1. How many schools exist in Kenedy and are there specific neighborhoods where school-aged children live? What are the schools like and what involvement does FBC Kenedy have in the school system?
   1. Kenedy ISD includes one elementary school, one junior high and one high school with a rough total of 800 students and 120 employees.
   2. We have two apartment complexes that have a high percentage of elementary-school families: Town Oaks and Bluebonnet Square (both are in lower income housing areas).
   3. We have a good elementary school, but our junior high and high school have experienced some unhealthy dynamics over the years. However, I believe we have a stronger than ever administration who really wants to help students succeed.
   4. The schools are open to the church’s involvement at the campuses, but we have yet to take up their offer   to any serious degree. We have school staff, teachers, administrators, and board members who attend FBC Kenedy.
2. What is the religious and moral landscape of Kenedy? How many churches exist in Kenedy? What neighborhoods do they fall in?
   1. One is either a Christian (55%) or non-religious (44%), which is statistically the fastest growing group. 30% of our population identify as Catholic, 19% as Evangelical, and 6% as Mainline. [1]
   2. First Baptist—lower to middle income residential neighborhood and industrial area
   3. Word Fellowship—rural area, some lower to middle income homes nearby
   4. Good Shepherd Lutheran—rural area, but adjacent to middle to upper income neighborhood
   5. Mexican Baptist—lower to middle income residential neighborhood
   6. Our Lady of Peace Catholic— lower to middle income residential neighborhood
   7. Church of Christ—middle income residential neighborhood and industrial area
   8. City of Refuge—lower income residential neighborhood
   9. Unified Pentecostal—lower to middle income residential neighborhood
   10. Matthews Episcopal—lower to middle income residential neighborhood
   11. Good Samaritan—lower income residential neighborhood
   12. El Aposento Alto Church—lower income residential neighborhood
3. What are the major professions in Kenedy?
   1. Oil and gas industry
   2. Transportation
   3. Construction
   4. Education system
   5. Health care
   6. Law enforcement
   7. Food supply and services
4. Where do people go to recreate?
   1. We have a nice park that is accessible to everyone in our small town and a new city park is going to be built soon!
   2. We have a good library that hosts frequent activities for children.
   3. We have a newly built hospital with a wellness center.
   4. We are about 75 minutes from San Antonio, 60 minutes from Victoria, and 90 minutes from the beach.
5. What about stores, shops and restaurants in Kenedy?
   1. We have a newly built H-E-B and a Wal-Mart along the main highway, 181.
   2. We have several good places to eat. My favorites are Flash Burger, RJ’s Burgers, Bella Sera, Barth’s, Taqueria Jalisco, and TK’s Pizza. There is also a a Chinese food place that isn’t bad and a steak restaurant. We also have several fast food places in town (McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Domino’s, Church’s Chicken, Subway, Sonic, Taco Bell, Dairy Queen).
6. What is Kenedy known for?
   1. Kenedy has a reputation for being pro-business and is known for being a caring, proud, and tight-knit, yet welcoming community that has been both positively and negatively impacted by the oil and gas industry. There are frequent opportunities for the underserved to receive help from churches, community groups or the school district such as donations of shoes, clothes, and backpacks to school aged children.
   2. Kenedy has a higher than average drug use and there are significant breakdowns in many family systems. Poverty is also a concern in Kenedy.
7. What is the population, demographics, attitudes, education level, and participation of the citizens of Kenedy?

1. 1. POPULATION— Kenedy is a small town with a population of about 3,400. It is located in what is called the Coastal Bend in South Texas and is situated along Highway 181, between San Antonio and Corpus Christi.
   2. DEMOGRAPHICS— Kenedy’s overall population is roughly 68% Hispanic, 28% Caucasian, and 2% African-American. However, our student body is less diverse: 85% Hispanic, 11% Caucasian, 2% African    American. [2] The median household income in Kenedy is around $41,000, which is significantly less than the rest of Texas ($56,000). [3]  Also, our school reports 77% of students are economically    disadvantaged. [4]
   3. ATTITUDES— Members of our community are supportive of one another, especially if unexpected needs arise. There is a general mistrust among the population towards those in public leadership. From the school system to the local government, the community has experienced leadership failure and corruption.
   4. EDUCATION— Kenedy has more people who did not finish high school (31%) than the state average (17%). Kenedy also has fewer people with a bachelor’s degree (6%) than the state average (19%) and fewer people with a master’s degree (1%) compared to the state average (7%). [5]  However, recent KISD high school graduation figures (94.6%) are almost identical to the state average (94.1%). [6]
   5. PARTICIPATION— This is difficult to judge and so I must lean on anecdotal evidence. I have noticed that there tends to be a lack of parental involvement in the school system and in the church. However, there is a lot of energy around local politics, and not always positive! Additionally, as stated above, people in the community are involved in one another’s lives and are willing to help each other as needed.

 

POSTED BY: PASTOR MATT SINGLETON