PBL Lesson Title: Citizens Address Local Homeless Population

PROFILE SHEET

Primary Subject Area: Social Studies Outside Subject Area: Language Arts Teacher: Annette Gobel Class: Social Studies/Civics & Government/Civic & Political Participation Class Level: General Grade Level: 4th Grade Class Time: 15 45-minute periods (or three weeks)

Description of Student Roles & Problem Situation: Students will act as Bay County residents and Bay County business owners to develop innovative solutions to help reduce local homelessness. They will present their recommendations at a Panama City Commission meeting with other concerned members of the community present, including Panama City Police, the Homelessness Task Force, church organizations, Panama City Rescue Mission, business owners and residents, among others.

Adaptations for Students from Non-Western Culture: I will first research the student’s culture to ensure that no elements of the lesson offend the student. Next, I will determine the non-Western student’s prior knowledge about the homeless situation through direct questioning. Based on the information I gather, I will discuss any key details important to the lesson to ensure understanding. I can also provide a graphic organizer for the lesson to help the student understand the expectations of the lesson. Next, I will translate “Meet the Problem” documents and other important information if necessary. I will also be sure to group this student with 1-2 students who can serve as tutors/peer buddies throughout the lesson. Over the course of the lesson, I will take care to observe the non-Western student’s interactions with members of his/her group to ensure he/she is contributing to the discussions. I will also model acceptance of differences among peers and show respect for all opinions. Additional adaptations might include the availability of a translator, native language dictionaries, and computer translation software.

Adaptations for ESOL Students: To ensure the ESOL students receive the maximum benefit of this lesson, I will begin by translating the “Meet the Problem” documents and other vital information. I will also provide access to resources in the student’s native language, as well as a bilingual teacher’s aide. A graphic organizer can also help the student understand the expectations of the lesson. Partnering this student with a peer tutor can help the ESOL student feel included and avoid feeling lost over the course of the lesson. As an additional guide, I will monitor this student’s interactions with members of his/her group to ensure active involvement in discussions, and I will model acceptance and respect for all opinions. Additional adaptations might include providing access to computer translation software and inviting a local representative from the community who speaks this student’s native language. Title, Learner Characteristics, and Next Generation Sunshine State Standards and Learning Outcomes, Student Role and Problem Situation, and Meet the Problem Method

Teacher: Annette Gobel Primary Subject Area: Social Studies Outside Subject Area: Language Arts Class: Social Studies/Civics & Government/Civic & Political Participation Class Level: General Grade Level: 4th Grade

PBL TITLE: Citizens Address Local Homeless Population

NGSSS (Social Studies/Civics & Government/Civic & Political Participation):

SS.4.C.2.2: Identify ways citizens work together to influence government and help solve community and state problems.

LO: Given a set of facts about local homelessness, students will identify two ways citizens can work together to reduce homelessness in Bay County/Panama City using supported reasons to score at least 3 out of 5 on the rubric.

SS.4.C.2.3: Explain the importance of public service, voting, and volunteerism.

LO: After volunteering at the Panama City Rescue Mission and interviewing its principals, students will explain the importance of their service in the lives of local homeless citizens using examples to score at least 3 out of 5 on the rubric.

CCSS (Language Arts/Writing/Text Types & Purposes):

LACC.4.W.1.1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.

LO: Given 10 solutions for reducing homelessness provided by group mates, students will write a 5-paragraph opinion piece that communicates their choice for top two solutions to the problem using supported reasons to score at least 10 out of 15 on the rubric. LEARNER CHARACTERISTICS:

#1 -- Physical: Fourth grade boys and girls attain mastery over large and small muscles; one benefit of this is a relatively orderly classroom and their ability to sit quietly for extended periods and concentrate on intellectual tasks. #1 -- Justification: The absence of major physical concerns presenting impediments to the PBL lesson is a benefit. Since this age group is able to focus more readily on tasks at hand, the strategy for grouping students can focus on other elements and characteristics of the group. Assigning lengthy discussions about the problem will ideally result in a strong focus on the matter at hand and generate a robust exchange of ideas.

#2 -- Physical: Although small in magnitude, gender differences in motor skill performance are apparent at this age with boys outperforming girls in sports-related skills, and girls outperforming boys on activities that require muscle flexibility. #2 -- Justification: The differences in the motor skill development may cause one group to feel superior or inferior to the other. This may lead to similar feelings among students during educational exercises. Because of this, I must be careful to group students in a manner that eliminates feelings of superiority/inferiority in order to encourage a free and diverse exchange of ideas.

#3 -- Social: Increasing concern over being accepted by their peer group is apparent among 4 th graders, and they tend to lack enough self-assurance to oppose group norms. #3 -- Justification: It is important to consider this in the PBL plan because I want all students to feel comfortable expressing their true opinions and ideas rather than conforming. To encourage a diversity of ideas, I will take care to group students according to personality but also pull each student aside for a one-on-one discussion about their individual ideas and encourage them to share and defend those ideas within the group.

#4 -- Social: Friendships at this age become more selective and gender-based, and these relationships tend to be based on common ideas, outlooks, and impressions of the world. #4 -- Justification: In grouping students for the PBL lesson, I will separate “best friends” and take care to group boys with girls rather than create single gender groups. Ideally, this will deliver a robust exchange of ideas, and lead to various outlooks, opinions, and solutions to the problem.

