The first in a series by Cliff Lewis

Over the course of last year, more than 900 students in the School District of Lancaster qualified as ‘homeless.’ These students, largely at the elementary level, have no permanent residence, no reliable income, and no certainty of persevering through graduation. Even worse, these students are at high risk of following their parents’ footsteps into a homeless adulthood. The district’s Homeless Students Project works to foster a sense of normalcy for these students—connecting them with services, keeping them in school, and helping them break the oppressive cycle of family poverty.

According to Ken Marzinko, coordinator of the Project, the figures of student homelessness have grown in the last two decades. In 2003, Marzinko noted, there were 864 students served by the program; in 1997, there were 615. District population growth aside, Marzinko says that this spike largely owes to a receding national economy, coupled with Lancaster’s alluring reputation for low unemployment and more affordable housing.

The most common form of homelessness among students is the ‘doubling up’ of families in a single living space. According to Marzinko, “Many times, those families that don’t have work come [to Lancaster] and live with another family, doubled up.” If a landlord then discovers that occupancy limits are being violated, such a family can wind up in a shelter—the second most common form of homelessness among SDoL students.

Beside the two most common situations, Marzinko said, there is a broad spectrum of other circumstances under which students come in need of his program. Students can fall into homelessness through house fires, domestic violence, family re-locations, or simply running away from home.

With such a diverse collection of needs, the Homeless Students Project’s two full-time staff members must work flexibly and in a variety of capacities. In fact, simply identifying these transient students requires a distinctly multifaceted process.

Referrals to the Project come from concerned teachers, homeless shelters, and from friends or family who have accessed these services in the past. The most significant referral source, however, is the District Enrollment Center. While enrolling new students, officials are keen to spot the signs of homelessness—for instance, a claim to be living with extended family or no information provided regarding place of residence. Families in a ‘doubled-up’ situation will often avoid directly reporting their circumstances for fear of reprisal.

Once a homeless family is recognized by the Homeless Students Project, staff will speak with parents to gauge their situation. At this point in the process, Marzinko said, adults are often connected with other human services in the county to serve their particular needs—such as short-term housing, employment, or drug rehabilitation.

For high school students, the Project aggressively focuses on encouraging graduation. At times, this effort is manifested in small acts of financial assistance—helping a student obtain her yearbook, attend prom, purchase athletic shoes. However, a great deal of this effort lies in counseling-related services. The staff works to build mentoring relationships with these students to promote the importance of further education. During senior year, the Project assists qualifying students in completing their college applications.

“It’s the same kind of thing that a mom and dad would do for their student,” Marzinko said, “But we have to remember that, for students in homeless situations, their parents have not had college experience.”

According to Marzinko the program has seen its fair share of success stories, with some students moving on to Millersville University and Stevens College. “It’s important that we have those stories that we can tell younger students,” Marzinko said.

For elementary school children in need, the Homeless Students Project works primarily to maintain a sense of stability by providing the basic amenities of life in the classroom. Next to Marzinko’s office is a tight stockroom with shelves and drawers all loaded with brand new backpacks, school supplies, uniforms, toiletries, sneakers, and underwear—most of which were donated by local churches and service organizations.

Last month alone, the Homeless Students Project distributed uniforms and school supplies to about 200 children. As Marzinko sees it, these actions speak the importance of education much louder than mere words:

“We believe all school staff are telling our students the same thing that we are: The importance of getting to school every day, the importance of getting to school on time, doing your best work in class, getting along with your teacher and your classmates, doing your homework. But when I say that same message to a student and their mother and then hand them a new book bag with new school supplies and a new uniform…, that same message carries a whole lot more weight.”