Greenhouses of HopeCultivating Youth for Social Justice at Rust College
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Elizabeth Williams, PhD, Tennessee State University; Charles Williams, PhD, Rust College;
Hilda B. Williams, EdD, Rust College; Mohamed Kanu, PhD, MA, Tennessee State University
Session Overview• Describe the Greenhouse of Hope framework &
Rust College
• Describe Rust College’s youth leadership programs
• Consider dynamics related to Rust College’s programs
• Youth engagement for social justice• Community-campus partnerships • Social science & humanities foci in social justice
programming design, implementation & evaluation
• Q& A
Greenhouse of Hope• Genuinely embrace the gifts of youth and
young adults
• Cultivate young leaders who want to change the world
• How social science and humanities inform youth engagement programming
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Rust CollegeConnecting Faith with Purpose for Social Justice
Rust College
O Historically Black, coeducational Liberal Arts College
founded in 1866 by the Methodist Episcopal Church
O Currently supported by the United Methodist Church
O Academically prepares students in the humanities,
social and behavioral sciences, natural sciences,
business, technology and education.
Rust College Health Explorers
Program: A Greenhouse for Youth Health Equity Leaders
Why a Health Explorers Program?
O 25% of U.S. college graduates are
from underrepresented ethnic
groups
O Health professions are the 3rd most
popular U.S. college majors; yet
historic lack of diversity in health
O Underrepresented students turn off
from health/science before
entering college
Growing our own
health
professionals in
Mississippi!
Why a Health Explorers Program in Holly Springs, Mississippi?
O Holly Springs Schools’ HS graduation rate is higher than Marshall County and the State.
O Designated HS focuses on health career exploration
O Holly Springs Career and Technical Center
School
Year
Marshall County
School District
Holly Springs
School District
Mississippi
2013-2014 77.3% 80.0% 74.5%
Why a Health Explorers Program in Holly Springs, Mississippi?
O Holly Springs (Marshall County) is a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) w/increasing health disparities
O Underrepresented students from HPSAs often return to serve as health professionals in their own communities.
Holly Springs high school students have questions about health careers…
and Rust College is pointing them in the right direction to pursue
health careers.
Health Explorers Program Intents
O Increase HS students’ exposure
to health career options &
encourage HS graduation
O Excite underserved students
about health careers
O Create a “community of health
leaders” through learning &
mentoring from health
researchers, health
professionals and other students
Health Explorers Program Partners
Master of Public Health Program
College of Health Sciences
Holly Springs School District
Superintendent’s Office
Holly Springs Rotary Club
The Honorable Mayor of
Holly Springs
University of Memphis Byhalia Family Health Center
United Way of the MidSouth
Alliance Healthcare System & Foundation
Health Explorer Program Design O HEP Club
O Bi-monthly half-day sessions focused on specific health careers, health professional Q&As and learning activities
O24 hours of instructional contact from faculty & college near-peers (March -June 2015; Jan-April 2016)
O Offering Saturday club & in-school sessions for 2016-2017 Don’t just watch a Doc,
become a Doctor too!
Session Topics include: Leadership & Goal
Setting
Behavioral Science
Health Communication
Health Disparities &
Health Inequity
Epidemiology &
Surveillance
Medical Ethics
While our scholars represent some of the most underserved in
rural Mississippi…
80% of
participants’
parents did not
complete high
school (2014-2015 cohort)
Our scholars also represent those with the
greatest promise to succeed…
100% of
participants
want to pursue
health careers (2014-2015 cohort)
HEP is showing Holly Springs high school students there is a
world of health career possibilities waiting for them.
See for yourself ….
21
Rust College Health Explorers Program
O Capitalizing on 150 years of
educating students, Rust
College is investing in Holly
Springs’ high school
students.
O Working with partners, HEP
is “growing” future health
professionals right at home
in Mississippi.
Rust College Living Into Our
Future Youth Theology
Institute: A Greenhouse for Youth
Social Justice Leaders
Why a Youth Theology Institute?
O Youth have questions about faith
and contemporary challenges.
O Youth programs offer career
exploration often without
connection to a deeper call to
service.
O Youth want a “community” to ask
questions, be heard & understand
what faith means and looks like in
action.
Rust College’s Living Into Our Future Youth Theology Institute
O Supported by a 3-year grant from the
Lilly Endowment’s High School
Youth Theology Institutes initiative
O 1 of 4 HBCUs participating
O LIOF is an intentional “community” for
youth to explore faith & how it
can/does respond meaningfully to
the world’s problems through social
justice & mercy.
“After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the
teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who
heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.”
(Luke 2:46-47, NRSV)
Rust College’s LIOF Intents
O Conceive Theologically – “Who is God? “ “How do we know/discern God?” “Who am I?” and “Where is God?” in the world.
O Believe Vocationally – “What is our passion?” Explore career fields and align professions to our vocations/call.
O Strive Spiritually – “What are our goals and values?” Supports strategies to increase faith and discern places/spaces for leadership with God.
O Achieve Relationally – “Live your faith!” See how relationships with God are connected to relationships with & service to others.