#5 – Emotional: Self-image is based primarily on comparisons with peers, and is largely influenced by information and attitudes communicated to them by significant others such as parents, teachers and friends, and how competent a child feels in areas where success is important. #5 -- Justification: As the teacher, I will positively influence student self-image by celebrating each student’s ideas and input. Separately, I will create opportunities for students to encourage their peers’ ideas by having them identify at least one reason they like another student’s idea.

#6 -- Cognitive: Fourth grade students reason logically, but concretely. They have the ability to understand and solve tasks provided that the content of the task refers to real, tangible ideas that the child has either experienced or can imagine. #6 -- Justification: Because their ability to understand and solve tasks relies heavily on the concrete, it will be important to provide students with as much background and factual information about the problem upfront. Real world examples should also be used as much as possible. This will allow them to deal with the reality of the problem and begin to formulate viable solutions. STUDENT ROLES & PROBLEM SITUATION: Students will act as Bay County residents and Bay County business owners to develop innovative solutions to help reduce local homelessness. They will present their recommendations at a Panama City Commission meeting with other concerned members of the community present, including Panama City Police, the Homelessness Task Force, church organizations, Panama City Rescue Mission, business owners and residents, among others.

MEET THE PROBLEM DOCUMENTS: Students will be presented with a memo from the City of Panama City requesting innovative solutions to reduce the homeless population in the area. In addition, students will receive seven news articles to provide background about the issue. These documents are below…

MEMORANDUM

TO: Bay District Schools, Students and Community Citizens

FROM: Ken Hammons, City Manager, Panama City Commission

RE: Public Forum to Present Solutions to Homelessness Problem

DATE: May 25, 2013

As you can see from the attached articles, homelessness continues to be a significant concern in Bay County, particularly in the downtown Panama City area. Over the course of the last several years, area business owners, the Panama City Police Department, the Homelessness Task Force, and a number of religious organizations have proposed possible solutions to the problem. Unfortunately, none have met the approval of this commission due to budgetary constraints, feasibility concerns, or a lack of addressing the key issue.

Serving the area’s homeless is not necessarily the focus of this request; reducing homelessness is our primary goal. This will take some creative thinking on your part. We are looking to you students, as Panama City’s future, to study the problem and devise innovative solutions with this goal in mind.

There will be a Panama City Commission meeting on June 25, 2013, during which we would like you to present your top solutions to the problem. The City of Panama City will grant a budget of $3,000 to implement the best solution as voted on by those in attendance at the meeting.

If you need additional information, please contact me at 850.872.3010. Thank you.

Homeless Expert Visits Panama City By: Kavontae Smalls Updated: Thu 8:57 PM, Jan 12, 2012

Panama City -- Dr. Robert Marbut, a well-known homeless expert, has spent Thursday visiting different homeless facilities such as Bethel Village in Springfield, the Panama City Rescue Mission and met with veterans.

Marbut says he is surprised of the significantly higher number of homeless men and women in Panama City compared to other cities of similar size. He believes a program needs to be created that does not perpetuate the homeless cycle. However, the added focus city leaders and community organizers are giving the homeless, is a step in the right direction says Marbut.

“The good news for people, the mayor is starting to address it, but when you compare it to like size cities, the problem is significantly worse here than other locations I've seen. It's comparable to a city with a million in a half and that's why I think they are starting to make some changes” said Dr. Robert Marbut, Homeless Consultant.

An open town hall meeting at First Baptist Church took place Thursday afternoon in which nearly two hundred local residents converged to hear Marbut’s message and engage in dialogue with Marbut.

“I have a concern about homelessness & people in need & I want to see what we as a community can do together to do something about this problem” said Martha Spiva, Panama City resident.

“Mainly I just wanted to hear for myself what went on this afternoon & not have to read it in the paper and hear it third hand information” said Kathleen Vance, Panama City resident.

Dr. Marbut concluded Thursday at Carroll and McCauley law office in downtown Panama City where he met homeless men and women and was on hand as volunteers served the homeless a meal for the evening. Friday Dr. Marbut will spend part of his day meeting with city and county leaders to learn more about Panama City’s homeless problem and to offer some solutions to improve the situation.

'Enabling Not the Answer for Homeless' Says Marbut By: Kavontae Smalls Updated: Fri 9:35 PM, Jan 13, 2012

Panama City -- Dr. Robert Marbut spent much of Thursday seeing Panama City’s homeless problem first hand, on Friday he was ready to offer some of his solutions.

“I will say, if you do not do anything, the issues are going to get worse here not better” said Dr. Robert Marbut, homeless consultant.

Dr. Marbut held a candid discussion about the area’s homeless with several city and county officials Friday. Marbut has a proven track record of improving homeless problem in cities all across the United States. Local leaders are hoping his expertise can help with Bay County’s unusually high homeless population.

“One is you have great weather, weather is the number one factor but the second is that you do not service that sector of the homeless community that is not getting serviced or engaged” said Marbut.

