October 9, 1998

Social justice students welcome teen outreach members to Loyola

The Department of Sociology recently co-sponsored the Teen Outreach Program (TOP) Awards Ceremony which was held in Roussel Hall. The TOP is administered by the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater New Orleans Inc. It is designed to reduce teen pregnancy and increase high school graduation rates among students attending selected New Orleans Public Schools. The program accomplishes its goals by providing weekly lessons designed to enhance life skills and by providing opportunities for students to engage in community service and career exploration activities.

Nearly 250 students from eight New Orleans public schools were welcomed by Daniel Sheridan, former associate provost, to the awards ceremony which was followed by lunch in Audubon Park. Joe Trahan, sports anchor for WVUE-TV, served as master of ceremonies, and Stanley Schofield from the Office of Youth Development presented the keynote speech which focused on enhancing self-esteem and making responsible decisions.

The collaborative relationship which has developed between the Department of Sociology and the TOP is based on an ongoing commitment of both programs to service learning. Service learning allows students to participate and reflect on voluntary activities in the community in order to deepen their understanding of academic material. Loyola students have assisted in the work of the organization by conducting literature review, drafting grant proposals, and serving as tutors and mentors to program participants. Pamela Mire, special projects coordinator for the Boys and Girls Clubs, expressed gratitude to the university for its support and is excited about developing joint community service initiatives in the future which will pair TOP participants with sociology students in an effort to address pressing community issues.

–Laurie Joyner, Ph.D., assistant professor of sociology