Homelessness Awareness

 Advocacy Hub - ECHO


        Thinking about how there are students and children in the world without a home or a set place to stay is heartbreaking. "Since 2008, the number of homeless students identified by public schools each year has increased by more than 100%, from approximately 680,000 to 1,384,000 students in 2019(Cai, 2020). These numbers are way too big.  Especially now with the pandemic people have been and may be facing homelessness. Children faced with homelessness suffer not only physically and mentally but academically.


The film Homestretch was so heartbreaking to watch. The stories shared from the three kids, Roque, Kasey and Anthony all just made me so sad that any child has to deal with that. As hard as life was pushing them, it was very inspiring to see their devotion to their educations. In the film Kasey even said during one of her sessions how she "has to finish school. It's not a choice." (De Mare, Kelly & Taber, 2014).

LSS Metro Homeless Youth Services - Home | Facebook

Kasey from the movie said something that really stood out to me. She said how she can easily go into an even worse place then she is now because of everything she has been through,  but she chooses not to. This to me demonstrates how strong she was when the world gave her no reason to be. That is one theme that I noticed. The strength of those who go through such difficult things like not having a home, shows who they are. These kids are not bad kids. They are just in horrible situations, but its not because they are bad and they aren't bad because of it. (De Mare, Kelly & Taber, 2014).

With this theme I instantly thought of the song "Warrior" by Demi Lovato. 

Demi Lovato- Warrior

"All the pain and the truth
I wear like a battle wound
So ashamed, so confused
I was broken and bruised
Now I'm a warrior
Now I've got thicker skin"
These lyrics are really something that i feel relate to the stories shared from the kids in the film. This song is about pushing through and fighting through battles in life. Never give up on yourself. These kids that go through such horrible things and have no where to go. Roque, Kasey and Anthony from the film exemplify their inner warriors having all these obstacles to go through in life at such a young age. This film was so eye-opening and I loved seeing the support from the teachers especially Mrs. Rivera for Roque. I think it is important for teachers to be more aware of their students and how they are acting, dressing, and keep an eye out for any changes. There is support out there, we just need more of it. 

Addressing Youth Homelessness in Washington

The image above shares risk factors for homelessness. race, ethnicity, and LGBTQ+ are all things I have previously talked about in other blogs. The importance to end discrimination and hate against people because of their race and sexuality goes hand and hand with the end to some children becoming homeless. Kasey from the film was not excepted in her home because she was a lesbian. These are things that need to be accepted and understood by more adults and children everywhere because children should not be sent out on the streets because of this.

The Mckinney-Vento Act "provides support to ensure that homeless children and youth have equal access to the same free, appropriate, public education; including a public preschool education, with the opportunity to meet the same challenging state content and student performance standards." (McKinney-Vento Homeless Education, 2021). There needs to be more things like this as well as more homes or shelters. Children deserve the right to education and not be forced to become adults and lose their childhoods. 

References

Cai, J. (2020, July 27). Homeless Students in Public Schools Across America: Down but Not Out. National School Boards Association. https://www.nsba.org/Perspectives/2021/homeless-students


De Mare, A., Kelly, K., & Taber, K. (Producers), & De Mare, A., & Kelly, K. (Directors). (2014). The homestretch [Streaming video]. United States: Bullfrog Films.


Demi Lovato. (May 2019). Warrior with Lyrics. [Youtube]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYecP6_gQvE 


Mc-Kinney Vento Homeless Education. (2021). New York State Education Department http://www.nysed.gov/essa/mckinney-vento-homeless-education



Comments

  1. Hi Natalie, I also had similar feelings such as shock and heartbreak after watching the film, "The Homestretch." This documentary style film showed the real life, personal, situations that many children across America have to experience. What stood out to me the most was the look on Roque's face when he was asked about how he was going to obtain a form of ID. I could almost feel the amount of discomfort and stress that Roque was displaying. Many times, students are embarrassed of their situation in comparison to their friends, which can cause feelings of depression, anxiety, and loneliness. This made me think back to the mental health module and how mental health issues play a role in the way children function in schools. I can not imagine the amount of issues that the students shown in this documentary, and homeless students across the world, experience on a daily basis. I like the song you chose to include in your post, Warrior by Demi Lovato. I have never heard this song before, but after listening to and reading the lyrics, I see why this fits perfectly with the theme. Homeless kids have no other choice but to fight the battles that are thrown their way. It is only up to themselves to fight for themselves and make the most out of a bad situation. This module really put my life and privileges into perspective and made me feel thankful for all of the opportunities that have been provided to me. As a future educator, I will do my best to help any homeless ( or struggling) student in any way that I can. I really enjoyed reading your post and great job!

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