FOURTEEN STUDENTS sit in a circle in the basement of Jefferson High School while the summer sun blazes outside. They are there to talk about their feelings.

“How many people here have more than 10 brothers and sisters?” asks counselor Robin Mayther. Four students raise their hands—the winner has 25 siblings. Today is another day in the first summer camp led by Project Return, the Portland Public Schools’ program for homeless students.

The number of homeless students in Oregon has increased alarmingly in the past three years—4,223 more students were homeless during the 2007 school year than in 2005. But three years ago, in 2005, Project Return’s staff was slashed by more than half. These cuts, combined with Portland’s affordable housing crisis, means the school system is relying more and more on donations and teachers’ tenacity to keep homeless kids in school.

With 10 staff members back in 2004, Project Return provided services for 2,000 Portland students. Now reduced to three and a half full-time positions stretched over 100 schools, the counselors only make contact with 1,230 students, even though the number of homeless students statewide is on the rise.

The hardest part of Project Return Coordinator Kerry Tintera’s job is outreach: figuring out who is homeless and how to help them. “Homeless looks a lot different than it did 30 or 40 years ago,” she says. “These could be families living in motels along Interstate or kids living on their own or couch surfing.”

Tintera and Mayther see the lack of affordable housing in Portland as a major cause in the increase of homeless students. Students who once lived in cheap apartments now live on in-laws’ sofas.

The counselors at Project Return are a tight-knit team determined to muscle through budget cuts with creativity. This summer, they dug up grant money to start an innovative summer camp that pairs Jefferson High School student mentors with incoming homeless freshmen.

Tuesday, July 1, the camp is off to a rough start: One of the mentors called to say she could not come in because her family was being evicted that day. Still, the students who do arrive are happy to work on a craft project and dispense high school survival advice when prodded.

“Don’t lollygag,” says Maggie Ibarra, a senior mentor with five tattoos and flashy acrylic nails. “If you get behind in credits, it’s so hard to make them up.”

Credit recovery is one of Project Return’s biggest programs. Since homeless students tend to miss class, they often get behind and give up on ever graduating. Students involved in Project Return graduate at the same rate as non-homeless students, according to Tintera.

“We’re not going to end homelessness,” Tintera says, sitting on a sofa next to a stack of cardboard boxes filled with food. “Our mission is to keep them in school and give them all the same opportunities other kids have.”

Sarah Shay Mirk reported on transportation, sex and gender issues, and politics at the Mercury from 2008-2013. They have gone on to make many things, including countless comics and several books.

9 replies on “Slash and Learn”

  1. I always feel bummed when I read that yet more services are being cut. The number of homeless students in Portland grows every year. So not only are they cutting current students out of the loop but future ones as well.
    thanks
    Patrick

  2. This sounds like a great project to help our homeless youth in the Portland area. Too bad funding to assist in such a program is cut short due to funds being allocated to assist criminals in our community: illegal aliens.

  5. I have known Robin for some 24 years and as a child the only reason I wanted to go to school was because I knew that robin would be their with a big warm hug and a friendly smile . I did not get a lot of motherly advice from my own drug and alcohol addicted mother . I received unconditional love from Robin . I was blessed to have her as my councilor threw out my entire school career and with her love and support I was able to become a good mother two my two children and i would be proud to have her as my own children’s counselor .If it was int for her love and generousness I don’t think it would of been possible for me to complete school.

  6. Robin Mayther is one of the most caring, dedicated, loving, wonderful persons I have ever known. I know nothing of this complaint you people have against her, but I know that whatever the circumstances, Robin acted out of compassion and love.

    As I go through life, she is an inspiration and I aspire to be more like her. I personally saw Robin work with children for years, and never in that time did I ever see her act in a way that didn’t take the children’s welfare FIRST, always sacrificing her own free time and MONEY to provide for them.

    I do know that Robin seemed to be a lightning rod for those who DIDN’T put their students first, who were angry when Robin worked many hours for free, and were fearful that they would be compared to her and found lacking.

    Anyone trying to do good in this sick country is going to be trashed by those who don’t understand goodness and charity. Those of us who want to follow the teachings of Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Mother Teresa, and yes, Jesus, would do better to remember:

    Judge not, lest ye be judged.

    Robin Mayther is not only kind and good, but she is one of the most competent teachers of kindness and patience that I have ever known. The kangaroo court you have going here is not trying to find the truth, and does not describe the wonderful person I have the privilege to know and love.

    If there were mistakes made, they were the inevitable mistakes that come when we try to help people. I just hate to see someone slandered online by faceless, unknown people. Just put yourself out there and see how many will be just as glad to slander you while hiding behind their anonymous emails. God, the internet allows anyone to attack people without accountability.

    Sign your real names if you’re going to try to take down such a dedicated public servant as Robin. Those of us who know her will not allow you to go quietly into the night.

    I just became aware of these comments, and even if no one reads this, I feel better having written it. Robin truly lived up to these words-

    Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

    She has dedicated her life to helping the least among us, and I only hope to live up to her example.

    Come on, people, we have a fight on our hands, this country is being taken over by the Corporations and fat-cats, and they love it that we little people are tearing each other apart. Vote, and keep voting until we take our country back.

    I don’t think I have ever heard Robin say a bad word against anyone, behind their backs or to their faces. She is one of the special ones; if faced with the transgressions of others, she always tried to understand and find a way to help. What a fantastic human being.

    George Howard

  8. all u people saying BAD stuff about Robin dont know what your talking about she is an amazing person, a great mother to my sister and clearly way better then all u pieces of crap that R RUNNING UR MOUTH. Y DONT U PEOPLE GET A LIFE AND STOP TALKING ABOUT SOMEONE U THINK U KNOW WHEN JUDGEING BY UR COMMENTS U HAVE NOOOOOOOO IDEA WHO SHE REALLY IS.

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