#Great Trinity Experiment: Students Teach Class on Homelessness

Junior Rebecca Prager collects ideas 

from the class about ways to help homeless people

Photos by Nate Borchers

By Nate Borchers​

Trinity​ University ​juniors Rebecca Prager, Jay Stracke and senior Ana Ruiz reversed the conventional​teaching-learning structure​and became the professors on the causes and solutions of homelessness. At least for one afternoon.

The mini-course they taught, “The Evolving Face of Homelessness,” challenged more than 20 attendees, including Trinity faculty and students, to rethink the perception of homelessness, as part of “The Great Trinity Experiment” on Thursday.

In an activity called “Cross The Line,” participants of the class moved into different areas of the room designated “Yes”, “No” or “Unsure” in response to a series of statements, ranging from general ones such as “I was born in Texas,” to more complicated ones like “I believe homelessness is something that we can end forever.”

Throughout the class, the three instructors shared many personal stories of their experience of volunteering in San Antonio’s homeless relief programs like Haven for Hope, located in downtown San Antonio.

Prager is a two​-​year veteran of HOPE Hall and used to be part of their Leadership Team. Such an experience gained her much insight on the issue of homelessness and allowed her to “get ‘hands-on’ and form meaningful bonds and friendships with the families, children, and individuals experiencing homelessness in San Antonio,” she said. 

Jay Stracke, Ana Luiz and Rebbecca Prager 

made their closing remarks to the class

Through the mini-course, she was able to share her knowledge and passion with her professors and fellow students.

The instructors stressed the importance of educating people on the issue of homelessness by showing a study that listed San Antonio as the “13th Meanest City” in terms of legislation discriminatory against the homeless. They also told the class that there are roughly 610,000 individuals experiencing some form of homelessness in the US.

“Leading a workshop for The Great Trinity Experiment was incredibly radical in that I was able to share with my peers and teachers a subject that I'm am incredibly passionate about,” said Stracke, another instructor. “It was an opportunity to be as creative and revolutionary in our presentation as we wanted to be."