2021 Ensworth Service Scholars Publication

2021 ENSWORTH SERVICE SCHOLARS

KYLIANNE BROUGHTON*

The Ballot Ballet: Voter Engagement in the Face of Voter Suppression

Agency: Turnout Nation

Advisor: Love

JESSICA BRYAN*

Cheatham County Animal Control

Advisor: Sutherland

SALWA DAOUK*

American Civil Liberties Union

Advisor: Patel/Whitfield

ADDISON FRANCIS*

Nashville Humane Association

Advisor: Bradshaw

JACQUELINE FRIST*

Nashville Humane Association

Advisor: Sutherland

LAINEY GARSIDE

Miracle Network Ensworth Dance

Marathon and Time to Rise

Agencies: Time to Rise, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, Miracle Network

Advisor: Sutherland

CLAIRE HALEY

What Factors Impact Tennesseans’

Access to Healthcare?

Agencies: Hospital Hospitality House and Siloam Health Clinic

Advisor: Shomari White

NELL HARRIS*

Food Insecurity and Academic

Achievement: The Effect of Covid-19 on At-Risk Children

Agencies: Time To Rise, The Little Pantry That Could

Advisor: Patel/Whitfield

LINDSEY CAROLINE HOLLOMON

Miracle Network Ensworth Dance

Marathon and Time To Rise

Agencies: Miracle Network and Time to Rise

Advisor: Zeurcher

HAYDEN HORN*

Aiding Underserved Groups in the Nashville Area during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Agencies: Time to Rise / Greater Nashville

Regional Council

Advisor: Chanaca

BROOKE HUGHES*

Ending World Hunger

Agency: Second Harvest Food Bank

Advisor: Zeurcher

IAN JAFFE*

My First Book

Advisor: Johnson

ANNA LAPRE*

Solving Cat Overpopulation with Community Cat Programs

Agency: Williamson County Animal Center

Advisor: Boles

BRIDGET MONAGHAN*

Cheatham County Animal Control

Advisor: Zeurcher

ANNA MUNSON

Thistle Farms

Advisor: Schultz

ELIZABETH SALTSMAN*

Second Harvest Food Bank

Advisor: Schultz

EMMA SITARICH*

Spreading Sunshine

Advisor: Schultz

SACHI SRIVASTAVA*

Achievement Gaps, Housing Displacement, and Cultural Barriers: Three Lesser Known Stories of a Pandemic

Agencies: Room In The Inn, Y-Literacy, Hindu Cultural Center of TN

Advisor: Berry

WILLIAM VREELAND

Time To Rise & Time To Rise Meals

Advisor: Bradshaw

* Indicates Published Service Scholar

SERVICE SCHOLAR REQUIREMENTS

Service Scholar: The Service Learning Program is a curricular component of Community Life that promotes participation in the life of the community beyond the school. Its full description can be found in the high school Curriculum Guide. A Service Scholar engages in an extension of his/her senior Service Learning project. The extension consists of an academic component as well as additional service hours. Service Scholars exercise and incorporate the Core Skills that they have learned in their classes and apply them to their senior service-learning experiences.

Service Scholars complete at least 20 hours of service on their Grade 12 projects beyond what is otherwise required. They spend additional time collecting artifacts, researching and composing a paper that provides insight into the issues relevant to their project. The paper is a minimum of 2000 words and must reflect the quality and depth expected of Grade 12 level academic research in order to pass. In addition, Service Scholars write a 500-word reflection analyzing their personal experience with the project related to learning outcomes, although these pages are not counted toward the 2000 word total. The proposed academic component of the project must lie within the general purview of the high school academic program.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Each candidate has had the option to revise either, neither or both of their written pieces for this publication. All Ensworth students are to be commended for their service learning efforts, and the students who have chosen this publication opportunity should be recognized for using their talents to the fullest, being contributors to society and exercising their intellectual vitality. These published Service Scholars have received no grade, nor was publication required to become a Service Scholar. They should be congratulated for their commitment and their scholarship.

WITH SPECIAL THANKS TO

Courtney Bahr & Lynn Vincent Our Non-Profit Partners Advisors, Teachers, and Administrators

ESSAY: KYLIANNE BROUGHTON

THE BALLOT BALLET: VOTER ENGAGEMENT IN THE FACE OF VOTER SUPPRESSION

The United States has a long history of self-contradiction, beginning at its conception. While American policy may be founded on claims of the “consent of the governed” and that “all men are created equal”, a dark history of voter suppression shrouds the bright vision of an inclusive democracy. When adopted in 1787, the U.S. Constitution only granted suffrage to white, male landowners ages twenty-one and above (National Geographic Society). Since then, the American people have made continuous efforts to expand the electorate. Yet, despite the previously explicit legal barriers, suffrage is neither accessible nor efficacious for many Americans. For a multitude of reasons, voter turnout is incredibly low in American elections, with 42% of eligible voters not participating in the 2016 General Election (Regan). Turnout rates in local and state elections are significantly lower and disproportionately representative of the population: roughly 76% of eligible voters did not vote in Nashville’s 2019 Metro General Election and 88% did not participate in the 2016 Tennessee Primary and County General Election (“Election Statistics”). According to the MIT Election Data and Science Lab, Tennessee ranks incredibly low in election performance, in 45th place for voter registration and 49th in voter turnout (Vasilogambros). Organizations like Turnout Nation respond to these low turnout rates by supporting voter registration and helping voters navigate the many obstacles preventing them from the ballot box. However, the state-to-state differences in voting laws complicate the national expansion of these efforts and obstructs movements to revive voter participation across the nation.

A Brief History of Restricting and Expanding the Electorate

When reflecting on the slow expansion of the eligible voting population, it is important to recognize that a law granting suffrage does not equal the elimination of disenfranchisement for the given population. Many dates recognized in this section signify the beginning of a strenuous fight for equal access to voting, one that continues today.

Article I of the Constitution grants state legislatures oversight on federal elections, therefore the enfranchised and disenfranchised populations have varied greatly across the country since 1787. While only white, male landowners aged twentyone and above could vote in the first presidential election in 1789, state regulation of voting laws barred Catholics, Jews, and Quakers from voting in certain states (“The Fight for The Right to Vote“). In this historical election, only 6% of the U.S. population could vote (“U.S. Voting Rights Timeline”). The Naturalization Act of 1790 was the first legislation to enable voting rights and citizenship by naturalization, yet excluded women, people of color, and indentured servants (“Nationality Act of 1790”). Following the Mexican-American War, the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo

granted citizenship to Mexicans living in conquered territories in 1848. English language requirements and violent intimidation practices, however, would restrict voting access for Mexican-Americans (“U.S. Voting Rights Timeline”). In 1856, New Jersey became the last state to eliminate the property requirement for voting, essentially granting universal suffrage for white male citizens (“Introduction to Voting Rights”). In 1868, the Fourteenth Amendment granted citizenship, regardless of race, to all individuals born in the U.S. and overturned the 1857 Dred Scott decision, which had previously declared that black individuals could not become U.S. citizens (Monk). Section II of the Fourteenth Amendment, however, did define voters as male, combatting the beginning of the women’s campaign for suffrage (U.S. Const. Amend. XIV, Sec. 2). Two years later, the Fifteenth Amendment declared that the “right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude” (U.S. Const. Amend. XV, Sec. 1).

It would take nearly a century for the federal government to pass the Voting Rights Acts of 1965 and prevent the discriminatory practices adopted to circumvent the Fifteenth Amendment. It should also be noted that Tennessee did not formally ratify the Fifteenth Amendment until 1997 (Chin and Abraham). 1n 1882, the Chinese Exclusion Act would prohibit Chinese immigrants’ naturalization and implicitly disenfranchise Chinese-Americans, in addition to suspending Chinese immigration and fueling white hostility toward the wider Asian American community (“Chinese Exclusion Act”). Two years later, the Supreme Court case Elk v. Wilkins then denied Native Americans voting rights by defining Indigenous peoples as noncitizens. In five years, the Dawes Act would grant citizenship to Native Americans, but only on the condition that they renounced their tribal affiliations (“U.S. Voting Timeline”). In 1924, nearly forty years following the Dawes Act, the Indian Citizenship Act granted all Native Americans citizenship and voting rights, though state-level discriminatory practices would prevent access to voting (“The Fight for the Right to Vote”). Though almost exclusively for white women, the Nineteenth Amendment in 1919 would nationally grant women the right to vote. In 1922, Takao Ozawa v. United States would establish that individuals of Japanese descent were ineligible for naturalization and therefore the right to vote. In 1923, the Supreme Court decision Thind v. United States would conclude the same for individuals of Asian Indian descent. Section 311 of the McCarran-Walter Act ultimately overrode these decisions, eliminating all restrictions on naturalization and, per the Naturalization Act of 1790, granting voting rights to all individuals of Asian ancestry (Ngai). In 1961, the TwentyThird Amendment extended voting rights to citizens of Washington D.C., although excluding representation in Congress. The Twenty-Sixth Amendment then lowered the voting age to eighteen following the response to the Vietnam War (“U.S. Voting Rights Timeline”). It is also important to recognize that, despite being subject to U.S. federal law and granted citizenship, U.S. territories, including the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Territory of American Samoa, the Territory of the United States Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Territory of Guam are unable to participate in the U.S. presidential election. Though

each territory holds elections of its own, such as for territorial legislature and nonvoting delegates for the U.S. House of Representatives, participation in presidential elections and full representation in Congress is an ongoing debate (Cottle). Also in question are the voting rights of ex-felons, whom the National Commission on Federal Election Reform recommends should regain their rights following the completion of their criminal sentences. Proponents point to the discriminatory practices of the U.S. criminal justice system and argue that the disenfranchisement of ex-felons targets people of color, most specifically African-American men, and individuals from low-income backgrounds (Shineman).

Historical and Active Voter Suppression in Tennessee

Throughout American history, states have continuously circumvented the federal expansion of the electorate, through a variety of discriminatory practices that primarily targeted people of color. In addition to violent intimidation practices such as lynching, the Tennessee General Assembly actively disenfranchised African-Americans through self-proclaimed “electoral reform” in 1889, including the imposition of a poll tax, the Myers Law, the Lea Law, and the Dortch Law. The Myers Law required voters to register at least twenty days before an election. The Myers Law, though offering assistance to illiterate voters, designated assistance only to those who voted in 1857, which would protect white illiterate voters while disenfranchising black illiterate voters. To avoid federal supervision granted by the Lodge Election Bill, the Lea Law separated federal and state ballot boxes (though when the Lodge Bill did not pass Congress, the Lea Act was rescinded). Though first introduced in 1870, Tennessee enacted a poll tax in 1889, which primarily disenfranchised black voters (Lester).

Tennessee voting inequalities faced the national spotlight in 1962 following the Baker v. Carr Supreme Court decision. Though Tennessee state law required legislative reapportionment (state districting for legislative representation) every ten years, the state legislature had not pursued reapportionment plans in the sixty years following the law’s 1901 establishment. By refusing to change district divisions, the Tennessee legislature ignored urban growth and ultimately allotted rural citizens disproportionately higher representation, diluting the voting power of urban citizens. For example, certain voters in Memphis had one-tenth of the voting influence of voters in rural districts. This disproportionate voting power also overrepresented white voters as Tennessee cities tend to be more racially and ethnically diverse than rural areas (“Baker v. Carr”). This Supreme Court case would open doors for the future establishment of the “one person, one vote” precedent.

More recently, the Tennessee Supreme Court has faced a multitude of casesincluding Demster v. Hargett, Lay v. Goins, and Memphis A. Phillip Randolph Institute v. Hargett- challenging the state’s limitations on absentee voting and failing to recognize COVID-19 as a valid reason to vote with mail-in ballots (“Voting Rights Litigation 2020”). While access to absentee ballots was ultimately granted for COVID-19 related reasons, ongoing attacks on voter registration drives are incredibly

concerning, threatening the structure organizations like Turnout Nation rely on. Two years ago, Tennessee passed a state law implementing training requirements and criminal and financial penalties for paid voting canvassers submitting erroneous forms. While the law is meant to reduce the work of Tennessee election officials by limiting invalid ballots, it also creates challenges for nonprofits and communitybased organizations. Erika Burnett, the program manager for the nonprofit Andrew Goodman Foundation, has also expressed concern for voter registration drives on college campuses due to the popular use of stipends for “student ambassadors’’ promoting civic engagement. If looking to expand in Tennessee colleges, Turnout Nation would also face similar challenges with their college fellowship program (Vasilogambros). Considering that the law creates a class A misdemeanor if organizations enroll over 100 voters without training, even well-established national organizations like HeadCount are hesitant to continue their efforts in popular Tennessee events such as Bonnaroo, where it regularly breaks its festival registration records (Bliss). Though it went into effect on October 1, 2019, the law is currently facing two federal lawsuits (Vasilogambros).

Importance of Federal Standard and Oversight

While the more explicit forms of voter suppression have been rightfully outlawed, various avenues for disenfranchisement continue to thrive. State legislatures continue to practice restrictive voter ID laws, voter list purging, voter site manipulation, and partisan gerrymandering (Rapoport and Dionne 58). The United States has progressed since the Voting Rights Act of 1965, most notably with the registration disparity between black and white citizens lowering from 30% to 8% in the decade following its establishment. However, recent developments have regressed equal access to voting and reintroduced methods of voter suppression. In 2013, Shelby County v. Holder challenged the constitutionality of the Voting Rights Act’s requirement that districts with voting tests or less than 50% turnout must gain federal approval for law changes (“Shelby County v. Holder”). Following the Court’s decision to declare sections of the act unconstitutional, the Justice Department is now unable to monitor elections for discriminatory action in the same capacity as before (“Fact Sheet on Justice Department’s Enforcement Efforts Following Shelby County Decision”). Without the strict oversight required under the Voting Rights Act, states like Mississippi and Alabama immediately began enforcing previously barred legislation. The Brennan Center for Justice has analyzed the actions of jurisdictions that previously required preclearance due to a racially discriminatory past and found that they practiced significantly higher purging rates. In the three years following the Shelby County v. Holder decision, nearly 16 million voters were purged from voting records and 4 states participated in illegal purges. According to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, since the Court lifted federal oversight, Georgia adopted all “five of the most common tactics of voter suppression: voter ID laws, proof of citizenship requirements, cuts in early voting, and polling place closures” (Caputo et al.).

The federal government may not have the most impressive history of voter empowerment, however, in cases where they introduced oversight and accountability

on states, voter participation has increased. While states may fall behind in protecting equal access to voting, federal law has begun to set the tone for equality in voting with laws such as the 1975 extension of the Voting Rights Act, which required the translation of voting materials for non-English speakers, and the Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act of 1984, which required polling places be accessible for individuals with disabilities (Gamboa; “Voting and Election Laws”).

To further expand on equal access to voting, a federal standard deadline for voter registration would further remove the obstacles voters face. As an organizer for Turnout Nation, I had to juggle the voter registration deadlines and requirements of over twenty different states. I found that the lack of a federal standard hindered my ability to support “captains” with voters all over the nation. But the differences in deadlines don’t just obstruct volunteer efforts to increase voter participation, they disenfranchise eligible voters for simply missing a deadline they likely did not know existed. For example, Georgia has one of the strictest deadlines in the United States, requiring registration 29 days before the election day (one day less than the limit imposed by the National Voter Registration Act of 1993). Consequently, in the 2018 congressional election, 87,000 Georgians were barred from voting after registering after the deadline (Caputo et al.). In 2020, the same law not only limited Turnout Nation’s ability to support voters turning 18 between November 4, 2020 and January 5, 2021 for the Georgia Senate Runoff Election, but it prevented one of my own voters, who had just moved from Illinois, from participating in the presidential election. Rather than denying citizens their right to vote because they did not reach a certain deadline (or did not even know such deadline existed), the federal government should recognize early registration deadlines as a form of voter suppression and require states to provide Same-Day Voter Registration, especially considering that states passed registration deadlines in response to the Fifteenth Amendment, an example being Tennessee’s Myers Law.

Turnout Nation’s Response

Turnout Nation, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, addresses low voter participation through relational organizing, which focuses on pre established contacts of those living in the same social network. This get-out-the-vote approach uses a “captain” model, where volunteers (Captains) pledge to guide at least ten of their friends/family/acquaintances to the ballot box. Each captain receives information and updates from Turnout Nation’s Empower App, which automates “Calls to Action”, as well as training, personalized information, and support from an Organizer. According to a 2020 experimental study published by Columbia University, Turnout Nation’s structure increased voter turnout in local elections by 13.2 percentage points (Green and McClellan). Turnout Nation’s personalized approach toward voter empowerment maneuvers around voter obstacles, ensuring that participants are informed and engaged citizens.

WORKS CITED

Abel, Jason A. “Voting in an Era of Crisis.” Human Rights Magazine, vol. 45, no. 3, 25 June 2020. “Baker v. Carr (1962).” The Federal Justice Center, www.fjc.gov/history/cases/cases-that-shapedthe-federal-courts/baker-v-carr.

Bliss, Jessica. “Tennessee’s New Voter Registration Law Scares Volunteers Who Sign Up Voters at Festivals Like Bonnaroo.” The Tennessean, 26 June 2019, 5:00 am CT, www.tennessean. com/story/entertainment/music/bonnaroo/2019/06/26/register-to-vote-tennessee-lawheadcount/1472941001/.

Caputo, Angela, et al. “After the Purge.” APM Reports, 29 Oct. 2019, www.apmreports.org/ story/2019/10/29/georgia-voting-registration-records-removed.

Caputo, Angela, et al. “Done In By a Deadline.” APM Reports, 28 Oct. 2019, www.apmreports.org/ story/2019/10/28/georgia-voting-deadlines-2020-election.

Chin, Gabriel J, and Anjali Abraham. “Beyond the Super-Majority: Post-Adoption Ratification of the Equality Amendments.” Arizona Law Review, vol. 50, Dec. 2007, doi:https://papers.ssrn. com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1076805.

Cho, Stephanie, et al. “Strengthening the Asian American Electorate.” Human Rights Magazine, vol. 45, ser. 3, 26 June 2020. 3.

Cottle, Amber L. “Silent Citizens: United States Territorial Residents and the Right to Vote in Presidential Elections.” University of Chicago Legal Forum, vol. 1995, no. 1, chicagounbound.uchicago.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1186&context=uclf.

“Election Statistics.” Nashville.gov, Metro Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee, www.nashville.gov/Election-Commission/Election-Returns-and-Statistics/ Election-Statistics.asp.

“Elk v. Wilkins, 112 U.S. 94 (1884).” Justia, supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/112/94/.

“The Fight for The Right to Vote.” Pence Law Library Guides, American University College of Law, wcl.american.libguides.com/voting/history/timeline.

Gamboa, Suzanne. “For Latinos, 1965 Voting Rights Act Impact Came A Decade Later.” NBC News, 6 Aug. 2015, www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/latinos-1965-voting-rights-actimpact-came-decade-later-n404936.

Green, Donald P, and Oliver A McClellan. Columbia University, 2020, Turnout Nation: A Pilot Experiment Evaluating a Get-Out-The-Vote “Supertreatment,” 4f8ae279-92d2-4c1b-ae951efa60f120bd.filesusr.com/ugd/c2b504_c6eacb6fed514da29335e35d1ac7e079.pdf.

“Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 )The McCarran-Walter Act).” Immigration History, The University of Texas at Austin, immigrationhistory.org/item/immigration-andnationality-act-the-mccarran-walter-act/\.

“Introduction to US Voting Rights.” Jurist, University of Pittsburgh, www.jurist.org/archives/ feature/us-voting-rights-introduction/.

Jew, Victor. “George Sutherland and American Ethnicity: A Pre History to ‘Thind’ and ‘Ozawa.’” The Centennial Review, vol. 41.

Lester, Connie L. “Disenfranchising Laws.” Tennessee Encyclopedia, The University of Tennessee, tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entries/disfranchising-laws/.

Monk, Linda R. “Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857).” Constitution USA, PBS, www.pbs.org/tpt/ constitution-usa-peter-sagal/equality/dred-scott-v-sandford/#:~:text=In%201868.

“Nationality Act of 1790.” Immigrant History, The University of Texas at Austin , immigrationhistory.org/item/1790-nationality-act/.

Northern California Citizenship Project, 2004, U.S. Voting Rights Timeline.

Shineman, Victoria. “Restoring Rights, Restoring Trust: Evidence That Reversing Felon Disenfranchisement Penalties Increases Both Trust and Cooperation with Government.” cpb-us-w2.wpmucdn.com/web.sas.upenn.edu/dist/7/538/files/2019/07/Shineman_ RestoringRightsRestoringTrust_ESRA2019.pdf.

“Takao Ozawa v. United States.” LLI, Cornell Law School, www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/ text/260/178.

“Tennessee Made It Harder to Register Voters. Activists Consider What’s Next.” Tennessee Made It Harder to Register Voters Activists Consider Whats Next | The Pew Charitable Trusts, www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2019/08/14/tennesseemade-it-harder-to-register-voters-activists-consider-whats-next.

“U.S. Territories.” Vote Save America, votesaveamerica.com/state/us-territories/.

Vasilogambros, Matt. “Tennessee Made It Harder to Register Voters. Activists Consider What’s Next.” The Pew Research Center, www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/ stateline/2019/08/14/tennessee-made-it-harder-to-register-voters-activists-considerwhats-next.

“Voting and Election Laws.” USAGov, United States Government, www.usa.gov/voting-laws. “Voting Rights Litigation 2020.” Brennan Center for Justice, www.brennancenter.org/our-work/ court-cases/voting-rights-litigation-2020#Tennessee. Wu, Yuning. “Chinese Exclusion Act.” Britannica, www.britannica.com/topic/ChineseExclusion-Act.

REFLECTION: KYLIANNE BROUGHTON SERVICE SCHOLAR REFLECTION

When reflecting upon 2020’s unrelenting challenges, the cliche “unprecedented times” inadequately describes the year we’ve endured. But our reality was unprecedented; we were not prepared for the pandemic’s hardships and collectively felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness and frustration with governmental response (although the roots of such frustrations varied among political ideologies). As someone who believes the government should reflect the will of the people, I saw the upcoming elections as an opportunity for the government to adapt to the general public opinion. However, despite continuous efforts to expand the electorate, voter participation within the United States is incredibly low, especially within local and elections. A democracy requires the inclusion of all voices, therefore Turnout Nation doesn’t encourage individuals to vote for specific candidates or parties. Their sole focus is to empower every individual, regardless of their political opinion, to vote. Due to public health safety measures, the 2020 election introduced a variety of obstacles for voters, in addition to the United States’ long-standing tradition of voter suppression. Through my work with Turnout Nation, I hoped to support the expansion of an inclusive and representative electorate and to reinspire political efficacy among the voting population, particularly among new voters. After all, the youngest generation of voters must represent themselves at the polls. We are the future of the United States, and we must include ourselves in the decisions that shape the country we inherit.

As an organizer for Turnout Nation’s national campaign for voter participation in the General Election and the Georgia Senate Runoff elections, I led seventeen teams of voting captains and ultimately supported 198 voters across twenty different states. While working directly with my captains to structure voting plans and navigate the obstacles facing their voters, I independently researched the voting laws and deadlines within every state of interest and developed individualized information sheets for

captains. In states with ongoing law changes- like South Carolina, where absentee ballots shifted to require witness signatures after many had already submitted their unsigned ballots- I followed the court developments and continuously updated captains with the relevant information. Outside of my work as an organizer, I participated in social media marketing meetings, developed training materials for future captains and organizers, discussed our efficacy and future with the researchers studying Turnout Nation, interviewed potential captains, and even represented Turnout Nation in a seminar with a presidential candidate’s National Relational Organizing Director. The most important, and most difficult, aspect of my work with Turnout Nation was remaining nonpartisan while advocating for a political action defined by its partisanship. Even over the summer, when Turnout Nation underwent restructuring, I remember discussing whether Turnout Nation would best serve as a nonpartisan or partisan entity. While we unanimously concluded that Turnout Nation should remain nonpartisan, I left the meeting hyper-aware of the unconscious biases that may impact my attitude toward different voting captains.

Since I’ve begun working with Turnout Nation, I’ve had to recognize that nonpartisanship is more complicated than just adopting the label of “nonpartisan”. Political beliefs reflect our personal values and aspirations for the future of our country. Nonpartisanship ultimately asks us to ignore who we are and disregard our greatest passions. Although I would like to consider myself an open-minded person, working with my captains tested my ability to empathize with new methods of thinking. In my own experience, I found myself asking whether my goal was purely voter participation or whether it was inclined to a more specific and partisan goal. For example, due to different experiences in my life, I care deeply about equal access to education. Would I be willing to support a voter who I knew did not share that value? Am I sacrificing my own beliefs by encouraging my “ideological opponents” to vote? In the end, my definitive answer reflected the spark that led me to Turnout Nation: to encourage an active electorate to create a government that reflects the diversity of its people. If I truly hoped to attain that goal, I had to recognize the importance and validity of those diametrically opposed to me. To successfully honor Turnout Nation’s mission, learning to maintain the distinct separation between my opinions and actions was vital. Even when my captains celebrated a candidate whom I supported, I chose to respond neutrally, turning the conversation onto them to explore the reasons why they were inspired by the candidate. While we can consider ourselves open-minded, no one is truly unbiased; nonpartisanship is an active choice.

Without ever leaving my bedroom, I had the opportunity to learn from politically minded individuals across the nation and continuously found inspiration in their dedication to their local communities. Thanks to the mentorship of Turnout Nation, I’ve been able to experience the collective power and inspiration of grassroots movements. I am excited to explore the many ways of applying their tools for relational organizing in the future.

ESSAY: JESSICA BRYAN

CHEATHAM COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL

For my service scholar project, I volunteered at Cheatham County Animal Control. I helped the shelter by walking the dogs and playing with the cats there. The main objectives of this project were to help take care of the animals at the shelter and to help maintain a loving environment for the animals until they were adopted. When trying to decide what I wanted to do for my service scholar project, I was immediately drawn to the opportunity to help animals and work with Cheatham County Animal Control. During my years at the high school, none of the organizations that I had the opportunity to work with really stood out to me until I volunteered at Cheatham County Animal Control. I have always loved animals and working with them, so naturally, I jumped at the opportunity to help them, which is why I immediately decided to work with an animal shelter for my service scholar project. Cheatham County Animal Control is an animal shelter that, with limited resources, strives to save, take care of, and find homes for animals that have faced problems such as neglect and abuse. Due to their lack of resources and staff, I chose to work with Cheatham County Animal Control; many animal shelters in the United States are forced to function without a sufficient amount of funds, resources, or staff, which is why I thought it was important to choose an animal shelter that is not as well funded and staffed as others. The number of homeless animals, as well as animals that have faced neglect and abuse, continues to rise, which is why I was immediately drawn to Cheatham County Animal Control and decided to work with them.