That sector is what Marbut calls the “chronically homeless” who does not seek assistance from rescue missions and are well-accustomed to life on the streets for several years. These groups of chronically homeless people need to be sought out and helped says Marbut. Resource centers established should be readily available to people in need, therefore, imposing requirements on guest of resource centers such as attending prayer service for food is not the answer says Marbut. Marbut believes establishing programs that helps homeless become self-reliant, and not enabling them is what is needed.

“Talk about enabling or engaging, if you give a dollar bill outside your window, you have a 96% chance that’s going to drugs, alcohol or women, it does not go to the food” said Marbut.

City and county leaders agree the problem must be addressed not only by the community, but government as well.

“I think everybody is aware of the problem, everybody understands what needs to get done to get it fixed” said Greg Brudnicki, Panama City mayor.

The community, wanting to get involved and learn ways to help has been encouraging to organizations that take care of the homeless population.

“It’s just a lot of community involvement. We’re very hopeful this is just the beginning of some resolutions” said Emily Dowdy, Chair of the Community Resource Center Task Force.

Many at the homeless summit seemed optimistic the community can come together to improve the homeless problem.

Policing Bay County's Homeless

Updated:Sep 07, 2011 6:55 PM CDT By J. Michael Brown

As Bay County officials look for ways to resolve the underlying causes of homelessness, county commissioners say the first step is getting those who don't want help off the streets.

The board made a distinction between the homeless that are down on their luck and those that prefer the lifestyle at their Tuesday meeting. And they didn't mince words when referring to the latter group. "Make them as uncomfortable as possible so they will seek another county to go to," said Chairman Bill Dozier.

Commission Mike Thomas agreed. "I want to help them find a place where they can go be a bum," he said.

Commissioners have asked Sheriff Frank McKeithen to form a task force made up of police chiefs from the county's seven municipalities. The board wants to clear the streets of vagrants that they say are a blight on the community.

A day after the meeting, McKeithen said he's not interested in the "politics" of homelessness. "I'm not going to get involved in that… but we will enforce the statutes and ordinances that we have on the books right now," he said.

Police in Bay County's seven municipalities already deal with violators – for trespassing, public intoxication, loitering and other offenses – but offenders are often back on the streets within days.

For some, it's a cycle of despair.

"I'm trying to better myself and not too many people want to give me a chance," said Johnny Gaines, Jr. outside the Panama City Rescue Mission in downtown Panama City. Gaines is a convicted felon, a recovering drug addict, and a regular at the mission. He said assistance – not law enforcement – will help him get back on his feet.

"They would rather put the cuffs on us and throw us in the jail than to help us," said Gaines.

But Gaines has been homeless for eight years, and that's the chronic condition public officials are trying to end.

Sheriff McKeithen said he and police chiefs will compare ordinances and work toward consistency and a common purpose. "Everybody starts jumping up and down when you start creating laws, so I don't think we need to start creating new laws," said McKeithen. "I think we need to look at what we have already."

Reverend Billy Fox, Executive Director of the Rescue Mission, said about eighty percent of Bay County's homeless prefer the lifestyle. He said the remaining twenty percent don't really want to be helped and that police should make life on the streets uncomfortable for them if they violate the law.

Homeless vs. Progress Part 2 By: Amber Southard Updated: Wed 8:34 AM, Nov 17, 2010

Panama City - The homeless population in Bay County has been on the rise since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the economic recession and some downtown residents feel that’s why crime is on the rise as well.

The Panama City Police Department says it has some solid statistics citing an ongoing survey prepared with the help of Florida State University.

Panama City Police Captain Scott Ervin has been working on the homeless situation downtown for the past three years.

After fielding dozens of complaints from the downtown community, he decided to prepare a study to track the homeless in relation to crime.

The survey identified around 800 homeless people in Bay County of those 800, 114 were interviewed.

Ervin found 79% originally came from outside of Bay County.

49% admitted to either alcohol or drug addictions or both.

50% indicated they'd been here less than two years and 16% indicated they had some type of disability, but only 24% were arrested on criminal charges.

Just being homeless is not a crime. "Probably 75% to 80% of the homeless population are homeless we don't deal with from a law enforcement perspective. In other words we are not arresting them for offense, but they are people with needs," said Ervin.

Panama City Rescue Mission Executive Director Rev. Billy Fox says the population has increased significantly since the recession and the more recent B.P. oil spill, but neighboring counties are contributing heavily to the problem.

Fox says six different counties are bussing homeless people to Bay County, including inmates just released from jail.

"A lot of it has to do with we do not only serve six different county's, but we're really the better place to go in lower Alabama, southern Georgia," said Fox.

Fox understands people who are concerned the rescue mission contributes to the homeless problem downtown, but even if the mission moves, Fox believes the vagrants would stay.

"The vagrant kind of people who don't want any help their going to stay downtown any way. This is their world and their going to camp and that's where they are going to find whatever it is they want," said Fox.

Fox says mission officials have done everything they can in the past 25 years to close this facility off to the public initiating projects like this court yard and day center. To those who still want the mission moved from downtown fox says he has a price in mind.

