DSpace Community: Georgetown University

Carver Terrace

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:12:36 GMT

Title: Carver Terrace

Authors: Murphy, Mary

Abstract: During the 2005-2006 academic year, members of a research team at Georgetown University (GRT) volunteered in a community development project at Carver Terrace. Carver Terrace is a low-income housing community located in Northeast Washington D.C. that has suffered neglect and segregation by the D.C. city government and developers in the past decades. In 2002, the Telesis Corporation purchased the Carver Terrace properties, renovated apartment units, and re-landscaped the outdoor areas. Telesis plans to sell some of the units to residents well below the market value over a fifteen year homeownership transition period. Telesis will also sell some properties at market value in order to develop a mixed-income community at Carver Terrace. Telesis subcontracted research at Carver Terrace to the GRT in order to find out residents’ feelings about the Carver Terrace property, the surrounding neighborhood, and the homeownership project. The GRT conducted three focus groups with a total of 30 of residents and 92 door-to-door surveys to gather information from residents. The data collected allowed for more specific analysis on particular aspects of the homeownership project. The following research analyzes the residents’ feelings of trust and distrust regarding the successful transition to being homeowners. Residents were generally distrustful in regards to the Telesis Corporation, the GRT, and the homeownership project in general, presenting a serious obstacle in the successful completion of the transition to homeownership at Carver Terrace.

Assessing national student partnership

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:06:40 GMT

Title: Assessing national student partnership

Authors: Cloke, Annie

Abstract: This paper reflects research conducted while working with National Student Partnerships (NSP), to reestablish their satellite office at the Virginia Williams Family Resource Center for the homeless (VWFRC). NSP’s goal is to provide better assistance to a greater number of VWFRC’s clientele who are in need of social services and resources. NSP has not been able to establish a stable and continuous presence at the VWFRC for a number of reasons including the following: 1. Few people at the VWFRC, clients and staff members, know that NSP has a work station in the center. 2. People are unaware that NSP provides services to clients at the VWFRC who need more assistance or do not qualify to receive services from the VWFRC. 3. It is unclear what the needs of NSP’s clients at the VWFRC are and if NSP has or can develop these services and resources. 4. NSP is unaware of other service providers in Washington D.C. NSP would like to increase its clientele at the Virginia Williams Family Resource Center by assessing the needs of its clients, creating greater awareness of NSP’s services within the VWFRC, and identifying the best ways to access the resources that its clients need. NSP’s presence at the VWFRC and its help in assisting homeless families who come to the intake center can potentially help NSP to develop a symbiotic and more consistent relationship with the VWFRC, in which both agencies can communicate and refer clients in a manner that is more effective for clients in gaining help and that is beneficial to the functioning of the organizations.

The Carver Terrace Community Building Project: Resident Attitudes towards Homeownership

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:02:10 GMT

Title: The Carver Terrace Community Building Project: Resident Attitudes towards Homeownership

Authors: Beckford, DeAnn

Abstract: The Carver Terrace housing development, located in Northeast Washington D.C., was recently purchased and renovated by the Telesis Corporation as part of a fifteen year plan designed to give residents the opportunity to buy their current housing units below market price. Their ultimate goal is to create a mixed income community in Carver Terrace, while displacing as few residents as possible. This research project, in collaboration with Dr. Sam Marullo, utilizes data from resident focus group sessions and an extensive survey conducted by both student and resident volunteers within the Carver Terrace community. I have used this data to focus on residents’ positive or negative perceptions of homeownership. In addition, I have explored how these opinions may help or hinder the Telesis Corporation’s plan to transition the Carver Terrace residents to homeownership. Findings show that residents are interested in homeownership, stating that they would like to own their own home for financial or security reasons. However, they are not interested in owning their current housing units. Many residents stated substandard renovation materials, dissatisfaction with management and a lack of parking as reasons for not wanting to own at Carver Terrace. Based on the condition of the Carver Terrace housing units, research findings suggest that resident’s negative opinions regarding the purchase of their current apartments may, in fact, hinder the Telesis Corporation’s plan to transition the residents to homeownership.

Meeting the Needs of Latino Undocumented Immigrant Children in Washington, DC

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:55:26 GMT

Title: Meeting the Needs of Latino Undocumented Immigrant Children in Washington, DC

Authors: O’Brien, Annie

Abstract: This research project, conducted in collaboration with the National Center for Refugees and Immigrant Children (NCRIC), seeks to better understand and meet the needs of undocumented and unaccompanied children in the Washington, DC Area. Specifically, the current research project seeks to do the following: 1) better understand the needs of Latino undocumented, unaccompanied immigrant children in the DC area; 2) create an asset-map of services available to these children; and 3) to identify the extent to which the children’s needs are being met . The NCRIC is run by the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) and the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) (U.S. Committee for Refugee and Immigrants, 2005) and matches undocumented children who are out of detention and in need of representation in court with lawyers who are willing to provide their services, pro-bono. However, the NCRIC has found that undocumented immigrant children have needs that extend beyond the legal realm and has committed itself to addressing the medical, psychological, physical and educational needs of the children. The NCRIC is putting together a database organized by city that lists organizations and services that can meet the social and psychological needs of its clients. Though undocumented children come from all over the world, the majority of children with whom the NCRIC works in Washington, DC are Latino. After determining the needs of the Latino undocumented immigrant children who are involved with NCRIC and the resources available in the Washington DC area that address those needs, I will then determine the capacity of the organizations and their current ability to serve children with whom the NCRIC works.

