Community Mapping Reveals Dire Needs

Imagine an elementary school child at bath time. Playtime, bubbles, rubber ducks and boats come to mind.

Now, imagine the bath transformed into another chore – washing the child’s only school uniform each night so it will be clean for the next day.

The News-Star discovered that heartbreakingly dire need and others during a community mapping project, part of its year-long “Focus on Education.”

Schools without such basic library materials as encyclopedias. Children whose parents don’t know what grade they’re in. The discount-store toy aisle turned into an after-school playground.

The newspaper found there was a lot of finger pointing and not a lot of solution seeking. But the mapping project, a joint effort of The News-Star and two universities, has been extremely rewarding.

The participating students and reporters realized they made a profound difference in the kids’ lives. The effort also helped the paper keep up momentum and develop ways to measure the success of its education project.

Most journalists want to make a difference. The mapping project allowed the students and the reporters to plan and execute the steps to do that.

About 12 students from Grambling State and Louisiana Tech universities mapped the neighborhoods around five elementary schools, where up to 98 percent of the 2,500 students are at-risk because of poverty levels. Many of the fourth- and eighth-graders are flunking statewide tests.

Teams of a reporter and two students met with teachers, principals and community leaders. They walked the neighborhoods to determine “third places.”
After the students’ plights were disclosed in a May special section, the community began to mobilize. About 150 people attended a follow-up meeting, and volunteer efforts continue to grow.

Principal John Ross said the project had an immediate impact at Berg Jones Elementary.

“We’ve had some parents ask what they could do to help, parents who hadn’t asked to help before,” Ross said. “We flooded the community with the information gathered during the project and the community has responded.”

Carver Elementary principal Lavargne Gunn-Ford said the section built enthusiasm among parents and within the community.

Retired guidance counselor Bobbi Slacks has volunteered one full day per week next school year to help children improve study skills. The Pilot Club of Monroe donated $150 toward the school’s science lab and the Ford, Bacon and Davis engineering firm donated 350 notebooks. Parent Karen Jackson organized a meeting; there weren’t enough chairs in the library to accommodate the crowd.

“I’m just so pleased with the interest,” Gunn-Ford said. “Everybody is so motivated.”

For Madison J. Foster Elementary, the Monroe Fire Department is building a playground.

“Dr. Fred Rose of the University of Louisiana at Monroe called to volunteer to help us with our science department,” said principal Addie Hampton Morehouse. “Sorority and Greek clubs want to help us with mentoring.”

Morehouse also said several people have sent the school grant information. “Grants can do a lot if you write them,” she said. “That’s just money for the asking.”

At Minnie Ruffin Elementary, a businessman donated dictionaries, supplies and materials. Kids Hope, an organization that pairs mentors from churches with at-risk kids, plans to get involved with the project.

Students from the five schools will take summer classes at Carver Elementary. In June, The News-Star published a needs list for students, information about summer school and the prognosis for kids in the coming school year. The newspaper also maintains a hotline for readers who want to donate supplies or volunteer as tutors.

Using the newspaper’s research, the YWCA of Northeastern Louisiana received a grant to teach parents how to help their children. The newspaper will help publicize the workshops.

Additionally, the journalism students continue to benefit from the semester’s work. One received a Washington Post internship as a result of her participation.

In October, The News-Star will present information about the university/ newspaper partnership at a national college media convention in New Orleans that is expected to draw 3,000 students.

Over the summer, the newspaper is monitoring efforts to tutor more than 300 children who failed the English and math portions of the state’s high-stakes accountability test. The project will resume its school-year focus in August as fourth-graders begin preparation for testing in spring 2002.