THE IRWIN W.

STEANS CENTER
Engage PARTNER REFLECT F O R C O M M U N I T Y- B A S E D S E R V I C E L E A R N I N G & C O M M U N I T Y S E R V I C E S T U D I E S

Take Back the

Halls:
Violence Prevention Class Links
DePaul, High Schools
By Dan Baron

DePaul student Emily Baas is going to high school again – but this time she’s an intern for an innovative
program that encourages teens to learn and speak out about teen dating violence. Baas and other
DePaul students enrolled in Teen Violence Prevention, a three-quarter service learning course offered
by Women’s and Gender Studies, serve as advisors to Take Back the Halls: Ending Violence and
Relationships in Schools, a voluntary program offered at three high schools in the city. Take Back the
Halls is a partnership between DePaul’s Women & Gender Research Initiative, leaders from the women’s
advocacy organization Taking Back Our Lives and North Lawndale College Prep, Roberto Clemente
High School in West Town, and Nicholas Senn High School in Edgewater.

In their DePaul class, students address topics related to teen violence;

once a week they also go to high schools served by the programs where
they work directly with high school students impacted by the problem.
DePaul students in the class also participate in a planning session once a
week to prepare for their work at the high schools. Undergraduate interns
plan activities for high school students around a specific topic related to
power, gender, media or other issues. The class is now in its fourth year and
has engaged approximately 50 DePaul students with about 180 high school
student participants. For high school students, the project does not just
focus on raising awareness about teen violence – it encourages students to
become activists on the issue.
Beth Catlett, who teaches the Teen Violence Prevention class, explains
that the class and program complement each other. “In the seminar, we
critically examine scholarship in the field on feminist and liberatory teaching
pedagogies, adolescent development and urban youth,” says Catlett, who is
Assistant Professor and Director of Graduate Studies for the Women’s and
Gender Studies Program. “We engage with that scholarship, and examine
ways it can be useful for us when working with high school students. Mean-
while, we use our field experience in the high schools to inform what we are
learning in the classes. It’s a synergistic process.” For DePaul students, that can
mean studying educator Paulo Friere’s classic book “Pedagogy of the Op-
pressed” one day – and listening as a high school student shares how dating
violence has impacted her, her family and the larger community the next day.
Heather Flett, who teaches the class with Catlett, says Take Back the
Halls challenges DePaul students to grow through the program. “We try to
challenge DePaul students to form relationships with high school students,
appreciate the differences and similarities,” says Flett, a social worker who is Beth Catlett (top left) and Heather Flett (top right, far right) with DePaul
also the director of Take Back Our Lives. “DePaul students try to make the Service Learners and Clemente students

Continued on back page.