Although the number of homeless animals continues to rise, the number of animals admitted into animal shelters is decreasing. According to PETA, there are over 70 million homeless animals in the United States. However, only around ten percent of these animals are admitted into animal shelters (PETA). The U.S. National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health found that in the United States only six to eight million dogs and cats enter animal shelters every single year, which is consistent with 6.5 million animals entering shelters nationwide that ASPCA reported. That means that millions of animals yearly go without receiving the help they need and are unable to find good, caring families and loving homes. According to ASPCA, the number of cats and dogs admitted into shelters decreased from the 7.2 million animals that were admitted in 2011 to the 6.5 million that are being reported now, which is a contradictory revelation because although the number of animals admitted is decreasing, the number of homeless animals is sadly not on the decline; many shelters are under-resourced, unable to take animals in, or simply refuse animals due to policies they have, leaving millions of animals to fend for themselves on the streets. Although the number of animals being admitted into shelters is decreasing, giving the illusion of a decreasing number of homeless animals, the number of homeless animals is not decreasing, it is actually doing the

exact opposite (PETA). In the United States, a lot of animal shelters have become “no-kill” shelters, which is good in theory. For example, Best Friends Animal Society is a nonprofit organization that runs the largest sanctuary for homeless animals and provides the option to adopt, spay and neuter, and it offers educational programs about animals and animal care. Best Friends Animal Society is actively working toward the goal of all shelters in the United States adopting the “no-kill” methodology by 2025. Since its founding in 1984, “an estimated seventeen million cats and dogs were killed in America’s shelters each year” and since 2016, the number of no-kill shelters has increased from 1,169 to 2,126 of the 4,850 total shelters in the US in 2019 (Best Friends). Best Friends Animal Society is working to achieve its goal by partnering with shelters across the United States and holding fundraising events. They were able to raise almost $2 million in their 2018 fundraiser (Best Friends). Although working towards a goal that should be helping animals, Best Friends Animal Society’s plan could be hurting animals in the end. According to an article from the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, “no-kill” shelters and shelters with policies to limit admissions oftentimes refuse animals “that are sick, aged, of unsound temperament, or with inappropriate behaviors, because they are poor adoption candidates,” which typically leaves animals that truly need help without anyone who is willing or able to help. According to PETA, because of the increasing number of shelters that have started to turn animals away, there is a growing number of animals ending up “on the streets.” These animals then reproduce and in turn make more homeless animals. However, the staggering number of homeless animals cannot be completely blamed on shelters. As previously stated, many shelters are understaffed, under-resourced, and/or underfunded, resulting in their being unable to take in animals/unable to take care of them. As a result of this under allocation of resources, there are shelters that have not adopted the “no-kill” ideology. Every year, three million cats and dogs are euthanized in shelters. Out of these animals, eighty percent of them are healthy, treatable, and could be adopted by families and given a good home (The Humane Society of The United States). As previously stated, one of the main reasons healthy and treatable animals that could be adopted are euthanized is that the shelters lack the necessary resources to take care of them. Another reason animals end up being euthanized in shelters is that many shelters lack the space to house them. Statistically, in the United States, more animals are killed each year than adopted, which means the animals that are being admitted into animal shelters are more likely to be euthanized than finding a new home(The Humane Society of The United States).

The homeless animals, however, are not the only animals suffering unbearable conditions. Although there is no way to truly track the number of animals who are facing neglect and abuse, animal cause control agencies report that they respond to more calls about animal neglect cases than others. Aside from the neglect and abuse an animal can face at the hands of its owner, there are also situations of mass and widespread abuse such as dogfights. Although a felony in 50 states, “the secretive network of trainers, breeders and owners” has been able to “avoid scrutiny from law enforcement” for years, meaning that dogfight rings are able to continue to operate

underground (NPR). A lot of the dogs that are used in dogfights are prepared and trained for the fights from a young age, making their years as a puppy traumatic. According to The Humane Society of The United States, the dogs used in dogfights experience “an upbringing that relies on abuse and mistreatment from puppyhood.” Through raids by law enforcement, it was found that young children are often present at dogfights. Children being present at dogfighting events promotes and allows them to become insensitive to animal suffering, have an “enthusiasm for violence,” and a desire to disrespect the law (The Humane Society of The United States). Not only are these statistics tragic, but they also raise other concerns; people who have a history of abusing animals oftentimes have a tendency to abuse or harm other people (The Humane Society of The United States). For example, Nikolas Cruz, the boy responsible for the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, tortured animals before he went on his shooting spree that resulted in the deaths of 17 people (PETA). The tendency for people to abuse animals and turn to abusing, being violent towards, and even going as far as killing other people is truly something that society should be worried about and why people should crackdown on abuse and neglect as soon as possible.

Not only does the abuse of animals lead to concerns for society, but the animals that are subject to abuse have to live with that trauma, which is something I saw first hand at Cheatham County Animal Control. At the shelter, there was a dog named Andy who had been abused, so he was scared of people and other dogs, truly showing how the effects of abuse and neglect stay with the animals that experience them. Fortunately though with love and care animals can be brought out of these dark places. While at the shelter, the workers, other volunteers, and I worked with Andy and were able to make him more comfortable around people and other animals. Along with emotional trauma, animals who have been abused and neglected have to carry physical scars. At Cheatham County Animal Control, there was a pitbull named French Fry who had been abused and neglected. The first time I saw French Fry I was not aware of the severity of what had happened to him. The next time I saw French Fry, he had gotten surgery on one of his ears and had to get it removed, which resulted in his being partially deaf. The following weekend, he ended up getting his other ear removed, resulting in his being completely deaf. Due to the abuse and neglect he faced, French Fry now has to live his life without being able to hear and must continue to bear a reminder of the traumatic experiences he lived through. Unfortunately, Andy and French Fry are only two examples of the millions of animals that are abused, neglected, or left to fend for themselves on the side of the road, which is why it is more important than ever to address this pressing issue.

Although the number of homeless animals has increased and the abuse and neglect of animals are still both pressing issues, there are many things that people can do to help solve these problems. For example, to decrease the number of stray animals, it is crucial for pet owners to spay and neuter their animals. The Humane Society of the United States reported that in the years 2019-2020, 78% of people who owned dogs had them spayed or neutered, which, although a high percentage, is lower than

the 85% that had been recorded in the years 2017-2018. Although higher than the percentage of dogs that had been spayed and neutered in 2019-2020, the percentage of cats that had been spayed and neutered also decreased; for the years 2019 and 2020, it was found that the percentage of cat owners who had their cats spayed or neutered was 87%, which was down from the 93% previously reported for 2017-2018. Stray animals that are not spayed and neutered are big contributors to the population of homeless animals in the United States. However, if pet owners have their pets spayed and neutered, the possibility of stray animals reproducing will decrease and thus the population of homeless animals will diminish. In an effort to decrease the number of animals that are living in poor conditions, it is important for people to report any cases of neglect or abuse they have witnessed; it is crucial that people report abuse and neglect as soon as they witness or suspect it because if they wait too long it could be too late. Even though people can do a lot to help animals in need on their own, it is also important to note that the organizations that are trying to help these same animals are in need of assistance as well. Many animal shelters are under-resourced and understaffed, so donations and volunteers are vital. Not only do people who donate to organizations and animal shelters help the organizations, but they also help millions of animals. Volunteering at animal shelters is a great way to help the cause, and it gives people the opportunity to help the animal shelters in a more hands-on approach, as well as allows them to play with, walk, and help the animals in person. Although these solutions will not immediately, nor completely fix the problems facing animals today, they will help keep the problems from getting worse and out of control.

WORKS CITED

”Animal Abuse and Human Abuse: Partners in Crime.” PETA, www.peta.org/issues/ animal-companion-issues/animal-companion-factsheets/ animal-abuse-human-abuse-partners-crime/. Accessed 25 Feb. 2021.

“Animal cruelty and neglect FAQ.” The Humane Society of the United States, www.humanesociety.org/resources/animal-cruelty-and-neglect-faq. Accessed 25 Feb. 2021.

“Companion Animal Overpopulation and Homelessness.” PETA, www.peta.org/issues/ animal-companion-issues/overpopulation/. Accessed 25 Feb. 2021.

Fowler, Hayden. “Animal cruelty facts and stats.” The Humane Society of the United States, www.humanesociety.org/resources/ animal-cruelty-facts-and-stats. Accessed 25 Feb. 2021.

Turner, Patricia, et al. “Animal shelters and animal welfare: Raising the bar.” US National Library of Medicine, Aug. 2012, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/ articles/PMC3398531/. Accessed 25 Feb. 2021.

“Working Together to Save More Pet’s Lives.” Best Friends, bestfriends.org/no-kill-2025/ priorities-2025/supporting-network-partners. Accessed 24 Feb. 2021.

ESSAY: SALWA DAOUK

AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION

Anti-racist academic Ijeoma Oulu once said, “‘If you live in this system of white supremacy, you are either fighting the system or you are complicit. There is no neutrality to be had towards systems of injustice, it is not something you can just optout of.” But what is this system she is describing? And how does the ACLU address this issue?

In my time at the American Civil Liberties Union, I had the opportunity to delve into the systemic racial issues of this country. The ACLU was formed after World War I and fought to defend the civil liberties of the American people. The ACLU evolved into a national organization that is the premier defender of the rights displayed in the U.S constitution. The ACLU has been involved in major landmark court cases throughout American history such as the Scopes Trial, Brown v. Board, Roe v. Wade, and many more. Today they fight for a broad spectrum of issues ranging from racial justice to government surveillance. My research with ACLU included three areas of focus: police brutality, mass incarceration, and disenfranchisement.

To fully understand the scope and root of these issues, it is essential to look into the history of race. First off, race is not biological or genetic (Onwuachi-Willig). The word “race” did not come into usage until the 16th and 18th centuries (Britannica). The word was used to classify groups of people into rankings, creating a hierarchy where “white” sat at the top. In the 18th century, race was commonly used to sort people in English colonies (Britannica). Those at the top of the hierarchy were free, British white people, while the second-ranking consisted of the people whose land they colonized such as the Indigenous populations in the U.S. The lowest class was considered to be the African slaves who were sold and traded across the Atlantic and brought to the U.S to exploit their labor. 12.5 million African slaves were kidnapped and sold in the transatlantic slave trade (Smithsonian). The European colonizers needed a system of exerting their power to control such a large group of people. They profited off their labor by creating a system of systemic racism. They also created a system of economic advantage that still exists to the present day that reflects itself in the higher percentage of poverty among the Black community compared to White people.

The history of race in America began with slavery but carried devasting effects throughout American history. One of those effects is the prevalence of police brutality against Black people in what history critics are calling this modern era “The Decade of Watching Black People Die” (NPR). This title is appropriate as the deaths of many Black people like Sandra Bland, Micheal Brown, Philando Castile, and many others were seen killed at the hands of police. Police brutality disproportionately affects Black people in the United States. According to the Smithsonian, African-

Americans account for 13% of the general population but 24% of fatal shootings by police (Smithsonian). This makes Black people 2.5 times more likely to be shot and killed by a police officer in comparison to White Americans. The origins of mistrust between police and the Black community dates back to slavery. A professor from the University of Kentucky explains this connection clearly. The night watchers and slave catchers were groups of people meant to protect the community from the Black slaves and their purpose was to catch runaway slaves. These groups evolved to be the modern-day police system. Modern police stations were established in 1838 and Black people continued to be the target of police brutality even in Northern cities where they sought refuge (Smithsonian). The job of the police is to enforce laws, and some of the first laws they enforced were legislation such as the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 (Keppeler). In 1929 the Illinois Association for Criminal Justice published the Illinois Crime Survey which found that Black people represented 5% of the population and 30% of police killings (Smithsonian). This is where the mistrust between Black people and police originates. Fast forward to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, police meet protesters with violent measures. They use tear gas, fire hoses, police dogs, and aggressive dispersion tactics to harm peaceful protesters (Smithsonian). This description seems eerily familiar because this is the same resistance that modern-day Black Lives Matter protests are met with by police. With an increase in weapon technology, police departments are more militarized than ever and have made protests even more dangerous (Smithsonian). According to the Guardian, there are over 1,000 reported incidents of police brutality from the Black Lives Matter protests that erupted after the death of George Floyd. Police commonly used tear gas, rubber bullets, kettling, and pepper spray to terrorize protesters (The Guardian). These protests rocked cities across America, and Nashville was no different. The ACLU of Tennessee was on the frontlines of the protests teaching people how to stay undetected by police and avoid arrests. Not only were they involved with protests, but they were also working through the media when they called for Nashville’s police chief to resign in a press release. The ACLU of TN also resisted governor Lee in passing legislation that made rules for protest stricter and allowed for more people to be arrested. After exhausting legislative efforts, the ACLU used their legal team to defend the protesters who were arrested after camping in front of the Tennessee capitol and gained heavy media traction.

Another component to the violence faced in these protests is that people get arrested, sometimes unlawfully. It is not surprising that arrests by police carry harm into the criminal justice system. This is not something new, it is a phenomenon called mass incarceration which disproportionately affects Black and Latinx people. The United States incarcerates more people than any other nation in the world (Brennan Center). As with anything, to understand the full scope of this we must go back into history. Mass incarceration in the United States dates back to the 13th amendment of the constitution. The 13th amendment states “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” This amendment effectively abolished slavery in the United States but left a dangerous

loophole to be abused. The loophole is found where it says “except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted”. This phrase declares that slavery cannot exist in the United States unless it is for the punishment of a crime. This amendment was quickly beginning to be abused right after the civil war. These, majority Black, prisoners were forced to labor on the same field they worked before the war- as slaves (The Conversation). The modern surge of mass incarceration mainly derives from the period of the 1970s and ’80s during the Nixon and Reagan administrations. In June 1971, Nixon declared a “war on drugs” where he increased the size of federal drug control agencies and pushed measures such as mandatory sentencing and no-knock warrants (Drug Policy Alliance). John Ehrlichman, a top Nixon aid, was recorded saying that “The Nixon campaign in 1968, and the Nixon White House after that, had two enemies: the antiwar left and black people. You understand what I’m saying. We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the war or Black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin, and then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities. We could arrest their leaders, raid their homes, break up their meetings, and vilify them night after night on the evening news. Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course, we did (Drug Policy Alliance).” This proves that the rhetoric surrounding Nixon’s war on drugs was a war on Black people. When Ronald Regan was elected, this rhetoric was pushed even further. The number of people behind bars for nonviolent drug law offenses increased from 50,000 in 1980 to over 400,000 by 1997 (Drug Policy Alliance). Around this time, there was mass public concern over the new drug “crack” which was a smokeable form of cocaine. This expanded harsher drug policies and led to a highly publicized anti-drug campaign led by Nancy Reagan with the slogan “Just Say No” (Drug Policy Alliance). This hysteria was dangerous and led to the passage of draconian legislation that increased the prison population. The link between the war on drugs and race may not come as a surprise that Black and Latinx people felt the effects of these policies the most. Black and Latinx people have higher arrest and incarceration rates for drug-related crimes (Drug Policy Alliance). These arrests are not reflective of increased drug use yet they are targeted at low incomes areas and communities of color. People of color are more likely to be stopped, searched, arrested, convicted, and harshly sentenced, and saddled with a lifelong criminal recordespecially when it comes to drug-related crimes (Drug Policy Alliance). According to the Drug Policy Alliance, research shows that prosecutors are twice as likely to pursue mandatory minimum sentencing for Black people as for White people charged with the same offense. This leads to disparities within the prison population where 80% of people in federal prisons for drug-related crimes are Black or Latinx. The effects of this discriminatory criminal justice system are painful and can negatively impact an individual for the rest of their life. There are organizations in Nashville that address this issue such as the Nashville Community Bail fund, The Innocence Project, and Gideon’s Army. These organizations focus on unlawful arrests or breaking the school to prison pipeline. Among these organizations, the ACLU is committed to solving mass incarceration and is dedicated to criminal justice. One of the ways they achieve this is by fighting for just conditions inside of prisons and jails. Most recently amidst the covid-19 pandemic, they have been ensuring fair conditions inside jails

across Tennessee’s counties. ACLU will search for jails that have been exposed for overcrowding people and not following covid protocols and putting prisoners at higher risk for covid. This includes not providing adequate medical care or masks to sick prisoners. Once they collect evidence of mistreatment, they file lawsuits and take these cases to court to ensure a precedent is set for fair treatment to prisoners who are victims of mass incarceration.

One prominent effect of mass incarceration on Black people is disenfranchisement. This effect is arguably the harshest damage on democracy. Just as police brutality is linked to mass incarceration, this trend carries on into disenfranchisement. The United States is the only democracy in the world that deprives its citizens of the right to vote after having served their sentences (ACLU). A case study of this chain of events can be seen in the voters of the 2000 presidential election from the state of Florida, where minor drug offenses deprive people of the right to vote (ACLU). This meant that 31% of African American men in the state of Florida were barred from this election. Black voters in that election were largely in support of the Democratic nominee, Al Gore. With these extra 200,000 voters, Gore could have won the election (ACLU). To put this case study on a national perspective, 13% of African American men are disenfranchised which is roughly 1.4 million people. More than ten states have disenfranchised over 20% of their Black male citizens (ACLU). The reason why there is such a large emphasis on Black men being disenfranchised is that Black men are most negatively affected by mass incarceration and the criminal justice system. Since Black and White people use drugs at the same rate, yet African Americans are imprisoned for it at 6 times the rate of White people, they become the most disenfranchised group in the system (NAACP). To put this into a broader context, 1 in 59 non-Black voters have lost their right to vote due to felonies compared to 1 in 16 Black people (Sentencing Project).

This large group of disenfranchised people is the result of institutionalized racism, police brutality, and mass incarceration. The ripples from issues in the criminal justice system are felt in our democracy. I wish I could say that this ripple ends at disenfranchisement, but the truth is that racism impacts every aspect of our societypolice brutality, mass incarceration, and disenfranchisement are only touching the surface. Institutionalized racism impacts education, healthcare, housing, mental health, immigration, poverty, and so much more. The linkage between these issues is fascinating to examine. All of these modern problems trace back to slavery, and it has deeply impacted the way we live today. This system that we live in is harmful and toxic, but it was created to be that way. Many people look at the failures of the systems we live in and claim that it is broken. On the contrary, the system we live in is not broken yet it is working to the advantage of those who made it. This system was never established for Black people to thrive in, it was created to enslave them. To repair the damage to democracy and society, we must rebuild our systems to be more equitable and just. This can be accomplished by electing leaders, passing legislation, and protesting for the future we wish to see. Change can happen at the national level, but it is crucial to elect leaders and judges that will have the power

to change our criminal justice system on local and state levels. It also does not take people with power in governments or corporations to make a change. The first step in creating change is to make people aware of the problem. Spreading awareness starts with one’s self and quickly expands to the public. This was the goal of my work with the ACLU as I was working in the sectors of public education and communications. My job entailed contacting the press about their coverage of certain protests and releasing press statements from ACLU about the work surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement, and I was rapidly spreading information. I could see the effects of my research and work with public education as they also rippled through the community. I was helping people learn about all the issues I care about the most. I hope that this work has ignited a spark in someone else to learn more and make even more people aware because I know that can make a difference. My passion has rippled to other people and I helped push that awareness further into the world. I hope that one day it has reached the lengths of the earth to the point where these issues are obsolete and peace and justice will no longer be far away virtues but real components of our society.

WORKS CITED

Boyd, Graham. “The Drug War Is the New Jim Crow.” American Civil Liberties Union, Aug. 2001, www.aclu.org/other/drug-war-new-jim-crow.

Gabbatt, Adam, et al. “Nearly 1,000 Instances of Police Brutality Recorded in US Anti-Racism Protests.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 29 Oct. 2020, www.theguardian.com/ us-news/2020/oct/29/us-police-brutality-protest.

Godfrey, Barry, and Steven Soper. “Prison Records from 1800s Georgia Show Mass Incarceration’s Racially Charged Beginnings.” The Conversation, 8 July 2019, theconversation.com/prison-records-from-1800s-georgia-show-mass-incarcerationsracially-charged-beginnings-96612.

Grawert, Ames, et al. “The History of Mass Incarceration.” Brennan Center for Justice, 4 Nov. 2020, www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/history-mass-incarceration.

“The History of the Idea of Race.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., www. britannica.com/topic/race-human/The-history-of-the-idea-of-race.

Johnson , LA. “Code Switch: A Decade Of Watching Black People Die.” NPR, NPR, 6 June 2020, www.npr.org/2020/06/02/868025780/code-switch-a-decade-of-watching-black-people-die.

Kappeler, Victor E. “A Brief History of Slavery and the Origins of American Policing.” A Brief History of Slavery and the Origins of American Policing | Police Studies Online, 7 Jan. 2014, plsonline.eku.edu/insidelook/brief-history-slavery-and-origins-american-policing.

Lincoln , Abraham. “The 13th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.” National Constitution Center – The 13th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, 2021, constitutioncenter.org/ interactive-constitution/amendment/amendment-xiii.

Onwuachi-Willig, Angela. “How Fluid Is Race?” The New York Times, The New York Times, 2016, 5:28 pm, www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2015/06/16/how-fluid-is-racialidentity/race-and-racial-identity-are-social-constructs.

N/A.“A Brief History of the Drug War.” Drug Policy Alliance, 2020, drugpolicy.org/issues/briefhistory-drug-war.

N/A.“ACLU History.” American Civil Liberties Union, 2001, www.aclu.org/about/aclu-history.

N/A.“Criminal Justice Fact Sheet.” NAACP, 10 July 2020, www.naacp.org/criminal-justicefact-sheet/.

N/A.“Race and the Drug War.” Drug Policy Alliance, 2020, drugpolicy.org/issues/race-and-drugwar.

N/A.“The Drug War, Mass Incarceration and Race.” Drug Policy Alliance, June 2015, www. unodc.org/documents/ungass2016/Contributions/Civil/DrugPolicyAlliance/DPA_ Fact_Sheet_Drug_War_Mass_Incarceration_and_Race_June2015.pdf.

Nodjimbadem, Katie. “The Long, Painful History of Police Brutality in the U.S.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 29 May 2020, www.smithsonianmag. com/smithsonian-institution/long-painful-history-police-brutality-in-theus-180964098/.

Porter, Nicole D., et al. “Voting Rights.” The Sentencing Project, 15 Jan. 2021, www. sentencingproject.org/issues/voting-rights/.

Solly, Meilan. “158 Resources for Understanding Systemic Racism in America.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 4 June 2021, 11:47, www. smithsonianmag.com/history/158-resources-understanding-systemic-racismamerica-180975029/.

REFLECTION: SALWA DAOUK SERVICE SCHOLAR REFLECTION

When I took up this opportunity, I was thrilled to have been accepted to work with people working at the forefront of issues that I am passionate about. ACLU covers every social justice issue imaginable from LGBTQ+ rights to racial justice. I began working with them in May 2020. That is when everything changed. On May 25th, 2020, George Floyd was murdered at the hands of a police officer. I was tasked with working on a project to educate the public about police brutality. I began creating an educational tool about the history of policing for people to understand the origins of police brutality. In a moment when it was extremely crucial to do my part in the movement against injustice, I felt like my work surrounding police brutality was more important than ever.

After I had finally finished working on police brutality, I transitioned into working on mass incarceration. I took data from jails across Tennessee about the rates of incarceration by race and studied the treatment of prisoners within these jails. This information was then used to file lawsuits. I learned a lot about how Black people are disproportionately incarcerated and the factors that lead to such discrimination.

Around this time, talk about the 2020 elections was rampant. But there was another underlying issue, the disenfranchisement of Black voters. I learned about how many Black voters are still facing discrimination at the polls. This was also extremely relevant to what was going on around me.

Working at ACLU was an educational experience. I was not merely a 17 year working on racial issues, I was a part of a powerful organization with strong

lawyers and influential leaders. The people I worked with were incredibly inspiring. I learned so much about what it takes to fight for justice. In a staff meeting, I learned that my project on police brutality was utilized to educate high school students at an event hosted by ACLU. I was shocked to find out that my work was used to mobilize other young people like myself. Not only did I get to see my work in action, but I was also able to learn about how difficult it is to engage in activism. New events triggered by long standing problematic systems are constantly occurring, and activists everywhere have to adjust constantly. It is an unpredictable whirlwind to work on these types of issues. Nonetheless, it is incredibly necessary to partake in this work.

I completed my time at ACLU in August feeling confident in the change that I am so passionate about making. This entire experience brings me back to the quote engraved into the academic building at Ensworth that reads, “Be the change you wish to see in the world”. In the spirit of this quote, my work with ACLU was an initiative that I took to be the change I wish to see in this world. Although all of the tremendous issues I tackled are not resolved, I can now feel optimistic about what the future holds and the people who will fight for it.

ESSAY: ADDISON FRANCIS

NASHVILLE HUMANE ASSOCIATION

The United States faces the issue of homelessness for animals every year. The Nashville Humane Association is a low-kill shelter located on Oceola drive off of Charlotte Pike. This shelter is located in the middle of the Nashville and Davidson County area, a convenient spot for lots of people and members of the community to visit. The issue they deal with is unwanted or excess numbers of animals in the Nashville and Davidson County area. Their mission is finding responsible homes, controlling pet overpopulation, and promoting the humane treatment of animals (Nashville Humane Association). Through training volunteers and staff, they achieve this mission with efficiency, care, and haste. In middle Tennessee and the surrounding areas, there are six humane associations (Nashville Humane), there is one shelter in Davidson County, and about thirty-five hundred across the nation (Humane Society). Because of the amount of animals in the United States and globally, there are many low-kill and no-kill shelters where people can adopt, not shop, animals in need of a home, even during the hard times of Covid-19.

According to the World Health Organization, there are around two hundred million stray dogs worldwide (NPR). Only around three million of those two hundred million dogs enter animal shelters each year (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). This leaves around one hundred and ninety-seven million dogs on the streets around the world, and this does not even count the number of cats and other animals left homeless in the world annually. In 2017, World Atlas did a study on which countries had the highest number of stray animals. Although these statistics have changed in the last four years, the information is still alarming and the numbers remain approximately the same. The top nine were Romania with around four million, France with seven million, Argentina with nine million, India with ten million, Philippines with eleven million, Japan with twelve million, Russia with fifteen million, China with twenty-seven million, and Brazil with thirty-five million. Sitting at number one, with more than double the number of stray animals than Brazil, was the United States of America with nearly seventy-six million stray pets. Although the world is at a constant battle with stray animals, the United States of America seems to be fighting the biggest one of them all.

In the United States alone, there are approximately fourteen thousand animal shelters (NPR). These shelters, however, all possess differing missions and protocols. Of these fourteen thousand shelters, only a little greater than four thousand of them are no-kill shelters, implying they do not euthanize their animals (“Delaware is Now the First and Only No-Kill State for Shelter Animals in the US”). That means that around ten thousand shelters in America euthanize animals as a way

of controlling them. According to the ASPCA, around 1.5 million shelter animals are euthanized each year (“Facts about Animal Shelters”). This does not mean, however, that these shelters euthanize animals as a result of an excess number. Many shelters, including the Humane Association, only euthanize animals when they become aggressive or terminally ill. The Humane Association of the United States does not aim to euthanize animals, but instead aims to take care of said animals and find them a loving home. The Humane Association is a nation-wide mission to stop homelessness in animals in the United States. Because of the extent of this issue, there are numerous shelters throughout the country with the drive to keep the problem of homelessness for animals under control. However, this solution is easier said than done. In the United States alone there are around seventy million stray animals (One Green Planet). Also, three to four million animals in general are adopted from shelters each year, leaving behind nearly eighty thousand animals a week getting euthanized. Even if every animal shelter across the country took in roughly the same number of animals every year, there would still be animals left uncared for and abandoned. Although the number of animals left abandoned seems large, the number of animals taken in changed over the last ten years as the population of American has grown, even with Covid-19 still running its course. In 2011, nearly thirteen thousand animals were cared for at the Humane Association in the states (Humane Society). Actively demonstrating that shelters were taking in fewer animals than they are now. Recently, shelters have brought in around twentytwo thousand animals. (Animal Humane Society). The virus has not, on the other hand, drastically affected the number of animal intake in these shelters.COVID-19 has only affected the number of volunteers available and the amount of people in shelters at a time. The Humane Association still takes in animals and cares for them the same way they did prior to the virus, however volunteers, staff, and visitor requirements changed drastically (“What is the Humane Society of the United States Doing to Address this Crisis?”). In order to stay Covid-cautious, many shelters have not been able to reach out to their community and introduce the dogs up for adoption. Although this has yet to alter the number of dogs getting adopted, the statistics for 2020 are yet to be released and the number of animals adopted out these shelters could go down drastically due to these new precautions. Because of there being so many shelters and Humane Associations across the country, there is always one in a major city where many animals in need are ready for adoption.

