Spring 2015 Stories

The SCU Thriving Neighbors Initiative actively promotes strategic ties between Santa Clara University and the Greater Washington community of San Jose, California in order to advance prosperity and education within SCU and Greater Washington. The Ignatian Center for Jesuit Education invited faculty-student-community partner teams to submit grant proposals for projects that advance the aims of the Thriving Neighbors Initiative in its inaugural year. The following four grants, awarded in 2014-15, supported education and health projects that were collaboratively designed, developed, and evaluated. For additional information on the Thriving Neighbors Initiative and the 2014-2015 grant projects, please visit scu.edu/ic/tni.

Madres Walking to Health /Camino a la Salud

SCU Faculty Partners: Laura Chyu, Public Health, and Katherine Saxton, Biology
Washington Community Associates: Yazmin Ballesteros, Juana Escamilla, Jessica López, Eva Marrón, and Arcelia Ramírez
SCU Student Contributors: Mariam Khan and Misja Ilcisin

Through the “Madres Walking to Health” grant project, Professors Katherine Saxton and Laura Chyu of Santa Clara University’s Public Health Program joined community members to develop a sustainable health initiative for the parents and children of Washington Elementary in San Jose. Walking groups are a relatively simple, cost-effective way for parents to promote physical activity, and have consistently demonstrated significant health benefits. In partnership with five community leaders, the “Madres Walking to Health” grant program kicked-off with its first event in November 2014, with over 60 participants. The grant-funded team hosted numerous subsequent, regular walking group events. Following the 18-month grant, the walking group activities will be managed, evaluated, and sustained by the parents of the Madre a Madre group at Washington Elementary.

Resilient Families Project: Parents Helping Children Build Resilience

SCU Faculty Partners: Barbara Burns, Liberal Studies
Washington Community Associates: Adriana León
SCU Student Contributors: Katherine Strong ’15 and Brenda Arellano ’15

The parents of Washington Elementary have voiced concern about the prevalence of gangs and want to do all they can to help their children withstand gang pressures. Professor Barbara Burns proposed the “Resilient Families Project (RFP),” a community-based intervention program in which parents learn to strengthen self-regulation skills and a resilient mindset in their children. Studies suggest that the most powerful factors for gang prevention are healthy parenting and strong familial ties. RFP consists of six workshops in which facilitators share with parents strategies to help their children build strong resilience. In fall 2014, Barbara Burns and Adriana León, a mother of three in the Washington community, recruited 15 parents from kindergarten classes to participate in the program on a weekly basis. The results of this program will inform future RFP initiatives in Greater Washington and beyond.

Adult Education Center/Centro para Educación de Adultos

SCU Faculty Partners: Lucía Varona and Maria Bauluz, Modern Languages
Washington Community Associates: Elena Barba, Maria Claudio, and Elizabeth Molina
SCU Student Contributors: Emilio Sanchez and Cynthia Calderon

Professor Lucía Varona initiated an adult education program to provide a space for ongoing discussions and reflections on personal identity and community for parents in the Washington community. In fall 2014, joined by Professor Maria Bauluz, the Adult Education Center began hosting meetings to discuss various themes, such as Ser Immigrante (Being an Immigrant), La Familia, and El Viaje a EE.UU (The Trip to the USA). Formal discussions took place with two community groups every Friday, and intermediate SCU Spanish students scheduled one-on-one meetings with the parents. Both through group discussions and a written survey, participants have expressed gratitude and joy for the discussions and friendships they have formed within their groups.

Abriendo Puertas: Opening Doors to Early Childhood Education via iPads

SCU Faculty Partners: Marco Bravo ’94, Education and Counseling Psychology
Washington Community Associates: Patty Lozano, Elizabeth Molina, Marlen Monroy, Beatriz Pérez, and María Tovar
SCU Student Contributors: Lino Gutierrez ’15, Sonia Gonzalez ’15, and Victoria Barragan ’15

While attending a Madre a Madre meeting with the parents of Washington Elementary, Professor Marco Bravo heard mothers express a need for programs to prepare their youngest children for academic success. Studies show many Latino children begin school six months behind their non-Latino peers with regard to academic readiness. The “Abriendo Puertas” grant project worked with five parents in the Washington Community to support literacy and math development among children between the ages of three and four by using related apps on iPads for about 20 minutes per day. Parent participants commented on the positive experiences they have shared with their children, as well as the growth they’ve seen in their children’s language skills. Following the initial roll-out, the program was expanded to include families with children of a wider age range. Bravo hopes that promoting easy access to such resources will encourage even more families in the Washington community to utilize these tools to support early childhood education.