Micah Program Hosts Urban Poverty Conference

The Micah Program held a student conference focused on addressing urban poverty April 24. Twenty five SLU junior and senior students presented projects during five conference sessions. These sessions’ themes and presentations included:

Examining Education and School-based Support –

• Ellen Cook, Preschool Teachers' Knowledge and Beliefs of Vocabulary Instruction
• Rachel McGuire, The study of shifting vocabulary: The “Proper” English Language, What It Dictates and Who it Leaves Behind
• Caroline Lipic, Seating Health of Pediatrics Learners in Urban Schools:  Assistive Equipment and Physical Activity
• Stephanie Ebert, Where do we draw the lines? Public School Districts in the St. Louis Region

Increasing Awareness and Empowerment –

• Braden Spratt, Changing Patterns of Migration from Latin America to USA
• Shilan Hameed, Study of Gender, Race, and Urban Poverty in Intimate Partner Violence and Domestic Homicide
• Teresa Strong, Domestic Violence Resource App: Empowering Survivors with Tools for Assistance
• Francis Poche, Precarity: Protecting the Marginalized in a Global Capitalistic System

Developing Interventions for Health Challenges –

• Katherine Curoe and Jason Maddox, Evidence-Based Interventions: STIs and African American Youth in St. Louis
• Eleni Gryparis and Kay Ideker, Cultural Competency: Latino Immigrant Population and the GUIA Model of Service
• Ashli James and Grace Wenkel, The Deciding Factor: Health Education Curriculum at La Salle Middle School

Recognizing Socioeconomic Disparities –

• Annie Palmer, The Impact of High Funeral Costs on Low Income Families in the St. Louis Area
• Gloria Campbell, Biking the Divide: Barriers to Bicycling for North Saint Louis Residents
• Zackary Scherzer, Combating Food Deserts in St. Louis
• Renee Warden, Systems approach to employment assistance at Employment Connection

Seeking Restorative Justice –

• Tori Moore, From the Playground to Prison Bars: A look at the School-to-prison Pipeline in Today's Society
• Paulina Menichiello, Parents First: The Health Benefits of Restoring Inmate-Child Relationships
• Tommy English and Robert Garvey, Treating Trauma Together: Implementing Trauma-informed Care in Juvenile Detention Centers
• Dominique Dagdag and Rachel Wesenberg, Non-Violent STL: An After School Program Combating Youth Violence in a St. Louis Middle School

The student speakers were completing an interdisciplinary minor in urban poverty studies, which is administered by the Micah program and is open to all students Through coursework tied  to students’ future career interests and service in struggling neighborhoods near the university, students explore effective solutions to issues related to urban poverty.