Upload
elizabeth-grant
View
225
Download
0
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Allan Hancock College Atkinson Lifelong Learning
Center
Taking the Classroom to the Community
Project Date: October 2004-September 2007Ardis Neilsen, Dean, Community Education
Elaine Healy, Coordinator, Community Education
Allan Hancock College Two-year community college located in Santa Maria, California
Allan Hancock CollegeCampuses: Santa Maria, Lompoc, Solvang, and VAFB Credit enrollment 11,000 students Noncredit enrollment 5,000-6,000 students
Community Education Noncredit classes in basic skills, ESL,
citizenship, health, older adults Open-entry, open-exit classes Open to anyone 18 and over Classes are FREE! ESL – 1400 - 1600 students per semester
City of Santa Maria
Known as the “BBQ Capital”
Heart of Wine Country
City of Santa Maria Agriculture is the
largest industry
The City’s # 1 crop is strawberries.
City of Santa Maria Approximately 60% of the City’s
population is Hispanic. (Pop. approx 90,000)
248% increase in the Hispanic population between 1980 and 2000.
Mixtec Immigration: Santa Maria has the largest Mixtec population outside of Mexico.
Mixtec Immigration Approx. 20,000 Mixtec immigrants from Oaxaca
live in Santa Maria. 92 dialects of Mixtec are spoken. Many Mixtecs speak little English or Spanish.
Unique Challenges for Immigrants
Language barrier Lack of formal schooling Insufficient income to afford decent
housing Cultural differences Digital Divide—lack of access to
technology Residents “rarely venture beyond their
own neighborhood.”
Bridging the “Distance”Challenges:
Empower residents toward educational and economic advancement.
offer enticements to enter the world of lifelong learning.
Make these individuals “visible” in the community.
“Prior to starting educational classes these were people whowere the invisible of this community—they did not ventureoutside their neighborhoods” (Ginnie Sterling, Santa MariaTimes).
Community Focus Group Identifies Needs (2003)
A neighborhood resource center English as a Second Language classes Job training Health care services (due to lack of health
insurance among over 70% of respondents)
Parenting classes
focus group was held May 2003 with community residents.
What Won’t Work Asking students to:
Pay tuition
Travel to the main AHC campus
Enroll in semester-length classes
What Might Work . . . Bringing the most needed educational
programs and technology access to the neighborhood at no cost or a very low-cost.
Grant Goal Partner with City of Santa Maria and
community agencies to empower residents by offering
opportunities for educational and economic advancement.
Project Site: Atkinson Center
Project Site: Atkinson Center
Community Partners City of Santa Maria:
construct lab/classroom expand recreation area by adding a sports field, playground expand parking lot
Boys & Girls Club: offer summer scholarships to children (ages 6-18) of parents
attending classes
CARES, Inc.: provide limited childcare to children of parents attending
class
AHC: provide educational services manage project
Project Site: Atkinson Center
Located 2 ½ miles from the main AHC campus
Across the street from Boys & Girls Club Adjacent to elementary school Situated in a low-income residential
neighborhood
The Surrounding Community
Predominately Hispanic and low-income individuals:
Census Tract 23.03: 83.4% low to moderate income (LMI)
Census Tract 23.04 is 81.6% LMI Estimate of the percentage of foreign-
born individuals within Census Tracts is 48.3% (23.03) and 50.7% (23.04)
Challenges for Residents of the Project Area
language barriers
cultural differences
lack of education
insufficient income to afford housing
lack of transportation
Grant Activity #1 Build a
community learning center
Classroom State-of-the-art
computer lab
Atkinson Center (2004) Expand recreation
area and parking lot
Activity #2 Activity Two: Provide Educational Services and
Access to Technology Provide noncredit courses for educational and
economic advancement. Create a computer lab to address residents lack
of access to technology. Create a website to include links to community
resources. Provide limited childcare for children of parents
who are attending classes.
Finally!Allan Hancock College Atkinson Lifelong Learning Center (2006)
Allan Hancock College Atkinson
Lifelong Learning Center
Allan Hancock College Atkinson
Lifelong Learning Center
Surrounding Community
Recreation Area
Recreation Area
Outreach is CriticalIf You Build It, They Will Come . . .
Outreach to Community Announcing Grand Opening Flyers — 1000 distributed:
door-to-door elementary school & jrhs
New releases, PSA, community calendar – target English & Spanish media
Print ads, both languages, noncredit class schedule – 80,000 distribution
Mailed invitations to community agencies, city and college representatives, media
Open House: August 18, 2006
Open House
Ribbon Cutting: AHC, Community Partners, and City of Santa Maria Chamber of Commerce
Open House
Over 200 people attended the open house. 114 people registered for classes in less than
three hours.
Open House: Computer Lab
Open House: Computer Lab
Open House
Counseling assistance available at open house
AHC Atkinson Lifelong Learning Center
17 Bilingual Class Sections 2007 spring semester
ESL — Lecture & Language Lab Intro to Computers Levels 1 & 2 Preparation for Citizenship Preparation for GED Digital Photography Levels 1 & 2 Reading & Writing Workshop Landscape / Gardening Needle Arts Fitness
13 part-time faculty
ESL Lecture
ESL Lecture
ESL Language Lab
ESL Language Lab
ESL Language Lab
Classes: Digital Photography
Classes: Digital Photography
Enrollment Increasing
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
Summer2006(107)
Fall 2006(696)
Spring2007(698)
Enrollment
Project Website
Project Website
Challenges Managing a construction project
Obtaining environmental impact report
Partnerships
Successes Regional Award:
Award of Excellence - City of Santa Maria Recreation & Parks
Submitting project for state level award
More SuccessesIncreased visibility of college in the community – important
with recent passage of a general obligation community bond
Student satisfaction survey – 95% positiveexceeded 80% goal
Enrollment – 700 students/semester exceeded goal of 600 students per year
Strong partnerships developedCity of SM Boys & Girls Club
Leveraged Resources – Driscoll Berries Inc. SB Foundation Dougan Grant
Next Steps . . . Sustain the project
Develop a citizenship program – application processing support & workshop SB Foundation
Establish an on-site educational counseling office
Develop additional Lifelong Learning Centers in community – next HUD grant?
Sustainability: More than a Project
Invite additional CBOs to offer services at the center
Continue to leverage resources
Create educational pathways Noncredit to credit
Thank you HUD – OUP! “Thank you for giving me the opportunity
to learn.” “It’s nice that you offer these classes, you
help us so much. Thank you.” “We are happy with the classes and the
center because we live nearby and don’t drive.”
“Thank you to all the persons who made this project possible.”