Competency 4:

Engage in Practice-Informed
Research and Research-informed
Practice Behaviors
By: Deandrea Crockwell
4.1 Use Practice Experience and theory
to inform scientific inquiry and research
 Research - Asked stastical questions to my advisor and conducted on-line
research on the school.

https://www.greatschools.org/north-carolina/hope-mills/2885-Grays-Creek-
Middle/
4.2 Apply critical thinking to engage in
analysis of quantitative and qualitative
research methods and research findings.
 Positive Youth Development (PYD) is a nascent proactive developmental
systems model that is aligned with multitiered systems of supports (MTSS)
(Edwards & Cheeley, 2016).

 MAIN FOCUS ON - MULTITIERED

 4.3 Use and translate
research evidence to inform
and improve practice, policy
and service delivery
 02-12-2018
 The Honorable Robert Pittenger
 U.S. House of Representatives
 Washington, DC 20515
 (202) 224-3121
 Dear Representative Pittenger:
 As a social work intern and as a citizen, I hope that you will support an increase in funding for the
Social Services Budget for programs like Meals on Wheels, BackPack Buddies, Free or Reduced
Lunch public school programs. Children are a very vulnerable population. Food insecurity rates have
risen significantly in the United States, beginning with the recent recession, and remained high.
Research findings suggest that 1 out of every 5 child in the U.S. are considered at risk for food
insecurity. This is startling as we are considered a developed country. The effects of food insecurity
is not limited to only malnutrition.

 The effects of these high rates are severe as food insecurity has been associated with an extensive
range of health, social, behavioral, and cognitive difficulties. Food insecurity also effects a child’s
academics and future outcome.
 The federal government’s investment in programs such as BackPack Buddies can be
considered as an investment in this great country’s future. Looking at statistics and research
if 1 out of 5 children are suffering from food insecurity and food insecurity correlates to a
low academic career. Then we can assume that 1 out of every 5 of those children will not be
able to reach their optimum potential resulting in a negative future outcome.

 At the school I am currently at 49% of the students/children are considered low-income.

Which means that 49% of our students qualify for free or reduced lunch and of those 29%
qualify for BackPack Buddies which helps to provide children with food over the weekend to
ensure that they do not suffer from starvation over the weekend.

 Through research we have begun to understand how important nutrition is to the academic
success of that student. We need these nutrition programs to keep these children fed so that
they may focus on their school work, have a successful academic career, and become
positive, hardworking members of society. The money invested in these programs can help to
limit the amount of negative outcomes that studies have proven to find such as adulthood
poverty, and incarceration. A federal investment into the nutrition of American children is an
investment in America. Thank you for taking the time to read this letter and please feel free
to contact me if you would like to discuss how important it is to invest in America’s children.
Citation
Edwards, O. W., & Cheeley, T. (2016). positive youth development and nutrition:
Interdisciplinary strategies to enhance student outcomes. Children & Schools,
38(3), 170-177. doi:10.1093/cs/cdw019