One of the many shelters in the country is the Nashville Humane Association. According to the ASPCA, the shelter intake for the Nashville Humane Association is more than four thousand animals every year (ASPCA) This not only includes dogs and cats but also many different animals that are surrendered and abandoned at the shelter. The shelter walks, feeds, trains, and medically cares for the animals at this shelter. They have volunteers and staff that help out as well as medical professionals to keep the dogs joyful and healthy. They also host events every year to boost adoption rates such as Yappy Hours, where the dogs meet with potential

adopters and play with them for hours. The population growth in Nashville, more than sixty-six thousand new people in the past ten years (Community Impact), has also benefited the dogs and their care. Not every shelter, however, has the ability to take in the amount of animals that the Nashville Humane Association does. As a result of this population growth in the Nashville area, there are more opportunities for volunteers and staff at this shelter. However, other counties and cities may not possess the same population growth, and, therefore, cannot involve as many volunteers, staff, and ultimately animals. The Nashville Humane Association takes in as many animals as possible, however Covid-19 has affected how they care for these animals and the surplus of animals due to the growing population. Prior to the virus, volunteers were able to schedule times online and come in without a limit on how many volunteers in one time slot. People looking to adopt could also come in at any time when the shelter was open and look around, not having to adopt when they left. Due to the virus, however, these normalities have changed. As for volunteers, many orientation cancellations led to fewer volunteers at the shelter, and therefore longer time slots for each volunteer, averaging around two and a half hours per shift (Covid-19 Nashville Humane). The NHA also cancelled events such as their Top Tail’s event, Mutt Strutt, and Yappy Hours (Covid-19 Nashville Humane). These events helped the community get involved and see a sneak peak of which animals in the shelter were up for adoption. Whether it was a photo competition, a socialization hour for all dogs and community members, or a show with all the dogs in their seasonal outfits, the community remained involved in the dogs’ lives. The community could pick out which animal they wanted to adopt and come back to the shelter to pick up that animal. Because of Covid-19, there has been less community outreach, and therefore people must find pictures online first to decide which dog they want to adopt. As for staff, they continue to work their same schedules despite the obstacle of the virus in order to keep the animals well cared for. Before Covid-19, fostering was not something the shelter participated in. The adoption process has also changed drastically. The Nashville Humane Association still carefully screens each adopter to make sure that the animal has a permanent and loving home. In order to become an adopter, someone must have the consent of their landlord if need be, be eighteen years or older with a picture ID of their birthdate and current address, and be willing to spend the time and money needed to provided training, medical treatment, and proper care for their new pet (“Adoption Process”). That said, people must fill out a form and schedule a time to adopt, and must find the animal they wish to adopt online before coming into the shelter. Since the virus, the Nashville Humane Association now let’s people foster animals until they are adopted. This also altered the way people adopt the animals from the Nashville Humane Association because now they can also look at those being fostered.

Although the Nashville Humane Association takes brilliant care of their animals, in some cases euthanization is the only option due to illness or behavior. In 2019, Nashville Humane possessed a 99% save rate (Does NHA Euthanize Animals?”).

On the other hand, that 1% was euthanized. There are, however, options of nokill shelters not only in Tennessee. Some of those shelters include Agape Animal Rescue in Nashville, Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary, and Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary (No Kill Network). There are also many places to adopt, not shop, animals in the middle Tennessee area. The argument of ‘adopt, don’t shop’ is to keep puppy mills, and especially irregulation puppy mills, out of business. Puppy mills breed animals in filthy living conditions without good food, water, and medical treatment. These animals are simply bred as economic gain and dumped on the streets if someone does not immediately purchase the puppies (Hinsdale Humane Society). This leads to an excess number of animals on the street. These puppies are also not spayed and neutered, leading to even more of a problem with stray dogs in America. According to the Hinsdale Humane Society, “the sole purpose of a puppy mill is to mass produce puppies and sell them for monetary gain” (“Adopt, Don’t Shop”). Therefore, it is important to know where to adopt animals instead of buying them from breeders. These include Love at First Sight, Cheatham County Animal Shelter, and, of course, the Nashville Humane Association (Metro Animal Care and Control). Majority of their animals are spayed or neutered, exercise, well-fed, and well taken care of.

The broader issue in this case resides as the homelessness is animals throughout the United States. Although there are many shelters, like the Nashville Humane Association, that take in stray, abandoned, or surrendered animals, the country must take measures in order to lower the number, or around seventy million, homeless animals in America (ASPCA). One way to help this issue is to adopt, not shop. The dangers of legal puppy mills in the United States still lurks, even in the year 2021. Also, more volunteers at these shelters would adjust dogs to humans and other dogs, benefitting the dogs’ adoption process. Volunteers at shelters not only give dogs their daily exercise, but also socialize them so they are ready to meet new humans and become part of a permanent family and home. All of this information is what the Nashville Humane Association and the nation-wide Humane Association recommends to do in order to address homeless animals throughout the nation and ultimately worldwide.

Works Cited

“About Animal Humane Society.” Animal Humane Society, www. animalhumanesociety.org/about/about-animal-humane-society.

“Adopt, Don’t Shop.” Hinsdale Humane Society, www.hinsdalehumanesociety.org/ programs/adopt-dont-shop.

“Adoption Form.” Nashville Humane Association, nashvillehumane.org/adoptionform. Accessed 14 Feb. 2021.

Allen, Greg. “No-Kill Shelters save Millions of Unwanted Pets - but Not All of Them.” NPR, 31 Dec. 2014, www.npr.org/2014/12/31/374218425/no-kill-shelters-savemillions-of-unwanted-pets-but-not-all-of-them. Addison

Bershadker, Matt. “Pet Statistics.” ASPCA, ASPCA, www.aspca.org/animalhomelessness/shelter-intake-and-surrender/pet-statistics. Accessed 9 Feb. 2021.

“Coronavirus (COVID-19) FAQ.” Humane Society, www.humanesociety.org/ resources/coronavirus-covid-19-faq. Accessed 9 Feb. 2021.

“Covid 19.” Nashville Humane Association, nashvillehumane.org/covid-19. Accessed 9 Feb. 2021.

“FAQ - Nashville Humane.” Nashville Humane Association, nashvillehumane.org/faq/.

“Need to Find Your Pet a New Home?” The Humane Society of the United States, www. humanesociety.org/resources/need-find-your-pet-new-home. Accessed 9 Feb. 2021.

Pepelko, Kristina. “12 Alarming Facts about Pet Homelessness.” One Green Planet, 2014, www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/12-alarmingfacts-about-pet-homelessness/#:~:text=There%20are%20about%2070%20 million,Society%20of%20the%20United%20States.

“Pet Adoption.” American Government, Nashville Health Department, www.nashville. gov/Health-Department/Animal-Care-and-Control/Adoption.aspx.

“Pets by Numbers.” The Humane Society of the United States, www.humanesociety. org/resources/pets-numbers. Accessed 9 Feb. 2021.

Ralpheson, Samantha. “No ‘Easy Answer’ to Growing Number of Stray Dogs in the U.S., Advocate Says.” NPR, 29 Dec. 2017, www.npr.org/2017/12/29/574598877/ no-easy-answer-to-growing-number-of-stray-dogs-in-the-u-s-advocate-says.

Reeder, Jen. “Delaware Is the First No-Kill State for Shelter Animals in the US.” Today, 9 Aug. 2019, www.today.com/pets/delaware-first-no-kill-state-shelteranimals-us-t160515.

Sen Nag, Oishimaya. “Countries with the Most Stray Dogs Worldwide.” World Atlas, 25 Apr. 2017, www.worldatlas.com/articles/countries-with-the-most-straydogs-worldwide.html.

“Tennessee No Kill Animal Shelters.” Tennessee No Kill Animal Shelters: Find One near Me - The NOkill Network, No Kill Network, 2021, www.nokillnetwork. org/d/Tennessee/.

2011 HSUS Annual Report , Humane Society of the United States, 2011, www.humanesociety.org/sites/default/files/docs/2011-hsus-annual-report.pdf.

REFLECTION: ADDISON FRANCIS SERVICE

SCHOLAR REFLECTION

Service hours are no longer graduation requirements to fill or pictures to take to prove I did them, they are a way to leave the bubble of Ensworth and realize how much good one can do in the community. I completed my service scholar hours at the Nashville Humane Association, whose mission is to protect the well-being of animals in Davidson County. Through working with the humane society, I have not only grown as a person, but also have grown to learn more about Ensworth’s purpose of incorporating service as a part of the educational experience.

My first time volunteering at the humane association was an eye-opening experience. I’ve always been in the Ensworth bubble, going on service trips with my peers and teachers and never experiencing doing service alone. After volunteering for five months, I can truthfully say I have grown as a person. I grew less selfish and realized that helping others not only made me feel good and put me in a positive mindset, but also helped out the staff and the animals at the shelter.Volunteering taught me patience and illustrated the saying, ‘do what’s right, even when no one is watching’. Service learning and volunteering are very similar in that way. In all of my years at Ensworth, I could have decided to not show up to a service day or to sit around while my peers did the work. Instead I learned what it meant to be an active member in the community and, once again, did what’s right, even when no one was watching. There were so many times when I could’ve not shown up to my hours or not logged them. I could’ve dropped my service scholar project altogether. However, even without a teacher or mentor present, I was able to volunteer, log all of my hours, and learn from my experiences at the shelter. The curriculum as a whole benefited my personal growth as well. Not only by letting me recognize my privilege and put it to good use, but also by illustrating that I can help others, no matter how small the action.

Freshman year when I started service learning at Ensworth, I felt as if I was not making a difference in my community. I mean, how could a fourteen year old girl packaging diapers be helping out Nashville? I realized that community service is bigger than just me, my advisory, or even all of Ensworth. Maybe that’s why it is called service learning instead of community service. I am learning independence and how to help others without getting direct orders. Helping others isn’t about how much of a difference I think I am making, but instead the difference you truly are making. Even if I didn’t make a dent in the diaper pile, I put a smile on someone’s face or helped someone who was weighed down by their work. Ensworth service learning taught me all of this. Also, it gave me lots of new places to help out and recommend to people so they could go volunteer there as well.

Service learning this year was not always a stress-free journey. With everything in life, there are obstacles that you have to cross in order to realize the positive effects of your actions. This year’s obstacle: COVID-19. The humane society takes COVID-19 very seriously; therefore, that means there are fewer volunteers to help out, fewer people adopting dogs, and less help at the shelter. The Nashville Humane Association allowed only a handful of people to make appointments every day to adopt or look to adopt and allowed only three people per time slot for volunteering. Some days, I was the only volunteer there and walked all of the dogs on my own. This taught me a lot about independence and taking ownership and leadership in difficult situations. Although the Nashville Humane Association struggles due to COVID-19, it still is a safe home for lots of dogs and cats and thoroughly takes care of all of the animals at the shelter by giving them enrichment treats, taking them on walks, and socializing with them.

ESSAY: JACQUELINE FRIST

NASHVILLE

HUMANE ASSOCIATION

As the lovers of dogs and cats, humans have a duty to serve as the protectors of these animals. Tackling issues such as animal overpopulation and animal abuse is no simple task. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), approximately “6.5 million companion animals enter U.S. animal shelters nationwide every year.” By accounting for the animals who are not discovered by shelters and remain as strays each year, this number increases even higher. Many organizations, however, are working together and using innovative methods to help a greater number of pets each year. One such organization is Nashville Humane Association, a low-kill shelter that strives to “protect the well-being of animals in Davidson County” (NHA). Nashville Humane Association is paving the way for proper solutions to pet homelessness: discovering strays, providing adequate care in the shelter, domesticating shy animals, using community outreach to help others, and taking further steps to reduce overpopulation in the future.

In order for NHA to bring animals into the shelter and aid them, they must first search for stray dogs and cats as well as any animals in cruelty cases that need rescuing. The three main ways animals end up in shelters are that they are found as strays, transferred from other shelters, or surrendered by owners. Stray animals are the most common type to end up in shelters and are “often found on the streets and brought in by Good Samaritans or local law authorities” (ASPCA). Nashville Humane also serves as an epicenter for transfers from smaller, more rural shelters in middle Tennessee. In cases where the number of pets outweigh the space in the shelter, especially those in which cruelty cases are found, NHA will send an employee with a large van to retrieve as many animals as needed. These animals are then adoptable through NHA’s shelter, while others remain available at the original shelter. The final and least common way that dogs and cats arrive at animal shelters is through owner surrenders. While an owner’s surrender typically means an inability to care for an animal due to the human’s age, poverty, or the pet’s behavioral issues, it can also be due to an abusive situation, such as hoarding or puppy mills. These extreme cases are often discovered by citizens and then reported to the local animal care and control authorities. Similar to dealing with shelter transfers, NHA will arrive at the scene with the proper transportation equipment (including leads, crates, and other tools required to retrieve animals) and bring the pets back to the shelter. As the animals are redirected to shelters and proper housing, the legality of the case is then left to the authorities, who may convict and imprison the abuser (Humane Society). The animals often are neglected and will have experienced trauma, which would require extra care and treatment to readjust them to normal living conditions. Once animals from all kinds of cases arrive at the shelter, the employees then proceed with checking in the animals and beginning treatment.

Each animal that enters Nashville Humane’s doors undergoes a routine check-in process to ensure the health and safety of the new pets, as well as that of residents already in the shelter. After a careful initial examination of the animal’s health, the pet is then microchipped, spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and treated for any medical issues. All animals available to adopt at the shelter will have undergone these treatments; therefore, in the circumstance of an animal being too sick or too young to receive surgery, the pet stays in the shelter’s holding rooms in the back until they are healthy and ready for adoption. With new animals entering the building each day, Nashville Humane must take extra precautions to provide a clean and safe environment for every animal. Especially with young puppies or kittens who have not received vaccinations, spreading disease can be a serious problem; for example, a main concern in shelters is canine parvovirus, a “highly contagious” virus that “spreads through direct contact with an infected dog or by indirect contact with a contaminated object” (AKC). In order to prevent an outbreak, shelters will often use methods such as quarantining, deep cleaning kennels, and vaccinating animals as soon as they are of proper age. While the greatest risk of disease comes from the new arrivals, proper hygiene continues to be extremely important in the shelter even after animals move to the adoption kennels. By running each pet through the veterinary center and continually checking the health of the animals, Nashville Humane ensures the greatest chance for each animal to live, and of greatest importance, a chance to find a forever home.

The care and treatment NHA provides for shelter animals does not end after the initial check-in; staff members and volunteers are essential to the socialization and well-being of the dogs and cats throughout their entire stay in the shelter. As of the year 2020, Nashville Humane Association has 1,277 active volunteers in the program (NHA). Each of these volunteers aid in dog and cat care, cleaning, donation organizing, and operating events or programs. Dog walking, cat socialization, and enrichment for both kinds of animals are substantially important tasks to ensure the well-being of all shelter animals. Volunteers walk and play with the dogs to give them adequate exercise and human interaction multiple times a day; they also interact with the cats of the shelter to socialize them and give them the engagement they need. Additionally, each animal at NHA is provided with a type of enrichment each day to stimulate their senses. These enrichment activities could include treats, puzzle toys, scents, music, and playdates with other animals. Much like humans, animals require interaction with other living beings and toys to have a healthy mind. By stimulating and entertaining the animals each day, the shelter successfully keeps all dogs and cats happy. Housing animals with a positive mental state promotes more adoptions, improving the issues of pet homelessness and having long-time residents in the shelter.

Although providing every animal with a happy, healthy life is the goal, special treatment and extra patience are required for animals who might be traumatized and afraid coming from a cruel background, as mentioned before. While socializing and playing with animals may help their fear, some cats and especially dogs may

still lack trust with humans, which requires more training to deal with. Nashville Humane has curated specific programs to help these special cases. Perhaps the most common of these are the foster and foster-to-adopt programs, where animals who may be uncomfortable in the shelter or have medical problems are taken in by temporary owners to help them adjust. Fosters are a valuable resource used to place shelter animals in homes that fit their needs,” especially those who are unhappy without these needs being met (NHA). Animals living in foster homes also may become more adoptable as they are happier living in a bigger, more comfortable space. Foster homes are expected to socialize with the animals, especially those afraid of humans. A dog or cat may gain trust better with one human that consistently takes care of them, rather than multiple faces visiting their kennels each day. In this way, foster programs help reduce behavioral problems, adjust animals to better living, and make them happier overall. The foster-to-adopt program is very similar except with the end goal of adoption; an owner who may want to adopt an animal with medical or behavioral problems must foster the animal for a period of time first to certify their commitment and willingness. Nashville Humane Association also uses The Jackson Galaxy Project’s Cat Pawsitive Program, a “a mojo-enhancing, positivereinforcement clicker training initiative that enriches day-to-day life for cats in shelters” (Jackson Galaxy Project). Any shy or moody cats at the shelter undergo many training sessions with NHA’s employees, learning tricks and gaining positive reinforcement through treats and clickers. Soon this positive reinforcement is used to praise even small tasks such as coming to the front of the cage to meet someone or allowing a human to pet them. As they continue through the program, the animals are “building connections with staff, volunteers, and potential adopters’’ (Jackson Galaxy Project). The aim of this program is to improve adoptability and to help scared or unsocialized cats. While this program is primarily run by the shelter’s employees, volunteers have opportunities to help shy animals as well: NHA uses a new tiered system to allocate volunteers with higher levels of training to the animals that may need extra help. The basic level of training, the green level, is where every volunteer starts at, as they have general knowledge of animal behaviors and the instructions for their tasks. Once a volunteer acquires at least 35 hours of service in either the dog or cat care areas, they can take an extra training course and proceed to the yellow level for the prospective type of animal they are trained for. This tier deals with animals who may require patience and training to work with, such as animals that may get too excited when going on walks or are known to be shy. Once yellow-tiered volunteers complete 75 hours of work in either dog or cat care, they complete their training to become blue level volunteers. These people can interact with all animals in the shelter and are prepared for any situation that may occur with an animal (NHA). Although only a few long-term volunteers have been able to achieve the blue level of training so far, NHA plans to get as many volunteers to this level as possible in the future. While relatively new, this new system shows the shelter’s dedication to finding new ways of reinforcing the safety of both volunteers and animals. By ensuring that scared or moody animals are provided with properly trained carers, both the volunteers and especially the animals remain happy in the shelter. A dog or cat, after receiving adequate care and space as needed, may move down to the yellow

or green level as their behavior improves. Any animal at Nashville Humane, whether inside or outside of the shelter, always has the level of care that specific animal needs. NHA’s programs successfully provide a system in which each animal’s specific needs are accommodated, improving their well-being and increasing their chances of finding a new home.

Nashville Humane Association also strives to help animals in Nashville by making an impact on the community and on the animals who are not in the shelter. For pet owners visiting Nashville Humane’s website, one can find lists of resources to help with any kind of dog, cat, or human issues. The shelter also often hosts events such as their Critter Camp, Cause for Paws, and Dog Day Festival to fundraise and promote awareness about pet homelessness (NHA).These programs and resources are an effective way to provide correct information to the public about dealing with pet homelessness, pet care affordability, and proper animal treatment. The organization encourages the humane treatment of animals with direct aid to the community as well: the Darcy Lashinski Memorial Food Bank is a program designed to provide pet food to impoverished families once a week (NHA). The volunteers play an essential role in the Food Bank, as they are responsible for recording pet food donations, separating the food into same-size bags, and distributing the donated food to those in need. The Food Bank serves as an opportunity for animals in low-income households to be able to eat, and the program solves the issue of the affordability of pet care. By giving owners enough food for their dog or cat, the Food Bank helps prevent pets from becoming neglected or starved at home. Members of the community can also receive help through NHA’s spay and neuter clinic at the shelter, which provides low-cost services to those who struggle with affording the medical fees. For “shelters and rescues that lack the resources” for spay/neuter services, Nashville Humane sends its mobile clinic to aid in these procedures (NHA). Finally, NHA works with the Prison Puppies Achieving Worthy Service program (PPAWS) to simultaneously train dogs that come from the shelter and improve the mental health of prison inmates. Selected dogs from the shelter are taken to the prison for a 6-week stay, where they are trained and cared for by inmates “under the direction of the Animal Behavior Program Manager at Nashville Humane Association” (NHA). When the program is finished, the dogs will have been house-trained and will know some new tricks while the inmates will have shared a bond with an animal, improving their well-being. From the average Nashvillian to impoverished families to prison inmates, Nashville Humane’s impact on the community remains widespread as they significantly improve the lives of animals every day.

The responsibility of helping homeless animals lies on the public as well. Shelters encourage everyone to spay or neuter their pets in order to prevent pet overpopulation. The number of these beneficial surgeries has increased over the years, according to the Humane Society, as over 32,000 spay/neuter surgeries were performed in 2018 at little to no cost for the owners. Additionally, as demonstrated by the number of volunteers at NHA, support for the cause has greatly increased over the years. The issue of pet homelessness will continue to improve as more members

of the public support shelters in their efforts, whether financially or through service. Finally, it is important to educate oneself and others about the proper treatment for animals and about the cruelty that happens to animals each year. By creating a larger mass of educated people, tackling the problem becomes easier. Helping animals is a task that can be done by any member of the community to help the cause most shelters are fighting for.

Pet homelessness is an ongoing problem that requires a network of people to fight against. Shelters like Nashville Humane Association are finding new methods and gaining more supporters each year to help improve this issue. The urgency of this problem not only comes from the poor conditions many animals face but also the fact that dogs and cats are defenseless against them. Therefore, it is society’s responsibility to protect the animals we encounter and ensure their well-being. These animals prove to be “man’s best friend,” and it is humans’ job to rescue these furry friends and ultimately make their lives happier.

WORKS CITED

“Animal Cruelty and Neglect FAQ.” The Humane Society of the United States, 2020, www. humanesociety.org/resources/animal-cruelty-and-neglect-faq#prosecute.

Burke, Anna. “What Every Puppy Owner Needs to Know About Parvo in Puppies.” American Kennel Club, 14 Mar. 2018, www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/what-every-puppy-ownerneeds-to-know-about-parvo-in-puppies.

“Cat Pawsitive.” The Jackson Galaxy Project, 23 Jan. 2021, thejacksongalaxyproject.greatergood. org/about/cat-pawsitive.

“Ending Pet Homelessness.” The Humane Society of the United States, www.humanesociety.org/ all-our-fights/ending-pet-homelessness. Accessed 23 Feb. 2021.

“Pet Statistics.” ASPCA, 2020, www.aspca.org/animal-homelessness/shelter-intake-andsurrender/pet-statistics.

“Programs and Services.” Nashville Humane Association, 2021, nashvillehumane.org/programs_ and_services.

“Shelter Intake and Surrender.” ASPCA, 2020, www.aspca.org/animal-homelessness/shelterintake-and-surrender#:%7E:text=About%20710%2C000%20animals%20who%20 enter,620%2C000%20dogs%20and%2090%2C000%20cats).&text=About%20twice%20as%20many%20animals,are%20relinquished%20by%20their%20owners.

REFLECTION: JACQUELINE FRIST

SERVICE SCHOLAR REFLECTION

When I began my volunteer internship at Nashville Humane Association, I expected dog walking and cat socialization to be my sole tasks for the summer; I did not realize that the service done at this organization has a far wider impact on animal welfare and on the community. As an intern, I would arrive at my shift for the day and help with any tasks that needed to be done. While I enjoyed spending time with the animals, I surprised myself when I loved doing jobs such as cleaning or organizing as well. My

primary job as a volunteer intern was to aid in donation counting. Donations came in each day, which I collected from the bins and brought to the back. After logging in each type of donation and putting them in their respective spots, I also helped with the Food Bank run at the shelter. I realized that Nashville Humane’s food donations are directly given to people in need, as I was the one who was meeting with these people (and sometimes their dogs) to give them enough food for their pets. I met with many other volunteers this way, as we worked together in allocating the proper amount of food to each person and delivering it to their cars. I met volunteers who were relatively new and ones who had worked there for over 10 years. I learned that NHA had a loving community that values all of its members, whether they were new or a veteran in animal care.

When I was tasked with cleaning or laundry, I felt satisfied knowing that Nashville Humane takes great care in ensuring the health of every animal in the shelter, as they have strict rules for when objects or blankets must be cleaned. Every employee enjoyed their job but also took each task seriously and with great care; I soon learned the same behavior. Having fun with adorable animals is always easy, but the cleaning, organization, and training are also substantially important for the welfare of the dogs and cats. The patience required for working with a shy animal is immense, but so is the relief of finally seeing that animal come out of its shell. There were some dogs or cats in the shelter that I would visit each day, determined to help their fears, giving them a little extra love and patience. I realized that animals need humans’ help far more than simply a few walks or some petting; the volunteers and employees work hard to keep the shelter animals well-fed, clean, and happy. Whether I was helping prepare for an event or cleaning kennels, I took great care in each and every task I completed. The fosters, volunteers, employees, veterinarians, and donors create an entire community that works to fight against the struggles animals face each day. I felt great joy when I saw a long-time resident finally get adopted or boxes of donations arriving in response to a need from the shelter. I recognized the importance of every job in the shelter and the significance of even the smallest donation. I am now happy to know that the organization does everything it can to make the animals happy, from enrichment and socialization to proper vet care and sanitization. I hope to work at this organization once again next summer and, with the new tiered system in place, I plan to try to become the highest level volunteer in order to be able to further help the animals. Working at Nashville Humane Association helped me realize that animals deserve as much care and service as humans do, and that there are truly many people out there who are fighting for this cause like I am.

ESSAY: NELL HARRIS

FOOD INSECURITY AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT: THE EFFECT OF COVID-19 ON AT-RISK CHILDREN

Family well-being over the summer months is an ongoing problem, both nation-wide and in Nashville. Schools provide not only education, resources, and social interaction, but also healthy breakfasts, lunches, and snacks for children in need. Addressing the sudden lack of these items in the summer months is important in any year, but the onset of Covid-19 exacerbated the needs of both children and their families. In Nashville specifically, the March 2020 tornado worked in conjunction with the effects of Covid-19 to increase local poverty rates. On March 2nd and 3rd, Nashville and the surrounding areas experienced a series of tornadoes, which included winds of about 175 miles per hour (Bliss). These tornadoes slammed North and East Nashville especially hard, putting financial strain on the local community, as well as creating more need for support. Soon after the tornadoes, the Covid-19 pandemic hit, leaving Nashville with virtually no time to recover. With all of these disasters occuring in quick succession, Nashville and its citizens have been especially at-risk this year. Enabling all its citizens to effectively access basic needs and opportunities is a complex issue faced by local and national governments even in typical years (without the scourge of Coronavirus). This essay explores the normal challenges facing students and their families, as well as struggles brought on by the global pandemic of Covid-19.

