The Daily Trojan
The University of Southern California
January 23, 1993
Educational Housing USC Alum's Efforts Are Creating Opportunities For South Central Families
By Jonathan Ching

In an effort to facilitate and promote education outside the public school system, Orange County developer and USC alumnus Kent Salveson and the USC School of Education established the EEXCEL Apartments. Launched in 1990 by Salveson and Dan Hunter, a fellow developer, EEXCEL Educational Excellence for Children with Environmental Limitations is designed to encourage inner-city youth to finish high school and go on to higher education or vocational programs.

"I had the idea for the apartments after having a conversation with one of my tenants," said Salveson, who graduated from USC in 1972. 'She was a mother of five, working two jobs. When I asked her how she did it all, she replied, 'I want my kids to have a better opportunity than me.' That was when I realized that everyone basically wants the same thing for their kids, but that some of us are denied the resources which can provide a good education.

Since education is fostered in the home and then developed in the school, I felt that it would be a good idea to have resources on hand," he said. The most recent addition to the educational resources of the EEXCEL apartments was a contribution of books and educational software by Scholastic Inc., the worlds largest supplier of children's books.

The materials will be housed in the EEXCEL Apartments' tutorial center / study hall for use by children residing in the complex. "For too many years, educational improvement has been fragmented and often left only to the educators,- said Ernie Fleishman, Senior Vice President of Scholastic Inc.

"What thrills me about EEXCEL is that it represents the new partnership among the schools, business and the community," he said.

The EEXCEL project is a 46 unit housing development at the comer of 120th Street and Vermont Avenue. It attempts to bridge the gap between school and home by providing resident counseling and after-school tutorial help, in addition to affordable housing for low-income, South Central Los Angeles families.

Other benefits of the EEXCEL program include cash learning incentives, a study room with computers and textbooks and full, four-year scholarships to UK for residents who meet the university's admission requirements.

Four additional sites are being developed which will add about 200 additional low-income units, said Michael Wright, chief financial officer for the Century Freeway Housing Program.

The housing program, which authorized the construction, provided $12 million to the $24 million project. Salveson and Hunter raised the remaining $12 million from private resources, Wright said.

"It's going to make life better for some urban families," said USC President Steven Sample. "That's what I like about this project so much - it's focused on children ... and the families who live here are going to be families who are committed first and foremost to the advancement of the needs of their children," Sample said.

"The families were screened before they were allowed to move into the apartments," said Bea Hegesi, Director of Development, Alumni and Public Affairs for the School of Education.

"We wanted to make sure that they understood that it was their responsibility to see that their kids wen in school," she said. "Everyone must be involved." Two university graduate students in education serve as onsite counselors.

Tutors are available four hours per day to work with students. The tutors also supervise an evening study hall for children who want to escape distractions, such as television.

The project reflects both the university's increased involvement in the South Central area and a growth in low-income housing tailored to fit neighborhood needs.

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