Each One, Teach One: A Methodological Approach for National Disaster School Response.

Jean Strait and Joyce Jones Hamline University Background Hamline University, a medium sized college in St. Paul Minnesota, dedicated resources and time to New Orleans, Louisiana in its efforts to rebuild and reclaim the city. Days after Hurricane Katrina hit, Hamline sent students, faculty and staff to help with recovery efforts. The Education Club adopted Martin Luther King Science and Technology school (MLK) soon after to help in cleaning and rebuilding the school and sent over $20,000.00 in books, supplies, merchandise gift cards, food and water to help with this effort. Still fueled by the great need in New Orleans for assistance, the group’s leader Dr. Jean Strait worked with Traveler’s Insurance Company and received a grant of $30,000 to start an online tutoring and mentoring program that would be staffed by Hamline University and Avalon High School students in St. Paul. Students traveled to New Orleans in March of 2008 to meet their MLK student mentees, help with self-esteem programming, and create relationships of trust and respect with the mentees. The first phase of the project ended in June of 2008.