Food insecurity is a major issue in both Nashville and the United States, and Covid-19 only worsened this problem. In 2019, 3.4% of adults said that their household sometimes or often didn’t have enough to eat. Data taken from January 2021 showed that the percentage had risen to 11% or almost 24 million people, which is an over 200% increase. Moreover, 15% of households with children said they didn’t have enough to eat. The staggering rise in percentages of those experiencing food insecurity confirms what most people already knew: Covid-19 hit families, especially lowerincome families, hardest compared to other socioeconomic groups. Unfortunately, the numbers increased even more in Tennessee: 17% of children didn’t have enough to eat from November to December of 2020. Tennessee also saw a 6% increase in SNAP participants from February to May of 2020 (Tracking the covid-19 recession’s effects on food, housing, and employment hardships). SNAP, short for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, provides assistance for families in need so that they can buy nutritious foods (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)). While SNAP is a national program targeting at-risk families, poverty still persists throughout the US, especially in Tennessee. Community non-profits like Second Harvest and The Little Pantry That Could work to provide an additional safety net to those experiencing hunger in spite of the SNAP program benefits. Tennessee’s unemployment rate increased from 3.3% pre-pandemic to 11.3% in just two months, reaching an all-time high in April of 2020. And with no end to Covid-19 in sight, the unemployment rate will stay high through 2021 (Tuggle). The numbers in Tennessee are just a microcosm of the unemployment and poverty rates in the US as a whole. Even with national legislation (like the CARES Act), families still fell deeper into poverty due to Covid-19; the monthly

poverty rate increased on average from 15% to 16.7% (Parolin). These numbers pose an important question: how has hunger and desperation resulting from Covid-19 affected the well-being of children? The response is alarming and eye-opening: 14% of parents said that they saw worsening behavior in their children. In addition, 24% of parents lost child care, which puts added pressure on both parents and children (Patrick).

The numbers are clear: food insecurity resources, like food banks, are more important than ever. According to Nancy Kiel, President and CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle TN (a local nonprofit), one in five middle Tennesseans currently experience food insecurity, as opposed to one in eight before the Covid-19 Pandemic. However, while need rose, the donations and availability of volunteers dropped. The need rose by 50%, while donations dropped by 30% and due to Covid restrictions, only ten people could volunteer per shift (as opposed to 100). Second Harvest, however, didn’t stop working: they now distribute about 300,000 more pounds of food than before the pandemic to raise their total to over 1,000,000 pounds per week as of October 2020 (Keil). Second Harvest Food Bank also partnered with Metro Nashville Public Schools over the summer to assemble boxes of food for families whose children normally receive breakfast, lunches, and snacks during the school day.

In addition to Second Harvest, The Little Pantry That Could also serves the Nashville community. Established in 2010 in North Nashville, the organization provides food for anyone in need, no questions asked. The mission of The Little Pantry That Could is founded on the dignity of choice, so they designed their pantry like a grocery store. The Little Pantry’s “store” consists of many different types of food, including both produce and shelf-stable items. When a shopper walks into The Little Pantry That Could, they see a wall of bread and other pastries, shelves stocked with cans, pasta, and other meals, a fridge of produce, and even drinks and desserts. This both eliminates food waste and makes every shopper feel cared for (Our Mission). When asked about challenges brought on by Covid-19, Stacy Downey, the Executive Director of The Little Pantry That Could, said, “Since both the tornado and COVID, we have definitely experienced some challenges. We have way more families needing assistance now, our food costs have skyrocketed and we have way fewer volunteers. However, we are grateful that we’ve been able to remain open and never turn anyone away.”

Beyond food instability and a loss of child care resources, the Covid-19 pandemic caused students to lose in-person schooling and begin remote learning for various amounts of time, which has the potential to negatively impact their education and well-being. In a normal year, students experience a lack of education during the summer, which is called the “summer learning gap.” The summer learning gap occurs when students return to school in the fall at a lower academic level than before summer break, seemingly due to the lack of schoolwork during the summer, as well as a loss of access to resources (like supplies, books, technology, etc). While the summer learning gap can affect all students, it most prominently touches students from disadvantaged backgrounds. During the summer, students from this particular group don’t have access to the resources they need to continue or expand their education, while students from more advantaged backgrounds possess the necessary resources to do so. Some students also have more help and encouragement from parents to participate in educational activities during the summer. This inequality

is not as wide during the school year, which is why the summer can be detrimental to continuing education. After studying the summer learning gap, researchers found that during the summer, students’ scores fell by one month of in-school learning, especially in math. Research also showed that the summer learning gap only widens disparities in reading level based on income, meaning that lower-income students’ reading levels worsened when compared to their peers. While these numbers aren’t uniform for every grade level and school, they show a general trend in education. Effective remedies to this gap “include blending academic learning with handson or recreational activities, professionalizing summer school staff, and forming partnerships with community organizations to leverage resources” (Quinn). That description perfectly encompasses the Time To Rise program, a summer camp for atrisk youth ranging from fourth grade to sixth grade that takes place at various partner schools across the greater Nashville area. Each day at Time To Rise, the campers attend four academic classes (Science, Math, Reading, and Writing) and participate in various recreational activities in the afternoon. They also attend field trips and take full advantage of Ensworth’s resources, like the natatorium, gym, cafeteria, and classrooms. According to their website, Time To Rise’s main goals are to “strengthen students’ basic academic skills, foster a love of learning, expose youth to positive mentors and role models, encourage cooperation and character development, and give students the tools for a successful future” (Our Program). Research also stresses the importance of engaging the students, so the camp does not feel like punishment. Camps like Time To Rise benefit the students because they keep up their academic levels, but also their school teachers during the school year because the teachers don’t have to reteach any material (Quinn).

The burgeoning educational gap is only worsening with Covid-19. Instead of losing daily in-person learning only during the summer, students began learning remotely in March of 2020. Depending on the status of their schools, students have been absent from the classroom almost 10 or 11 months without a day of in-person learning with their teachers. That time period is about five times longer than the average summer break, certainly creating an extended summer learning gap: a Covid learning gap. While changes in learning depended on grade level and subject, learning loss in math was the greatest, which means that achievement levels dropped (Kuhfeld). In low income and predominantly minority areas, schools were more likely to open fully remote. Studies also show that remote classes weren’t as effective as in-person classes, which means that students from low income and minority backgrounds were at a greater disadvantage than others when it comes to effective learning (Malkus). In a study done by McKinsey and Company, students of color were also twice as likely as white students to not have a synchronous lesson in the past week. Black and Hispanic students could be six to twelve months behind by June of 2021, while white students could be behind by only four to eight months. In Montgomery County, Maryland, vulnerable students had six times the amount of failing grades in both Math and English as compared to before Covid-19 (Reilly). Covid has caused the educational gap between disadvantaged students and advantaged students to burgeon; the kids who need the most help have been left behind by their school systems and our society.

While at first glance, poverty/food insecurity and child education might not seem related, they are actually extremely intertwined. Poverty can push children and families into a state of stress which can negatively affect school performance. In addition to being at risk for inferior health and well-being, poverty-stricken children are at a higher risk for academic and social issues, which can result in effects on educational success, which can occur from the age of two all the way through high school. Differences in readiness for school before Kindergarten has long-term effects: children who are behind other students at the start of Kindergarten never catch up. Even more, the gaps between these students usually expand. Early school failure can be linked to increased absence from school, higher dropout rates, and bad behavior. The relationship between poverty and academic achievement is clear: students from low-income and disadvantaged families are more likely to drop-out from high school and show lower cognitive and academic achievement. Children from families facing poverty can also show more behavioral issues. These issues could be caused by less stimulating activities and experiences at home, in part due to low-income students’ family members often having limited education. For example, fewer low-income families read to their children than families facing less challenges (less than 50% compared to 61%). In addition, children facing poverty are exposed to risks at home, including “illnesses, crowding and family stress, lack of psychosocial stimulation, and limited resources” and also harsher consequences. Low-income communities also have less educational opportunities and activities, in addition to schools being underfunded. Unfortunately, these effects are largely overlooked. Poverty negatively affects educational attainment, but education is the primary way to escape poverty, thus creating a hard to escape cycle (Black). Specifically, food insecurity affects child health and academic success. Children who face food insecurity are more likely to contract common illnesses and are twice as likely to be in fair or poor health compared to children who do not face food insecurity. Food insecurity also directly affects brain development: infants and toddlers who struggle with hunger are two thirds more likely to have developmental delays than children who do not. In addition to direct effects, the stress from food insecurity can also hinder brain development, especially relating to memory and social responses. Food insecure children are often at essential stages of brain development, which means the effects of hunger can be extensive. Research shows that students who struggle with food insecurity scored lower on a test of child intelligence than other students, in addition to more social issues, increased grade repetition, and lower test scores in general. These issues have long term implications and can last for many years (Hickson).

As a result of the ongoing global pandemic, families’ needs have never been stronger. While volunteer numbers and resources shrank, the need for community programs skyrocketed: unemployment numbers grew, food insecurity deepened its hold on communities, and students have suffered from both. However, community nonprofit organizations persisted in helping those in need, even as Covid-19 shook their foundations. America, and Tennessee specifically, must continue to come together to help its most vulnerable populations thrive and reach their potential.

WORKS CITED

Black, Maureen M, and Patrice L Engle. “The Effect of Poverty on Child Development and Educational Outcomes.” California Polytechnic State University.

Bliss, Jessica. “Tennessee Tornadoes’ Path of Terror.” The Tennessean, The Tennessean, 25 Mar. 2020, www.tennessean.com/pages/interactives/news/graphics/march-2020-tornado-pathnashville-cookeville-putnam-tennessee/.

Hickson, Meredith, et al. “Too Hungry To Learn: Food Insecurity and School Readiness.” Children’s HealthWatch.

Keil, Nancy. “Tornadoes, COVID-19 Created More Food Insecurity. Second Harvest Needs Your Help.: Opinion.” The Tennessean, The Tennessean, 9 Oct. 2020, www.tennessean.com/story/ opinion/2020/10/09/second-harvest-food-bank-growing-hunger/5937048002/.

Kuhfeld, Megan, et al. “Learning During Covid-19: Initial Findings on Students’ Reading and Math Achievement and Growth.” Collaborative For Student Growth, Nov. 2020.

Malkus, Nat. “Reopening in the Shadow of COVID-19: Beginning the First Full Coronavirus School Year.” American Enterprise Institute, 1 Oct. 2020.

“Our Mission.” The Little Pantry That Could, The Little Pantry That Could, www. thelittlepantrythatcould.org/about.

“Our Program.” Time To Rise, Time To Rise, Inc., time2rise.org/gallery.

Parolin, Zachary, Megan A. Curran, Jordan Matsudaira, Jane Waldfogel and Christopher Wimer. 2020. “Monthly Poverty Rates in the United States during the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Poverty and Social Policy Discussion Paper. New York, NY: Center on Poverty and Social Policy.

Patrick, Stephen W., et al. “Well-Being of Parents and Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A National Survey.” American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Pediatrics, 1 Oct. 2020, pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/146/4/e2020016824.

Quinn, David M., and Morgan Polikoff. “Summer Learning Loss: What Is It, and What Can We Do about It?” Brookings, The Brookings Institution, 14 Sept. 2017, www.brookings.edu/ research/summer-learning-loss-what-is-it-and-what-can-we-do-about-it/.

Reilly, Katie. “The Learning Gap Is Getting Worse as Schools Rely on Remote Classes, Especially for Students of Color.” Time, Time, 8 Dec. 2020, time.com/5918769/coronavirusschools-learning-loss/.

“Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).” Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, www.fns.usda.gov/snap/supplemental-nutrition-assistanceprogram.

Tracking the Covid-19 Recession’s Effects on Food, Housing, and Employment Hardships. www. cbpp.org/research/poverty-and-inequality/tracking-the-covid-19-recessions-effects-onfood-housing-and.

Tuggle, Bryce. “Tennessee’s Most At-Risk Jobs, Workers, and Employers.” The Sycamore Institute, The Sycamore Institute, 14 Aug. 2020, www.sycamoreinstitutetn.org/ coronavirus-recession-people-places-employers/.

ESSAY: HAYDEN HORN

AIDING UNDERSERVED GROUPS IN THE NASHVILLE AREA DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC WITH TIME TO RISE AND THE GREATER NASHVILLE REGIONAL COUNCIL

As the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the world in early 2020, panic ensued. Billions of people were affected by an enemy we could not even see. By the middle of 2020, tens of millions of people had lost their jobs, some of which are lost for good. With no source of income, families struggled to make ends meet. But money was not the only issue. Side effects of quarantine and lack of social contact are yet to be completely seen, but they will be horrendous. For students, depression and deteriorating grades are two of the many issues surrounding quarantine and online schooling. For the elderly and disabled, lack of social connection is one of the largest problems. When I contemplated how I could make a difference in my community, the pandemic’s effect on the young and old came to mind; my focus was on aiding the underserved groups in the Nashville area.

Summer soon rolled around, and I found the opportunity to begin by assisting younger kids with math, reading, writing, and geography. The non-profit I worked with, Time to Rise, focuses on tutoring and assisting youth in grades 4th through 6th by stressing the importance of education and character development (Time to Rise). Early childhood education is critical to preparing students to have success in middle school, high school, college, and eventually a career. One study found that by the end of third grade, only 17% of low-income students read at or above the proficiency level compared to 45% of moderate and high-income students (Public School Review). Another study discovered that one in six third-grade students who cannot read proficiently do not graduate from high on time, a rate 4 times as high as proficient readers (The Campaign for Grade Level Reading). One of the factors that affects the literacy rate of a young student is the time their parents and teachers have to sit down and read with them directly. In public schools, the student-to-teacher ratio is often higher than in private schools, thus students in private schools are more likely to have one-on-one instruction and more attention from a teacher. Time to Rise understands this, and the organization has a 1:4 adult-student ratio. In addition, Time to Rise employs counselors who work to assist with tutoring and summer camp, part-time and full-time. It is unfortunate that the quality of education varies greatly from one child to another, and the education gap has only grown between children during the pandemic.

There are many factors that contribute to the quality of education, most notably income and location of residence. 43% of children live in families making lowincome (National Center for Children in Poverty). One in three children living in Nashville live in poverty, and 72% of Nashville public school students receive free or reduced lunch (Nashville.gov). Statistically, Hispanic children are among the highest

percentage of children living in low-income families, and the Nashville population is estimated to be 10.5% Hispanic as of 2019 (Census.gov). Poverty decreases the preparedness of children for school through aspects of home life, neighborhoods, schooling, and even health (NCBI Bookshelf). The children living in poverty do not receive the same encouragement and do not acquire the social skills necessary for school that children in middle-income and high-income families receive. The problems typically derive from “parental inconsistency (with regard to daily routines and parenting), frequent changes of primary caregivers, lack of supervision and poor role” modeling, as well as general lack of support (NCBI Bookshelf). Unfortunately, many parents–often single working moms–have no choice but to work long hours during the day to provide for their child or children.

As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, disparities in education caused by location of residence have increased. Over 1.5 billion students in 165 countries had their learning experiences upended by COVID-19 (NCBI Bookshelf). In the United States, local governments were given the authority to decide when and how students would return to school. Due to the unprecedented circumstances, all schools shut down initially in the early spring of 2020. The virus pushed the education system to the brink of collapse, and drastic changes had to be made. Thanks to technology, many students were able to continue learning online until more studies had been conducted on the nature of the coronavirus. After many months of quarantining, many students returned to school during the fall (with the proper precautions) while others were forced to remain online.

Since then, many studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of online schooling. Susanna Loeb, a Professor of Education, outlines the effectiveness of online learning for K-12 students. “‘Being in person with teachers and other students creates social pressures and benefits that can help motivate students to engage… students do worse in the online setting, and this is particularly true for students with weaker academic backgrounds’” (Susanna Loeb). Ultimately, the switch to online learning harms struggling students more than average to above-average students, furthering the educational gap between children. These drastic changes have led to students leaving public schools for other alternatives. Of the nation’s 100 largest districts of public schools, about 75% chose not to reopen with in-person instruction this fall (Deangelis). The public school system will “lose millions of students this school year… about 3.5 million students may leave this year” out of the 50 million enrolled in public school (Deangelis). That is a 7% decrease in enrollment in just the past year. The longer schools remain closed, the odds are more students will leave for alternative forms of education. Thousands of families are abandoning the traditional system and making the decision to enroll in virtual charters, micro-schools, homeschooling, or even “pandemic pods” (Deangelis). Students who learn together in “pandemic pods’’ have the goal of learning in small groups at home. There is “now hard evidence of actual public school enrollment declines across the country.

Arizona’s largest school district reported a 5.6 percent decrease in enrollment from

last year. Clark County, Nevada, reported a 3.4 percent drop. In Florida’s Orange County, enrollment is down about 9 percent from projections. In Nashville, it’s down 4.5 percent from projections” (Deangelis). The drop in enrollment affects funding for public schools, which means the students that remain enrolled will suffer. In many cases, families cannot afford or quite simply are incapable of switching to an alternative form of education.

The pandemic is forcing an additional 72 million children across the globe into what is called “learning poverty,” which means tens of millions of additional children will be unable to read and understand simple text by the age of 10 (The World Bank). To put this into perspective, that is near the entire population of children under the age of 18 in the United States. This would mean well over half the world’s children will be in learning poverty, potentially threatening long-term economic stability and growth. The effect will compound the longer the pandemic rages on.

There is a clear relationship between early childhood and the effects of education. There were many issues before the pandemic, but they have grown exponentially over the past year. Learning is essential to a child’s growth and understanding of the world around them. Time to Rise had to adapt this year to help continue tutoring kids, and this year it was all the more important to assist children and keep their spirit of curiosity alive.

By the end of summer, it was clear that the pandemic was not going to end anytime soon. The timeline for vaccine completion was more speculation than facts, and it was clear that people were going to be stuck in strict quarantine for many more months. I began researching more ways I could help people not online survive but thrive during the pandemic. I discovered a card campaign for seniors and the disabled stuck in care homes. Visiting and volunteering at care homes was not possible due to strict quarantine restrictions for both the employees and patients, so the card campaign was the perfect way to reach dozens and dozens of people without the risks. I decided to go a little further than just writing messages. I was eager for the patients to have something they could hold onto for months until the quarantine restrictions were lifted and they could once again see their loved ones. I designed pop-up cards, each meticulously crafted to stand up on their own. I used bright colors like pink, yellow, and red, and I crafted the cards into pop-up flowers, suns, butterflies, and hearts. My goal was to create a card that could rest on their bedside table as a reminder that they have not been forgotten, and as a reminder that the pandemic will eventually end.

There are 1.4 million Americans living in care homes (Nursing Home Abuse Center). Due to the increased risk for the elderly and those with preexisting conditions, care homes have been under strict quarantine measures since early 2020. Less than 1% of America’s population lives in long-term care facilities, but as of February 11, 2021, this tiny fraction of the country accounts for 36% of US COVID-19 deaths. (The COVID Tracking Project). The elderly are at a significantly higher risk, and as of February 14, they account for 165,555 COVID-19 deaths (The COVID Tracking Project). Some analysts argue the numbers are even larger, for example, in the case of a nursing home patient being transferred to a hospital. Nursing home residents most often cannot live independently due to health or cognitive impairments, most notably diabetes, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, dementia, eye diseases, amputations, and increased fall risks (Nursing Home Abuse Center). Without close family to assist them, the elderly and others must remain in care homes with minimal social interaction.

For both the young and old, quarantining has had negative impacts on mental health. Minimal social contact has been known to increase the risks of getting depression and anxiety. Psychologist Louise Hawkley, Ph.D., a senior research scientist at the research organization NORC at the University of Chicago, has conducted studies on the effects of isolation. “‘We are seeing a really growing body of evidence,’ says Fancourt, ‘that’s showing how isolation and loneliness are linked in with incidence of different types of disease [and] with premature mortality’” (The Scientist). The effects are magnified for children who are living in a bad family situation or an elderly man or woman stuck in a care home. There is evidence that links social isolation with severe health consequences, including but not limited to depression, impaired brain function, accelerated cognitive decline, poor sleep quality, poor cardiovascular function, and impaired immunity at all stages of life (American Psychological Association). All in all, social connection is critical to the quality of human life. Even if it is not possible to be in the same room as a loved one, it is crucial to remain in contact via phone or heart-felt letters.

In conclusion, the pandemic has had adverse effects on people of all ages. The full range and depth of the problems are yet to be seen, but the issues must be addressed sooner rather than later. Quarantining due to COVID-19 has affected young students and elderly nursing home patients greatly. Nashville is just one of the dozens of cities across the United States, and one of hundreds around the world, that are reeling from the effects of the coronavirus. As the vaccines roll out in all 50 states and dozens of countries, the end of the pandemic is closer than ever. It may be many months in the future, but hope is very much alive. “Hope is important because it can make the

present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today” (Thich Nhat Hanh). Never has it been more important to encourage the young and ambitious students and care for the most vulnerable in our society. This pandemic has brought unforeseen pains, but as all generations before us, we will push through. We will persevere.

WORKS CITED

“3rd Grade Reading Success Matters.” The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, gradelevelreading.net/. Accessed 19 Feb. 2021.

Chen, Grace. “Third Grade Reading Correlates with High School Graduation Rates.” Public School Review, www.publicschoolreview.com/blog/third-grade-reading-correlates-withhigh-school-graduation-rates. Accessed 19 Feb. 2021.

Deangelis, Corey A. “COVID-19 Didn’t Break the Public School System. It Was Already Broken.” reason, Dec. 2020, reason.com/2020/11/03/covid-19-didnt-break-the-public-schoolsystem-it-was-already-broken/. Accessed 19 Feb. 2021.

“Facts and Statistics about U.S. Nursing Homes.” Nursing Home Abuse Center, www.nursinghomeabusecenter.org/informative/facts-statistics-nursinghomes/#:~:text=How%20Many%20People%20Live%20in,people%20living%20in%20 nursing%20homes. Accessed 19 Feb. 2021.

Ferguson, H. B., PhD, et al. “The Impact of Poverty on Educational Outcomes for Children.” NCBI Bookshelf, US National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health, Oct. 2007, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2528798/#:~:text=It%20 is%20well%20documented%20that,home%20life%2C%20schooling%20and%20 neighbourhoods.&text=Children%20from%20low%2Dincome%20families%20often%20 do%20not%20receive%20the,to%20prepare%20them%20for%20school. Accessed 19 Feb. 2021.

How Effective Is Online Learning? What the Research Does and Doesn’t Tell Us. The Department of Education at Brown University, 24 Mar. 2020, education.brown.edu/news/2020-03-24/ how-effective-online-learning-what-research-does-and-doesnt-tell-us. Accessed 19 Feb. 2021.

Jiang, Yang, et al. “Basic Facts about Low-Income Children: Children under 18 Years, 2015.” National Center for Children in Poverty, www.nccp.org/publication/basic-factsabout-low-income-children-children-under-18-years-2015/#:~:text=Parents’%20 Education&text=Among%20children%20with%20at%20least,poor%20families%20 (Figure%207). Accessed 19 Feb. 2021.

“The Long-Term Care COVID Tracker.” The COVID Tracking Project, covidtracking.com/ nursing-homes-long-term-care-facilities. Accessed 19 Feb. 2021.

Nashville.gov. Nashvillenext, www.nashville.gov/Portals/0/SiteContent/Planning/docs/ NashvilleNext/FactSheets/next-report-Poverty-flyer.pdf. Accessed 19 Feb. 2021.

Novotney, Amy. “American Psychological Association.” The Risks of Social Isolation, May 2019, www.apa.org/monitor/2019/05/ce-corner-isolation#:~:text=Hawkley%20points%20 to%20evidence%20linking,at%20every%20stage%20of%20life. Accessed 19 Feb. 2021.

Offord, Catherine. “How Social Isolation Affects the Brain.” The Scientist, www.the-scientist. com/features/how-social-isolation-affects-the-brain-67701. Accessed 19 Feb. 2021.

“Pandemic Threatens to Push 72 Million More Children into Learning Poverty—World Bank outlines a New Vision to ensure that every child learns, everywhere.” The World Bank, World Bank Group, 2 Dec. 2020, www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2020/12/02/ pandemic-threatens-to-push-72-million-more-children-into-learning-poverty-world-bankoutlines-new-vision-to-ensure-that-every-child-learns-everywhere. Accessed 19 Feb. 2021.

Time to Rise. time2rise.org/. Accessed 19 Feb. 2021.

United States Census Bureau. “QuickFacts Nashville-Davidson (balance), Tennessee.” United States Census, 1 Apr. 2010, www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/ nashvilledavidsonbalancetennessee/PST045219. Accessed 19 Feb. 2021.

REFLECTION: HAYDEN HORN SERVICE SHOLAR REFLECTION

The worldwide pandemic has broadened my perspective on the needs of both the young and old. This summer, I tutored kids with Time to Rise and worked with the Greater Nashville Regional Council. My focus was to aid and support underserved groups throughout the Nashville area. As the pandemic intensified, I began to realize the shortage of assistance to both the young student population and the elderly population.

My schedule with Time to Rise depended on how much the kids needed help with their booklets containing math, reading, writing, and geography. I spoke over the phone with two kids, Brian and Alexander, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from mid-June to early July. I worked with each of them for an hour on some days or fifteen minutes on another. Our days consisted of checking math problems or talking through proper grammar when going over the writing portions of their assignments. Since English was often the second language of both the parents and children, I spoke both Spanish and English to help them navigate the program.

I believe that the main goal of Time to Rise is not just to tutor young students, but to influence and encourage them. Our goal as student instructors was to also make learning fun. In the global pandemic, a large number of students have been stuck at home to learn online. Learning with a computer screen is extremely difficult, especially with young children with low attention spans. Paper booklets may not be as great as learning in the classroom itself, but it was a nice change from computer screens. I realized that constant encouragement went a long way when the students worked on their assignments.

As summer began winding down, I discovered the next opportunity to continue my servicelearning project. The elderly population stuck in nursing homes was vastly underserved due to the nature of the coronavirus. Not even family members could visit during the height of the pandemic, leaving the care of 1.4 millions million Americans to nursing home staff. I worked with the Greater Nashville Regional to create pop-up cards to help the people in nursing homes cope with their limited social connection during the pandemic.

The Greater Nashville Regional Council helped me come to realize that the pandemic is affecting everyone, no matter their age. Social isolation has affected people from all walks of life, and I felt a strong relation to the effects I researched for my research paper. Because of my experience of social isolation during the first few months of the pandemic I empathized with what others were going through. Through my research, I have learned more about the experiences of others’ quarantine: different lengths of quarantine time, level of isolation, quality of living during quarantine, and long-term effects of anxiety pertaining to the coronavirus. Many other people are still reeling from the effects of nationwide lockdowns.

In this time of suffering, I have come to be grateful for what I have. As with most situations, there is always someone worse off. No one expected students to be out of school for months. People did not expect to be unable to visit friends and family or be unable to simply sit down and eat at a restaurant without some sort of precautions. The pandemic has made me realize how precious human contact is. When the pandemic ends, I hope we will treat each other with greater kindness and selflessness in realization of how our relationships with each other are irreplaceable.

