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I love what I'm doing because it is a ministry and a passion.
Kelley Romar
One might say that Kelley Romar's preparation for her present career as project coordinator and homeless liaison for the Galveston Project for the Education of Homeless Children/Youth (GPEHC) began decades before she accepted the position. Although she has worked directly with homeless children and youth for less than three years, her 21-year career with of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) afforded her knowledge and skills that she draws upon daily in her present work. As a supervisor in TDCJ's Parole Division, Kelley had regular contact with public housing projects, homeless shelters, public health departments, community programs, and families in dire circumstances. "I saw the effects of families in crisis when I visited their homes on a regular basis for supervision purposes," Kelley explains. "Now, I have an opportunity to visit homes where I can raise awareness of services to help the educational needs of the youth in the families." Shifting her focus from parents in troubled families to their children, Kelley has found that skills she perfected in her years with TDCJ-compassion, objectivity, knowledge, and resourcefulness-complement her passion to help homeless children and youth succeed in school and in life.
Kelley and five other GPEHC staff members provide services to 13 schools and 9500 students in Galveston County. The project, which is funded by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act, features a unique after-school and summer camp program called the Discovery Club. The after-school program, which takes place at a centrally located school in the district, allows staff members to form close relationships with homeless youths through daily interactions. Trained to recognize when attention or intervention is needed, the staff works to meet each student’s specific needs, spoken or unspoken. Transportation is provided from district schools to the after-school program and then to each student’s residence. If a student fails to show up after school, the staff immediately checks for attendance problems, which can signal domestic problems. The Discovery Club’s after-school program provides an educational forum, an opportunity to identify pro-social behaviors (positive behaviors that promote successful interaction), and a means of creating a healthy support system for students in crisis. The summer camp offered through GPEHC takes students on numerous field trips and enrichment activities throughout the entire summer. Classes are offered in sports, cosmetology, arts and crafts, academic tutorials, and other areas of interest.
Homeless children and youth represent a challenging population, one that requires effective strategies involving educators, counselors, and community service providers to meet their special needs. However, many students live in unsafe and insecure conditions, enduring hardships so antithetical to the concept home that they might be considered homeless in spirit. GPEHC staff members see such students every day, victims of a chaotic and often fragmented family life that strips them of peace of mind and optimism. Some are children of incarcerated parents, others live unsupervised while their parents binge drink, abuse drugs, or work long hours. Because such students are naturally reluctant to discuss their circumstances or their home life with others, identifying them and addressing their needs can be difficult. Consequently, GPEHC raises awareness of homeless youth and students who are at risk of being homeless by distributing information to students and parents through brochures, posters, and other age-appropriate material. Disseminating information through student activities has been particularly effective, as have non-threatening school and class projects designed to address how at-risk students feel about their families and their living situations.
Today’s homeless youth are not only in crisis due to housing; many have disabilities and special needs that must be addressed. Working in coordination with GPEHC and local shelters, Galveston ISD has recognized, identified, and evaluated these youth, taking pains to ensure that they are neither isolated nor stigmatized. As a result, the dropout rate for these homeless students has fallen, chiefly due to the discrete and effective strategies used to address their specific needs. Kelley reports that an average of four students in homeless situations graduate every year, and three have gone on to college. One, Cynthia Jimenez, received a LeTendre scholarship two years ago and traveled to California to receive her honors.
Clothing and uniforms as well as personal hygiene items and emergency food are available at area shelters and through the GPEHC. A partnership with the University of Houston’s Operation School Supply along with local donations ensures that students in homeless circumstances have school supplies throughout the school year. The people of Galveston have generously provided year-round donations and support for students in need. While speaking to area organizations, Kelley has on more than one occasion received unsolicited donations for the students. Once, Kelley relates, “a local credit union offered to pay one month’s rent for an unaccompanied senior high school student with a young baby.” Other support from the community comes in the form of coat and food drives. The annual Christmas gift and adopt-a-student-for-the-holidays project has been tremendously successful, with every homeless student receiving items from their personal wish list. Books are donated from the local library to enhance reading skills, and students who read the required number of books receive free tickets to an amusement park.
While proud of the progress being made in her district, Kelley voices concern over the many needs that remain unmet for a large percentage of this population. She cites the lack of mentor figures as an obstacle to healthy development among her homeless students. Positive role models are essential to social and intellectual development and can help instill self-esteem, self-respect, and social skills that are critical for this population. Another area of need is job training, particularly for older students who will soon be on their own. The danger of falling victim to substance abuse is ever-present because peer pressure at school and on the streets is constant. Mental illness and other disabilities that require special assistance are hindrances that will challenge many on their life’s journey. Because the roads that these young people travel are diverse and unpredictable, each student requires assistance that is tailored to his or her individual needs. Coordination and communication among the schools, shelters, and other agencies that provide services to homeless students is imperative if these distressed students are to achieve a measure of success.
Kelley and the GPEHC staff will continue their efforts to encourage, motivate, and address the needs of this homeless and at-risk population in the spirit of the district’s motto: “All children and youth can and will learn.” Through collaborations among schools, businesses, and community organizations, the ongoing effort of meeting the diverse needs of homeless students will continue, as Kelley puts it, “as long as we have underprivileged youth, kids fleeing from sexual and physical abuse, domestic violence and other issues.” But as long as we have skilled and passionate workers like Kelley Romar ministering to their needs, the light of hope for this troubled population will burn a little brighter.
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