given hope. It's life-changing. It's generationschanging.' Spring 2018 | 23
A look i nto the Talitha Ko with Ex um Institute ecutive Susan C Director owley
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In Aramaic, Talitha koum means “Arise, my child!” Stor y by Emily Starr | Photos by Kat Cansler | Illustration by Rewon Shimray Laughs and squeals bounce off the walls of Talitha Koum Institute as toddlers run around with toys and play games like hide-and-seek. Talitha Koum is a therapeutic mental health nursery specializing in mental healthcare of children from birth to age 5. The children who grow up below the poverty line in Waco are the seventh generation of urban poverty, according to Susan Cowley, co-founder and executive director of Talitha Koum. These children live unstable, unpredictable and sometimes unsafe lives. Many people living in poverty experience a constant struggle for survival, and this is especially hard on children. Cowley describes this unpredictable lifestyle as “toxic stress” and aims to combat it through a specific curriculum implemented at Talitha Koum. As Cowley and other co-founders began dreaming about the organization, they visited a local public elementary school and asked what entering kindergarteners struggled with. “We really thought we knew what they’d say,” said Cowley. “They’d say ‘Oh, they haven’t been read to,’ or ‘They don’t know their letters, numbers [or] colors.’ But they didn’t skip a beat, dead-eyed us and said that their mental health is already shot and they can’t learn.’ And it was breathtaking.”
Co-founders Kim Jamison, Carol Salvesen and Marsha Martie joined Cowley to meet up with Dr. Keith Warren, a psychologist who worked with families and children. Warren directed them toward a cognitive curriculum using a constructivist approach. While the psychology jargon sounds intense and complicated, the rewiring of the brain and overcoming of trauma simply happens through the regimentalized “work” the children do. “It’s a plan, do, review. … And we do it every day,” Cowley said.
A d ay in the life
Each day for a Talitha Koum student doesn’t look much different from any other preschooler — play, lunch, nap, recess. It’s the method and type of play that makes it all so therapeutic. “Everything we do, including what we do … in the gym and in the classroom is full of sensory modulation experience,” Cowley said. Everything at Talitha Koum revolves around repetition because the stability of repeated actions creates healthy neural pathways. Routine and a structured environment are not always guaranteed for children living under toxic stress at home. To start the day, students are directed to choose their activities, or work, in order to reinforce the children’s ability to make choices. Choices include everything from rhythmic drumming to playing with blocks. Afterward, everyone goes outside to exercise their motor skills. Next, it’s lunchtime, an essential component of the daily routine of Talitha Koum. After lunch, the lights are dimmed, cots are set up and quiet music plays, establishing the rhythm of nap time. The music helps curate a safe and calming atmosphere. Many children enduring toxic stress don’t have reliable bedtimes, bedtime routines or even their own bed to sleep in. The routine of each school day at Talitha Koum. It helps teach the children to self-regulate, and it decreases the levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, in their brains. Additionally, Talitha Koum cares about more than just decreasing the stress levels of their students. Weekly parent meetings are held to inform and support the parents of current and past students who are under stress as well.
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Talitha Koum teacher Bruce Kabat retired as an editor from the Waco Tribune-Herald Infants and toddlers receive intense levels of therapeutic care from and decided to teach at Talitha Koum because his deep love for little children. weekly visits with therapists in a special-play therapy room. Executive Director Susan Cowley said that the children love him and know he is safe.
Me n t o r s hi p
Cowley says a major criterion for Talitha Koum teachers is “the patience of Job.” “[It takes] a real strong sense of, not just loving the child, but being patient with the child and loving every child every time, no matter what they do to you or around you,” said Cowley. This kind of love, safety and stability layered throughout every aspect of Talitha Koum has had profound effects on the students, both while they are enrolled and years later. Every child at Talitha Koum is paired with a mentor who will remain by their side from kindergarten to high school graduation. Mentors can provide an unconditional love children in poverty may not feel at home.