Rust College’s LIOF: Inside the Greenhouse
O 10-day intensive onsite immersion experience
O Covenant Groups
O Health & Healing
O Creative Writing & Performing Arts
O Ministry and Public Service
O Business Professionals & Entrepreneurs
O Groups are where “God-talk” & questions happen, exploration is encouraged & leadership is cultivated
O Additional learn & lead
opportunities come
from:
O Bonding sessions
O Worship experiences
O Field trips
O Service learning
activities
O Recreational activities
Rust College’s LIOF: Inside the Greenhouse
O 2016 cohort
O 41 youth
O Recruited from the
Southeast United
States (i.e., Mississippi,
Tennessee, Georgia, and
Louisiana)
O 15-19 years of age
O Rising high school
juniors and seniors
O 2/3 female (67.5%); 1/3
male (32.5%)
O 100% African American
O 12% Liberian American
Rust College’s LIOF Greenhouse
of HopeO Issues LIOF examines:
O Racism & poverty;
O Violence and neglect;
O Police brutality against young people;
O Black Lives Matter movement & social activism;
O Invisibility and muting of youth of color by adults;
O Resisting stereotypes & (re)defining self;
O Conflicts of being smart and Black; &
O Hope in the midst of sadness & despair.
O LIOF connected these issues to theology, career interests & youth social action as a response
LIOF youth are leaders who came to learn and left prepared
to serve.
What they learned and left with included…
Faith Grows with Us
O “Coming into this class, I thought that you were going
to shove your own beliefs down my throat. Instead,
Mr. Redmond and Mr. Stovall let me choose what I
want to believe in with guidance. I was expecting that
this class was going to be boring because I was
losing faith in God. But because I’m in this class, I
am becoming a believer. I’m also questioning other
things I believe in. I am forever grateful for this class
and the professors.”
We Need a Community
O “I feel like I have grown as an individual. I’m open to others every since I’ve been here. I’ve opened up and made friends. I have grown to love these people in creative writing. This group was great and fun to be around. I have learned to just let loose and show your talents. Also, I learned not to be so quick to judge people by their looks or action because you always might not know their story. I have really enjoyed being here. I feel like I’m a changed young lady.”
Called to Work with God
O “My experience at Rust has been one I’ll always come
back to reflect on. I’ve learned lessons I can use
inside and outside the classroom…Essentially, being
at Rust has given me the opportunity to expand my
faith and understanding of the Lord as well as explore
the talents the Lord has blessed me with. I was able
to realize that God isn’t a wish-granting factor and you
must put in work for God to help you. In addition, the
people I have encountered have taught me talent has
no face, no specific location, or a gender. “
Rust College’s LIOF: Cultivating Youth Leaders for Today &
Tomorrow
O Building on the College’s rich history of cultivating leaders, Rust is doing it once again for youth leaders.
O LIOF connects faith, heart, head, community & service together for social change.
Rust CollegeA Greenhouse of Hope for 150 years
Greenhouse of Hope Panel
• Benefits of youth engagement in social justice
• Utility of community-campus partnerships for youth social justice programming
• Emerge young leaders who can change the world
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Questions?
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ReferencesWilliams, A., Williams, C., Turnage, I., Kanu, M., Inman, W., Okwumabua, O., Turner, L., Butler, D., Ward, D., Grandberry, C., Henderson, M., Paige, D., Powers, T. (2015). Increasing Public Health Diversity by Engaging High School Students: The Rust College Health Explorers Program. Holly Springs, MS: Rust College.
Baker, D. (Ed.). (2010). Greenhouses of Hope: Congregations Growing Young Leaders Who Will Change the World, Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
Zayas, L., & McGuigan, D. (2006, Sep). Experiences Promoting Healthcare Career Interest among High-School Students from Underserved Communities. Journal of the National Medical Association , 98(9), 1523-1531.
Rashied-Henry, K., Fraser-White, M., Roberts, C., Wilson, T., & et. al. (2012). Engaging Minority High School Students as Health Disparities Interns: Findings and Policy Implications of a Summer Youth Pipeline Program. Journal of the National Medical Association, 104(Sep/Oct), 412-419.
Phillips, J., Harris, T., Ihedigbo, K., & Hawkins, J. (2012). Saturday Morning Science Programs: A Model to Increase Diversity in the Biosciences. Journal of the National Medical Association , 104(Jul/Aug), 377-383.
Rohrbaugh, M., & Corces, V. (2011, Dec). Opening Pathways for Underrepresented High School Students to Biomedical Research Careers: The Emory University RISE Program . Genetics, 189, 1135-1143.
Bumgarner, S., Means, B., & Ford, M. (2003). Building Bridges: From High School to Healthcare Professional. Journal for Nurses in Staff Development, 19(Jan/Feb), 18-22.
Lauver, L., Swan, B., West, M., Zukowsky, K., Powell, M., Frisby, T., et al. (2011). Kids into Health Careers: A Rural Initiative . The Journal of Rural Health , 27, 114-121.
Goodell, E., Visco, R., & Pollock, P. (1999). A Program to Enhance K-12 Science Education in Ten Rural New Work School Districts. Academic Medicine, 332-335.
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