"Do you have 10 million dollars come and I’ll talk about selling this to you. If someone wants to buy this everything has its price. If you want to buy this property my board of directors said 'you know if we could build a state of the art building and we could work out transportation and all of that then come on'," said Fox.

Fox says there are no plans for the mission to be relocating any time soon. December 27, 2012 PANAMA CITY — The Bay Area Resource Center is continuing to look for a home. The attempt to relocate the Panama City Rescue Mission from downtown to an area south of U.S. 231 off the Star Avenue corridor floundered and was put to a halt a little over a month after its announcement. “There’s no perfect solution,” Panama City Mayor Greg Brudnicki said while announcing the location would no longer be an option. Members of the Resource Center Task Force “are going to continue to look for another site. The process is going to be a little different as far as making sure the right people are informed about everything ahead of time.” Commissioners initially were met with applause as they unanimously approved the purchase of the $445,000, 70-acre parcel of land during the Nov. 13 meeting. The grounds would serve as the future site of a facility to provide one-stop emergency assistance for people in need of Bay County. And, with a written guarantee from the Panama City Rescue Mission to move, the property would be the new location for the Panama City homeless shelter. Commissioner John Kady requested the city first require the written agreement of the Rescue Mission before handing over funds. Kady also required no further city involvement in the project, no recruitment outside of Bay County and a development period restriction of three years. Rescue Mission directors declined the proposed relocation during a closed-door meeting a week later. “We are not opposed to moving; we are opposed to it costing us to move,” the Rev. Billy Fox, Panama City Rescue Mission executive director, said in an interview with The News Herald. “Downtown is not imperative, but we do own our property. So, we aren’t going raise millions of dollars to go out and make a move.” A lack of resources near the proposed site was the main reason for the board’s decision, Fox said. “If [Panama City] wants to do this somewhere that is not 10 miles out of town, we are open to discussion,” Fox said. “It is outside of resources and jobs, and 80 percent of people we deal with can and will join our live-saving programs. If they are 10 miles outside of the city, they are isolated and have a long way to go. If they have something that’s closer in, we’d like to discuss it with them.” Residents of Cherokee Heights, a community neighboring the proposed site, pushed back against the city’s plans for different reasons. Residents expressed concerns about crime and safety for children after the announcement to introduce a homeless element into the area consisting of Tommy Smith Elementary School, Merritt Brown Middle School and the Bay County Jail. Several residents worried about the release of inmates to the Resource Center. Sheriff Frank McKeithen and County Commissioner George Gainer had an agreement with Cherokee Heights residents before the jail annex was built inmates would not be released in the area. The agreement with county officials eventually led Brudnicki to halt the move as he indicated the location of the Resource Center might breach the agreement. “I did not realize that the jail had made certain stipulations or promises to the people of Cherokee Heights that people would not go through their neighborhoods,” Brudnicki said. “And we thought we could not really control that issue.” Brudnicki said the homelessness task force, a 26-member group appointed to address issues with the homeless population and poverty epidemic in the area, would continue to search for a location. The group worked on site selection for the Resource Center, spending 15 months looking for the best possible location, considering proximity, size and cost. “If it was easy, it would’ve been solved years ago,” Brudnicki said. “There are so many things involved that you’ve got to do obviously just to find a place to do it.” Shortly after declining the city’s offer, Fox published on the Rescue Mission’s website “revised programs would be in place by January 2013 and the Day Shelter portion of the Homeless Resource Center would be closed (with the city overseeing the chronic homeless away from the downtown area, as they’ve desired).” Rescue Mission directors also announced the board will increase its focus and begin an active search for a location more suitable for the Pathways Christian Recovery Ministries population and its “transitional programs.” “The sale of the valuable downtown property would serve as the major funding resource for the move,” Fox wrote. Study reveals facts about homelessness

By STEVEN ROE / The News Herald Published: Sunday, December 23, 2012 at 16:28 PM. PANAMA CITY — The Panama City Rescue Mission is working to improve the plight of homeless people, but they aren’t the only ones making an effort.

A recent survey conducted by the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions shows that 70 percent of the people who check themselves into the Rescue Mission successfully complete the mission’s program. That means they gain employment and get their chance at a productive life.

The recent study compared demographics of the Panama City Rescue Mission with over 300 gospel missions around the nation.

The study also showed the percentage of veterans who come to the local Rescue Mission is double the percentage in the national survey. Veterans make up a third of the people the Panama City facility serves. This is perhaps due to a heavy concentration of military bases throughout the Panhandle, and a warm climate that makes the Southeast a more tolerable place to not have shelter, shelter officials said.

Most of the veterans at the mission are young, aged 25 to 35. And while nationally most homeless veterans have served in earlier wars such as Korea and Vietnam, most of the local homeless veterans have served in the Persian Gulf, Iraq, or Afghanistan wars.

Other tidbits revealed in the survey are:

- A homeless person in Bay County is more likely to be a woman than the homeless population in the rest of the nation.

- Homeless people in Bay County are younger than the national average age of homeless people.

- Over 70 percent of the homeless have been in the community for over six months.

- Homeless in Bay County are 26 percent more likely to seek assistance themselves compared to national average. Mar 10, 2011

The Number Of Homeless Children In Bay County Is On The Rise

Panama City- Signs of homeless children can be found all over the Rescue Mission in Panama City.