T he s c ho o l - to- pr is on pipe line
A dream of Cowley’s is to end the school-to-prison pipeline, which calls for a different approach to discipline. Most schools have a zero tolerance policy for behavioral issues, which can lead to students in the judicial system. Research shows that this can begin at as young as 4 years old — the age kids can be removed from the classroom immediately
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for behavioral issues. “You know, education used to be your way out of poverty... if it’s your way into prison, we have something really wrong,” said Cowley. Talitha Koum aspires to teach the community about mental healthcare and its importance for children in the early stages of development. “We really believe schools will not — cannot — become trauma sensitive until they’re Executive Director Susan Cowley trauma informed,” Cowley said. Cowley believes holistic, proper care for children, starting as early as conception to age 5, can provide hope for securing promising futures. In the future, she dreams of implementing mental health care programs in primary schools for Pre-K and kindergarten classes to put an end to the school-to-prison pipeline and make sure every child knows there’s a seat for them.
Fu ll-circle stu d ent
Co-founder Cowley’s own mentee, who came to Talitha Koum as an infant, is now 17 years old. “She had all A’s on her report card and she was so proud [when she] came and showed me last week,” Cowley said. It’s a monumental year for the mentoring program as the soon-to-be first Talitha Koum Institute graduate, Kelle DeSouza, approaches her high school graduation this spring. DeSouza’s accomplishments include playing violin in the orchestra, being a semifinalist for the National Dell Scholarship and preacceptance to Dallas Baptist University. “[Talitha Koum mentors] taught us how to handle things at home and were just a really caring environment… [they] focus on God and how he loves us, which is really great because that’s something we don’t always get at home,” DeSouza said. DeSouza plans to study secondary education and become a teacher. “It’s always been teachers who were there for me — that’s why I want to be a teacher.”
The science behind the
“constructivist approach cognitive curriculum” cognitive curriculum using a constructivist approach — this type of curriculum is focused on encouraging the brain development of children under 5 years old to self-regulate stress by operating out of the prefrontal cortex instead of the lower parts of the brain which triggers a freeze, then fight-or-flight response “work” — by calling the activities “work,” students become acclimated to the idea of work, which will soon be associated with school toxic stress — damaging stress that derails healthy brain development by excessively or prolongedly activating stress response systems in the brain (Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University) sensory modulation — the organization of sensory information for ongoing use (North Shore Pediatric Therapy)
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Hope in the
t r e Des Stor y by Karr y Liu | Photos by Penelope Shirey Waco contains multiple food deserts — urban areas in which it is difficult to access affordable or good-quality fresh food, usually found in impoverished regions. One of the effects of a food desert is food insecurity, which largely affects children. Nearly 28,000 children in McLennan County don’t know where their next meal will come from. Many households lack financial and transportation-related resources, making it difficult to secure consistent and holistic meals vital to a child’s development. Pack of Hope combats the pressure put on families by the food deserts. Co-founded by Jane Bounds and Cliff Reece, Pack of Hope exists to erase child hunger in McLennan County. It supplies eligible students with backpacks of food to last them through the weekend. About 80 percent of the children in the Waco area who receive free and reduced lunch or subsidized meals are eligible for the Pack of Hope program. Donating $195 or 165 pounds of food provides one child with weekend packs for a year. Pack of Hope’s donors include all types
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of groups and individuals. Churches and organizations such as St. Paul Episcopal, Grande Communications and Baylor Athletics have partnered with Pack of Hope. In the past, a truck has even been brought to Baylor University for students and faculty to donate food or money to the cause. Pack of Hope’s main source of volunteers is the Baylor student body. At least 40 students from the Baylor chapter of the American Medical Student Association come in every Wednesday morning to help fill backpacks. The main focus of Pack of Hope is making sure children receive proper nutrition. The initiative started with the realization that children were returning to schools Monday morning hungry because the last time they had a full meal was Friday afternoon when they ate at school. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, hunger results in discomfort, illness, weakness or pain. This can be detrimental to developing children. Dinh Tran, Pack of Hope board member, explains how hunger negatively affects