ESSAY: BROOKE HUGHES

SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK: ENDING WORLD HUNGER

Hunger is a huge issue globally, nationally, and locally. You might ask yourself, how many people are hungry in the world? About 690 million people go to bed with an empty stomach; that number contains around 8.9% of the world’s population. Since 2014 that number has been on the rise; at this rate, it will exceed 840 million people by the year 2030. The hunger Sustainable Development Goal calls for ending world hunger by 2030. Unfortunately, this goal won’t be met as hunger is only on the rise, not even considering the effects of COVID-19s on hunger. The pandemic has resulted in 83 million to 123 million more people being hungry. The United Nations had three goals in mind that correlate with extreme poverty and hunger. The first goal was to “halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people whose income is less than $1.25 a day”(United Nations). The target of reducing extreme poverty rates by half was met five years ahead of the 2015 deadline, and they are still working to decrease those rates beyond 2015. As a result, more than 1 billion people have been lifted from extreme poverty since 1990. In 1990, almost half of the world’s population in developing regions and countries lived on less than $1.25 a day, and this rate dropped to 14% in 2015. This statistic is crazy because now you can’t even buy one meal with that money. Globally, 800 million people are still living in extreme poverty. Certain regions in the world have a higher proportion of malnourished individuals than other areas and countries. For example, the Sub-Saharan part of Africa has the highest prevalence of undernourishment, estimated at 22% of the entire population. This is expected to increase to 29.4% by 2030 and compared to North America and Europe, where less than 2.5% of people are malnourished. Extreme poverty rates fell from nearly 36% in 1990 to 9.2% in 2017. Having the economic means to access nutritious food is also affected by food prices and purchasing power. With a healthy diet costing more than the poverty line of $1.90 a day, it remains exceptionally unaffordable for people living in poverty. Across sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia, around 57% of the population is unable to afford a healthy diet. For example, an unhealthy meal at Mcdonald’s costs less than $5, while a more nutritious meal at a restaurant can cost up to $20. The ongoing pandemic is threatening to reverse many years of progress in the fight against global poverty and hunger. While the full impact is unknown, the World Bank estimates that an additional 88 million to 115 million people will fall into extreme poverty in 2020, with the total rising to as many as 150 million by 2021 (World Vision). Even though the economic growth has gone up, that doesn’t mean more nourishment for all. In India, they have experienced high growth in the last decade, but recent data shows that 189.2 million people(14% of the population) remain undernourished. “Development programs that empower the poor to be healthier, better educated, and able to provide a stable income are vital to food security. So are community-based courses in which mothers learn to feed children

food that will help them grow up healthy and strong”(World Vision). World Vision’s programs that help families with agriculture and microfinance also improve food security. The second goal was to Achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all, including women and young people. Three hundred million workers lived below the $1.25 a day poverty line in 2015. The global employment-to-population ratio has fallen from 62 percent in 1991 to 60 percent in 2015, with an especially significant downturn during the global economic crisis of 2008/2009. Only four in ten women and men aged 15-24 are employed in 2015, compared with five in ten in 1991. The 3rd target was to Halve the proportion of people who suffer from hunger between 1990-2015. About 795 million people are estimated to be undernourished globally, and more than 90 million children are malnourished and underweight.

The solutions to ending world hunger are both simple and complex. What is simple are the actual interventions themselves, most of which are steps that can quickly be taken. The complicated part is making the change have a lasting effect on the community. Concern USA wrote an article about nine solutions to end world hunger by the year 2030. These nine solutions include: climate-smart agriculture, responding to forced migration, fostering gender equality, reducing food waste, disaster risk reduction, supporting hygiene and sanitization, controlling infestations and crop infections, enhancing crops with biofortification, and improving food storage systems. The first solution is climate-smart agriculture; we are aware that climate change can prolong global hunger. Climate change causes more frequent and longer-lasting periods of extreme temperatures, flood events, and dry spells. Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) allows producers to adapt to climate change. These practices have shown families benefit from this solution. Responding to forced migration is a massive factor in world hunger. Refugees and IDPs (internally displaced people) are some of the most at-risk groups when it comes to hunger. Much of the work to stop conflict needs to take place on a government and policy level, but one-way concern can help through programs that promote new ways to generate income. Another way organizations and individuals are solving hunger is through fostering gender equality. Women make up approximately half of the agricultural workforce in many countries where hunger is a huge issue. Data from the Food and Agriculture Organization suggests that giving female farmers equal access to resources as their male counterparts could increase production on their farms by 20-30%. This could, in turn, reduce the number of hungry people in the world by up to 150 million. Reducing food waste is very important because the United States wastes 40 tons of food each year. One-third of all food produced is wasted. Investing in disaster risk reduction in vulnerable communities helps to mitigate potential losses in climate disasters for those affected. Techniques to protect and diversify crops can be extremely effective. Supporting hygiene and sanitization is one of the many factors that contribute to ending hunger by the year 2030. People can appear to be healthy, but if they live in an area with inadequate sanitation or insufficient hygiene, they may be sensitive to diarrhea or other waterborne illnesses that prevent them from consuming those nutrients they are putting in their body. Controlling crop infestations is very important because developing areas where harvesting and

growing their crops could be their only way to get nutrients. If those crops get infested, they can’t eat the food. The aerial spray is the only way to effectively control swarms in extreme cases. Disaster preparedness goes a great way as cash grants, and new supplies can offset failed crops and spikes in food prices. Most farmers have limited resources and focus on the quantity of food they produce instead of the quality. This also means that they often lose out on food rich in nutrients, which leads to vital micronutrient deficiencies that can leave lifelong impacts. Some developing countries might have issues with storing their food to make it last longer. An innovation that Concern USA has launched into women’s groups around the world is solar dryers. Sun-drying vegetables preserve micronutrients and prolong shelf lives (Concern USA). These are just nine ways Concern USA has come together to help solve, but there are many other ways individuals can help.

Second Harvest Food Bank is an organization in middle Tennessee that works to feed hungry people and solve hunger issues in their community. This organization aims to provide a distribution center for companies, groups, and individuals who want to help provide food for hungry people in Middle Tennessee. Second Harvest is modeled after the first food bank established in Phoenix in the mid-1970s. Second Harvest was designed to collect food that would otherwise be wasted. This organization inspects and sorts this food and distributes it to soup kitchens, pantries, and shelters serving Tennesseans experiencing hunger. During the first year, Second Harvest distributed over 160,000 pounds of food to 75 member agencies. Nancy Keil, the President, and CEO of Second Harvest, said, “We are people who wake up every day with one goal in mind –helping those who are hungry and who don’t know where their next meal is coming from.” Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee is one of the largest and most comprehensive of more than 200 food banks and food distribution centers nationwide. During FY20, Second Harvest distributed more than 41 million pounds of food to more than 460 Partner Agencies, providing more than 36.5 million meals to hungry children, families, and seniors throughout our 46-county service area. In middle Tennessee, 1 out of every six adults is food insecure, and that number goes down to 1 out every five kids being food insecure. Before the pandemic, that number was 1 in 8 Middle Tennesseans, including 1 in 7 children struggles with hunger daily. There are three ways one can help, which include: donating money, time, and food. In the year 2020, 96¢ of every $1donated goes straight to feeding programs. Some more statistics from last year include: 36.5 million nutritious meals provided to our neighbors in need, 116,359 healthy meals and snacks provided through our Kids Cafe and At-Risk Afterschool meal programs, 7 million pounds of food rescued from 280 grocery stores, 10.8 million pounds of fresh produce delivered to those who need it most, 263 mobile pantries brought food to convenient locations for clients, 71,323 volunteer hours generously donated, and served 46 counties in middle Tennessee. Second Harvest has more than 460 Partner Agencies working together to feed hungry children, families, and seniors throughout our 46-county service area in Middle and West Tennessee. With more than 1 million Tennesseans at risk of hunger every day, Second Harvest works hard to get food to families and individuals who need it most. Last year their trucks covered more than 750,000 miles rescuing and delivering food (Second Harvest).

Nancy Keil, the president and CEO of Second Harvest, said, “So much has changed the past four decades, but one thing remains – hunger. We’ve made so much progress in the fight against hunger in our community, yet we still have a lot of work ahead of us. During the past year, we established the Nacarato Family Distribution Center in Smyrna and the Ray Smith Family Distribution Center in Camden, as well as enhancements to the Martin Distribution Center in Nashville. These two new hubs help us better serve our hungry neighbors in the southern and western counties of our service area”.

I had participated in some volunteer activities when volunteering was food sorting, cold food sorting, distributing food boxes to families, making emergency food boxes, and making backpacks for hungry children. Distributing food boxes to families stood out to me the most. I drove about an hour out to Dickson, Tennessee, to distribute food boxes with my mom’s work company. There we loaded up shopping carts with boxes that we filled with various foods and drinks. My favorite part was putting the boxes in the families’ cars, and you got to see how appreciative they were for the work I had done. When I was putting some boxes in one lady’s car, she talked to me about how she lives in her car with her dog. She said without the help of us that day that she or her dog wouldn’t get to eat. It just shows how little you have to do to make a difference in your community. We don’t realize how lucky we are until we go outside the community and see real-life problems that people struggle with.

WORKS CITED

“9 Solutions to Hunger to Get Us to #ZeroHunger by 2030.” Concern Worldwide, www. concernusa.org/story/solutions-to-hunger/.

Board of Directors. www.secondharvestmidtn.org/learn/who-we-are/.

Reid, Kathryn. “5 World Hunger Facts You Need to Know.” World Vision, 29 Oct. 2020, www.worldvision.org/hunger-news-stories/world-hunger-facts#:~:text=World%20 hunger%20is%20on%20the%20rise.&text=Globally%2C%20about%208.9%25%20of%20 the,exceed%20840%20million%20by%202030.

“United Nations Millennium Development Goals.” United Nations, United Nations, www. un.org/millenniumgoals/poverty.shtml.

REFLECTION: BROOKE HUGHES

SERVICE SCHOLAR REFLECTION

Second Harvest Food Bank is an organization in middle Tennessee that works to feed hungry people and solve hunger issues in their community. This organization aims to provide a distribution center for companies, groups, and individuals who want to help provide food for hungry people in Middle Tennessee. In middle Tennessee, 1 out of every six adults is food insecure, and that number goes down to 1 out every five kids being food insecure(Second Harvest). Before the pandemic, that number was 1 in 8 Middle Tennesseans, including 1 in 7 children struggles with hunger daily. There are three ways one can help, which include: donating money, time, and food. Second Harvest is the organization I decided on when I found out about being a service scholar. It was not a hard choice for me to make because one thing I am very passionate about is helping cure world and local hunger. I grew up with my parents not letting us throw food away because they say someone else would appreciate the food we throw away. My parents helped me be more grateful for what I have been blessed with in my life because we live in Williamson County, which is one of the wealthiest counties in Tennessee. We don’t realize how lucky we are until we get out of our area and see homelessness and people who are struggling to get by. I had been to Second Harvest multiple times before starting my service scholar project. I had participated in some volunteer activities when volunteering was food sorting, cold food sorting, distributing food boxes to families, making emergency food boxes, and making backpacks for hungry children. Distributing food boxes to families stood out to me the most. I drove about an hour out to Dickson, Tennessee, to distribute food boxes with my mom’s work company. There we loaded up shopping carts with boxes that we filled with various foods and drinks. My favorite part was putting the boxes in the families’ cars, and I got to see how appreciative they were for the work I had done. When I was putting some boxes in one lady’s car, she talked to me about how she lives in her car with her dog. She said without the help us that day that she or her dog wouldn’t get to eat. It just shows how little you have to do to make a difference in your community. We don’t realize how lucky we are until we go outside the community and see real-life problems that people struggle with. When I volunteer, they often tell us that without our help of sorting through the food, most of it would end up in the trash, and as a result, nobody would receive it. With as little as two and a half hours, you can make a difference for many people as you end up sorting one to two thousand pounds of food and packing them up.

ESSAY: IAN JAFFE

MY FIRST BOOK

After experiencing ten hurricanes and tropical storms between 1998 and 2018 and a devastating earthquake in January 2010 (uFondwa), Haiti has had its infrastructure reduced from an already depleted state. The lack of a large network of roads makes getting to school difficult and underprepared teachers, with “80 percent of teachers [having] not received any pre-service training” (Haiti Partners) means the quality of education is lacking, in a country where one third of the population is 14 and younger (Unesco). Facing immense obstacles, including an underdeveloped infrastructure, a weak economy, and undertrained educational faculty, Haiti is in need of help providing education. Through examining the current obstacles to, and quality of, education, evaluating the impact of increased education, and assessing ways to improve the quality of education in Haiti, the flaws in the Haitian education system and their impact are revealed.

What prevents Haitian children from attending school?

Among the biggest obstacles to receiving education in Haiti are tuition and space. In Haiti the average cost of tuition per child for one year is US$80 (GPE) not including uniforms, materials, and transportation to and from school. In a country where “80 percent live on less than $2 a day,” (Davidson) paying $80 a year for education often isn’t feasible. One reason for this high price is because “more than 80% of primary schools are non-public” (GPE), rather than government run, where the cost of attendance would be nothing. Another problem stemming from the high number of private schools and high cost of tuition is the small number of spaces available for students. Because the government provides few public schools “there are not enough spaces for children to enroll in” (GPE), resulting in “high dropout rates and low enrollment rates” (USIP), with approximately “50% of children not [attending] school” (Haiti Partners). These dropout rates result in low literacy rates among a host of other problems.

What is the quality of educational facilities and materials in Haiti?

Following many natural disasters and starting with low quality facilities in the first place, “poor infrastructure is a reality for many schools in Haiti” (WVI). When access to education is already limited, inadequate facilities make it harder to teach and learn: “Researchers have found that exposures to mold, poor ventilation, uncomfortable temperatures, inadequate lighting, overcrowding, and excessive noise all have potential to harm student and teacher health, contribute to absenteeism, and reduce cognitive abilities — all of which affect academic achievement” (Fillardo). On top of the structural problems many teachers experience “an acute shortage of textbooks, desks, chairs, and teaching materials’’ (USIP). Meager facilities and materials have reinforced one of the problems already mentioned, a tuition

barrier. The “education sector has become increasingly privatized” (USIP), since the government has, though willing, been unable to provide better facilities and materials. These factors again contribute to low enrollment rates, high drop-out rates, and an insufficient quality of education.

When able to receive it, what is the quality of education?

Given the many obstacles already mentioned, when students are able to receive an education, how good is it? Problems emerge with both the instruction of classes and the subject matter. Many teachers are unqualified or at least underprepared: “almost 80% of teachers have not received any pre-service training . . . half of public sector teachers in Haiti lack basic qualifications” (Haiti Partners). On top of problems with the instruction of classes, “many schools use outdated curricula, while others implement the reformed curriculum of the 1997 National Plan of Education and Training (NPET) only partially” (USIP). Access to technology is also limited, as well as special education services because the schools do not have the money and personnel to provide them. Because of this, “80 percent fail to reach secondary school,” (EHE), and an even smaller percentage make it to universities.

What opportunities are there for higher education?

Even if students do make it to college, they run into many of the same problems that plague primary and secondary schools: lack of funding, a tuition barrier, and an unqualified and underprepared faculty. Unlike American universities, financial aid is uncommon, causing many to drop out. There are few universities in Haiti as well. When students do graduate, they often leave the country, meaning there is a “persistent brain drain” (UMB), where the most talented and highly educated individuals chose to emigrate. These issues compound as there is a “shortage of qualified teachers” (UMB) due to failures with the education system. With few students attaining a degree, and many leaving the country, it is difficult for Haiti to address the problems with their education system.

What are the consequences of a poor educational system?

With unqualified and untrained teachers and obsolete content being taught, Haiti lags behind neighboring countries in important metrics. One of these standards is literacy rates, which in turn affects several measurements relating to quality of life, including life expectancy: “there is a very real relationship between death and illiteracy. The importance of health literacy and the link between death and illiteracy is . . . striking” (Lupus). The literacy rate in Haiti of people aged 15 and older is 62% and the life expectancy is 64 years (World Bank). Haiti’s neighbor the Dominican Republic has a literacy rate over 90% (World Bank), while “the average literacy rate for Latin American and Caribbean developing countries is 92%” (Haiti Partners). The average life expectancy in Latin America and the Caribbean is 75.4 (World Bank), around 11 years higher than Haiti’s. Because Haitian students are unable to receive the education necessary to make high wages and pull themselves out of poverty their quality of life suffers.

What are the economic benefits of increased literacy and education quality?

Through training, building foundational knowledge, and finding processes for acquiring more knowledge, education can spur economic development by creating more diligent and intelligent citizens, leading to a better standard of living. With a GDP per capita of $1,272.5 , compared to the Caribbean’s and Latin America’s average of $8,869.9 (World Bank), Haiti needs to find a way to encourage economic growth. “Education is an investment” and “investing in education has a payoff in terms of higher wages” (Patrinos). “Workers with more education earn higher wages than employees with no post-secondary education” (Ventura), and those higher wages then transfer over to a better quality of life. “Adults with more education tend to experience less economic hardship, attain greater job prestige and social rank, and enjoy greater access to resources that contribute to better health” (VCU), which contributes to leading a happy stress-free life, and in turn a longer life.

In dire need of improving the lives of their citizens, increased investment in education may be one of the best ways to achieve this goal: “Education has become one of the clearest indicators of life outcomes such as employment, income and social status, and is a strong predictor of attitudes and wellbeing” (UKRI). When it comes to rebuilding the global economy post COVID-19, education may play a crucial role in re-growing GDP and decreasing unemployment in the short-term as well as causing long-term economic improvement: “Education must be perceived as part of the solution to rebuilding the economy . . . [and] is the key to a country’s competitiveness in a global economy” (Vegas).

How does Haiti’s economy and education system compare to other countries? With a GDP of $14.3 billion, spending massive amounts on education was never an option for haiti. To start with, Haiti spends around 2.78% of its GDP on education. Neighboring Jamaica spends 5.17% of its GDP on education, the world average is 4.53%, and some of the highest achieving countries academically, Finland, Estonia, and Canada (NCEE) spend 6.38%, 5.11%, and 5.28% respectively (World Bank). Though appearing to lag far behind the rest of the world, there is hope that even small increases in spending could have a larger than anticipated impact: “The marginal value of an additional dollar . . . may be higher when students have very few resources to begin with” (Evans).

Although Haiti seems to be falling behind, statistics on spending may be deceiving, as the amount spent on education may not be as important as how money is spent on education. The ten countries with the greatest human capital (economic value of workers’ expertise and talents, including education) aren’t the ten largest spenders on education (Bolzman). Because of the examples set by other countries on how to spend effectively, Haiti may yet be able to improve their education system. But, “Money matters, and it’s impossible to imagine increasing the primary school completion rate in low-income countries . . . without increasing spending” (Evans). Haiti needs to spend more on education, and spend wisely too.

What efforts has the Haitian government and other groups made to improve education? Because of Haiti’s dire economic circumstances and poor education system, a large number of charities have made attempts to fund schools and students. These charities include, UNESCO, Education for Haiti, Global Partnership for Education, Hope for Haiti, Haiti Foundation Against Poverty, and many more. But, unlike the government, these charities are unable to reach every citizen in Haiti, however much they may want to. These charities focus more on an individual level, directly funding students and schools. For the people and institutions who are able to receive aid from these organizations, the impact may be massive. Despite charities’ understandable inability to provide for everyone in Haiti, the government and people rely on them as one of the few sources of help: “By funneling most aid dollars through the NGOs rather than the government . . . the NGOs condemn the country to a cycle of dependence” (Booth).

Despite very little funding, being one of the poorest countries in the world, the Haitian government has made some attempts to improve education. One of the obstacles to quality education mentioned earlier, teaching quality, is of particular concern: in 2016, “Haiti’s Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training (MENFP) instituted a national training policy for teachers and educational personnel” (USAID). On top of training teachers better, Haiti has tried to make education more available to students and ensure that that education is of a high quality: “Haiti’s government has put access to quality education at the top of its policy agenda. In August 2014, it announced 12 policy measures to stabilize and improve governance and quality in the education system” (GPE). Even if these measures are successful, Haiti may still be dependent on charities.

Due to natural disasters, a lack of funding, few qualified and prepared teachers, wide-spread poverty, a tuition barrier, and brain drain, Haiti’s education system has struggled, compounding all the problems previously mentioned. The government does not have the resources to perfect their education system. The lack of quality education in Haiti has contributed to a low quality of life and a short life span. Although it is unrealistic to expect charities to reach every student in Haiti, they have become an important provider of education and funding for education. “Haiti, perhaps more than most countries, will need continuing help in every aspect of life” (WBFN) including improving their education system and increasing literacy rates. Another education focused charity operating in Haiti, My First Books, provides books directly to young students and education providers in need of educational materials in order to “remove barriers to quality education” (First Book). Under the motto “education is the best path out of poverty for kids in need” (First Book), My First Books has distributed over 185 million educational supplies, including books (although Haiti is not the sole recipient of these donations). Charities such as this one may play a crucial role in aiding the school careers of students. Charities that provide an education directly, reduce or eliminate tuition, and aid in achievement, help reduce drop-out rates, increase enrollment rates, and as a result produce educated citizens capable of resolving issues plaguing Haiti.

Although the situation in Haiti as it relates to education looks bleak, it can be improved. Working with charities such as The Book Project is a way to become directly involved in supporting and rebuilding the education system in Haiti.

Continued donations of money, books, and volunteer hours may, if not to all, at least to some students, make a large difference, allowing them to receive an education and improve their futures.

WORKS CITED

Adelman, Melissa, Baron, Juan, and Evans, David.“Why School Enrollment Is Not Enough: A Look inside Haiti’s Classrooms.” World Bank Blogs, blogs.worldbank.org/education/whyschool-enrollment-not-enough-look-inside-haiti-s-classrooms.

“Addressing Problems in Higher Education in Haiti.” University of Massachusetts Boston, www. umb.edu/trotter/research/haiti/higher_education_consortium/addressing_problems.

Badger, Erik. “Haiti Statistics.” Haiti Partners, Haiti Partners, 18 Jan. 2018, haitipartners.org/ haiti-statistics/.

Bolzman, Kristiana. “A Better Way to Spend Our Education Dollars.” The Independent Institute, www.independent.org/news/article.asp?id=10574.

Booth, William. “NGOs in Haiti Face New Questions about Effectiveness.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 2 Feb. 2011, www.washingtonpost.com/national/international-charities-fallshort-in-haiti/2011/02/01/ABe4FbE_story.html.

Davidson, Adam. “Would A $5-A-Day Minimum Wage Make Life Better In Haiti?” NPR, NPR, 8 June 2011, www.npr.org/sections/money/2011/06/10/137064161/would-a-5-a-dayminimum-wage-make-life-better-in-haiti.

“Education: Haiti.” U.S. Agency for International Development, 10 Jan. 2020, www.usaid.gov/ haiti/education#:~:text=The%20Government%20of%20Haiti%20.

“Elevating Haitian Education.” Elevating Haitian Education - Empowering the Children of La Montagne, Haiti, cyfs.unl.edu/haiti/.

Evans, David. “Education Spending and Student Learning Outcomes.” World Bank Blogs, blogs. worldbank.org/impactevaluations/education-spending-and-student-learning-outcomes.

“Equal Access to Quality Education for Kids in Need.” First Book, firstbook.org/.

Filardo, Mary, et al. “How Crumbling School Facilities Perpetuate Inequality .” Kappanonline. org, 2 May 2019, kappanonline.org/how-crumbling-school-facilities-perpetuateinequality-filardo-vincent-sullivan/#:~:text=Researchers%20have%20found%20that%20 exposures,achievement%20.

“GDP per Capita (Current US$) - Haiti.” Data, data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP. CD?locations=HT.

“Government Expenditure on Education, Total (% of GDP) - Haiti.” Data, data.worldbank.org/ indicator/SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS?locations=HT.

“Haiti.” UNESCO UIS, 12 Apr. 2017, uis.unesco.org/en/country/ht.

“Haiti: Global Partnership for Education.” Education in Haiti | Global Partnership for Education, www.globalpartnership.org/where-we-work/haiti#:~:text=Haiti’s%20school%20 system%20is%20dominated,of%20all%20primary%20school%20children.

“The History of Natural Disasters in Haiti - UFondwa-USA, Inc.” UFondwa, 23 Feb. 2018, www. ufondwa.org/history-natural-disasters-haiti/.

“How Do Low Literacy Levels Impact on the Community?” World Literacy Foundation, 9 July 2020, worldliteracyfoundation.org/low-literacy-levels-impact-on-the-community/.

“Life Expectancy at Birth, Total (Years) - Latin America & Caribbean.” Data, data.worldbank. org/indicator/SP.DYN.LE00.IN?locations=ZJ.

Luzincourt, Ketty, and Gulbrandson, Jennifer. “Education and Conflict in Haiti.” United States Institute of Peace, Aug. 2010, https://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/sr245.pdf.

“Overview.” World Bank, www.worldbank.org/en/country/haiti/overview.

“Project Haiti-French Books!” Education | Literacy | Development | Book Project, 4 Apr. 2010,

www.bookproject-wbfn.org/project-haiti-french-books/.

Project, Borgen. “Five Organizations Promoting Education in Haiti.” The Borgen Project, Borgen Project Https://Borgenproject.org/Wp-Content/Uploads/The_Borgen_Project_Logo_small.

Jpg, 29 May 2020, borgenproject.org/promoting-education-in-haiti/.

Project, Borgen. “The Economic Benefits of Education.” The Borgen Project, Borgen Project Https://Borgenproject.org/Wp-Content/Uploads/The_Borgen_Project_Logo_small.Jpg, 26 Sept. 2019, borgenproject.org/economic-benefits-of-education/.

“Top Performing Countries.” NCEE, 15 July 2020, ncee.org/what-we-do/center-oninternational-education-benchmarking/top-performing-countries/.

Vegas, Emiliana. “Investing in Public Education Worldwide Is Now More Important than Ever.” Brookings, Brookings, 24 June 2020, www.brookings.edu/blog/education-plusdevelopment/2020/06/19/investing-in-public-education-worldwide-is-now-moreimportant-than-ever/.

“The Wellbeing Effect of Education.” UK Research and Innovation, esrc.ukri.org/news-eventsand-publications/evidence-briefings/the-wellbeing-effect-of-education/.

“Why Education Matters for Economic Development.” World Bank Blogs, blogs.worldbank.org/ education/why-education-matters-economic-development.

“Why Education Matters to Health: Exploring the Causes.” Center on Society and Health, Virginia Commonwealth University, societyhealth.vcu.edu/work/the-projects/whyeducation-matters-to-health-exploring-the-causes.html.

“World Development Indicators.” DataBank, databank.worldbank.org/reports. aspx?source=2&type=metadata&series=SE.ADT.LITR.ZS

REFLECTION: IAN JAFFE

SERVICE SCHOLAR REFLECTION

During the summer of 2020, I wrote a series of children’s books for My First Book. These books were around 200 to 300 words each and intended for students who had recently begun to read. I wrote about the seven wonders of the ancient world; I did a series of short stories that highlighted certain vocabulary; I did top 5 (and 10) lists about geography, including the largest and most populous countries, the most common languages, and the largest cities. I chose these subjects because I thought they were interesting enough for a child to want to read, focused on topics that they may have never heard about, yet were simple enough to understand. In total I wrote 10 short books. I chose to do this project for service learning because in late April and early May, I had been preparing to take the AP French exam, so I felt that I was in the best possible condition I would ever be in to write extensively in French.

Since my work would have been done remotely in a normal year, my work and ability to do this service project was unaffected by COVID-19. Although I hope that these books make it to Haiti to be read, I know that I will likely not see much of an impact from my work. I mentioned in my research essay that Haiti lags far behind the rest of the world in literacy rates, so it is unlikely that these few books will put so much as a dent in the problem. But, I do hope that a few people enjoy reading them, and possibly improve their level of literacy as a result.

I wrote these books across a span of a few weeks, but most of my learning about the problem I was addressing came later when I was writing the research essay. When writing the books from the comfort of my own home, I did feel disconnected from the people I was trying to help, and the issue I was trying to solve. Haitian children live in a level of poverty that we have likely never seen, and with almost no access to education. Some don’t ever go to school, and many drop out long before reaching graduation. Because of the dire situation of children in Haiti, the help that the My First Book project provides is critical. The My First Book project has already provided millions of books to children, and with continued donations of books, money, and service hours, could provide more.

Although I knew when writing these books that I would never have the satisfaction of knowing the exact impact of my work, I still believe that writing for The Book Project is a worthwhile endeavor. Learning about the quality of life and education in Haiti, I saw how I took attending school for 13 years and the (near) certainty of going to college for granted. I know that writing for the My First Book project may not be as gratifying as other service projects, but I hope that future AP French students will continue to make and donate books.

