Anne
Cassebaum,
Associate Professor - English
Overview
Our project was to distribute the $1000 grant to agencies
serving people on low incomes where students were
volunteering. To do this, groups of students wrote proposals
arguing for some or all of the $1000 for their agency. The
class then voted to determine the amount each agency would
get.
Students and I liked the project so much that I may do it
again using my own money, supplemented with fundraising.
Here's why I think it worked:
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The project fit well with the two foci of the course:
writing and poverty.
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The project allowed student to work together on making and
evaluating well supported arguments, both oral and written,
in a context that mattered.
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In writing the proposals, students naturally did more
research into their agencies and came to understand their
work better.
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Students learned more about each other and agencies in
Burlington.
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Money has its own heavy sense of reality in our culture, so
students found it satisfying to be able to give real money
to agencies that needed it and were thrilled to have it.
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Money was going right where it is needed most. Students
understood and appreciated this. Here's how it was
distributed: Burlington Housing Authority $200 Loaves and
Fishes $450 Boys and Girls Club $ 50 Positive Attitude
Youth Center $300
Students' Comments on the
Project
Agencies' Reactions
Mrs. Shaw was very excited to find out and told me that now
they [BHA] could buy some more equipment for outside
recreation. Right now they only have two dodge balls. --
Kristen Hegel
As I walked around the corner, I noticed the poster that we
had made from our class presentation framed. Brenda was so
excited about that poster and the $450. grant we got, she
told everyone? I was proud of the work we had done for Loaves
and Fished, and I plan to continue next year. --
Denny Mitchell / Brian Ebert
We told PAYC about the Pericles grant and they were shocked;
they responded by saying, "God Bless!" Then they
told us that the money would go towards the children's
summer program-fees for those who otherwise couldn't
afford it. -- Ryan Hildebrand et al
Learning about Writing
It taught me to make an argument more effectively. --
Denny Mitchell
There are key factors to writing a letter asking for money.
You want to write it on a personal level while grabbing the
readers' attention. It needs to be compelling, but at the
same time factual and realistic. Most importantly, the reader
needs to know how much and where it is going. --
Ellen Manning
I learned what type of information to include and how much
personal, emotional writing is needed. -- Alison
Fiske
Although I didn't learn a whole lot about writing from
the project, I did learn the importance of an effective
letter asking for a grant. Our letter was not as strong as
the others and we did not get as much money as I really
wanted. I feel that I came up short and let PAYC down because
I did not convey how important the needs of the program are.
-- Jonathan Bartlett
Writing this project made me collect everything I learned
over the semester and reflect. -- Colleen
Conrad
I learned the fact that you have to be really specific with
what you're asking and what the outcomes will be.
I learned to be confident in my requests and more specific.
-- Allie Divasto
You have to make your argument compelling enough to convince
people. -- Rebecca G.
Learning about poverty and community agencies It opened my
eyes to see the needs many organizations have whether it be
feeding the hungry or having play equipment. --
Rebecca G.
I feel this project is great. To be a part of something that
is donating $ to better the community is a wonderful and
encouraging idea.
It allowed me to see the poverty that we had talked about
during the year. -- Denny Mitchell
At first, I wasn't aware of the problems, but talking
and asking about it made me more aware. -- Kristen
Hegel
I had to learn about Loaves and Fishes on a deeper level
than just what they are and why they do it. Ellen Manning It
caused me to analyze what they needed and ask questions about
my agency. -- Ryan Hildebrand
Other effects of the Pericles
Project
It taught me the value of lobbying for a cause or
organization. -- Alyson Boyer
I learned a lot about the different organizations that my
peers had been volunteering at. It also helped me to see how
caring the people in my class are. Everyone was really into
this project and it was really cool to see that. The project
forced me to really learn more about my agency because I
needed to know and understand if they could truly use the
money. I think this in turn made me closer to the kids and
the staff there. -- Alison Fiske
I felt a lot stronger about the Boys and Girls Club¸ and I
hope they continue to go strong. -- Brock
Miller
I went around and took pictures of the run down building
Loaves and Fishes currently calls home, the food shelves and
the bags that line the hall. I even got Denny vacuuming. --
Alison Boyer
My relationship changed toward PAYC due to my research and
being informed of the needs of the organization. --
Brian Ebert
Very good project, puts some money in the hands of those who
need it, by allowing students who have experienced the needs
of the agency to choose where the money goes. -- Ryan
Hildebrand
I learned that I can make a difference and not just talk
about making a difference. -- Allison Paksoy