"Single mothers with children is the fastest growing population at the Rescue Mission," said Reverend Billy Fox.

For the 2009-2010 school year, Bay County schools listed approximately 650 students as homeless. So far for 2010-2011, the number is up to 880 and the year isn't over yet.

"It just breaks my heart because the kids come in and they're very flexible and they learn to live in this kind of crazy shelter life that's really not home for them," said Fox.

Officials from the Anchorage Children's Home in Panama City say the true number of homeless children is impossible to pin-point.

"We have a lot of wooded areas and there are a lot of people who stay in the woods and there's a lot of people who do ‘couch surf’ and they go from hotel to hotel and they don't get accounted for," said Regina Alderman, who works with Anchorage’s outreach program.

Alderman says she’s happy knowing the local homeless population has people trying to help. "We have food for them. They're fed. They do get blankets. They do have shelter somewhere and there's people trying to help them."

"The kids are always great, but it's so heart breaking when they're so excited when they get something to eat for every meal and they're excited about that," said Fox.

A new count for Bay County's total homeless population will be turned into the state next Tuesday. PROBLEM STATEMENT, KNOW/NEED TO KNOW BOARDS, AND POSSIBLE RESOURCES

How can we, as Bay County residents, reduce homelessness in Bay County/Panama City in such a way that we …

 Adhere to budgetary constraints set forth by the Panama City Commission ($3,000)  Meet the presentation of solution(s) deadline (June 25, 2013)  Provide the Panama City Commission with accurate data about the problem  Present the Panama City Commission with sufficient details for effective execution of solution(s)  Prove feasibility of the solution(s)

KNOW BOARD: 1. We must make a presentation to the Panama City Commission on June 25.

2. Dr. Robert Marbut, a well-known homeless expert, found that there are a significantly higher number of homeless men and women in Panama City compared to other cities of similar size.

3. Marbut believes a local program needs to be created that does not perpetuate the homeless cycle.

4. The “chronically homeless” or those who do not seek assistance from rescue missions and are well-accustomed to life on the streets need to be sought out and helped according to homeless expert, Marbut.

5. Marbut believes establishing programs that helps homeless people become self-reliant, and not enabling them is what is needed. He says, enabling them is giving a dollar bill outside your window, because there’s a 96% chance that’s going to drugs, alcohol or women rather than food.

6. Bay County officials asked Sheriff Frank McKeithen to form a task force made up of police chiefs from the county's seven municipalities to rid the streets of the 80 percent of Bay County's homeless citizens who prefer the lifestyle.

7. The homeless population in Bay County has been on the rise since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the economic recession. Some downtown residents feel that’s why crime is on the rise.

8. A Panama City Police study revealed that 79% of local homeless citizens originally came from outside of Bay County, 49% admitted to either alcohol or drug addictions or both, 50% had been here less than two years, and 16% had some type of disability, but only 24% were arrested on criminal charges. 9. Six different counties are bussing homeless people to Bay County, including inmates just released from jail.

10. Many locals and Panama City officials believe the Panama City Rescue Mission contributes to the homeless problem downtown and would like to relocate the facility, but PCRM officials declined due to a lack of resources near the proposed site.

11. A recent survey showed that 70 percent of the people who check themselves into the Panama City Rescue Mission successfully complete the mission’s program, gaining employment and getting a chance at a productive life.

12. The percentage of veterans who come to the Panama City Rescue Mission is double the percentage in the national survey. Veterans make up one-third of the people the facility serves.

13. A homeless person in Bay County is more likely to be a woman than the homeless population in the rest of the nation. In fact, single mothers are the fastest growing population at the Panama City Rescue Mission.

14. Homeless people in Bay County are younger than the national average age of homeless people.

15. Over 70 percent of the homeless have been in the community for over six months.

16. Homeless in Bay County are 26 percent more likely to seek assistance themselves compared to national average.

NEED TO KNOW:

1. What solutions to reduce homelessness have worked in others cities? 2. What solutions to reduce homelessness have not worked previously? 3. Why do homeless people come to this area and stay? 4. What do homeless citizens believe is the reason they are homeless? 5. How do the homeless define “help” – feeding & clothing them or teaching them to break the cycle of homelessness? What is most important to them? 6. How do different community organizations define “helping” the homeless? 7. What do homeless citizens believe is the solution for breaking out of the cycle of homelessness? 8. How are local organizations willing to assist in solving the problem? 9. What are some existing local programs designed to reduce the homeless problem? What works and what doesn’t work? 10. What do community and government organizations view as the biggest obstacle or issue to breaking the cycle of homelessness? 11. Are there laws that restrict homeless assistance programs? 12. What resources (manpower, technology, etc.) are available to us for execution/implementation of program? 13. How can we help alleviate the homeless problem without hurting the homeless citizens, our neighborhoods, and ourselves? 14. What are a few important lessons/take aways we can learn from those who have attempted to reduce homelessness in the past so we don’t repeat the same mistakes?