ESSAY: ANNA LAPRE

WILLIAMSON COUNTY ANIMAL CENTER: SOLVING CAT OVERPOPULATION WITH COMMUNITY CAT PROGRAMS

In the United States, particularly in the South, animal overpopulation has become an increasingly large crisis. Overpopulation occurs when breeding rates of animals are greater than the available homes for these animals. This forces many animals, such as cats, to live on their own, be turned into an animal shelter, or be taken into dealers or laboratories (“Dog and Cat Overpopulation’’). Due to high supply and low demand, most felines will not be adopted out to good homes from shelters. These animals must then be euthanized due to a lack of shelter space. Approximately 860,000 cats are euthanized in shelters every year (“Pet Statistics.”). To decrease euthanasia rates, cats are sterilized (females spayed and males neutered) to prevent them from producing offspring. Many animal shelters and organizations advocate for “fixing” one’s pets in order to help prevent overpopulation. However, these efforts can become futile when concerning community cats - i.e. cats without owners who live their lives freely outdoors. These animals lack access to sterilization services, therefore dramatically increasing cat overpopulation. To resolve this problem, Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs were established. These programs work to trap, sterilize, and return cats to their original territory in order to humanely save these animals and prevent overpopulation (“Outdoor Cats FAQ.”; “What Is TNR?”).

Cat overpopulation is caused primarily through community cats, triggering several negative effects, including physical and psychological health disorders and financial burdens for shelters. Community cats can be broken down into two categories: stray or abandoned cats and feral cats. Stray cats or cats that have been abandoned have been socialized to people and are therefore typically adoptable. Feral cats are not socialized to people, as they have been born by strays or other ferals in the wild. They are typically not adoptable. Of the 30-40 million community cats that live in the United States, only about 2 percent are sterilized (“Outdoor Cats FAQ.”). Thus community cats produce 80% of new kittens born each year (“Outdoor Cats FAQ.”). This is because female cats can become pregnant as early as five months of age (“Outdoor Cats FAQ.”). The average litter size is four kittens, although litters can range from 1 to 12 kittens (“Cat Birth.”). A single female cat can produce 100 kittens in 7 years (“The Benefits of Feral Cat TNR Programs vs. Euthanasia.”). All of these facts contribute to overpopulation, which creates serious health concerns for animals due to an increase in competition for food, infectious illnesses, and injuries from encounters with other community cats (“Dog and Cat Overpopulation.”). To contend with this issue, many shelters are forced into euthanizing perfectly healthy animals. As overpopulation increases, there has been a rise in euthanasia rates for feral cats because they cannot be adopted. Adoptable community cats are also euthanized because of a lack of space in shelters. Shelters then face financial burdens due to costs for trapping, caring for, and/or euthanizing these animals (“Outdoor Cats FAQ.”).

In order to prevent this crisis, spay and neuter services are utilized to curb the increase of kittens. The two types of surgical sterilizations are spay (ovariohysterectomy) for females and neuter (orchiectomy) for males in which the reproductive organs are removed (“Spaying and Neutering.”). Cats must be two pounds for the surgery, which generally occurs at around 8 weeks of age (“Ask a Vet”). The surgery for males lasts under five minutes, and the surgery for females lasts between fifteen and twenty minutes. The general process is as follows: the cat receives general anesthesia, the incision is made, the organs are removed, and the incision is stitched up. For males, an incision is made near the scrotum, the skin that holds the testicles. Both testicles are removed and soluble stitches close the incision. For females, an incision is made near the abdomen. The reproductive tract, ovaries, and uterus are all removed, and soluble stitches close the incision (“Ask a Vet”). Sterilizing has many advantages. First and foremost, the cat will no longer be able to reproduce, thereby preventing the birth of unwanted litters that could be abandoned or euthanized. Early sterilization reduces future health risks such as uterine infections and breast cancer for females and benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate gland) and testicular cancer for males (“Spaying and Neutering.”).

While the majority of cats owned by people are sterilized, community cats lack access to these surgeries because they do not have owners and public funding is limited. According to a study conducted by Alley Cat Allies published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Association, 80% of house cats are sterilized (“New Scientific Study Finds Vast Majority of Pet Cats Are Neutered.”). However, these surgeries cost $200 for males and from $300 up to $500 for females (Ilike). For cats living in households earning more than $35,000 or more per year, more than 90% are sterilized, whereas only 51% of cats living in households with less than $35,000 per year are sterilized (“New Scientific Study Finds Vast Majority of Pet Cats Are Neutered.”). Thus, income is a major factor in determining whether a cat will be sterilized. It is even more difficult for an unowned community cat to be sterilized because of the burden put on the person financing the operation for a cat that is not their own (Ilike). Not only that, but the time put into trapping a cat can seem very daunting and not profitable. So, while cat overpopulation continues to increase, many people feel there is no good option to help.

Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is a program that reduces the community cat population while improving the lives of the cats and those in their environment (“Outdoor Cats FAQ.”; “What Is TNR?”). The general process of the program is as follows: community cats are trapped humanely and brought to a veterinary clinic or participating shelter; they are sterilized, vaccinated for rabies, and ear-tipped (a procedure in which part of the cat’s left ear is painlessly clipped off to signal that this animal has already been sterilized); cats are then returned to their original sight of trapping once recovered (“Outdoor Cats FAQ.”). To make this process more efficient, a few strategies are put in place. First, “targeted trapping” has been used by the Alley Cat Allies organization to effectively trap community cats by colony. This involves working with the community surrounding a hotspot of cats to identify where there is a high cat density. Trapping then commences in these locations for maximum sterilizations (“Targeted Trapping -

Organize Your Efforts and Help More Cats.”). Ear tipping is another strategy that helps identify cats that need to be trapped versus those that don’t. Trapping community cats can be very difficult and time-consuming, so having the presence of an “ear tip” helps the trapper identify sterilized cats, prevents the cat from undergoing a pointless surgery, and saves money for the veterinary clinics and shelters (“Ear-Tipping Cats”).

There are many benefits from implementing a TNR program, including reducing the cat overpopulation crisis, increasing cat welfare, and aiding shelters in a multitude of ways (“Why Trap-Neuter-Return Feral Cats?”; “Frequently Asked Questions About TNR.”). First, the program effectively decreases cat populations in the targeted areas, as has been proven by many organizations and studies. For example, the University of Florida conducted an 11-year study of TNR, and it was observed that the number of cats on campus declined by 66% and no new kittens were born after the first four years of implementing the program (“Why Trap-Neuter-Return Feral Cats?”). Another study of six shelters that implemented TNR and return-to-field (RTF) programs, similar to those of TNR, showed 32% less feline intake and 83% fewer shelter euthanasias than without those programs (Spehar and Wolf). In Rome, Italy, a study of the impact of TNR on feral cat colonies found that colony size decreased between 16 and 32 percent over a 10-year period (“Why Trap-Neuter-Return Feral Cats?”).

Additionally, TNR programs promote cat welfare in community cats (“Outdoor Cats FAQ.”; “Why Trap-Neuter-Return Feral Cats?”). Spaying removes the stress of being pregnant and caring for kittens from females. Neutering reduces mating behaviors such as roaming, spraying, yowling (loud cries), and fighting that can be unhealthy and cause damage to feral cats. In a study conducted by Julie Levy, DVM, male cats were reported to roam less after sterilization, which has been shown to increase their safety (“Why Trap-NeuterReturn Feral Cats?”). Neutered feral cats become less likely to be injured by cars because of their reduced roaming (“Outdoor Cats FAQ.”). Many studies have found that sterilizing cats helps them gain weight and stray less. During the sterilization, cats are vaccinated for rabies, so these TNR cats are less likely to contract serious diseases (“Why Trap-NeuterReturn Feral Cats?”). As previously mentioned, sterilized cats are at a lower risk for reproductive related cancers and uterine infections (“Spaying and Neutering.”).

Finally, TNR programs are advantageous to animal shelters financially, psychologically, and physically. With a lower cat population comes a lower shelter intake rate, meaning that there is less money needing to be allocated towards food, health care, kennel space, etc. for cats (“Frequently Asked Questions About TNR.”). “TNR costs roughly $50-$60 for the entire process, while it generally costs roughly $100-$105 to euthanize a cat.” (“The Benefits of Feral Cat TNR Programs vs. Euthanasia.”). So by implementing this program, the shelter undertakes fewer euthanasias which saves them money to spend on their adoptable cats. In addition to financial benefits, job satisfaction for shelter staff increases due to the decrease in unnecessary euthanasia of healthy animals, which can take a heavy mental toll. There is also a better image for the public as there is less employee turnover and more attention can be given to adoptable cats and potential adopters (“Frequently Asked Questions About TNR.”).

As with many animal policies, TNR faces skepticism and counterarguments to its practices. Many critics question the health of the cats once returned to the trapping sites and if the cats would be better off in a shelter environment. However, once returned, the cats will be able to live a healthier life (“Spaying and Neutering.”; “Return-to-Field Handbook.”). In addition to the aforementioned health benefits, sterilization has been shown to reduce aggressive behavior linked with mating instinct, so less fighting between cats and colonies may also be a benefit (“Outdoor Cats FAQ.”; “Spaying and Neutering.”). Others question if the returned cats will be able to find food, but if community cats were thriving on their own before the surgery, by catching their food or receiving food from people in their community, they will continue to be well-equipped to live on their own after the surgery (“Return-to-Field Handbook.”). Even more so, shelters cannot keep the cats they trap for physical, financial, and mental reasons. First, keeping the cats would increase the number of animals in the shelter, which increases the possibility of shelter-born and stressrelated illnesses, such as Feline Upper Respiratory Infection (FURI). Second, overcrowding the shelters also causes more stressed out cats and staff. Finally, as previously mentioned, feral cats are typically not adoptable because they have not been socialized to humans, so they may live the rest of their lives in the shelter or be euthanized (“Feline Respiratory Infections in Animal Shelters.”).

The cat overpopulation crisis is complex, so many programs beyond TNR have been established to promote cat welfare and decrease the population. Many prominent animal organizations, such as Austin Pets Alive, have initiated “Barn Cat” programs. Cats who are not eligible for the TNR program, typically because they cannot be returned to their original environment, but are not sociable enough to be adopted to a home environment will normally be on the euthanasia list. However, Barn Cat programs target these healthy animals so they are able to live their lives in outdoor homes with shelter and food. Cats are sterilized, vaccinated, and microchipped while at the shelter. Then, people can adopt them as “working cats’’ in barns, stables, or garages to catch mice, snakes, or other unwanted critters (“Barn Cat Program.”). The cats get a good home, the people get an exterminator, and these cats won’t contribute to the increase in cat population. Another program similar to TNR is Return-to-Field (RTF). This program achieves the same objectives as TNR, by reducing euthanasia rates, reducing the number of cats in shelter environments, and preventing more kittens from being born through sterilization. The primary difference between TNR and RTF is that RTF cats have already been living in shelters and are at potential risk for euthanasia (“Million Cat Challenge: Return to Field.”). These cats are neutered and returned to their original neighborhoods, just like TNR cats. All of these programs have demonstrated a reduction in euthanasia rates for cats in shelters (“Why Trap-Neuter-Return Feral Cats?”; “Barn Cat Program.”; “Million Cat Challenge: Return to Field.”).

In conclusion, the cat overpopulation crisis in the United States has resulted in many perfectly healthy animals being killed, either by circumstances in nature or by euthanasia in shelters. Sterilization (spay/neuter) prevents a cat from producing

offspring, so it is the best way to prevent unwanted litters. Sterilization also reduces the risk of several diseases and improves cats’ quality of life. Through the TNR program, by sterilizing and vaccinating community cats, there has been a reduction in cat reproduction, an increase in cat welfare, and financial savings for animal shelters. Other programs such as Barn Cats and RTF are helping to solve this crisis. Animal shelters and organizations are continuing to expand TNR and spay/neuter programs for the public, but they have to overcome some suspicion and doubts. In the future, many hope TNR and similar-programs will be able to conquer the overpopulation and community cat crisis in the United States. If animal overpopulation can be controlled, the lives of so many animals can be saved and their quality of life improved.

WORKS CITED

“Ask a Vet: All You Need to Know About Spay/Neuter Surgery • MSPCA-Angell.” MSPCA, 15 Mar. 2017, www.mspca.org/pet_resources/ask-a-vet-all-you-need-to-know-about-spayneutersurgery/.

“Barn Cat Program.” Austin Pets Alive!, www.austinpetsalive.org/programs/barn-cat-program.

“The Benefits of Feral Cat TNR Programs vs. Euthanasia.” Havahart, www.havahart.com/ articles/benefits-tnr-programs-euthanasia.

Cat Birth. International Cat Care, 6 Mar. 2019, icatcare.org/advice/cat-birth/.

“Dog and Cat Overpopulation.” International Society for Animal Rights, isaronline.org/programs/ dog-and-cat-overpopulation/dog-and-cat-overpopulation/.

“Ear-Tipping Cats: What It Is and Why It’s Done.” Best Friends Animal Society, resources. bestfriends.org/article/ear-tipping-cats-what-it-and-why-its-done.

“Feline Respiratory Infections in Animal Shelters.” Maddie’s® Shelter Medicine Program, College of Veterinary Medicine, July 2018, sheltermedicine.vetmed.ufl.edu/.

“Frequently Asked Questions About TNR.” Best Friends Animal Society, resources.bestfriends. org/article/frequently-asked-questions-about-tnr.

Ilike. “How Much Does It Cost to Spay a Cat?” PetMD, www.petmd.com/cat/care/evr_ct_howmuch-does-it-cost-to-spay-a-cat.

“Million Cat Challenge: Return to Field.” Million Cat Challenge | Return to Field, millioncatchallenge.org/resources/return-to-field.

“New Scientific Study Finds Vast Majority of Pet Cats Are Neutered.” Alley Cat Allies, www. alleycat.org/resources/new-scientific-study-finds-vast-majority-of-pet-cats-are-neutered/.

“Outdoor Cats FAQ.” The Humane Society of the United States, www.humanesociety.org/ resources/outdoor-cats-faq.

“Return-to-Field Handbook.” Animal Sheltering, www.animalsheltering.org/return-to-field.

“Spaying and Neutering.” American Veterinary Medical Association, www.avma.org/resources/ pet-owners/petcare/spaying-and-neutering.

Spehar, Daniel D., and Peter J. Wolf. “Integrated Return-To-Field and Targeted Trap-NeuterVaccinate-Return Programs Result in Reductions of Feline Intake and Euthanasia at Six Municipal Animal Shelters.” Frontiers, Frontiers, 22 Feb. 2019, www.frontiersin.org/ articles/10.3389/fvets.2019.00077/full.

“Targeted Trapping-Organize Your Efforts and Help More Cats.” Alley Cat Allies, www.alleycat. org/community-cat-care/targeted-trapping-organize-your-efforts-and-help-more-cats/.

“What Is TNR?” Neighborhood Cats, www.neighborhoodcats.org/how-to-tnr/getting-started/ what-is-tnr.

“Why Trap-Neuter-Return Feral Cats? The Case for TNR.” Alley Cat Allies, www.alleycat.org/ resources/why-trap-neuter-return-feral-cats-the-case-for-tnr/.

REFLECTION: ANNA LAPRE

SERVICE SCHOLAR REFLECTION

When I was little, I was absolutely terrified of dogs. I would scream if there were one nearby and always had my mom call my friend’s parents to put their dog in a separate room before I came over. I ended up going to therapy to work through my phobia. Now, I love dogs. I began volunteering as a dog walker at Williamson County Animal Center a few years ago with my mom. Since then, I have fully immersed myself into what I call the dog rescue world. I have walked dogs at Cheatham County Animal Center and transported animals from rural shelters to rescues such as Rural Animal Relief Effort (RARE). Most recently, I volunteered over the summer at WCAC as an intern to help with the community cat program for my service-learning project.

My main responsibilities at WCAC included researching for the Shelter Director and Community Cat Coordinator, helping with the community cat spay/neuter clinics, and doing several different tasks at the shelter. I researched different topics concerning animals for the Director of the shelter, such as different microchip companies, friendly community cats versus feral cats, etc. Throughout the summer, WCAC hosted several spay and neuter clinics for outdoor and community cats. These were offered at a much cheaper price than the surgeries would have cost with a regular veterinarian. After surgery, I helped return the cats to their owners at the end of the clinic day. I also helped with any odd-ball jobs at the shelter, which included: folding linen drapes, labeling traps and feral boxes, walking intake dogs, organizing and unpacking microchips, unpacking needles and syringes, and hanging up signs for the spay/neuter clinics.

I decided on this project because I wanted to learn more about the inner workings of an animal shelter. As a volunteer, it can be difficult to see all of what goes on behind the scenes. By working with the different staff, customers, and animals, I learned about the hard work that seems so seamless looking in. The staff has to help people turning in or surrendering animals, analyze new animals’ behaviors, draw up vaccines, organize surgical instruments, and the list just goes on and on. Even without the pressures of a global pandemic, animal shelter employees are stretched, doing several jobs at once in order to keep the center running. I was grateful I was able to help, even if it was just folding linens so that the vet’s staff could take time to do more important jobs or take a break.

I also forced myself out of my comfort zone. Working with feral cats that are not socialized to humans can be scary. Ferals can act like wild animals rather than domesticated pets, meaning they will hiss or even bite. As someone who used to be frightened by lovable dogs, feeding ferals was intimidating. But, I did it and was proud of myself. As much as service is for helping the greater good, I have found throughout my years at animal shelters that volunteering is just as much for yourself as it is for others. I never feel as fulfilled as I am when I am directly impacting and improving an animal’s life. Working at the shelter has inspired me to continue working with animals for the rest of my life.

ESSAY: BRIDGET MONAGHAN

CHEATHAM COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL

For the past seven months I have been volunteering at Cheatham County Animal Control, a nonprofit animal control center in Kingston Springs, Tennessee, that works with injured animals, strays, and domestic and livestock calls. I chose to volunteer with this organization because of its lack of staff and resources. Cheatham County Animal Control has more animals then the staff can care for, but they strive to be a no kill shelter. All of the staff members at the animal shelter are deeply knowledgeable about the proper care techniques for an animal, and they make sure they meet every animal’s needs no matter what they may be. After I volunteered a few times, I realized that working at an animal shelter meant more than just playing with dogs and cats, and decided to become a Service Scholar. I wanted to be a Service Scholar not only educate myself but to teach others about the different types of animal abuse, animal shelter general statistics including: the population of stray dogs and cats, the population of dogs and cats admitted to animal shelters, the amount of animals euthanized in shelters, and the number of animals euthanized in no-kill shelters in the United States in comparison to the rates in the state of Tennessee, as well as how the environment of the shelter impacts the animals on both the mental and physical levels, and how animal shelters have dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic. Cheatham County Animal Control gave me the opportunity to analyze and conduct extensive research on animal life inside the control center while simultaneously seeing how the animals developed throughout their time at the shelter.

While I was volunteering at the Cheatham County Animal Control, it became apparent that at the animal shelter, every animal has its own unique story that is visible through its attitude and behavior and that, unfortunately, many of the animals have suffered from some form of abuse. Animal cruelty can be in two main forms, active cruelty and passive cruelty. Active cruelty is where a person caused harm to an animal to cause a non-accidental injury. Passive cruelty is neglect,which occurs when there is a lack of action in caring for an animal including starvation, dehydration, improper sheltering and failure to care for the animal’s medical needs. The most common form of animal abuse is neglect. While actively working with the dogs or cats at Cheatham County Animal Control, you can see that certain animals were abused upon their arrival at the shelter based on how they interacted with people. Several dogs tucked their tails, lowered their ears, began to shake, and or even flinched at the sight of a hand. According to West Park Animal Hospital, the signs of animal abuse include: tucked tail, unprovoked aggression, whining, whimpering, being overly submissive - rolling onto the back, urinating, avoiding any physical contact, and the attempt to bite or scratch (West Park Animal Hospital). These signs of animal abuse are very noticeable. I have had multiple experiences at the shelter with animals that have been abused. It is very easy to tell when an animal is abused because of the way they act towards people and

other animals. Abused animals are timid around humans and aggressive towards other animals. Several cats and dogs are in life threatening situations because their owners failed to meet their medical needs. While there are volunteers to help lighten the load, the employees at Cheatham County Animal Control treat all of the animals’ medical needs including performing regular medical exams, spaying and neutering, surgery, performing routine vaccinations and treating illnesses.

I began my research by analyzing the shelter rates in the United States. According to The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, ASPCA, six and a half million companion animals enter animal shelters each year. A companion animal is a domesticated or domestic bred animal whose physical, emotional, behavioral and social needs can be readily met as companions in the home. Roughly three point three million of those are animals are dogs and three point two million of them are cats (ASPCA). There are twenty-three million pets living in underserved communities in the United States. An underserved community implies a decreased level of service and or access to health care. Owners in underserved communities tend to have trouble financially caring for their pets’ medical and basic needs. Out of the twenty-three million animals living in underserved communities, eighty-seven percent are not spayed or neutered, and seventy-seven percent have never seen a veterinarian. Three million cats and dogs are euthanized in shelters each year and eighty percent of them are healthy and treatable animals that could be adopted into new homes (Humane Society). Two of the main reasons healthy and treatable animals that could be adopted are euthanized are the shelters’ lack of necessary resources to take care of them and the lack of space to house them. In the United States, more animals are killed each year than adopted. Tennessee has hundreds of shelters across the state. According to a 2018 news article by the Tennessean, forty thousand animals were admitted to shelters each year in Tennessee alone. Shockingly, different counties across Tennessee have drastically different statistics for their animal shelter adoption and euthanization rates. For example, Sumner County had four hundred and eighteen animals adopted in 2018, while nine hundred and seventy-seven were euthanized (The Tennessean). In Shelby County, the Memphis Animal Shelter is forced to euthanize dogs right now because of its lack of space, but according to the local news, “the shelter has a ninety percent save rate and it is on track to becoming a no-kill shelter” (Fox News 17). The Nashville Humane Association is another shelter in Tennessee and according to 2019 data, the NHA had a ninety nine percent save rate and only euthanized animals because of aggression or illness (Nashville Humane Association). In the state of Tennessee as a whole, over sixty-five percent of animals in shelters are euthanized. Sadly there are several shelters in Tennessee that euthanize roughly ninety percent of their animals (Nashville Guru) because of aggression, illness, and limited space but by 2025 Tennessee shelters should be one hundred percent no-kill shelters. Best Friends Animal Society is a nonprofit organization that operates the largest sanctuary for homeless animals and provides adoption, spay/neuter, and educational programs. Best Friends Animal Society is working passionately toward the goal of creating a no-kill US by 2025. Since its founding in 1984, “an estimated seventeen million cats and dogs were

killed in America’s shelters each year” (Best Friends) and since 2016, the number of no-kill shelters have increased from 1,169 to 2,126 of the 4,850 total shelters in the US in 2019. They are working to achieve this goal by partnering with shelters across the US and holding fundraising events, raising almost $2 million in their 2018 fundraiser (Best Friends) In 2019, Cara Sue Achterberg of the Tennessean wrote an article about a shelter located two hours from Nashville. The shelter was on a firing range with a cement building full of dogs. Achterbeg says, “An emaciated brown dog with sad eyes thumped her tail excitedly at the sight of us grateful for the treats I passed through the fence. Another emitted a soft cough indicative of heartworm” (The Tennessean). Achterberg describes the animals and how they are abused and later continues to say that this shelter is not a no-kill shelter. There are more kill shelters around than nokill shelters. Unfortunately no-kill shelters cannot truly exist. According to an NPR podcast, “ninety percent of the animals brought in are adopted or rehomed. There is still a ten percent margin in which elderly and sick pets can be put down” (PetPedia). According to the United States National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, there is a decrease in the number of dogs entering shelters, and an increase of cats being admitted into shelters. Aside from the number of dogs and cats in shelters in the US, there are also thousands of dogs and cats that are strays and have not made it into the shelter yet.

While working at the Cheatham County Animal Control, I was surprised by the various factors necessary to enable an animal to be put up for adoption. As I’ve mentioned previously, many animals in shelters suffered from abuse, neglect, and/or do not have the proper medical attention. An animal in perfect health can be prepared for adoption within three or four days. To ready a pet for adoption they are groomed, medically examined, behaviorally evaluated, vaccinated, and spayed or neutered (Animal League). Many animals in shelters are not in perfect health and actually very far from it. The animals in the shelter, and specifically the Cheatham County Animal Control, are very unhealthy postponing their opportunity to be adopted. The majority of the animals in the shelter are mentally unhealthy, malnourished, sick, or injured by other animals and/or humans. Researchers have expressed concerns that environmental conditions in shelters invoke anxiety, fear, and boredom specifically for cats, but the same factors could also apply to dogs. Anxiety in cats is an emotional state caused by the absence of stimuli such as a human companion or familiar objects to which the cat is attached. Shelter environments also evoke fear in animals. Researchers reported that the fear is a motivational state provoked by specific external stimuli that promote avoidance, defensiveness and escape behaviour. According to The Oxford Companion to Animal Behavior, a book written by an international group of specialists containing research on the diverse ways animals select their partners, raise their babies, organize their societies, and respond to the environment around them, fear is believed to lead to chronic anxiety, neurosis, and depression in animals. Stress is another attribute in the environment of an animal shelter. Stress causes animals excessive environmental and psychological pressures (Gourkow). All of these factors contribute to the overall welfare of shelter animals. Unfortunately, animal shelters lack many of the necessary resources needed to offer the best care for the animals that come in. Due to this lack

of resources, shelters are forced to euthanize them as soon as they are admitted into the shelter. According to a 2012 article from the United States National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, the center of information innovation and the world’s largest biomedical library that provides access to health information in communities across the United States, each type of shelter has a different mandate including: set of philosophical values, source of funding, and mode of operation. The goals of most shelters are to reunite owners with their lost pets, rehome unowned animals, and provide shelter, care, and love for a highly vulnerable population. It is hard for shelters to achieve that goal when they suffer from insufficient levels of funding. Insufficient funds compromise the organization from being able to meet the animals basic needs, including providing care, food, and basic supplies. Many shelters are forced to rely on donations of expired pet food, pharmaceutical drugs and biologics from local veterinary clinics. Using expired medicine and eating expired food is very dangerous for an animal’s safety because of the potential of toxic byproducts forming, contamination of the drugs, and the lack of sterility. Insufficient funds eliminate the ability for an animal to be surgically sterilized before finding their new homes (United States National Library of Medicine - National Institutes of Health).

In today’s current times, all shelters nationally are suffering financially due to COVID-19. Due to the pandemic, animal shelters must limit the number of people in the space, which then limits the number of people who can help with the animals. The pandemic has also caused animal adoption rates to skyrocket. According to Dana Hedgpeth of The Washington Post, “As the coronavirus pandemic has kept more residents at home, it has created such a high demand for adopting dogs that the supply is increasingly limited” (Hedgpeth). Pet adoptions have increased by thirty to forty percent between 2019 and 2020. Shelter Animals Count, an independent nonprofit firm that formed to create The National Database of Sheltered Animal Statistics, researched pet adoptions throughout the pandemic. Members of the Shelter Animals Count team conclude that “five hundred rescue organizations across the country recorded twenty six thousand more pet adoptions in 2020 than in the year before” which is a rise of about fifteen percent (The Washington Post). Despite the spike in adoption rates, the pandemic put several animal shelters around the world in a bad position, facing numerous unfamiliar challenges. According to an article from the Environmental News for a Healthier Planet and Life Journal, these challenges include, a shortage of food, an increased shortage of medical resources to care for the animals, and spikes in pet abandonment. Animal shelters have trouble acquiring enough food because many shelters are hoarding their food and buying in bulk which limits resources for other shelters. Cats and dogs are being abandoned daily because of “unfounded fears of animal to human transmission of the virus” (Ayan). New owners of pandemic pets have also realized they were unprepared for the responsibility, whether due to lack of time, energy, or finances, of taking care of a new pet. Many people excitedly adopted pets to try to make national lockdowns less lonely and even experienced pet owners couldn’t keep up with all of the requirements of their new pets, causing them to give the animals back to the shelters they were adopted from months later (BBC). Nationally, it is going to take animal shelters a

while to recover from the economic losses at the start of the pandemic (Environmental News for a Healthier Planet and Life).

