Community Needs Assessment on Educational Programming in Lee County, South Carolina
Poster Number
099
College
College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Social Work
Abstract
Research shows that afterschool and summer programming can benefit children in many ways, but a lack of resources in rural communities often prevents access to such programs. This lack of educational programming leaves children with limited options for extra-curricular activities and forces many of them, especially black males, to have some form of involvement in an organized sport. In a 2018 study, the Aspen Institute reported that 61.1% of males between the ages of six and 12 had played a team sport at least one day in 2016. Rates for males participating in sports in rural communities was also higher than that of males in urban settings. Although the research on black sports socialization is limited, Stodolska, Shinew, Floyd, and Walker (2014) were able to link black sport involvement to cultural and gendered forms of socialization, which are often perpetuated through interpersonal relationships and interactions. The purpose of this study is twofold: (1) to analyze the quantity of educational programming in Lee County, South Carolina, and (2) to see if that level of educational programming has a connection to the level of sport participation amongst African American males in rural communities.
Honors Thesis Committee
Joshua Kirven, Ph.D.; Anthony Hill, Ph.D.; and Monique Constance-Huggins, Ph.D.
Start Date
12-4-2019 2:15 PM
End Date
April 2019
Community Needs Assessment on Educational Programming in Lee County, South Carolina
Richardson Ballroom – DiGiorgio Campus Center
Research shows that afterschool and summer programming can benefit children in many ways, but a lack of resources in rural communities often prevents access to such programs. This lack of educational programming leaves children with limited options for extra-curricular activities and forces many of them, especially black males, to have some form of involvement in an organized sport. In a 2018 study, the Aspen Institute reported that 61.1% of males between the ages of six and 12 had played a team sport at least one day in 2016. Rates for males participating in sports in rural communities was also higher than that of males in urban settings. Although the research on black sports socialization is limited, Stodolska, Shinew, Floyd, and Walker (2014) were able to link black sport involvement to cultural and gendered forms of socialization, which are often perpetuated through interpersonal relationships and interactions. The purpose of this study is twofold: (1) to analyze the quantity of educational programming in Lee County, South Carolina, and (2) to see if that level of educational programming has a connection to the level of sport participation amongst African American males in rural communities.
