Miami-Dade County Public Schools adopts Homeless Public Awareness campaign

MIAMI— Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Rudy Crew and Homeless Trust Chairman Ron Book will hold a press conference at Jose de Diego Middle School, 3100 NW 5th Ave., at 10 a.m., Friday, April 13, to discuss a new program to educate students about homelessness. The program was developed by the school district and the Homeless Trust.

“It is important for students to have an understanding of homelessness and show compassion,” said Superintendent Rudy Crew. “In addition to academics, we seek to give our students a civic literacy that instills a sense of responsibility to the community—the It Could Happen to You! video and curriculum does just that.”

Trust Chairman Ron Book added, “We cannot sit by without being proactive in creating a plan to educate, humanize and sensitize our children to the plight of those living on the streets, while each month throughout the country another homeless person is a victim of a hate crime at the hands of a young person. ”

Public Education Awareness Campaign for Public Schools:A Homeless Awareness Video will educate youth in elementary, middle, and high schools regarding the homeless. The video entitled, It Could Happen to You!, was produced by Focal Point Productions and features homeless children telling their stories. The video stars Alonzo Mourning who tells children to “do the right thing” and is written and narrated by Ed O’Dell. The video was made in partnership between the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust, Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Community Partnership for Homeless (CPH), and the Miami Coalition (MCH) for the Homeless. M-DCPS, in conjunction with the Homeless Trust, produced a weeklong Homeless Education Curriculum that is age and grade level appropriate, consisting of a pre- and post-test related to homelessness.
Poster and Essay contest within the Schools. Miami-Dade County Public Schools students will participate in a Poster and Essay Contest. Winning posters and essays from each school will advance to a multi-disciplinary selection committee. A finalist from elementary, middle and high school levels will be selected. Winners from each school level will receive an all-expense paid 3-day, 2-night vacation to Disney World.