1. Breaking Down Educational Barriers: Insights from Students
Amy Bradley – Director of Youth Leadership & Scholarships, SchoolHouse Connection
Irene Sauceda – Peer Leader, SchoolHouse Connection
Edward Vere – Young Leader, SchoolHouse Connection

2. About SchoolHouse Connection
A national organization working to overcome homelessness through education. We provide strategic advocacy and technical assistance in partnership with early care and education professionals, service providers, families, and youth.

3. The SHC Youth Leadership and Scholarship Program
Provides scholarships and support to youth who have experienced homelessness to ensure their completion of a post-secondary education program;
Builds a stable peer and adult support network for recipients, before, during, and after their college careers, and into their transition into the workforce;
Offers young people meaningful opportunities to engage in advocacy, while providing sustained support services to help ensure graduation and success in life.

4. Housekeeping Tip #1
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5. Housekeeping Tip #2
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6. Overview of Webinar
K-12
Experiencing homelessness with family vs alone (unaccompanied)
Identification
Student engagement
How to partner with youth who are experiencing homelessness
Ample Q&A
College
FAFSA
School Culture
Housing and food during breaks/holidays
Difficult transitions
(first year and graduation)

7. Irene: Identification, K-12
Ms. Najera
Scholarship
Whiteboard gift
Education about who is homeless
Communicate McKinney-Vento rights to students, beyond transportation.
Privacy
Liaison-to-counselor-to-student
Who needs to know about student homelessness?

8. Identification, Continued
How might education have been different with earlier identification?
Many fewer school changes (there were 11)
Improvement in self-advocacy and being able to educate others
Might have had better access to AP classes, college admissions tests, and other opportunities.

9. Edward: Student Support and Engagement, K-12
Provides stability
Helps socially
Helps academically
Helps in general!
What went well?
The Keyboard
Other assistance
What could be improved?
Transparency on resources available

10. Partnership with Youth, K-12 and Higher Education
Edward:
How to encourage self-advocacy in young people
The importance of employing the least invasive interventions
Honoring the privacy of the individual

11. College Experience, Overview
Edward
The process of obtaining independent status for FAFSA
The challenges of being at a private school among those who are more traditional students
Irene
The challenge of leaving family to go to college
Obtaining housing during breaks when dorms and dining halls are closed

12. Edward: Wheaton College
FAFSA
Positive Liaison experience
Negative: having to reaffirm status
School Culture
What can schools do to welcome all students?
Expectations
Language
Raising awareness

13. Irene: Texas State University
Families may still experience homelessness while student is in a dorm.
What resources are in the community?
Single Point Of Contact (SPOC)
Accessing housing and food resources during breaks
Easing transitions:
First-year programs
Exit programs

14. Resources from SchoolHouseConnection.org
webinars/

15. What more would you like to know?
Q&A
What more would you like to know?