Georgetown Education Outreach Initiatives:An Assessment of Staff and Student Education Outreach Programs

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:52:05 GMT

Title: Georgetown Education Outreach Initiatives:An Assessment of Staff and Student Education Outreach Programs

Authors: Rodriguez, Annie

Abstract: Georgetown University’s education outreach programs lack a formal communication network or central repository of information. This deficit makes it difficult for programs to coordinate their activities, and for the university to provide strategic direction to the outreach programs. The purpose of this research is to map and catalog all staff and student-run education outreach programs at Georgetown and to create a research model that other universities can replicate in order to describe and organize their outreach programs. Twenty-three university staff and student program coordinators were surveyed. Participants were asked for program information and training materials, to complete an online survey, and to participate in follow-up interviews. This information now provides a clear overview of student and staff-run education outreach at Georgetown.

Affordable housing in the district of columbia

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:23:26 GMT

Title: Affordable housing in the district of columbia

Authors: lancaster, ashley

Abstract: The development of affordable housing is a nation-wide problem, and should undoubtedly be made a priority across the states. A strong indicator of this affordable housing crisis is income level. Roughly 33,899,812 people received incomes below the poverty level in 1999, this staggering figure being true, it can be assumed that these same people encountered challenges when it came to the issue of housing. This nation-wide problem is also a devastating reality in the Anacostia community of the District of Columbia. Although comparatively the numbers are much smaller, according to the 1999 census data, tract 76.01 (the Anacostia community) had about 955 out of its 4540 total residents receiving an income under the poverty level. Again this figure may seem insignificant, however when considered in the context of that specific community, this is a little over twenty-one percent of that particular community’s population. This is an alarming statistic. With the knowledge of the below-poverty income level of over twenty percent of the Anacostia community, the need for affordable housing is clearly evident. This need for affordable housing is just one of many social issues plaguing the community; however, a solution to this problem will contribute to the eventual improvement of the various other social concerns within the area. Please see Appendix A for a complete layout of the previously stated census data. The ultimate goal of the project, more specifically Faithworks Inc., is to develop affordable housing units (the long-term goal is to develop multiple units) not only in the Anacostia community, but also throughout the entire Ward 8 area. The first phase goal of the project is to establish low-income housing in the Anacostia community. The goal of my research is to determine potential challenges that are faced when trying to establish affordable housing in a low-income community, and to offer solutions for these challenges, or methods to avoid these potential problems—which will be obtained through my experience throughout the project. It is commonly known that the Anacostia community is an extremely marginalized community within the District, in establishing affordable housing in this area, we are hoping to not only fulfill the housing needs of the residents, but to also enrich the quality of living of the community in general

Parental Involvement at Two Southeast Washington, DC Schools: Parents’ Perceptions and Recommendations

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:06:13 GMT

Title: Parental Involvement at Two Southeast Washington, DC Schools: Parents’ Perceptions and Recommendations

Authors: Wilson, Alicia

Abstract: Many studies have determined that parental involvement is a key element that improves a child’s social capital and academic achievement. Therefore, this study examined parents’ perceptions of involvement and ways to improve involvement at two Southeast Washington, DC elementary schools. Phone interviews served as the primary methods for obtaining results. Participants noted their current level of involvement at the respective schools, the types of activities parents are involved in at the schools, and the ways the schools can improve or increase parental involvement. Results suggest that few parents are involved in organized school activities, but feel they still have “some” level of involvement in the schools. Disjointed parent-teacher communication was a dominant theme in the research. Several recommendations for improving involvement came forth including: school newsletters, more notification on meetings, and more appropriate scheduling of meetings.

Aging and Second Language Acquisition: Differential Success in Learning Latin Grammar Via Implicit and Explicit Feedback

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 02:15:10 GMT

Title: Aging and Second Language Acquisition: Differential Success in Learning Latin Grammar Via Implicit and Explicit Feedback

Authors: Lenet, Allison

Abstract: The ability to learn a second language becomes difficult for adults, but not impossible. While implicit processes that can contribute to acquisition of syntax are relatively spared in aging, there are marked deficits in explicit learning, suggesting that language instructions calling on implicit learning might be more effective than that based on explicit learning for older adults. In this experiment, 20 adults ages 66-81 were taught aspects of Latin grammar with either implicit or explicit feedback and were compared to a group of college-age students who previously completed the same task. Overall, the results suggest that the implicit method of teaching the grammar worked better for the older adults but this was not the case for the students. Furthermore, limited exposure to high school Latin markedly increased the ability of older adults to learn the grammar. There were no significant age deficits in learning when only those without previous Latin experience were compared, which bodes well for older adults with strong motivations to learn a second language.