RESOURCES:

Internet

1. Connecting the Pieces: Homelessness in Bay County http://cdc-s.com/pdf/Bay%20County%20Homeless%20Issue%20Brief%20FINAL.pdf

2. Council on Homelessness: 2012 Report http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/programs/homelessness/docs/2012CouncilReport.pdf

3. The State of Homelessness in America 2013 (by the National Alliance to End Homelessness) http://b.3cdn.net/naeh/bb34a7e4cd84ee985c_3vm6r7cjh.pdf

4. Berger Kaye M.A., Cathryn (2007). A Kids’ Guide to Hunger & Homelessness: How to Take Action! Minneapolis, MN: Free spirit Publishing, Inc.

5. Corbett, Steve and Fikkert, Brian (2012). When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor… and Yourself. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers.

6. Burt, Alan R. (2013). Blessing of the Burden: Reflections & Lessons in Helping the Homeless. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

7. Shumsky, Neil Larry (2012). Homelessness: A Documentary & Reference Guide. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, LLC.

Non-Print/Human Resources

8. Reverend Billy Fox, Executive Director, Panama City Rescue Mission. Phone: 850-769-0783;

609 Allen Avenue, Panama City, FL 32401.

9. Ken Hammons, City Manager, Panama City Commission. Phone: 850-872-3010;

9 Harrison Avenue, Panama City, FL 32402

10. Chief Scott Ervin, Panama City Police Department. Phone: 850-872-3100;

1209 E. 15th Street, Panama City, FL 32405. CAPSTONE PERFORMANCE

The capstone performance for this problem consists of (1) an individual written report and (2) a whole group presentation. The class will be divided into heterogeneous groups of five students each. Though students will be working in groups, they will be assessed on both components of the capstone performance on an individual basis using two separate rubrics, one for each component. The rubrics will be provided to the students well in advance. Groups will have three weeks of designated class and homework time to prepare.

For the individual written report, each student will take on the role of a Bay County resident to identify and describe his/her top two solutions for reducing local homelessness to teammates. In the five- paragraph report, students will also be required to recommend one choice over the other using at least four supported reasons, as well as explain the impact that solution would have in the lives of local homeless citizens once implemented. This will be reviewed by the instructor upon completion.

Each member within each five-person group will read everyone else’s reports. Afterwards, the group will engage in discussions to determine one solution as the overall best. That solution may consist of portions of several possible solutions. The chosen solution will be presented as part of the group’s oral presentation to the Panama City Commission. Instructor will monitor discussions among groups to provide guidance, inspiration and questions to stimulate higher order thinking.

For the oral presentation, each student acting as a Bay County resident, will identify his/her choice from the top two identified in their written report using at least four supported reasons for selecting it. Each student will also explain how they believe that solution will impact the lives of local homeless citizens, and provide details about its feasibility. As part of the oral presentation, each student will also reflect on his/her experience volunteering at the Panama City Rescue Mission and the importance of service.

After the individual oral presentations, one student from each group will present the team’s top pick as the solution to the problem, and team members will each provide at least one reason for the team’s selection. The allotted time for each group’s oral presentation is 15 minutes.

The audience will consist of school administrators and teachers acting as Panama City Commissioners, local police, business owners, and other concerned citizens. Every attempt will be made to secure one or two authentic audience members from the City of Panama City, police department, and local business owners. Audience members will ask each member of each group open-ended questions about solution feasibility, implementation, projected effectiveness, and the like to encourage higher order thinking. The room will be arranged with commissioners, police, and business owners at a long table facing the front of the classroom. Presenters will stand in the front of the classroom facing the long table of officials, and may incorporate the use of the existing podium, laptop, projector and screen, white board, and other media into their presentations. Non-presenting students will sit behind the long table of officials. The recommended room arrangement is below. Student autonomy is emphasized throughout the performance by allowing individuals to determine their own top choice for solution to the problem, enabling them to present it in a manner of their own choosing, and using the technology of their choice in the presentation.

Metacognition will be stimulated with the requirement that each student write a “reflection” paragraph after their group presentation that explains how this lesson changed their life and how they intend to apply what they have learned in the real world. Also, students in the audience will be required to complete an evaluation of each group presentation.

ROOM ARRANGEMENT:

(Front of Classroom)

White Board with Screen

Bay County Residents (Presenters)

Panama City Officials Table

Non-Presenting Student Desks RUBRIC TO ASSESS THE CAPSTONE PERFORMANCE

WRITTEN REPORT RUBRIC: Criteria Superior Adequate Poor Content 30 points 20 points 10 points Accuracy All information and facts Information and facts about Information and facts about local homelessness local homelessness are about local homelessness are 100% accurate. accurate 90 - 99% of the are less than 90% time. accurate. Alignment to 20 points 10 points 5 points Problem All proposed solutions Proposed solutions align with Proposed solutions align Statement align with all five three or four conditions with two or less of the conditions stated in the stated in the problem conditions stated in the problem statement. statement. problem statement. Required 50 points 40 points 10 points Components The report contains: The report contains: The report contains less  Five paragraphs.  Four paragraphs. information than is listed  The group’s problem  Two different solutions in the “Adequate” statement. for reducing local category.  Two different homelessness. solutions for reducing  Four supported reasons local homelessness. for choosing one solution  Four supported over the other. reasons for choosing  An explanation of the one solution over the expected impact that other. solution would have on  An explanation of the the lives of local expected impact that homeless citizens once solution would have implemented. on the lives of local  An explanation of the homeless citizens importance of public once implemented. service/volunteerism in  An explanation of the the lives of local importance of public homeless citizens. service/volunteerism in the lives of local homeless citizens. Mechanics 10 points 7 points 3 points The report contains no The report contains 1-3 The report contains more grammatical errors grammatical errors. than 3 grammatical (spelling, capitalization, errors. punctuation, subject/verb agreement) Scoring Guide A 100-110 B 85-99 C 75-84 D 65-74 F Less than 65