children’s ability to learn. “Without nutrition, without food, children are hungry,” Tran said. “A lot of children then can’t learn. It’s all they can think about — the pain in their stomach — so learning is never there. Information that was given to them is not absorbed. Plus, if nutrition is not there, then the brain development is definitely not there.” Standard plastic grocery bags are filled with 18 to 20 items of nutritional food such as tuna meals, granola bars and fresh fruit. These bags are given to students every Friday without fail, and are large enough to last a single child for the weekend. Holidays and breaks are no exception. One of Pack of Hope’s milestones is the guarantee of year-round service. During the summer, Pack of Hope loads buses with food and drives out to apartment complexes to feed children. This upcoming summer will be their third year of the summer feeding program. Pack of Hope currently serves over 1,200 children in 18 school districts such as Lorena ISD, Robinson ISD and Waco ISD. “The 1,000 backpacks per week — that was a bit of a crowning achievement,” Tran said. “I mean, we did it. When we first started out, we were at about 20 backpacks. Then we went up to 1,000. It was a wonderful thing.” Pack of Hope’s ultimate goal is to develop the program to where they will be able to take care of every child on free and reduced lunch in McLennan County. Some school districts within McLennan County, such as Robinson ISD, are already close to that goal. About 80 percent of children on free and reduced lunch in Robinson ISD receive a Pack of Hope. Each school district receives a unique amount of backpacks as a result of a formula Pack of Hope devised. Using data from the government to determine how many children in that area receive subsidized meals, Pack of Hope then determines how many children they can serve based on that percentage. Within a school, school counselors dictate which children receive a pack because counselors are able to identify which children receive subsidized meals and are in need of proper nutrition. According to Bounds, those who lead
Pack of Hope do not know the name, nor the face, of any child who receives a backpack. It is entirely anonymous. “We do not know any of the children that receive our food. We know numbers. The outcome of Pack of Hope that we hear are the testimonials from the professionals that work with these children, or at fundraisers when people come up and say they’ve received our food and are grateful for what we do,” Bounds said. When the demand for food packs overwhelms the amount of available food supplies for children, school districts must turn to other resources such as food drives and monetary donations. According to Tran, some educators will donate a portion of their salary on a weekly basis to go toward making sure a child is fed properly. Pack of Hope wants to bring awareness to the local community that not all children have the necessary nutrition to be healthy. “It’s important for the community of McLennan County to come together as one and to help these children stay in school, be able to learn and concentrate and learn social skills. Some aren’t in school because their stomachs are rumbling,” Bounds said. “We want them to be in school.” When recounting his happiest moment with Pack of Hope, Tran smiled warmly. “It’s when the lightbulb goes off — when they realize all they have to do is speak to the right person within their school system,” Tran said. “It’s that easy. Those happy moments are when the message got through, and we’re able to serve more people within the Waco area. Our dream is to always speak that message all the time.” Pack of Hope also plans to have food donation stations developed from cargo boxes in the future. Making donating easier and more accessible for recipients may encourage the McLennan County community to donate their leftover food and canned goods to help the cause, rather than simply throwing food away in the trash. Pack of Hope brings hope to the desert. “I mean there are so many causes out there, but this is geared towards children that can’t help themselves. It’s very specific. It’s children that can’t go out and get their food, don’t have a car or they’re in a situation where they can’t reach out to anyone for help,” Tran said. “We have to help them.”
Volunteers pack meals at 7:30 a.m. every Wednesday at Waco ISD Child Nutrition Services Warehouse.
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Stor y by Morgan Harlan Painted white brick, black-rimmed windows and food trucks seem to cover Instagram feeds when the location reads Waco, Texas. While the Magnolia Market is now the staple of go-to Waco destinations, there are multiple ways to become immersed in the Waco community besides the Gaineses’ famous “Fixer Upper” powerhouse. Wacoans have started taking initiatives toward improving the socioeconomic gap in Waco and getting members of the community involved through implementing programs. Act Locally Waco is an organization dedicated to encouraging the community to get involved in different events.
