Harlem Children's Zone Case Study

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The ultimate goal of the Harlem Children’s Zone was to transform Central Harlem. This area covered a stretch of 24 blocks, and the aim was to provide academic opportunities to young students and their families. The Harlem Children’s Zone (HCZ) has been noted for bringing an unique approach to helping the members of that community ascend out of the grip of poverty, unemployment and adequate educational achievement.
Geoffrey Canada, assumed leadership of the Center in 1990, his initial philosophy was his belief that by changing the culture where generations of students grow up, you can help the entire community to move from being improvised to having high unemployment. He also believed that the individuals in that community can move from …show more content…

Murphy's major objective was to create a safe place for kids in bad neighborhoods. The leadership role was later taken over by Geoffrey Canada. Since the initial beginning of the Harlem Children’s Zone, it has expanded such that it serves over 10,000 children and 13,000 adults and covers over 100 blocks in the Central part of Harlem.
Harlem Children's Zone (HCZ) has 15 centers that serve 13,000 children and adults. HCZ's emphasis was not just education. The emphasis was also social service along with recreation and yet still trying to maintain the fabric of the community. Some of the cross issues addressed in the HCZ Case Study were to continue the evolving programs already under the umbrella of the previous programs. Canada wanted to continue to have schools as multiservice centers and to focus on the street level both personal and direct. Also within the 24 block zone that encompasses 150 buildings to integrate previous programs and evaluate the …show more content…

According to the 2000 Census, over 152,000 people live in Central Harlem, the majority of those inhabitants being African American and of that population 26% are children. In 2003, when a study of health was conducted within the neighborhood it was found that a disproportionate amount of the population subscribed to various ailments including stroke, cancer, infant mortality , heart disease and asthma among this population was four times higher than other parts of New York City.
Within the Harlem Children’s Zone, some additional Cross Cultural Aspects would include the fact that within that community 50% of the overall population live in poverty, 61% of all children who live there. Unemployment is extremely high as much as 18.5%. Less than 25% of adults have a high school diploma and only 20% of kids are reading on grade level. And the community has one of the highest rates of foster care placement in New

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