Understanding the Forsyth County school system and how funding and other resources help or hurt secondary educational programs. This problem is important specifically in Forsyth County, as it undergoes massive job and budget cuts, with over 200 jobs eliminated and a $46 million budget deficit. Our research will be composed of both quantitative and qualitative analyses that draw on multiple disciplines, including psychology, criminology, and communication. We will examine the policies and statistics embedded in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School District (WS/FCS) that affect the budget, spending, funding, and WS/FCS’s ability to provide for students' overall well-being. We will analyze publicly available state and county audits, reports, and other data to better understand the Forsyth County school budget deficit and reveal how that affects secondary educational programs, such as the special education programs. These are the first programs affected by budget and job cuts.
Aislyn (Chrissy) Eccher is a Senior majoring in Sociology with a concentration in Criminology. She is planning on attending law school to become a criminal defense lawyer. She has worked closely with local parents and children of Forsyth county as an after school care taker.
Nahfy Gwynn is a psychology major with a minor in nonprofit management from Durham, North Carolina. She is passionate about serving her community and supporting mental health and overall well-being. Nahfy plans to combine psychology and leadership skills to create meaningful change in nonprofit and community-based settings. While in Winston-Salem, Nahfy has worked with Celeste Burgess and the One Foundation,helping with development programs for the youth in the community. She is also an intern at HUSTLE WS where she is learning the ins and outs of a nonprofit organization.
Hannah Dorsett is a Communications Major and is from Walnut Cove, NC. She received an Associates in Arts Degree from Rockingham Community College, and has a background in Graphic Design. She is a Fleer Student that decided to go back to school to increase her education. She hopes to help others/and pursue a career within the Communications field.
Rayito Rodriguez is a Senior at Salem College majoring in Sociology with a Criminology concentration and double-minoring in Business Administration and Psychology. She plans to pursue a career in Criminology. She obtained her Associate's degree from Forsyth Technical Community College in the Early College of Forsyth program.