Act Locally Waco started in 2008 as a round-robin email among Waco churches and representatives from other organizations that had a common goal of reducing hunger in the community. Ashley Bean Thornton, a volunteer who ran the email list and updated the website, currently heads the operations of Act Locally Waco. 30 | Focus Magazine
Thornton founded Act Locally Waco because she was frustrated that there wasn’t a single go-to source for information about events in the community. Every Friday, Act Locally Waco sends out a newsletter, “The Whole Enchilada,” that gives details of events going on in Waco. “The best way to receive information is through the newsletter,” Thornton said. There are over 2,700 subscribers that receive the newsletter. Act Locally Waco also posts jobs on its website, along with a blog including submissions from different members of the community. Thornton has been a part of the Waco community for 20 years and has worked with Act Locally Waco for 10. Throughout her time working in Waco, she has noticed that the conversation about Waco has evolved. “People are more confident that we can address our challenges and move forward in a positive way,” Thornton said. Her favorite part about Act Locally Waco
is the people she has been able to meet and gotten to work with. “Neighbors, to the mayor and everyone in between have been amazing,” she said.
Prosper Waco is an organization that is designed to help improve the education, health and financial security of Waco residents. Prosper Waco collaborates with the existing nonprofits and community efforts to improve the lives of the people in the greater Waco area. According to the findings of Prosper Waco’s final assessment report and American Community Survey, almost 30 percent of Waco residents lived in poverty in 2013. Waco is also socioeconomically separated. The urban core of Waco has a higher poverty-level concentration, while the outskirts of Waco contains a high level of middle-class families. Some of Prosper Waco’s partners include Baylor University, Baylor Scott &
Waco has many different opportunities to become immersed in the community. From being up to date on Waco events, to playing with children and joining together in worship, Waco is a crown jewel of hosting volunteer opportunities. Take a break from the Silos, and take to the streets to donate your time and get involved in Waco.
White and Waco ISD — the full list can be found on their website. Volunteers can sign up to be a youth mentor, join a neighborhood team or participate in a working group (an action-based team of community members who collaborate and connect to find solutions for the community.) Looking for ideas on how to get involved in the Prosper Waco initiative? Check out the “Get Involved” tab on their website.
Vertical Ministries, a nondenominational college ministry that was founded in 2009, holds services on Monday nights at Baylor University. Vertical has the goal of helping college students grow in their faith despite the demanding workloads and stress that takes place during their college career. Vertical has 130 volunteers and has approximately 600 students attend in the fall semester and 400 students in the
spring semester. Caroline Yablon, a sophomore from Dallas, is a student volunteer with Vertical Ministries. Yablon transferred to Baylor from McLennan Community College, where she became involved with Vertical during her freshman year. Yablon serves on the street and hospitality team. “My favorite thing about Vertical is the friendships that have formed and the opportunity that Vertical gives to students to grow in their faith,” said Yablon. Vertical brings together college students from different areas and socioeconomic backgrounds to worship together.
Kings Club is a volunteer opportunity sponsored by Mission Waco. Kings Club is an after-school Bible club that is hosted at various lowincome apartments around Waco. Kings
Club is currently held in Kate Ross, Ashton Oaks, the Villages, Robinson Gardens and South Terrace. Volunteers play soccer, read, share about the Bible and play games. Taylor Ernst is a Baylor junior from Huntsville who volunteers at Kings Club every Thursday. “I think Kings Club gives the kids some stability in their lives. Plus, it is a positive influence in lives that tend to lack role models,” said Ernst. Ernst became involved with Kings Club two years ago during the spring semester of his freshman year after being referred to the program by a friend. Ernst’s favorite activity is playing tag and writing in chalk with the kids. “Honestly just knowing that I’m making a difference in the children’s life and being able to just play with kids for two hours is fantastic,” Ernst said.
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