ORAL REPORT RUBRIC: Criteria Superior Adequate Poor Delivery 30 points 20 points 10 points Maintains audience eye Maintains audience eye Eye contact is less than contact at least 90% of contact 75%-89% of the 75%; makes 3 or more the time; fluctuations in time; makes 1-2 distracting gestures; volume and inflection distracting gestures; voice volume is add to clarity of voice volume is loud inaudible in the back of presentation; gestures enough to be heard in the room 25% or more are appropriate and do the back of the room of the time. not distract from 75-89% of the time. content at least 90% of the time; voice volume is loud enough to be heard in the back of room at least 90% of the time. Comprehension and 20 points 12 points 5 points Accuracy Student answers Student answers Student fails to answer audience questions audience questions audience questions correctly, providing at correctly, providing at correctly or does not least 2 accurate least 1 accurate provide a supporting supporting facts. supporting fact. fact. Quality of Individual 20 points 12 points 5 points Solution Explanation Individual solution Individual solution Individual solution fails aligns with all aligns with all but one to align with 2 or more conditions in the condition in the conditions in the problem statement. problem statement. problem statement. Student provides 4 Student provides 3 Student provides 2 or supported reasons for supported reasons for less supported reasons selecting it, explains the selecting it, explains the for selecting it, or fails expected impact expected impact to explain the expected solution will have on solution will have on impact solution will the problem. the problem. have on the problem. Quality of Individual 20 points 10 points 5 points Justification Explanation Reason provided for Reason provided for Reason is not accurate, supporting the group’s supporting the group’s and may or may not be “best solution” is “best solution” is feasible. accurate and includes 2 accurate and includes 1 details about its detail about its feasibility. feasibility. Reflection 10 points 6 points 2 points Student writes a 6-8 Student writes a 4-5 The reflection sentence reflection sentence reflection paragraph contains less paragraph that: paragraph that: information than is  Explains how this  Explains how this listed in the lesson changed lesson changed “Adequate” category. their life. their life.  Explains how they  Explains how they intend to apply intend to apply what they have what they have learned in the real learned in the real world. world.

Score Conversion Chart A 88-100 B 74-87 C 60-73 D 50-59 F Less than 50 TWO ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS AND “BEST” SOLUTION ANALYSIS

SOLUTION #1:

As Bay County residents charged with the task of reducing local homelessness, we do not recommend indefinite care of the homeless (feeding/clothing, etc.) without some form of rehabilitation. To do so would only facilitate the lifestyle. The group of residents has done its research and provides accurate information about the local homeless problem, including existing relief services, participating community service agencies, interested groups, business owners, and partners willing to assist where needed. They provide accurate information about the causes of local homelessness, its recent growth, solutions which have worked in other cities, and what homeless citizens believe would help them break the cycle. The team recommends a partnership between select church organizations and the Rescue Mission in which individual church volunteers would serve as mentors to individual homeless citizens in order to guide them back to becoming productive members of society. There would be bi-weekly meetings on church grounds between mentors and the homeless citizens, inspirational speakers and prospective job providers. A meal will be served on each occasion as well.

Pros Cons 1. Provides care to homeless citizens (meals), as 1. Requires volunteers (from churches, businesses, well as a form of rehabilitation (job prospects, etc) to support the effort. inspiration, friendly support system). 2. Mentoring creates a system of accountability to 2. Requires homeless to be willing participants. keep homeless citizens on a path to success. 3. Eliminates the need to create another 3. Transportation to meetings may be an issue. government agency to rehabilitate homeless. 4. Inspires homeless to clean up their lifestyles. 4. Coordination of program elements may become time-consuming.

CONSEQUENCES:

 Mentoring program would reduce the number of homeless citizens on the streets and give them a chance at a productive lifestyle.

 In the long term, the mentor program would require renewed financial and volunteer support. SOLUTION #2:

As Bay County residents charged with the task of reducing local homelessness, we do not recommend indefinite care of the homeless (feeding/clothing, etc.) without some form of rehabilitation. To do so would only facilitate the lifestyle. The group of residents has done its research and provides accurate information about the local homeless problem, including existing relief services, participating community service agencies, interested groups, business owners, and partners willing to assist where needed. They provide accurate information about the causes of local homelessness, its recent growth, solutions which have worked in other cities, and what homeless citizens believe would help them break the cycle. The team recommends coordination of a job fair tailored to the needs of local businesses and the skill set of homeless citizens. This option would provide the homeless citizens with employment opportunities designed specifically for them and eliminate large numbers of homeless from local streets.

