Sixth graders showcase their projects during Mount Carmel School’s Homelessness Project Exhibition at MCS Phoenix Hall in Hagåt, Guam on Friday.
Photo by Frank San Nicolas/The Guam Daily Post
HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — Finding solutions to address the factors contributing to Guam’s homeless population is a community effort. A group of middle school students at Mount Carmel Academy Charter School in Hagåt recently shared their perspectives, possible solutions and critiques of how adults have handled homelessness.
Mount Carmel tasked its sixth through eighth grade students with devising an “innovative solution” to address the critical societal issue of homelessness. After weeks of preparation, the students presented their ideas.
Sophia Ganon, an eighth grade MCS student, proposed opening a shelter.
“My homeless shelter is named Second Chance. I want to help the homeless because I want to give them a better and second chance in life. Unfortunately, they are looked down upon because people assume they only want to spend money on drugs, alcohol and other bad things,” Ganon told The Guam Daily Post.
Ganon’s idea was inspired by what she has seen in the community.
“Every time I go out up north, I always see homeless people on the streets, kind of panhandling, and I always feel bad. I asked my dad about it, and he said, ‘Oh, no, the reason why they’re like that is because they do drugs and alcohol. That’s why they’re like that, like no responsibility at all.’ So, I want to help them and give them a second chance,” Ganon said.
Other students had similar ideas, including sixth grader Jose Cruz, who suggested a homeless shelter.
“So, my mission statement is helping the homeless get back on their feet, so they can enjoy the wonderful gift of life by providing food, jobs and education. We would provide them with personal rooms, food, water, education, job assistance and medical attention,” Cruz said.
His idea also includes financial assistance for individuals experiencing homelessness.
“A grant of $500 to $1,000 based on their needs. I think it would work because once we give them the proper help — since the causes of homelessness include unaffordable housing, abuse, drug and alcohol use, divorce and mental illness — I feel like if everything is provided at the shelter, it will help them overcome those challenges,” Cruz said.
Students at the charter school watched an exclusive screening of “No Address,” a film that sheds light on the realities of homelessness.
Students like Cruz walked away with a deeper understanding of the issue.
“I’ve learned that there is more to homelessness than what you see on the streets. Some people see homeless individuals as just people begging for money, but after this project, I realize there’s much more to it than meets the eye,” Cruz said.
Damien Nanpei, also a sixth grader, learned that not everyone experiencing homelessness wants to be in that situation.
“I’ve learned that many people do not choose to be homeless. Instead, they’re running from abusive situations. They didn’t want to be homeless, but that was their only option. Or they don’t have enough money for rent, then they get evicted and become homeless,” Nanpei said.
Nanpei’s idea focuses on helping individuals secure stable income.
“My project is about helping homeless people find a job. If they don’t want a job, we can try finding them a place to stay. I’ll work with local mental health groups and law enforcement to ensure anyone turned away gets the support they need,” Nanpei said.
The idea came to Nanpei while watching television.
“I saw something on TV. There was a man talking about how homeless people really need a job or a place to stay. And that gave me the idea: what if I made my project about that? What if I made them work hard for their job and improve their life?” Nanpei said.
The students also shared their perspectives on how officials such as the attorney general, governor and other government leaders are addressing homelessness.
“I see that they’re trying to help with the homeless population, and as of now, they’ve banned panhandling on the highways. I feel like that was a good decision because it puts the homeless in danger when they’re on the highway with cars passing by,” Cruz said.
Ganon agreed. “I wouldn’t say they hate the homeless, but they’re just trying to ban panhandling in certain areas so the homeless don’t get hurt or run over by cars. I feel like they’re trying to keep them safe, so I think that’s a good thing.”
