Ray Randolph might start his day with breakfast for a room full of parents, then check the school attendance sheets before redeeming a donated gift certificate for a bag of groceries for a family on his list.
Ray is our school district's Program Specialist for Student Services, a multi-pronged position addressing homeless students in our schools, team parenting, and full service schools. He's also the newest board member of our Emergency Services and Homeless Coalition (ESHC).
"You've got to love your work; you've got to go home satisfied at the end of the day that you made a difference," Ray says of a job that, on any given day, might include moving furniture into an apartment for a homeless family, counseling some of our 116 homeless students, supporting homeless parents and their kids, and helping prepare those "unaccompanied" youths (not in physical custody of a parent or guardian) who can qualify for college. Thirteen are in his program. He proudly notes that new state law will allow teenagers to apply for college without parental signatures, and three successfully applied this year, slipping in ahead of the law's July 1 effective date.
Originally appearing in the St Augustine Report published 06/16/09 by the City of St. Augustine
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