Pros Cons 1. Physically removes homeless from the streets. 1. There is no guarantee of employment. 2. Places homeless citizens in jobs. 2. Transportation to job could be an issue. 3. Provides financial means to homeless citizens. 3. No system of accountability or support. 4. May lower crime and arrests in downtown area. 4. Job pay may be insufficient for living expenses.

CONSEQUENCES:

 Homeless citizens will be exposed to several potential employment opportunities and job connections.

 A number of homeless citizens will likely gain employment that will lead into the long-term and allow them to become self-reliant, productive citizens. JUSTIFICATION:

The best solution is Solution #1. Though homelessness exists all around the country, homelessness in Bay County is significantly higher compared to cities of similar size. Though there are local programs for assisting homeless citizens with their needs, experts believe they have perpetuated the problem. Homelessness has continued to rise. Experts believe that a program designed to rehabilitate homeless citizens and help them become self-reliant is necessary to effectively reduce the problem. Solution #1 is best as it would bring together a virtual choir of volunteers to help. People from churches, local businesses, law enforcement, transportation, local government, and more will work together to rehabilitate homeless citizens to lead productive lives. It will be cost effective and create a complete system of support, accountability, and encouragement beyond any in existence. Mentors would effectively partner with one or two homeless citizens and maintain communication through weekly meetings at the church hall. Local business owners would offer up jobs and mentor homeless by providing employment and guidance on the job front. Transportation companies would volunteer their time to provide rides to and from work and mentor meetings, and so on. All of these elements would work together to help get homeless citizens on their feet again.

Solution #2, hosting a job fair, provides homeless citizens with exposure to potential employment opportunities. This is positive. However, this option does not provide homeless citizens with the support and accountability the mentor program (solution #1) would provide. The homeless condition is a fragile one and the benefits of having a mentor friend help you navigate through the obstacles of returning to normalcy is invaluable.

Counter-Argument Some people might say that a mentoring program such as the one described in Solution #1 will not get enough homeless citizens off the streets to work and live productive lives. However, the program would have a positive effect on a large percentage of homeless citizens who actually want to be rehabilitated. Though there exists a number of “chronically homeless” citizens who prefer the lifestyle and do not seek assistance, the mentoring program would indeed reduce the total number of homeless citizens because it would help many. The ultimate goal of the program, reducing the number of local homeless citizens, would be achieved in a cost-effective manner as it is largely volunteer-based. Furthermore, learning of the success of the program may ultimately inspire even some of the chronically homeless citizens to turn their lives around as well! DEBRIEFING PLAN AND COACHING QUESTIONS

The described procedure for sharing solutions ensures that all solutions from all groups will be heard by all students. In other words, all teams (of Bay County residents) will present their solutions to the “City Commission” and other local officials in the presence of all other teams. The instructor will record key details of each proposed “best solution”. A document outlining those details will be provided to all students on the next full day of class after all presentations have been made. Bay County resident teams will then rate each “best solution” and provide a list of the solutions in priority order with #1 being the most preferred among the best solutions. Points will then be assigned according to each solution’s place on the priority list (points system is below). Afterwards, the teacher will total the points for each solution.

Points System for Priority List

1st Place 10 points 2nd Place 7 points 3rd Place 5 points 4th Place 3 points 5th Place 1 points

The top two scoring solutions will then be the focus of a whole class discussion to analyze and examine the elements of each. Based on the analysis and discussion, the teacher will inspire the students to determine whether an even more suitable solution can be created by combining specific elements of the solutions. At the end of the discussion, students will be required to agree on a plan of action and detail which elements of each solution will be implemented. The teacher will list all the elements on the white board in front of the classroom.

Five essential concepts which must be addressed and utilized in the “best” solutions are:

1. Facts about local homelessness. 2. How citizens can work together to reduce homelessness. 3. Effects of volunteerism on homeless citizens. 4. How the power of public service positively influences the lives of homeless citizens. 5. How apathy might affect the homeless problem.

In addition, solutions must include accurate, hard data about the local homeless problem. Students must also detail estimations/projections of the “best” solutions’ effects on the local homeless problem and feasibility information. COACHING QUESTIONS:

TYPE *********** Q U E S T I O N S *********** Meet the Problem Cognitive Can you summarize the information about the problem? What seems most important? Metacognitive What did you already know about the local homelessness? Epistemic Will this problem be easy or difficult to solve? Why? Know/Need to Know Board Cognitive What are some of the causes of local homelessness? Metacognitive How do you “know” this? Epistemic What obstacles do you foresee? Problem Statement Cognitive What resources can local government and other agencies provide to help solve the homeless problem? Metacognitive Does everyone in your group agree with the problem statement the group has written? Epistemic What factors do you need to consider to achieve an effective solution? Research Cognitive What type of research does the group need to perform to solve this problem? Metacognitive Now that you have more facts about the causes of homelessness, does it change your opinion about this issue? Epistemic Why is this important? Generating Possible Solutions Cognitive What are the strengths and weaknesses of other possible solutions? Metacognitive Explain why you believe Solution 1 is better than Solution 2. Epistemic Do you think this solution would work in the real world? Does it leave any issues unresolved?