Desiree Bernal

E-mail: dbernal7537@gmail.com

Major: Special Education and Emotional Dis

Mentor: Dr. Jill Shafer

Expected Graduation Date: Aug 2013

Organizations and Activities:
• Ronald E. McNair Scholar
• Tau Sigma
• National Scholars Honors Society 
• Multicultural Anti-Racism Team (CAT)

Honors:
• Certificate of Award for Excellence in Scholarly Research for presentation at the 25th Anniversary Ronald E. McNair Research Symposium  North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University  2011 
• Certificate of Merit for Undergraduate Oral Presentation at the 25th Anniversary Ronald E. McNair Research Symposium  North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University  2011
• Outstanding Academic Achievement received due to academic achievement in my first year of course work  2008 
• Tau Sigma Honors Society  honored for receiving a 3.5 GPA first semester as a transfer student  200
• National Scholars Honors Society  honored for receiving a 3.7 GPA second semester  2008 
• Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program  awarded a full scholarship due to outstanding academic achievement  2008

Conferences:
Multi-Cultural Anti-Racism Training Conference
North Dakota State University
October 2011 25th Anniversary McNair Symposium
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University NC A&T)
January 2011 17th Annual McNair Forum
University of North Dakota (UND)
April 2011 McNair Research Conference
University of Washington (UW)  March 2009

Presentations:
Poverty and Urban Education: Implications for teaching children in poverty
January 2011 Poverty and Urban Education: Implications for teaching children in poverty April 2011

About me:
My name is Desireé Bernal and I am a mentor tutor and teacher of at-risk youth specializing in Emotional Disturbances (ED). Currently I am a Graduate student at UND working on my scholarly project titled This Thing Called Life: A curriculum teaching life social and academic skills to students who are emotionally disturbed. Since 2008 I have been working with at-risk youth in different settings and organizations thoroughly enjoying every moment of it. I have a particularly diverse skill set that enhances my ability to reach at-risk youth and help them achieve their potential in life. I have life experience as an at-risk youth which gives me greater insight on the daily struggles professional experience working with this group of students and the education to back it up. I am known for positive leadership, integrity, honesty, fairness and setting very clear boundaries with the students that I serve. I enjoy R&B, Rap and Jazz music, playing and watching all sports and I am a foodie who loves to travel and try new cuisine in the areas I travel to. Cooking is a passion for me and I put as much love into my cooking as I do my work with children.

My experience in the McNair program is something that I will cherish for the rest of my life. I was given the opportunity to be apart of a fantastic cohort of scholars that pushed me to work harder and perform on a higher level.

Abstract: Poverty and Urban Education: Implications for Teaching Children in Poverty and This Thing Called Life: A curriculum to teach life social and academic skills to students who are emotionally disturbed

There are major issues with education and children when it comes to poverty. The importance of a quality education is profoundly impacting on a child's life. There is a large gap between the educational performance of children who live in poverty and those who do not. Children in poverty enter the education system at a disadvantage. That education can be the foundation for a life outside of poverty. This presentation on Poverty and Urban Education represents the culmination of an extensive literature review on this topic which explores the direct correlation that poverty has on education. Subtopics include: Defining poverty and how it is measured; statistics related to urban poverty; types of poverty; effects of poverty on development (i.e. physical social emotional and sociological); challenges teachers face working with children from impoverished backgrounds; and suggested methodologies for teaching children living in poverty and attending urban schools. Participants will gain knowledge on a variety of key methods that could be effective for working with children and families living in poverty. They will also attain a better view into the world of teaching children in poverty. and The purpose for this extensive literature review is to establish an evidence base for curriculum to combat the lack of life
academic and social skills among students who are emotionally disturbed especially before they drop out of high school. The acquisition of these skills are a major determining factor in the future success of students who are emotionally disturbed in becoming as a contributing member of society. As a group
students who are emotionally disturbed are undereducated underemployed and have a limited set of social supports. This research will explore and define emotionally disturbed and how it is characterized
the impact this problem has on society describe the necessary skills for success and their importance
and the misconceptions that presently hinder the potential for students who are emotionally disturbed. This literature review will address curriculum and methods necessary to interest engage and promote learning in this population of youth. Theory and research about skills training of children and adolescence indicate that learning is more likely to occur when evidence-based training approaches are used (Durlak and Weissberg 2007). More so for students who are emotionally disturbed because of the disadvantage they consistently fight to overcome. Additionally the use of a student-centered approach helps students develop a can-do attitude (Jones 2007). Positive attitudes can be infectious and helps create a positive environment for learning which can be a game changer for most students. The addition of a teacher who sets goals boundaries and models creates a recipe for success. The assumption that students who are emotionally disturbed are incapable of learning and/or they don't care about anything is a misleading opinion that plagues the minds of teachers parents and community members. The truth is that students with emotional disturbances do care and truly do want to learn. It takes a skilled and collaborative effort of the students educators parents and community members and leaders to come together to address and meet the needs of this particular group of students.