Partnering with Cheatham County Animal Control gave me valuable first hand experience with animal welfare, a frequently underemphasized social justice issue. While volunteering at the Cheatham County Animal Control for the past seven months, I discovered that, like humans, pets suffer from mental health issues, lack of access to medical care, homelessness, and were even directly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. At first, I didn’t realize how important playing with the dogs and cats and taking the dogs for walks was. Throughout my time with the Cheatham County Animal Control, I saw the animals benefit from the social interaction and the walks I took them on because they seemed more relaxed and happier. During my research, I was happy to find the goal of no-kill shelters by 2025 that the Best Friends Animal Society is working toward. Many animals are also euthanized each year because of lack of shelter resources for medical or housing needs, PTSD from abuse that causes aggression, or old age. The change to all no-kill shelters requires more funding, access to medical supplies, volunteers, and homes open to foster or adopt pets. Even though this goal is ambitious during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the current rise in no-kill shelters, I think it’s an achievable goal and I am excited for the day when there are as many animals saved as possible. I also learned from and created relationships with the staff at the Cheatham County Animal Control, and am grateful for the time I spent working alongside them. I am eager to continue volunteering at local animal shelters and learning about and advocating for animal welfare issues in the future.

WORKS CITED

Achterberg, Cara Sue. “We Have a Voice in How Dogs Are Treated in Shelter and Pounds.” The Tennessean, 1 Oct. 2019, www.tennessean.com/story/opinion/2019/10/02/mistreatmentdogs-tennessee-cannot-overlooked-any-longer/3829832002/. Accessed 24 Feb. 2021.

Avant, Grady. “How Long Does It Take a Rescued Animal to Find a New Home?” Animal League, 11 May 2017, www.animalleague.org/faq-items/long-take-rescued-animal-find-newhome/#:~:text=Most%20of%20the%20animals%20are,loving%20homes%20within%20 a%20week. Accessed 23 Feb. 2021.

Ayan, Meredith. “COVID-19 Puts Global Animal Shelters in Crisis.” Eco Watch, www.ecowatch. com/coronavirus-animal-shelters-2647890403.html?rebelltitem=3#rebelltitem3. Accessed 24 Feb. 2021.

Cvetkovska, Ljubica. “44 Shocking Animal Shelter Statistics and Sad Facts for 2021.” Pet Pedia, petpedia.co/animal-shelter-statistics/. Accessed 23 Feb. 2021.

“Definition of Companion Animal.” ASPCA, www.aspca.org/about-us/aspca-policy-and-positionstatements/definition-companion-animal. Accessed 23 Feb. 2021.

“Facts about U.S. Animal Shelters.” ASPCA, www.aspca.org/animal-homelessness/shelterintake-and-surrender/pet-statistics. Accessed 23 Feb. 2021.

Gourkow, Nadine. “Factors Affecting the Welfare and Adoption Rate of Cats in an Animal Shelter.” SPCA, Mar. 2001, spca.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/factors_affecting_the_welfare_ and_adoption_rate_of_cats_in_an_animal_shelter.pdf. Accessed 23 Feb. 2021.

Hawkins, Jamie. “Tennessee Death Row Dogs.” Nashville Guru, 2 Feb. 2014, nashvilleguru. com/5865/jamie-hawkins-tn-death-row-dogs. Accessed 23 Feb. 2021.

Hedgpeth, Dana. “So Many Pets Have Been Adopted during the Pandemic That Shelters Are

Running out.” The Washington Post, 6 Jan. 2021, www.washingtonpost.com/dc-mdva/2021/01/06/animal-shelters-coronavirus-pandemic/. Accessed 24 Feb. 2021.

“Humane Advocate.” East Bay SPCA, eastbayspca.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Signsof-Animal-Cruelty-Neglect-EastBaySPCA.pdf. Accessed 23 Feb. 2021.

Jorge, Kaylin. “Low Adoption Rates Force Tennessee Shelters to Euthanize Bigger Dogs.” Fox 17, fox17.com/news/local/low-adoption-rates-force-tennessee-shelters-to-euthanizebigger-dogs. Accessed 23 Feb. 2021.

Markert, Jennifer. “Middle Tennessee’s 3 Largest Shelters Celebrate 10-year Partnership with Mars Petcare.” Tennessean, 13 Aug. 2018, www.tennessean.com/story/sponsorstory/marspetcare/2018/08/13/middle-tennessees-3-largest-shelters-celebrate-10year-partnership-mars-petcare/975365002/. Accessed 23 Feb. 2021.

Nagesh, Ashitha. “When Your ‘Pandemic Puppy’ Doesn’t Work out.” BBC, www.bbc.com/ news/world-55719338. Accessed 25 Feb. 2021.

Nashville Humane. nashvillehumane.org/faq/. Accessed 23 Feb. 2021.

“Role in Animal Welfare.” Shelter Animals Count, www.shelteranimalscount.org/mission. Accessed 24 Feb. 2021.

“Signs of Animal Abuse.” West Park Animal Hospital, www.westparkanimalhospital.com/ blog/signs-of-animal-abuse/. Accessed 23 Feb. 2021.

Todd, Jen. “How Many Animals Were Spayed, Euthanized in Sumner County in 2018.” Tennessean, 7 Jan. 2019, www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/sumner/2019/01/07/ animals-adopted-euthanized-sumner-county-2018/2483107002/. Accessed 23 Feb. 2021.

Turner, Patricia, et al. “Animal Shelters and Animal Welfare: Raising the Bar.” NCBI, Aug. 2012, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3398531/. Accessed 23 Feb. 2021.

“Working Together to Save More Pet’s Lives.” Best Friends, bestfriends.org/no-kill-2025/ priorities-2025/supporting-network-partners. Accessed 24 Feb. 2021.

REFLECTION: BRIDGET MONAGHAN SERVICE SCHOLAR REFLECTION

For my senior service project I wanted to focus on an organization that involved something that I love, and that was animals. Junior year I went to Cheatham County Animal Control for a service day and instantly loved it. After that service day, I knew I wanted to return and continue to volunteer. With that in mind I decided to be a Service Scholar so I could volunteer and also research what the life of a stray cat or dog looked like. I volunteer at Cheatham County Animal Control, a nonprofit animal control center that works with injured animals, strays, and domestic and livestock calls. My favorite parts of volunteering are walking the dogs and playing with the cats. The primary purpose of this service project was to help out as much as possible around the shelter so the employees were available to get the cats and dogs prepared for adoption and into good homes. One reason I chose to volunteer at Cheatham County Animal Control was because of the lack of employees at the control center and the number of animals that live there. By the end of this project, I hope to have helped get as many animals adopted as possible. Volunteering with animals is meaningful to me because just like people, not all animals are loved and have a home, and I want to do my best to make sure I can help love the animals and ultimately help them get adopted. Volunteering at the Cheatham County Animal Control has been full of new adventures. Every week that I go there are new dogs and cats. Each experience I had with each individual animal was very different. The jobs I did at the Cheatham County Animal Control included walking dogs, playing with cats, reading “the side-walk” story to the dogs that was a story written by one of the volunteers about a dog that stayed at the shelter, playing with kittens, and making the animals who had just gotten over a sickness or were recovering from a surgery more comfortable at the shelter by sitting with them and petting them. My favorite experience I have had thus far at the Cheatham County Animal Control was getting to know a pitbull mix named French Fry. French Fry was at the control center the first day I started volunteering over the summer. When I met French Fry he had two ears but the control officers told me he was going to have surgery on one of his ears soon because he had been abused. A few weeks passed by and I came back to see French Fry, who now only had one ear. He struggled to be happy on walks after his surgery, but eventually he felt like his old self. Soon after French Fry recovered, the employees at the shetler told me it was going to be hard for him to get adopted for multiple reasons including his age, he is a pitbull mix, and he has one ear. I was devastated to hear that because I knew French Fry deserved all the love in the world because he was such a good boy. People are also hesitant to adopt pitbulls because there is a stigma that they are aggressive, but I have experienced being with pitbulls through Cheatham County Animal Control, and I have seen that French Fry is not aggressive. French Fry especially does not fit the pitbull stereotype. A few more weeks passed and French Fry had his other ear amputated. Once again, he was timid and lost all his confidence so I had to work with him to make him feel comfortable. Several more weeks passed, and I went to walk French Fry. When I went to pick him up, I saw that he was gone because he had been adopted. I was so happy for him to finally be taken care of and loved in a new home. Another experience I had involved a

kitten named Gretel. Gretel had a twin brother named Hansel, who had been adopted the week before. Gretel was obviously lost without Hansel. She hid in the cat room and anytime anyone approached her she hissed and hid. After spending multiple hours with her, I was finally able to make Gretel feel comfortable enough around me for me to pet her. The director told me I was the only person who was able to get Gretel to come out of her comfort zone. Hearing that I was the only one able to get through to her made me feel like I truly left an impact on all the animals. Those are just two of my many memorable experiences I had while volunteering at the Cheatham County Animal Control. When I signed up to be a Service Scholar, I did not expect my experiences volunteering at an animal shelter to leave such an impact on me, but throughout my research and time spent at the shelter, I learned about the pressing animal welfare issues and was able to help many animals feel safer, happier, and ultimately get adopted. I’m excited to keep volunteering with animals and to make them feel happier after abuse, neglect, or surgeries.

ESSAY: ELIZABETH SALTSMAN SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK

Intro to Food Insecurity:

Was there ever a time in your life when you worried about where your next meal was coming from? Did you ever go to bed hungry because you did not have food for dinner? For the most part, most people in the Ensworth community are fortunate enough to answer no to these two questions, but the sad reality is that many in this country would answer yes to both of these questions. This reality is why education about food insecurity and volunteering is very important. Through working with the Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, I now understand how relevant the issue of hunger and food security is in society. According to Hunger and Health, food insecurity is “a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life” (Hunger and Health). No matter where one lives, food is one of the largest necessities in people’s lives. David Velasquez, a fourth-year medical student at Harvard Medical School said, “Food is a basic human need. And it’s something that we all deserve” (AAMC). Therefore, it is important to reduce the number of people who face food insecurity. 1 in 9 Americans face this insecurity. This ratio is equal to 37 million total Americans and 11 million children. On a more local level, in 2018-2019, there were 99,120 food insecure individuals and 26,340 food insecure children (Hunger and Health). In addition to national statistics, local numbers are important to consider because it is easiest to help people close. Due to the high numbers in Davidson county only, Second Harvest is faced with the challenge of getting as much food out of their warehouse as possible to help feed these food insecure individuals. My research focuses on the ranges of food security, effects of hunger, causes, and solutions.

Ranges of Food Security:

A common misconception of food security versus food insecurity is that people are either secure or insecure pertaining to the amount of food readily available to them. However, this information is not entirely accurate because there are four levels of security when it comes to food security: high food security, marginal food security, low food security, and very low food security (Hunger and Health). High food security means that there is a plentiful supply of food available and no worries of where the next meal is coming from. Someone has marginal food security when there is some anxiety about food, but overall, the quality and quantity of food is not drastically reduced from normal times. Low food security occurs when the quality or variety of the food decreases, but the overall quantity of food remains the same. This occurs because the family or individual has enough money for food, but not enough for healthy and nutritious food. Finally, very low food security means that the quantity of food in one’s intake decreases because there was not enough money available to fully finance a typical eating pattern. When one is in this situation, not only does the quantity of food decrease, but the quality generally decreases significantly, as well (Hunger and Health).

Effects:

When individuals are not able to eat the necessary amount of food and nutrients needed, there can be many effects both physically and mentally. Hunger and Health created a “Cycle of Food Insecurity and Chronic Disease” (Hunger and Health). This cycle starts with an individual facing food insecurity. Then, the individual faces stress from figuring out how to receive the next meal and has a lack of nutrients, resulting in health diseases or illnesses. Often, many can not afford the time or money that goes into disease management, so these diseases go untreated. Therefore, one of the biggest effects is a decline in health and an increase in health complications. For example, from the large group of people who receive food from Feeding America, many suffer from type two diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and obesity. When one faces food insecurity, they are forced to make difficult decisions in order to receive basic necessities. Feeding America gathered information that said, “households served by the Feeding America network reported choosing between: Food and medical care (66%), food and utilities (69%), food and transportation (67%), and food and housing (57%)” (Feeding America). These statistics show the stress involved in food insecurity because all of these categories are necessary to live. However, many times, these people have to live long periods of time with a lack of resources in certain categories. All these categories are basic necessities that people need to live a healthy life, so making choices between the two can have negative effects on one’s livelihoods.

Causes of Food Insecurity:

There are many causes of food insecurity that need to be addressed in this country, so the number of food insecure individuals can decrease. One of the biggest causes of food insecurity is poverty. Hunger, poverty, and food prices are all linked together. The Hunger Project states, “Poverty causes hunger. Not every person living in poverty faces chronic hunger, but almost all people facing chronic hunger are also living in poverty” (Hunger Project). In 2019, 43.9 million Americans lived in poverty and 37 million of them faced food insecurity. Not all people living in poverty are also affected by chronic hunger, but at certain times of the year, such as holidays or when rent is due, their food insecurity increases, and meals are harder to afford.

Another common cause of hunger is food wastage and shortages. As the population continues to grow each year, there are more people who need to consume food. However, America continues to throw away and waste food that could be given out to those facing hunger. For example, Feeding America states, “$218 billion worth of food is thrown away each year” (Feeding America). This equates to 72 billion pounds of food. Second Harvest strives to cut down on the amount of food wasted in the Nashville community through their Grocery Rescue Program. 21% of all food donated to Second Harvest comes from grocery rescue, which equates to around 8.5 million pounds of food. This program rescues, sorts, and distributes food from grocery stores, such as frozen meat, dairy, produce, and dry products. The food collected was always thrown away, so Second Harvest reached out to grocery stores and asked for donations of this food. The food can not be on the shelves in the store, but it is still

Elizabeth Saltsman

safe to eat because it is frozen before the expiration date. Frozen food donations are just one of the ways Second Harvest is trying to help eliminate wasted food and ultimately, help end hunger.

Food insecurity also increases around areas with natural disasters, such as droughts, hurricanes, tornados, floods, and pandemics. Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans is one of the biggest natural disasters that happened in U.S. history. Even several years after this event, many were still struggling to find access to the amount of food that they were able to consume before the hurricane. This is largely due to the fact that, “Hurricane Katrina severely damaged the city’s food retail market infrastructure, reducing the number of supermarkets in the city and drastically cutting residents’ access to fresh food” (American Progress). The New Orleans’ residents either could not gain access to a sufficient level of food or they simply could not afford the prices of food because the supply of food decreased. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic is a disaster that has caused many people to face food insecurity who were considered food secure at the beginning of 2020. “Before COVID-19, food insecurity was at its lowest since the Great Recession, but it still impacted 37 million people” (AAMC). The numbers were decreasing and food pantries were even starting to incorporate healthier foods into their supplies because fewer people were relying on them. However, then the pandemic hit, and the total population of food insecure people is now 54 million, including 18 million children (AAMC). When people needed food the most due to quarantining and restaurants closing, the grocery stores were running out of supplies. Even though people were losing their jobs, these stores raised their prices on their food making it that much more difficult for individuals or families to supply a sufficient amount of food for themselves.

Solutions:

There are several solutions to ending food insecurity. However, due to the extreme numbers facing this problem, it is a difficult problem to solve. One of the common solutions is to end poverty and unemployment because this is what causes people to not be able to purchase food. In an ideal world, everybody would be able to have high enough salaries where they could provide food for themselves and their families. It is easy for anybody to help with this problem through volunteering at a local food bank or pantry, donating money, helping out at a soup kitchen, or donating food cans in a food drive. These solutions are small, but they help immensely. I learned this at Second Harvest because I saw how many pounds of food my group was able to box up to go out to the local community in just a short period of time. Without the volunteers, Second Harvest would not be able to get close to the amount of food they are able to hand out now.

One of the more complex solutions to the food insecurity problem is to limit the amount of commercializing. Companies often spend money on their brand names and the appearance of their product because they are able to sell more products when they are a well known brand on the market. However, “if food is grown for

the purposes of feeding the community or nation, food insecurity levels will go down” (Conserve Energy Future). Rather than spending money and resources on the brand name, companies should spend that money on getting more food out to the community. This will also help drive the prices down because when the supply of goods increases, the price of the goods decreases.

Another solution that could drastically improve food security in this country is to improve the infrastructure programs. There are many poor-quality roads, storage facilities, and processing equipment available. This fact results in farmers not being able to get their products on the market. Oftentimes, farmers may grow crops, but not be able to store them, so the crops rot and cannot survive long enough to make it to the shelves of grocery stores or farmers’ markets. If the country puts money into infrastructure, farmers will not have as big of a problem and won’t waste some of their valuable crops because of the lack of sufficient storage or equipment available. This solution also goes hand in hand with limiting the amount of food wastage. The amount of food wasted each year could increase the supply of readily available food, so more people will have access to the food they need to survive and live a healthy life.

Conclusion:

Food insecurity is a major issue in this country because food is a basic necessity, not a luxury item. When people do not have a sufficient amount of food readily available, more problems arise, such as major health concerns. Therefore, solving the problem of the high number of food insecure individuals could also help increase the overall health of the country. The Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee is doing its job to help get as much food out to the community as possible. Second Harvest receives food from grocery stores, farms, manufacturers, distributors, and individuals. After sorting or packing food, Second Harvest distributes the food to their partner agencies, which include “afterschool programs, soup kitchens, senior centers, and other nonprofits that provide food to hungry people” (Second Harvest). A volunteer shift can be anything from packing food boxes, sorting food, working in the freezer, or creating meals for children. Due to the experiences at my volunteer shifts, I am now more aware of the importance of community service and how much someone can accomplish for other people in the community in just a few hours. I plan on continuing my service work here and at other places because it is rewarding to know that I helped countless numbers of people. While I know that my work has helped many people out, I understand that there is still much work to be done to end hunger. Knowing where the next meal is coming from should occur in everyone’s life, and I hope to ensure that more people become food secure.

Works Cited

“About Us.” Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, www.secondharvestmidtn. org/learn/about-us/.

Balch, Bridget. “54 Million People in America Face Food Insecurity during the Pandemic. It Could Have Dire Consequences for Their Health.” AAMC, 15 Oct. 2020, www.aamc.org/news-insights/54-million-people-america-face-food-

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insecurity-during-pandemic-it-could-have-dire-consequences-their.

“Causes and Consequences of Food Insecurity.” Hunger and Health, hungerandhealth.feedingamerica.org/understand-food-insecurity/hungerhealth-101/.

“Causes, Effects and Solutions to Food Insecurity (Lack of Access to Food).”

Conserve Energy Future, 19 July 2020, www.conserve-energy-future.com/ causes-effects-solutions-food-insecurity.php.

Foster, Amara M. “Food Access Five Years After the Storm.” Center for American Progress, 9 Apr. 2010, www.americanprogress.org/issues/poverty/ news/2010/03/31/7396/food-access-five-years-after-the-storm/. “Poverty.” The Hunger Project, 3 Feb. 2021, thp.org/what-we-do/issues/ poverty/#:~:text=Poverty%20causes%20hunger.&text=Millions%20live%20 with%20hunger%20and,a%20dimension%20of%20extreme%20poverty.

Second Harvest , 2019, pp. 1–11, Second Harvest Annual Report 2018-2019.

“What Is Food Insecurity in America?” Hunger and Health, hungerandhealth. feedingamerica.org/understand-food-insecurity/.

REFLECTION: ELIZABETH SALTSMAN SERVICE SCHOLAR REFLECTION

Over the summer when I was trying to choose a project, I decided on the Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee because food is a basic necessity and something that everyone needs in his or her life. Before starting my Service Scholar project, I knew that food insecurity is a major issue in this country, but I did not know to what extent. I was unfamiliar with just how many people did not know where their next meal was coming from. Finding out the true reality that 37 million Americans face food insecurity truly saddened me but also motivated and pushed me to continue working hard in my shifts. I wanted to make a difference to limit the number of food insecure individuals. Therefore, I donated my time and any food that I could to Second Harvest.

The mission of Second Harvest is to solve hunger issues and feed hungry people. Nancy Keil, the Second Harvest President and CEO, stated, “We are people who wake up every day with one goal in mind- helping those who are hungry and who don’t know where their next meal is coming from” (Second Harvest). This quote shows that everyone involved in this organization truly cares about the community and wants to make a difference.

My volunteer shifts included anything from their backpack program, emergency food box program, or grocery rescue program. I enjoyed each of these programs, but I particularly liked the backpack program, which “provides easy-to-prepare food for at-risk children on weekends and during school breaks when other resources are not available” (Second Harvest). I enjoyed this program because I am passionate about helping children. In the emergency food box program, I put anything from cans, rice, pasta, or flour, into a box and packaged it all together. The program is for emergency conditions and consists of food for roughly two or three days. Additionally, the grocery rescue program occurs in the freezer. Typically, grocery stores give Second Harvest any of their food that is about to expire. As long as the food is frozen is by the due date, Second Harvest can distribute this food. While in the freezer working on this project, I sorted through the food and put the individual items into categories, such as poultry, beef, fruits and vegetables, seafood, and many more. This project was rewarding to me because before my volunteer experience at Second Harvest, I only thought that they distributed cans or peanut butter. When I found out that people receiving food from Second Harvest can have frozen meat or vegetables, I was excited because this is the nutritional food that lacks in food insecure individuals’ diets often.

My experience at Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee has helped me learn and understand the true value of giving back to others in the community. At the end of the shift, the lead volunteers at Second Harvest tell the group how many pounds we packed and how many meals this provides. I found this moment to be such a rewarding experience because it shows just how much work a group of six to eight people can do in just two and a half hours. Being a volunteer at Second Harvest and completing my research essay has instilled in me a passion to help others in regards to limiting the number of food insecurity. I learned just how serious the issue of food insecurity is within the community. I plan on continuing my service work with food insecurity beyond this year into college next year.

ESSAY: EMMA SITARICH

SPREADING SUNSHINE

About ten percent of all American children are faced with one or more chronic conditions. While this percentage might seem low, it estimates to about seven million children. Seven million children facing medical challenges such as heart defects, juvenile diabetes, sickle cell disease, and various forms of cancer (“Children’s Health Care Needs”). Children with chronic conditions may have some activity limitations, pain, abnormal development, and even need medical treatments (Consolini). On top of this, about 500,000 children face a life-threatening disease every year. A lifethreatening disease is classified as having a high probability of death in childhood, although treatment may be successful (Huang). The medical challenges that these children face, no matter the level, change and shape the way they grow up.

Young children diagnosed with a chronic condition have very different childhoods than most of us. After a diagnosis, they will be assigned with a team of doctors who will administer care for their time in the hospital. Thanks to medical advances in this day and age, many children diagnosed with chronic illnesses have a much higher likelihood of survival. Still, hospitalization is one of the most mentally and physically distressing events in a person’s life. Children are especially susceptible to unfavorable effects of being ill. Many children begin to foster stress while being hospitalized due to the fact that they are completely dependent on others, whether this is a parent or a doctor. Also, this stress can come from the fact that a hospital can feel like a foreign country, especially to someone so young. It was found when children feel lonely or scared they turn to a stable environment that they feel is safe. This environment is usually their home where they are surrounded by friends and family. But, when a child is diagnosed with an illness that will confine them to a hospital, this safe environment is no longer an option. Due to this new and unfamiliar environment, much more stress will be added onto the child. A study found that 10% to 30% of children experienced severe psychological distress after being hospitalized, and up to 90% of children had slight emotional distress after being in the hospital. The psychological impacts on these children are usually apparent after their discharge from the hospital. These problems stem from the fact that these children usually fall behind in normal routines and have felt isolated for the majority of their childhood. These children are usually in need of support, reassurance, and friendly faces. Support and kindness can help these children feel less alone and afraid in an unknown environment. Many new hospitals, as well as organizations, have been trying to cater to the needs of children in order to make their childhood as normal as possible. For example, the Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto, Canada, has created a theatre where the children’s fears, concerns, and questions are addressed. Many hospitals have started to implement routines into these children’s lives in order to help them transition after being in the hospital. (Rokach) These routines often involve parents because, during the children’s time in the hospital, their biggest support comes from a family member.

Parents are a critical part of their child’s experience while in the hospital. During the duration that a child is hospitalized a family member, usually a parent, is by his/her side. While treatment for a child is a very difficult time, it is also very taxing on the parents. A study done by the National Library of Medicine found that parents caring for children with a chronic illness had overall greater anxiety and depression than parents of healthy children. The exact numbers came to 35% of parents meeting the criteria for clinical depression and 57% of parents meeting criteria for anxiety. (Cohn) This poor mental health comes from the unprecedented amount of worry that a parent has as their child is in the hospital and going through treatment. The time in a hospital can be isolating for both the child and their entire family. Support, kindness, and community are essential factors that can help ease the isolation that a hospital can cause.

The goal of Spreading Sunshine is to help young children and their families as they undergo treatment and battle their medical challenges. They aim to help the children feel less scared and have support during a difficult time in their life. Spreading Sunshine is a nonprofit organization that works nationwide by sending Sunshine Boxes to these children. They also work at a local level in Memphis, TN, by helping hospitals and other nonprofits. Not only does Spreading Sunshine bring joy to the children, but also to the families of the children. Spreading Sunshine focuses on the family as a whole. Maybe one child is facing an illness, but the whole family is right by their side. Spreading Sunshine is able to give these families a community they can turn to in a period of time that can be very isolating. The help Spreading Sunshine sends aims to bring joy to everyone in the family. This joy can hopefully bring a little peace to a very chaotic time.

Working with Spreading Sunshine this year was very different than in previous years. The pandemic allowed me to only be able to volunteer from my house, as well as only communicating with Spreading Sunshine through Zoom, email, and pictures. COVID-19 has caused many aspects of people’s everyday lives to change, but its effects reach even nonprofit organizations, such as Spreading Sunshine. Yet, just while there is a pandemic currently underway, this does not mean that help for these children can wait. Even in adversity Spreading Sunshine has not slowed on its mission. This year has led Spreading Sunshine to have to find ways to shift how they gather volunteers, who drive the organization. Luckily, thanks to modern technology, many volunteers can find ways to help from home. Yet volunteering, funding, and partnerships have been impacted for nonprofit organizations around the world.

There are more than one and a half million nonprofit organizations in the United States and many of these help children in some way. A nonprofit organization does not earn any profits for its owners, but rather donates the money it collects to help fund the organization’s goals. All non-profit organizations have five things in common: they are organized, separate from the government, self-governing, non-profit-distributing, and voluntary (Tury). The Nonprofit Leadership Center conducted a survey in September and October of 2020. The purpose of this survey was to see and understand the impacts

that COVID-19 has had on a variety of nonprofit organizations. The survey was sent to nonprofit CEOs and executive directors in order to understand their experience. The top three concerns of these nonprofit organizations were canceled fundraising events, loss of funders or corporate partners, and not meeting their funder requirements. On top of this, more than half (51.28%) of the organizations said that they anticipate that they will not meet or exceed their total revenue goal for 2020. Many of these problems are caused by, of course, a lack of funding. Financial distress is occurring all across the country, which has led to devastation. (“Survey Reveals Impact of COVID-19 and 2020 Challenges on Nonprofits at Year-End”)

The United States economy has been driven into a deep recession affecting small businesses, large corporations, and of course nonprofit organizations. Many Americans do not realize the many services that they rely on that are provided by nonprofit organizations. The group Candid, whose goal is to analyze where money from nonprofit organizations comes from and where it goes, conducted research on this topic. They concluded from the tax filings of nonprofit organizations that tens of thousands of these nonprofits will most likely shut down. These shut downs will lead to further economic distress for Americans who rely on their services and the loss of many jobs. The nonprofit sector is the third largest private employer in the United States. This means that more than one and a half million nonprofit organizations employ roughly 12.5 million people. With all the recent closers dating from February to May of 2020, Johns Hopkins University estimates that 1.6 million nonprofit jobs have been lost (Kulish).