 Engage PARTNER REFLECT

DIRECTOR’S LETTER
This year we have again witnessed countless acts of violence at
universities and schools throughout the U.S. that have highlighted the
In December 2007, the Steans Center continued its longstanding
tremendous amount of violence experienced by youth in this country.
partnership with local parishes, community-based organizations,
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.
rural communities, and the National University of El Salvador
cdc.gov), 5,570 youth between the ages of 10 and 24 were murdered in
Howard Rosing (UES) through a short-term service learning study abroad
2003 at an average of 15 per day. The vast majority (82 percent) were
Executive Director program. Professors Kay Read and Tom O’Brien of Religious
killings involving firearms. Even more frightening, the CDC reports
STAFF Studies, Professor Susana Martínez of Modern Languages,
that, in 2004, 750,000 young people in the same age group visited
Ruben Alvarez Silva and Rubén Álvarez Silva of the Steans Center, accompanied 13
Community Development hospital emergency rooms for injuries resulting from violence. In the
Program Coordinator
students in the exploration of violence and social change. Students
same year, a survey of high school students nationwide discovered
studied the interaction of religion, politics, globalization, war,
Billie Drakeford that 33 percent reported being in a physical fight at least once within
and human rights in the history of El Salvador by meeting and
Student Development the past year; 17 percent reported carrying some type of weapon
Coordinator dialoging with elected officials and leaders of grassroots cultural,
within the past 30 days. Such proximity to violence not only results
environmental, religious, youth, and women’s organizations.
Missy Frazin in elevated medical costs, but students report fear of attending school
DePaul students began by living with local families in the
Jumpstart Site Manager and leaving their neighborhood. Consequently, we are likely to see an
community of San Jacinto, a neighborhood located in the capital
entire generation of youth who are even more deeply socialized into
Johnny LaSalle city of San Salvador. During a three week stay with host families,
Receptionist comprehending violence as a mundane and natural part of life.
students collaborated with staff of the El Niño Jesús de Praga
What is the role of service learning in supporting young people
Heather Little daycare center to provide care and enrichment activities for 110
Jumpstart Assistant Site who regularly experience violence? How can college students as part of
children each morning and afternoon. Weekends were spent
Manager their coursework assist in creating alternative, non-violent avenues for
visiting the rural communities of Nueva Esperanza, El Mozote and
problem-solving? As described in this newsletter, Women’s and Gender
Allison Tyndall Locke Perquín. In Nueva Esperanza, DePaul students learned about the
Academic Development, Studies Professor Beth Catlett’s Teen Violence Prevention course offers
refugee history of the population as well as their efforts to rebuild
Program Coordinator an answer. Students in Dr. Catlett’s course study the social context of
a socially conscious community through meetings with agricultural
violence—racism, sexism, classism, homophobia—and then develop
Norlin Monzon cooperatives, religious leaders, and youth and women’s organizations.
Technology Coordinator practical approaches to empowering high school students to become
Students reflected on the interconnectivity of the socio-economic
leaders in reducing violence in their own communities. A second
Marisol Morales issues affecting El Salvador by experiencing firsthand “the
Associate Director story describes how Dr. Peter Vandenberg instructs DePaul students
Salvadoran” response to addressing social injustice and societal
to become Center for Writing-based Learning consultants, engaging
Alexandra (Lexa) Murphy inequities through community participation and empowerment.
them with high school students from EXCEL Academy who they
Director, Community During the Winter quarter, students continued their
Service Studies assist in transforming often tragic experiences from their own lives
commitment to service and academic growth by “bringing home”
Associate Professor, into well articulated stories. As you will see, a commonality between
Communications their experiences to several Steans community partners dedicated to
these courses is the inclusion of critical analysis and reflection on the
serving and empowering Latino communities of Chicago.
Anne Rapp relationship between oppression and violence.
Assistant Director for This month the Steans Center, in collaboration with Mission
Academic Development César Chávez
and Values, the Center for Latino Research, Office of Multicultural
Student Affairs University Ministry, the Cultural Center, Student
Service SeasoN
Stephanie Ratanas
Publications Coordinator Affairs, Office of Institutional Diversity, Dr. Rafaela Weffer – AVP The Second Annual César Chávez
Melanie Sillas of Academic Affairs, and the Vincentian Endowment Fund, opened Service Season will be held March 6
Catholic Schools the second annual Cesar Chavez Service and Values Series (visit - June 7. Speakers, presentations, films,
Initiative Coordinator theatrical productions and service events
cbsl.depaul.edu). During a series of events over three months, we
Barbara Smith welcome you to reflect on the life and legacy of Cesar Chavez and will be held to tie together the values of César Chávez and DePaul’s
Business Manager make connections between his non-violent approach to fighting Vincentian mission. Events are sponsored by the Steans Center for
oppression, the life of St. Vincent DePaul, and the mission of DePaul Community Based Service Learning, University Ministry, Office of
Ashley Stone
Service Scholars Program University to educate students to become leaders in creating a safer Mission and Values, DePaul Cultural Center, Office of Multicultural
Coordinator and more just world. Student Affairs, Center for Latino Research, Student Affairs and the
Raechel Tiffe Vincentian Endowment Fund. The series kicks off and ends with
Internships and Scholarships
Coordinator
http://cbsl.depaul.edu keynote speaker Julie Chávez Rodriguez, granddaughter of César
Chávez and Director of the César E. Chávez Foundation. The first
Chad Williams STEANS CENTER annual Service Speaks Conference, a series of discussions, panels and
Assistant Director for
2233 N. Kenmore Ave. Suite 840
presentations by students focusing on their community-based service
Community Development
Chicago, IL 60614-3547 55 E. Jackson Blvd. work will conclude the service season. For more information visit
(773) 325-7457 (312) 362-5170 http://cbsl.depaul.edu.
Dan Baron
(773) 325-7459 Fax (312) 362-7525 Fax
Contributing Writer
 WINTER 2008 | 3

Heroic Journeys:

Excel Academy Students Tackle

Issues with Writing and Art
By Kristin Thomas
In an art room in the basement of Excel Academy in Chicago’s west side
Humboldt Park neighborhood, a heroic journey is taking place. It began in
the fall of 2006 when Jeanne Walker, Excel art teacher and Service-Learning
coach, approached Steans Center Associate Director Marisol Morales about a
potential partnership between Excel and DePaul University. Her vision was of
DePaul students working directly with her high school students on their writing
for the Heroic Journeys Project, a project Walker created to celebrate the
resiliency and bravery of Excel students.

