Students, Waltham residents, professors and members of the Waltham Group congregated to encourage students to help underprivileged children in the Waltham community as part of an effort to build a working relationship between Brandeis and the Waltham community in the International Lounge last Wednesday. The event, "Justice Continues at Home: Building Brandeis-Waltham Community Partnerships," was attended by over 90 people including University President Jehuda Reinharz, Prof. Mark Auslander (ANTH) and Prof. Laura Goldin (AMST) led the program.

The program was a follow-up to last year's event, which focused heavily on the Community Engaged Learning initiative, an initiative that integrates Brandeis' dedication to academic excellence and social justice with its obligation to be a part of the surrounding communities.

The event began with a keynote address from Marina Bartley, executive director of the Waltham Partnership for Youth. The Waltham Partnership for Youth is a service organization that brings together youths and different service organizations. She emphasized that the "critical needs of Waltham youths could be met with productive partnerships." Bartley gave an anecdote about underprivileged youths who had never attended the ballet. "Most of the audience knows what the ballet is," said Bartley, but many youths have never heard of it. "We should always be questioning our assumptions," said Bartley.

Two of Waltham's challenges are literacy and poverty, and that many families are unable to afford early childhood care. Bartley also emphasized the importance of literacy and its relationship with employment and wellness.

Bartley outlined three ingredients for successful volunteer programs, sustained partnerships, quality programs, and strong partnerships between schools and communities during their breakout sessions.

"We may not come up with the right answers, but at least we are coming together to ask the right questions," said Bartley.

"The most productive partnerships are when two parties share a common goal, Bartley said. Each party documents their skill set. . Do Waltham and Brandeis have a common goal?" she asked.

An ensuing panel discussion focused on community partnerships between Brandeis student and Waltham. Waltham Group Coordinator Jane Schlapkohl '08, one of the five speakers on the panel, described her literacy program at Kennedy Middle School. The program pairs 23 middle school students with 23 Brandeis students who help the younger students with their homework. According to Schlapkohl, six percent of youth in Waltham have literacy difficulties, which is slightly higher than the Massachusetts state average. The Waltham Group hopes to improve literacy among the younger students.

Another volunteer group that presented on the panel was Sandra's Lodge Girls Group, a mentoring program under the Waltham Group. Six Brandeis students meet weekly with girls ages 6 to 18. The Brandeis students bring healthy snacks to the girls, and plan activities such as baking and nature walks, according to Catherine McConnell '10, a Waltham Group representative. She said her work with the Sandra's Lodge Girls Group "defined her experience at Brandeis."

Gabriella Wertman '08 partnered with the Waltham Alliance to Create Housing and the Boston College Legal Assistance Bureau to work on tenants' rights in Waltham. Wertman was introduced to the volunteer clinic through Prof. Goldin's "Greening the Ivory Tower" class. Students aid and educate low-income tenants about their rights as Waltham residents and also act as translators for tenants who have trouble with English.

Both McConnell and Wertman expressed concerns about the sustainability of their volunteer projects. They urged members of the audience to participate. "We greatly appreciate anyone who wants to get involved," said Wertman.

A second panel discussion featured the Prospect Hill Terrace After School Program as its case study. "I was inspired by the community. I knew I couldn't give it up when it was blossoming, so that was why I applied to be community representative," said Lauren Ehrlich '10, the Prospect Hill Representative. Prospect Hill After School program was an example of a successful, new tutoring program. Ehrlich is one of the leaders for the Prospect Hill After School Program, fulfilling many of the administrative duties, including keeping track of volunteers.

Stefan Nikolic '10, a computer science major, is in charge of setting up and running a computer lab for the Prospect Hill Terrace partnership.

"Whether it was showing a child how to use a digital camera or helping them go online . bringing Brandeis students to work with the children at Prospect Hill was [very] rewarding, said Nikolic.

Afterward, the participants divided into four breakout sessions, on the topics of immigration, education and family literacy, affordable housing and environmental concerns, and covering Waltham in the campus media. Participants in the sessions included members from St. Mary's Parish, Waltham Family YMCA, Boston Legal Assistance Bureau, and Prof. Eileen McNamara (JOUR). Following the sessions, the groups reconvened in the International Lounge to discuss the issues they addressed.