One nonprofit organization has spoken about the recent effects, challenges, and changes that COVID-19 has caused. The organization is the Y.M.C.A. The Y.M.C.A has always had the mission to provide for the community and to be a place for all ages to learn and grow. But this year they have gone beyond that mission.

The Y.M.C.A has been a vital resource for many at risk Americans this year. The 2,600 outposts held by the Y.M.C.A have been outfitted into civic centers with a multitude of functions. These functions range from providing daycare for children of healthcare workers to feeding and housing the homeless. But these changes have come with a price. The Y.M.C.A, like many other nonprofits, has been having financial difficulties. Revenues for them are down 30 to 50 percent, which has led to 70 to 95 percent of Y.M.C.A workers to have to be furloughed. With fewer workers many branches of the Y.M.C.A has had to be shut down. Seventeen branches in Chicago alone have been closed down since the pandemic started. (Kulish)

Despite all the challenges that nonprofit organizations have been facing the Nonprofit Leadership Center’s survey revealed that the majority of the nonprofits said that they would continue to remain open and help the community around them. But staying open has required sacrifices and adaptations. In fact, 40.5% of nonprofit leaders taking the survey said that adaption was the most important trait in order to succeed during the era of COVID-19. This adaptability comes from many different factors such as gaining additional skills, varying work hours, and

becoming more flexible (“Survey Reveals Impact of COVID-19 and 2020 Challenges on Nonprofits at Year-End”). Many nonprofit organizations, like the Y.M.C.A and Spreading Sunshine, have been able to become more adaptable. The determination of these nonprofits has led them to be able to help millions of people during this pandemic. Without many of these organizations, the difficult times we are going through right now would have been much worse.

After finishing my research I was able to see the perseverance of many nonprofit organizations during these times. The ability to change and adapt, while still trying to complete all the goals that they have set their mind to. Working with Spreading Sunshine has helped me see these experiences firsthand. I saw their hard work during these times and the amazing results they were able to accomplish. Also while working with them, I was able to see a new perspective on the value of life and time. The joy and optimism the children they work with radiate are inspiring, given what they face every day. While I was not able to visit the children or hospitals in person, the pictures I received perfectly depicted the impact that Spreading Sunshine has on these kids. From pictures, emails, and calls I was able to see that my actions were making a difference. I was also able to learn about the different experiences and illnesses that the children that Spreading Sunshine work with going through. Learning more about the illnesses these children are facing made me have even more empathy and admiration for what they are going through. Spreading Sunshine, with the hard work of a multitude of volunteers, helps to acknowledge and make the times these children are going through a little happier. Most of these children are fighting battles right now that many of us will never have to fight. Even during these times, we must realize that other people are hurting. Many of these children can not wait for the pandemic to be over but need help now. The constant perseverance of Spreading Sunshine has led them to be able to help these children even during these difficult times. These children, Spreading Sunshine, and the thousands of over nonprofit organizations show how important perseverance is. During this time, we can only hope to be as flexible, hopeful, and brave as them.

Work cited

Cohn LN, Pechlivanoglou P, Lee Y, Mahant S, Orkin J, Marson A, Cohen E. “Health Outcomes of Parents of Children with Chronic Illness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” The Journal of pediatrics, Mar 2020, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm. nih.gov/31916997/.

Consolini,Deborah M. “Children with Chronic Health Conditions”. Merck Manuals, n.d. www.merckmanuals.com/professional/pediatrics/caring-for-sick-children-andtheir-families/children-with-chronic-health-conditions#:~:text=It%20has%20 been%20estimated%20that,%2Fhyperactivity%20disorder%2C%20and%20 depression.

Huang, I-Chan, et al. “Quality of Life Measurement for Children with LifeThreatening Conditions: Limitations and a New Framework”. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 12 July 2011, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/

PMC3133777/ #:~:text=About%20500%2C000%20children%20are%20 coping,the%20United%20States%20every%20year.

Kulish, Nicholas. “Providing a Pandemic Safety Net, Nonprofits Need Their Own.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 24 July 2020, www.nytimes. com/2020/07/24/business/economy/nonprofits-coronavirus-economy.html.

“Children’s Health Care Needs.” America’s Children: Health Insurance and Access to Care., U.S. National Library of Medicine, 1 Jan. 1998, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ books /NBK230377/.

Rokach, Ami. “Psychological, Emotional and Physical Experiences of Hospitalized Children.”Open Access Text, 26 Mar. 2016, www.oatext.com/Psychologicalemotional-and-physical-experiences-of-hospitalized-children.php.

“Survey Reveals Impact of COVID-19 and 2020 Challenges on Nonprofits at Year-End.” Nonprofit Leadership Center, 16 Nov. 2020, nlctb.org/news/survey-results-covid19-impact-on-nonprofits/#:~:text=Nonprofits%20vary%20when%20it%20 comes,programs%20and%2For%20services%20entirely.

Tury, Krisztina. “Nonprofit Organizations (Definition and Examples).” Learning to Give, n.d. www.learningtogive.org/resources/nonprofit-organizations-definition-andexamples.

REFLECTION: EMMA SITARICH SERVICE SCHOLAR REFLECTION

For my senior service scholar project, I partnered with Spreading Sunshine. Spreading Sunshine works nationwide by sending Sunshine Boxes to children facing medical challenges, as well as providing resources to their whole family. These resources range from providing a parent a hot meal to giving the family a community they can turn to. Spreading Sunshine also works at a local level in Memphis, TN, by helping local hospitals and nonprofit organizations. I got involved with Spreading Sunshine my junior year of high school and loved their mission so much that I decided to continue working with them for my senior service project.

Over the summer, I had various Zoom conversations with Diane Smith, the executive director of Spreading Sunshine. We talked about various activities that could be done given the circumstances surrounding the COVID-19. All of the meetings were virtual, so I was unable to visit their headquarters in Memphis. Instead, I was able to complete these activities at my house and with the help of people in the Ensworth community. Mrs. Lawson, who has worked with Spreading Sunshine many times before, was able to put a group of six senior girls together. With this small group, we were able to collaborate and complete much bigger projects. Most of our projects consisted of making things that would go into the Sunshine Boxes. The Sunshine Boxes included cards, snack bags, pencil pouches, slime, and much more. The first project we tackled over the summer was making video tutorials for other potential volunteers. These videos included a step-by-step rundown of how to make the various items that would go in the Sunshine Boxes. Making these videos would help Spreading Sunshine gain new volunteers virtually as well as leading Spreading Sunshine to be more sustainable in the future. Getting volunteers virtually was very important because no one was able to visit their headquarters or the local hospitals they partner with given the pandemic. Learning this made me realize the ongoing impact COVID-19 has had on many nonprofit organizations. Volunteers, funds, and partnerships have dwindled down or completely stopped. This fact made me want to work even harder because some of these children can not wait for the pandemic to end, but need help now.

Throughout the school year, I continued to make many items such as sunshine cards, bracelets, and key chains. As Christmas approached, our group “adopted” a sunshine family and was able to buy Christmas gifts for the three children and parents. These gifts were then sent out to the family by Spreading Sunshine just in time for Christmas. Every holiday that came along such as Christmas and then New Years’ and Valentine’s day we made cards for those events. This act of making cards may seem simple, but these children are going through extremely difficult experiences and a happy card can remind them of the little joys in life. That was my goal while working with Spreading Sunshine, to brighten someone’s day and to put a smile on their face.

During my time with Spreading Sunshine, I saw the joy on children’s faces after receiving a Sunshine box, and it made me feel as if I had made a difference. Most of these children are going through more right now than many of us will ever experience. Through my service, I was able to see new perspectives and learn lessons that will last a lifetime. I saw the relief in parents eyes and the joy in children’s smiles after receiving help from Spreading Sunshine. My experiences will feed into my research that will be focused on the goals of Spreading Sunshine and the effect of COVID-19 on non-profit organizations.

ESSAY: SACHI SRIVASTAVA

ACHIEVEMENT GAPS, HOUSING DISPLACEMENT, AND CULTURAL BARRIERS: THREE LESSER KNOWN STORIES OF A PANDEMIC

A little over a year after U.S. medical personnel identified the country’s first case of COVID-19, rapid lifestyle changes, feelings of anxiety and isolation, and innumerable losses of loved ones have become part of the collective American experience. Though the pandemic has affected virtually all Americans, it has also exacerbated long-existing social inequities, devastating communities that were already vulnerable and marginalized. While the social impacts of COVID-19 are far from few, this Service Scholar Project seeks to contextualize and call attention to just three: widening achievement gaps in elementary education, the public health crisis unhoused individuals are experiencing, and barriers to pandemic assistance faced by Nashville’s elderly Indian immigrant population. My study of these issues has involved collaborating with three local nonprofit organizations— the YMCA’s Y-Literacy Program, Room In the Inn, and the Sri Ganesha Hindu Temple’s Pandemic Delivery Service— and can be framed by the larger question, “How have nonprofit organizations themselves, their interactions with local governments, and the issues they address changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic?”.

Background: The National Impact of Covid-19 on Nonprofit Organizations

Though economists estimate that the partial to complete economic shutdowns implemented by most U.S. states in the spring and summer of 2020 saved between 900,000 and 2.7 million lives (Ivanova), the nonprofit sector was among the many industries that took a grave financial blow. According to a national survey conducted by Independent Sector, 83% of organizations reported a decline in revenue, followed by 71% reporting a resulting reduction in services and available operations. This financial instability ultimately contributed to a 47% decrease in employment (“The Impact of COVID-19”).

As funds and employees become increasingly limited while client populations expand, nonprofits throughout the United States have taken on the difficult task of prioritizing certain programs, leading to inevitable cutbacks for others. A study conducted by the Stanford Social Innovation Review, which surveyed 233 nonprofits that offer a variety of human services, shows that while public health programs reported a continuation or increase in revenue, other programs operating in the areas of housing development, workforce training, K-12 services, and advocacy and legal services suffered 1-100% revenue losses with no gains (LaPiana). Though public health programs are undoubtedly paramount in the midst of a pandemic, decreased funding for other services risks depriving low-income and underserved communities of previous supports such as rental assistance, free after-school programs, and low cost legal advice.

Even so, the outlook for U.S. nonprofits is not entirely bleak. Though CDC guidelines forced many organizations to digitize their services, this transition has allowed social workers and other professionals within the sector to expand their reach, offering support— namely in the form of counseling services— to a wider range of clients who have access to personal technology. Digital opportunities also increase the likelihood that clients take advantage of available services, as many lack transportation to on-site appointments or are unable to miss work for extended periods (LaPiana). However, in the age of a burgeoning “digital divide”, this digitization remains a double-edged sword with the potential to alienate more clients than it assists.

Funding Shifts in Nashville’s Nonprofit Sector

Nashville’s proposed Fiscal Year 2021 Mayoral Budget allocates resources, albeit decreased by 50% from 2020, mainly to nonprofits in the areas of business and commerce. While the Nashville Public Education Foundation and Alignment Nashville also received funds, organizations such as Room In the Inn, which provides temporary housing services, Second Harvest Food Bank, the Sexual Assault Center, and the Legal Aid Society of Middle TN were defunded (“Mayor’s Proposed”). Objectively, this suggests that the Nashville government chooses to prioritize the local economy, an important source of employment and revenue, over direct aid to nonprofits who offer social and human services. Even so, Governor Bill Lee has recently approved “$150 million in direct federally funded aid to non-profit organizations located in Tennessee” (“Gov. Lee Announces $150 Million”), which may offer those left out of the Nashville budget a source of alternative funding should their application for a portion of the remaining discretionary budget be denied. As will be demonstrated shortly, the context provided by the last two sections are helpful in analyzing the work of local nonprofits to mitigate challenges posed by the pandemic.

COVID-19 and the Achievement Gap

Remote learning, which became a reality for most students last March, has presented a unique set of challenges to those who had hoped to close a long-established academic “achievement gap”— a disparity in the educational outcomes of children from low-income and racial minority communities as opposed to wealthier and white communities. Though income and race gaps are calculated and referenced separately, it is crucial to emphasize that students of color are more likely to live in poverty, and therefore issues affecting low-income students disproportionately affect students of color. This link is evidenced by the fact that public schools are funded largely by local property taxes, and data shows that wealthy neighborhoods tend to have predominantly white populations, while schools in working class neighborhoods tend to be racially diverse with large Black and Hispanic student populations (“Why U.S. Schools Are Still Segregated”).

Scholars have cited a variety of reasons for the achievement gap’s growth throughout the pandemic. A not-so-obvious one is the fact that food insecurity, exacerbated by the unemployment spike, lowers student attention spans (Garcia and Weiss), decreasing information retention in what is already a situation less conducive to learning than in-person instruction. Additionally, low-income students are less likely to have access to consistent, high-speed internet access, parental academic supervision, and private spaces with minimal distractions (Dorn). Finally, schools in low-income neighborhoods are underfunded compared to national and state averages of per-student expenditures, meaning that teachers often have not received comprehensive digital training and do not have the resources for targeted online instruction (Garcia and Weiss).

The consequences of this gap are detrimental both to the students affected and to the country at large. Using epidemiological models that estimated schools would not return to in-person instruction until January 2021 (which now rings true), the McKinsey Institute speculated that public school students could lose an average of 7 months of learning. In contrast, Black students would lose 10.3 months, Hispanic students 9.2 months, and low-income students more than a year. These numbers would widen the achievement gap by a sombering 15-20%. Alarmingly, the Institute also estimates that, had the race and income achievement gaps been closed in 2009, the U.S. GDP would have been $332 to $705 billion higher (Dorn). By closing the achievement gap, we could generate more resources to pour into the communities historically harmed by it.

Though the scope of the achievement gap is vast, the movement to close it was spearheaded by Black and working class leaders starting in the 1960’s. In Nashville today, the YMCA’s Y-Literacy Program furthers this legacy, providing free tutoring to elementary school students who test below their grade’s average reading level. Before the pandemic, Y-Literacy took place in-person at various YMCA locations. In line with national trends, digitizing their services has allowed them to expand their reach to include students in the greater Nashville area— for example, I work with the Hermitage branch. However, true to the “digital divide”, I’ve found that students who lack high-quality internet access face difficulties fully engaging with the program. Even so, this resource can provide integral support to low-income students who do not have access to private tutoring or whose large class sizes inhibit individualized academic assistance.

Housing Displacement Is Its Own Public Health Crisis

Last April, the American unemployment rate hit 14.8%— the highest it’s been since the Great Depression. With this massive spike came a staggering prediction: based on Columbia University statistical models informed by previous recessions, the U.S. homeless population would jump 45% from its initial 568,000 (Oreskes).

Unhoused individuals compose one of the most at-risk groups for COVID-19 transmission and mortality. The hunger and harsh outdoor conditions that this population faces, coupled with widespread barriers to quality healthcare, lead to unimaginable physical and mental stress, weakening their collective immunity. These stressors, along with the fact that a large portion of the homeless population is approaching 65, also contribute to heightened rates of heart disease, respiratory conditions, and liver disease. This increases the risk of severe complications should these individuals contract COVID-19 (Perri). Additionally, the closure of public spaces such as libraries and community centers reduces access to basic resources and contact points with service providers (such as counselors), which can be further emotionally and physically draining (Perri).

Another factor that increases COVID-19 risk in people experiencing homelessness is a lack of access to personal protective equipment and safe quarantine spaces. In the words of Dr. Whitney Pirtle, “How can a person even shelter in place with no shelter?”. Even when individuals are able to secure a spot in a communal shelter, they are placing themselves in an environment “ideal. . . for the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 because of shared living spaces, crowding, and high population turnover” (Perri). Often, physical distancing is also a barrier to receiving services and basic necessities, decreasing the incentive for unhoused populations to engage in this activity (Perri).

There are approximately 2,300 homeless individuals in Nashville, and their life expectancy hovers around 50— 28 years lower than the average American (Foster). Room In the Inn is a Nashville nonprofit that provides services ranging from food, over-the-counter medication, and laundry detergent to workforce development, transportation, and counseling to those in this population. As a component of my Service Scholar Project, I perform weekly disposable face mask deliveries to the Room In The Inn, which aim to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission and allow clients to use services safely.

Room in the Inn is part of a homeless services network that also includes the Nashville Mission, the Oasis Center (youth homelessness), and a number of local government agencies. When Covid threatened to further decimate encampments that already had poor sanitation due to last March’s tornado, these agencies collaborated with the Mission to set up an overflow shelter on the Nashville fairgrounds. The shelter uses a 3-tiered system— with separate spaces for walkins, those who have been tested, and those who have tested positive— to maintain some semblance of social distancing (Fleisch). Though COVID-19 has posed harsh challenges and injustices to Nashville’s unhoused— for example, two Mission residents were the only people arrested downtown for not wearing a mask— organizations are attempting to provide support in a time where it’s scarce.

Language, Culture, and More: Unseen Barriers to Pandemic Assistance

Though it’s largely common knowledge that elderly populations are more prone to infection and complications with COVID-19, a combination of immigration status, socio-economic factors, unique health conditions, cultural attitudes, and language barriers can make it more difficult for Nashville’s immigrant elders, including those of Indian origin, to access pandemic assistance. In order to dive deeper into this issue, it’s important to understand a brief history of Indian immigration to the United States. The Deepak and Neera Raj Center on Indian Economic Policies divides Indian immigration into three phases. The first occurred after the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which abolished strict nativist quotas on immigration from South Asian countries. The second wave, which occurred throughout the 1980’s, consisted primarily of those whose family members had made up the first wave. The third, occurring in the early 2000’s, came in the midst of the “tech boom”, and largely included young, middle-income workers who had secured employment or education in IT and other professional fields (“A Singular Population”).

Asian Americans (in which Indian-Americans are included) compose one of the most educated and wealthy demographic groups in the country, yet it must be noted that income inequality is also greatest among this group. While many Indian immigrants benefit from a social system back in India that creates a small pool of urban, educated, and higher caste/class persons to venture abroad for employment, many others arrive in America as members of the working class or asylum-seekers (“A Singular Population”).

Though there is variation, overall, older Indian immigrants who arrived in the first wave are more likely than those who arrived later to lack citizenship, speak minority languages such as Bengali, Urdu, and Punjabi rather than Hindi, and struggle financially in America. Additionally, South Asian Americans are four times more likely to have heart disease, hypertension, or diabetes than the general U.S. population, and also considering 8 in 10 COVID-19 deaths have been citizens over the age of 65, the elderly Indian population is at a great risk of fatality if they contract the virus (Hussain).

Since the pandemic began, most seniors have been experiencing social isolation and food insecurity due to financial difficulties as well as a fear of contracting COVID-19 while grocery shopping. Though local government agencies and community organizations have stepped in to alleviate these hardships, they often fail to provide translation services for South Asian languages and other culturally appropriate assistance to Indian and other South Asian seniors. Though many of these elders are green card and H1-B visa holders and therefore technically included in stimulus check recipients, these linguistic and cultural barriers impede access to a variety of government services and relief (Hussain).

In Nashville, the Hindu Cultural Center of Tennessee works to provide services to

elderly members of our community through the Pandemic Delivery Service, established in late March 2020. As one of seven volunteers, I connected with seniors digitally to coordinate drop offs of home-cooked traditional meals, groceries, and prescription medicine to their homes or assisted living sites. Though the delivery service is a relatively new program whose popularity has declined as public spaces open back up, it serves as a testament to the crucial role of cultural and community organizations in caring for their more vulnerable populations when other agencies and infrastructures are unequipped to do so.

Where Do We Go From Here?

The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the United States as a whole— worsening educational disparities, the public health outcomes of unhoused people, and the cultural barriers preventing many immigrant communities from receiving care. Even so, the weight of these problems should not undermine the very real and revolutionary work that nonprofit organizations, community leaders, and scholars are doing to adapt to these difficulties and ensure that people affected receive the support and systemic justice they need. For example, Tennessee is leading an initiative that recruits over 1,000 college students to provide free tutoring to students falling behind throughout the entire state (Dorn), and the NAACP has been pouring funds into nationwide educational support since the mid 20th century. Additionally, service providers who work with people experiencing homelessness are developing innovative and trauma-informed ways to build rapport with clients, and are calling successfully for collaboration among multiple government agencies to provide for people on the streets (Perri). Finally, global diasporic networks of South Asians are collecting more specific data that is allowing them to better secure resources for their elders and other marginalized populations (SAALT). Clearly, though these issues existed long before the pandemic, now more than ever, organizations have implored the public to gaze upon these inequities, seek knowledge about them, and work to eradicate them. It is the collective responsibility of American institutions and people to continue this work even after the “new normal” is no longer.

Work cited

Chang, Ailsa, and Jonaki Mehta. “Why U.S. Schools Are Still Segregated - And One Idea To Help Change That.” NPR, NPR, 7 July 2020, www.npr.org/sections/liveupdates-protests-for-racial-justice/2020/07/07/888469809/how-funding-modelpreserves-racial-segregation-in-public-schools.

“Coronavirus Impact on Students and Education Systems.” Naacp.org, NAACP, 1 Apr. 2020, www.naacp.org/coronavirus/coronavirus-impact-on-students-andeducation-systems/.

Dorn, Emma, et al. “COVID-19 and Student Learning in the United States: The Hurt Could Last a Lifetime.” McKinsey & Company, McKinsey & Company, 14 Dec. 2020, www.mckinsey.com/industries/public-and-social-sector/our-insights/

covid-19-and-student-learning-in-the-united-states-the-hurt-could-last-alifetime.

Foster, Paula, and Sheryl Fleisch. “How Has COVID-19 Impacted the Homeless Community?” Yahoo! News, 2020, news.yahoo.com/covid-19-impactedhomeless-community-004039763.html.

“Gov. Lee Announces

$150 Million in Relief Funds for Tennessee Non-Profits.” Tennessee State Government - TN.gov, www.tn.gov/governor/news/2020/7/21/ gov--lee-announces--150-million-in-relief-funds-for-tennessee-non-profits-. html.

Independent Sector. “The Impact of COVID-19 on Large and Mid-Sized Nonprofits.” Independent Sector, 15 June 2020, independentsector.org/resource/covid19survey/.

Ivanova, Irina. “U.S. Economic Shutdown Saved up to 2.7 Million Lives, Analysis Finds.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 13 July 2020, www.cbsnews.com/news/useconomy-shutdown-coronavirus-saved-2-7-million-lives/.

LaPiana, David. “COVID-19’s Impact on Nonprofits’ Revenues, Digitization, and Mergers (SSIR).” Stanford Social Innovation Review: Informing and Inspiring Leaders of Social Change, Stanford University, 4 June 2020, ssir.org/articles/ entry/covid_19s_impact_on_nonprofits_revenues_digitization_and_mergers#. Mahnoor, Hussain. “Unequal Consequences: The Disparate Impact of COVID-19 Across South Asian American Communities.” Saalt.org, South Asian Americans Leading Together, 2020, saalt.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/UnequalConsequences_SAALT-2020.pdf.

Nashville. “Mayor’s Proposed FY21 Operating Budget Documents.” Nashville.gov, Metro Council, 2021, www.nashville.gov/Metro-Council/Metro-CouncilResources/Budget-and-Finance-Committee-Documentation/MayorsProposed-Operating-Budget.aspx.

Nelson, Angela. “How Does COVID-19 Create Inequity in K-12 Education?” Tufts Now, Tufts University, 6 Oct. 2020, now.tufts.edu/articles/how-does-covid-19create-inequity-k-12-education.

“Older Adults and COVID-19.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020, www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019ncov/need-extra-precautions/older-adults.html#:~:text=Help%20at%20Home,The%20risk%20for%20severe%20illness%20with%20COVID%2D19%20 increases%20with,than%20people%20in%20their%2050s.

Oreskes, Benjamin. “Mass Unemployment over Coronavirus Could Lead to a 45% Jump in Homelessness, Study Finds.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2020, www.latimes.com/homeless-housing/story/2020-05-14/ coronavirus-unemployment-homeless-study-increase-45-percent.

Perri, Melissa, et al. “COVID-19 and People Experiencing Homelessness: Challenges and Mitigation Strategies.” CMAJ, CMAJ, 29 June 2020, www.cmaj.ca/ content/192/26/E716.short.

Pirtle, Whitney N.L. “Racial Capitalism: A Fundamental Cause of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic Inequities in the United States.” Journals.sagepub. com, Society for Public Health Education, 2020, journals.sagepub.com/doi/ pdf/10.1177/1090198120922942.

Press, Associated. “COVID-19 Is ‘a Crisis within a Crisis’ for Homeless People.” Modern Healthcare, 24 Aug. 2020, www.modernhealthcare.com/safety-quality/ covid-19-crisis-within-crisis-homeless-people.

“A Singular Population: Indian Immigrants in America.” Ideas & Insights, Chazen Global Insights, 10 Dec. 2020, www8.gsb.columbia.edu/articles/chazen-globalinsights/singular-population-indian-immigrants-america.

NON-PUBLISHED SERVICE SCHOLARS AND RESEARCH TOPICS

The following students chose not to publish their work but are recognized for their work as Service Scholars:

LAINEY GARSIDE

TIME TO RISE / MONROE CARELL JR. CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL AT VANDERBILT, ENSWORTH MIRACLE NETWORK DANCE MARATHON

CLAIRE HALEY

WHAT FACTORS IMPACT TENNESSEANS’ ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE / HOSPITAL HOSPITALITY HOUSE AND SILOAM HEALTH CLINIC

LINDSEY HOLLOMAN

ENSWORTH MIRACLE NETWORK DANCE MARATHON /TIME TO RISE

ANNA MUNSON

CURRICULUM BUILDING AND FUNDING FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS / KIDS ACADEMY

WILLIAM VREELAND

TIME TO RISE & TIME TO RISE MEALS

EDITOR’S NOTE

Students submitted these essays before spring break March 2021. While the Covid 19 pandemic, the Christmas day bombing, tornadoes, floods, quarantining, elections, social justice efforts and vaccinations laced the events of the 2020-2021 school year, service to the community remained a focal point for many of the Ensworth students, especially the Service Scholars. In this context, I am impressed with the resourcefulness, the determination and the commitment of the Service Scholars to make a difference in the community despite the challenges and uncertainties of the last year. These essays illustrate the incredible capacity of the Ensworth service experience to facilitate the promise of the Ensworth mission that encourages students to use their talents to the fullest, be contributors to society and exercise their intellectual vitality. These essays have inspired me, and I expect that will be a shared experience for all who read them. Enjoy the read.

In Search of Truth

MISSION STATEMENT

Ensworth is a kindergarten through twelfth grade, coeducational independent school. The School promotes academic excellence and inspires students to be intellectually curious, to use their talents to the fullest, to be people of integrity, and to be contributors to society.

VISION STATEMENT

We envision a school community dedicated to following the highest principles with the greatest love, as characterized by moral integrity, intellectual vitality, discipline, compassion, humor, and joy.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION STATEMENT

In order to realize the goals of our Mission and Vision, Ensworth must actively strive to be a diverse and inclusive community of learners that engages collectively In Search of Truth. The presence of different perspectives and life experiences plays a vital role in the development of our students, enhancing classroom and extracurricular experiences in meaningful ways. As a school, we are committed to cultivating an environment in which all members of the Ensworth community experience a true sense of belonging and are empowered to be active participants in the life of the school. These efforts are essential if we are to foster the growth of all students in line with their potential, and to equip them for lives of purpose that extend far beyond their time at Ensworth.