Morales asked Dr. Peter Vandenberg, Director of the for three hours each per quarter. Their goal is to provide for them. Policy makers, teachers and parents should
DePaul Center for Writing-based Learning and Professor support and encouragement to students as they transfer read these stories.”
and Chair of the Department of Writing, Rhetoric, their stories onto paper and into text. DePaul students Morales believes that the overall partnership is a
and Discourse (WRD) to consider a service-learning use the tools they have learned from WRD 395 and as prime example of when service-learning works and the
component in his WRD 395 courses, a required course for writing consultants to identity the best avenue for Excel relationship between all actors really develops. “When a
all center consultants offered during fall and winter quarters. students to communicate their stories. Simply talking and public school reaches out to us, it’s a great opportunity,
Vandenberg agreed and a partnership emerged. “It had the listening facilitate meaningful connections between the and I believe we have an amazing connection here,” says
potential to create a long-term relationship between DePaul university and high-school students and allow for significant Morales. “It’s my favorite.”
and Excel,” says Vandenberg, “and the single greatest thing expression. A Steans Center Faculty Project Coordinator Jatuan Crockett, a junior at Excel found the
university professors can do with high school teachers is to holds reflective sessions for DePaul students during the experience beneficial on several levels. “[It] was the
sustain the enthusiasm of the high school teacher.” service-learning course and at its completion in order to most excellent thing that has happened to me with essay
Excel Academy at Orr Campus is comprised of 443 help them process this experience. writings, and [as] a junior in high school and having to take
students, 87 percent African-American and 13 percent In the final stage of the project, Excel students identify the PSAE and the ACT, the help will give me a better
Hispanic; 97.3 percent of these students are from lower- and examine the causes of social injustice in their own chance at scoring high on the essay part of these tests. All
income households and many face daily threats of gang neighborhoods and design small collages to depict the my teachers see a change in my essay writing ever since I
violence, drugs and alcohol. In a society where media intersection of their lives and their surrounding community. had the tutors’ help. One tutor, Don [Gladish] was like a
largely focuses on the deficiencies of such environments, The writing and art is then organized into a hard copy counselor throughout the course. My paper was hard for
Walker wanted the project and partnership to focus on anthology titled Journeys. The work can be viewed online me to talk about, and I would cry and not really want to
something substantially different. “I wanted to celebrate at www.exceljourneys.com thanks to DePaul students from do it. I think that Don showed me [that] no matter how
what these kids really are about,” she says. New Media Studies Seminar who designed the website. terrible something is, there is someone there to help you
One needs only to visit Excel to see how this Complimenting the third session, which is held on through, and Don was that someone.”
celebration unfolds. The Heroic Journeys Project is divided DePaul’s campus, is a presentation by DePaul’s Black Gladish believes establishing a relationship is key
into three parts. The project is a visual beautification of the Student Union. BSU members share insight on being a to the experience. “If you can prove to these students
school. Mosaics are created based on Romare Bearden’s student of color at DePaul and answer questions from that you want to be there, they will trust you. The only
Odysseus collages, which depict the Homeric epic using Excel students. Members then lead students on an way I know how to prove such a thing is to be myself, to
African imagery. Working in detailed stages, students informative campus tour be authentically me. I think one should leave behind all
meticulously cut and glue pieces of colored glass until Speaking with Walker, one is quick to realize her notions of what an education should be. Get past that
a visual reproduction of the epic unfolds. As each new passion for this work. “You don’t hear the real challenges first page, and ask who is being educated now.” For more
panel is completed, bland hallway walls are slowly replaced of the kids, but the writing asks them to share something information on the Heroic Journeys Project and to read
with vibrant colored shapes and life-sized characters that important and relevant to their lives. It has some meaning the essays and view the art, visit www.exceljourneys.com.
beckon the viewer to come closer.
The second stage asks students to tackle another, but Service Speaks Conference
often more difficult realm: writing. Using concrete writing CAll for Proposals
prompts and a drafting process, Walker asks each student The Steans Center will host the first annual Service Speaks Conference June 6th & 7th.
to share his or her most courageous moment. These The conference will be comprised entirely of student perspectives on service learning
students bravely bring to text personal accounts of tragedy, and community service. Those interested in presenting a workshop, panel or discussion
pride, hope and resiliency. DePaul students help with this should download the application from the Steans Center website. Proposal deadline is
challenging task by visiting Excel on two different Saturdays April 11th, 2008. Questions? Contact Raechel Tiffe: [email protected].
 WINTER 2008 | 4

MISSION STATEMENT: The Steans Center for Community-based Service Learning provides educational opportunities
grounded in Vincentian community values to DePaul students. The Center seeks to develop mutually beneficial, reciprocal
relationships with community organizations in order to develop a sense of social agency in our students through enrollment
Engage PARTNER REFLECT in CbSL courses, community internships and placements, and community-based student employment.

