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.”