Continued from front page.

theories they learn in a classroom relatable to an inner-city my voice. Meanwhile, this program has helped me put That’s certainly true for Candice Williams. “I specifi-
kid. The goal is to encourage high school students to be the theories we learn in class into practice.” cally relate to issues raised by Take Back the Halls,” says
the experts on this issue – they are the ones who will get Fatima Arain, who graduated from DePaul last Williams, a sophomore at NLCP. “I don’t think teens
the message about violence prevention out to people spring with a degree in Women’s and Gender Studies, talk about teen dating violence a lot, but I know it hap-
their age.” worked as an advisor for Take Back the Halls last year at pens.” Williams, in fact, related a story about someone
Clemente High School. “In terms of my activism,” she she knows who was a victim of teen dating violence “two
Students as Service-Learners
says, “I really blossomed in my last year at DePaul, and weeks before prom.”
DePaul junior and Women’s and Gender Studies
that had a lot to do with Take Back the Halls. I remember Williams adds that because there are three boys in
major Emily Baas works with North Lawndale College
we would be driving back to Lincoln Park from the high the class, “We get both sides of the story about teen dat-
Prep (NLCP) students through the program. “A lot of
school,” she says, “and we would be in great moods. The ing violence.” Two of those boys, seniors Jonathan Hard-
students in the high school have experienced dating
students at Clemente were so smart and so inspiring. nett and Derrick Webb, both say the program is having an
violence, or know someone who has,” she says. “They are
They learn that where they are coming from is important impact on them. “The first step is talking about violence,
very aware that there is a problem. Take Back the Halls
and needs to be heard. The experience they’ve lived is a letting your feelings out,” says Webb. “After talking about
is a way for them to vent these feelings and creatively
form of knowledge.” it you realize you are not the only one dealing with the
express what they are thinking. So many times, kids are
Meanwhile, Katrina Wyss, a research assistant for the problem.” “It’s something worth talking about,” adds Hard-
silenced by the greater Chicago community.”
program who works with all three schools, says that high nett. “Violence is in the school, in the street, in the home
“This program,” adds Baas, who grew up in Valpara-
school students in “Take Back the Halls” respect DePaul – you can’t get away from it. Some people need a place of
iso, Indiana, “has given me a look into a different com-
students involved in the program – students who, in many commonality to talk about their experience. This program
munity I probably would have not had the opportunity
cases, are only a few years removed from high school them- brings you closer and closer because we see we have a
to go into. Even traveling to North Lawndale has shown
selves. “High school students can see themselves in DePaul voice to talk about our experiences.”
me how segregated the city can be. I also think it has
interns. I think they are more likely to take what interns Students like Hardnett and Webb are also using their
changed the way I look at high school students -- now I
say to heart than if they were talking to older adults,” says voices to promote social change. Last year, they joined
see, more than before, that their voice is as important as
Wyss, who is pursuing a master’s in nonprofit management many students in the program in a Take Back the Night
through DePaul’s Public Service Management Program march. This year at NLCP, students are planning a poetry
and collects data from students for Take Back the Halls. jam that features poetry, rap and the presentation of
student videos on themes related to teen dating violence.
Partners
Like many in the violence prevention movement,
Service learning courses offered through the Steans
one of the common links for DePaul students interning
Center are typically characterized by strong partnerships
at high schools and the students they work with is a word
between the university and a community-based organiza-
that keeps reemerging: transformation. “So many DePaul
tion; in this case, that organization is a neighborhood
students say to me this class and program has transformed
school. Jill Bass, a teacher at NLCP who is a liaison for
then,” Catlett says. “There is a real sense of excitement
Take Back the Halls at the school, simply says the pro-
about learning outside of the classroom, walking out of
gram works well and fits “so smoothly” at NLCP. “Most of
the ivory tower. They see in a very concrete way how real
the students at our school have been in this program for
concerns about sexism, classism, homophobia, racism and
two years,” says Bass, who is the school’s Civic Engage-
other issues impact kids. At the same time, they gain a new
ment Program Director. “Take Back the Halls connects
appreciation for the challenges and potential of youth.”
students to something that gives them a purpose.”

THE IRWIN W. STEANS CENTER

2233 north kenmore avenue
chicago, il 60614-3547