Ryan Wichtendahl

Senior Project Proposal

October 28, 2015

ABSTRACT

A.

The title of my paper is, The Effect of Poverty on Education, with a Focus on Literacy,
the book drive element of my project is titled, Books for a Cause and my literacy fun night will
be called, A Night of Fun and Learning I chose these titles because I felt they were concise and
fit my projects topic and concept well. My senior project topic focuses on the effect that poverty
has on early childhood education, specifically literacy. I have chosen this as my topic because of
my internship with a kindergarten class at Linkhorn Park Elementary School where I have
directly seen the effects of poverty on many students educational experiences. I plan to drive my
research based on the following questions:

How is a childs early educational experience (focusing on their literacy) affected by their
parents income?

How can the school system be reformed in order to better educate students living in
poverty?

What is the legal responsibility that our government holds to protect students living in
poverty?
My project will consistent of two specific components, the first component will be a

literacy fun night for students but still encouraged with parents to come. This event will be
open to all tidewater area elementary aged students. This event will take place at Bettie F.
Williams Elementary School. At the event there will be literacy focused but fun games, free

food (donated by local businesses), and educational information for parents who attend. The
second component of my project is to directly reach out to impoverished students and affect
their education. For this I will raise books for S.P. Morton Elementary School in Franklin
City, VA. Franklin City may sound like a random choice but after much consideration I
determined it was the community which would have the most benefit from my project. I also
found that my project would not have nearly as large an impact if I were to do it anywhere
other than Franklin City, VA. The books I raise will come from local schools as well as other
community organizations. After gathering the books I plan to travel with my parents and
friends via car to Franklin, Virginia to S.P. Morton Elementary School in order to donate my
books.
I have chosen my project consultant to be Ms. Mason. There were many reasons for this,
the first reason is that I have an amazing relationship with Ms. Mason. Secondly, she has
very diverse teaching experience as she has taught in Norfolk City Public Schools and at
Virginia Beach Schools Renaissance Academy. I feel extremely confident that she is the
best choice for my project consultant. I have mentioned before that the audience of my
project will be two groups of individuals, the students and the parents.
The two events will take place at separate times and locations. My parent
literacy/education night will take place at Bettie F. Williams Elementary School on Tuesday
March 16, 2016. My book drop-off will take place at S.P. Morton Elementary School on
Saturday March 12, 2016. This date will provide me with enough time to gather books, but it
is also a good time during the year for the school to receive them. The two events will benefit
both the elementary students and their parents.

Following my literacy fun night, parents who attend will fill out an out-the door survey
letting me know their satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the event. Following my book drop
off, I will have the school administration fill out a survey to state how happy they were with
the execution of my book drop off. There will be several materials that I will need including
books, expert speakers, and community resources. My direct clients are elementary students
in the Hampton Roads area, who I will reach out to both directly in my book drive and
indirectly in my literacy fun night.
B.

LEARNING SKILLS

In order to effectively complete my project I will need to enhance specific skills which I already have but
need to hone in on for the purpose of this project, they are:

Effective Communication with Professionals and Experts

Advertisement of Event (specifically professional usage of social media)

Knowledge on the Department of Education and its Procedures

Consistent Time Management (throughout the entire event)

In order to effectively complete my project I will need to learn completely new and specific
skills, including:

Gathering and Collecting a large Number of Donations (books)

Management of a Wide Scale Service Project (book drop off)

Organization of a Wide Scale Event (literacy fun night)

C. PROJECT STEPS:
Step 1:

Reach out to S.P. Morton Elementary

School to discuss the specifics.

30 Minutes

Step 2:

Go to First Colonial High School

teachers, community organizations /
businesses, and other local schools and
ask them to either place a book donation
box in their rooms/locations or ask them
to donate.

1.5 Hours

Step 3:

Reach out to local experts and ask them

to either provide information/resources or
speak at my event.
Meet with Ms. Mason to discuss the
specifics of my trip to Franklin and
literacy fun night. (Get Feedback)
Work on Advertisements for Literacy
Night, print and distribute them.
Gather materials for my literacy fun
night. This will include making
programs, gathering resources, printing
literature.
Go to schools and businesses to gather
donations. Distribute more boxes if
needed.
Meet with experts for literacy fun night,
go over the night with them, and finalize
all presentations.
Have a video call or phone call to S.P.
Morton Elementary Schools
administration to finalize details of our
book day.

2.5 Hours

Step 4:

Step 5:
Step 6:

Step 7:

Step 8:

Step 9:

Step 10:

Step 11:

Step 12:

Step 13:

Finalize Details with Bettie F. Williams

for my literacy fun night
Make last round of collection for books.
Sort the books by level and box them for
transportation. Total the number of books
and send the information to S.P. Morton
Elementary.
Drive to S.P Elementary School in
Franklin, Virginia to distribute my
donated books to their school.
Unload and unpack boxes of books at S.P
Morton Elementary School, set up for
story time
Set up Bettie F. Williams for literacy
fun night. Ensure all materials are
complete and ready.

1 Hour

1.5 Hours
3 Hours

2 Hours

3 Hours

3 Hours

5 Hours

1.5 Hours

5 Hours

2 Hours

Total Hours: 30.5

D. PROJECT DOCUMENTATION:
In order to properly document my project I will use the following:

An online blog which will be written by me in order to document my progress,

challenges, and achievement throughout this process.

I will take photos as well as videos at my events and during the preparation for the
events.

I will complete all progress reports and give them to Mrs. Van Schenck. These reports
will document the different stages of my project.

A time log with a list of all dates and time taken to complete each stage of my project.

E. PROJECT JUSTIFICATION
The struggles that students living in poverty face are endless. Poverty can create a total
barrier to the students education. I personally am so passionate about this issue because I believe
there is a need for change. A students income should never affect their ability to learn nor
should it affect the quality of the education they receive. This is why I believe my project is
impactful and extremely important. I firmly believe that by providing these children with
learning tools, we can maximize their education and decrease the inequities that exist currently
within the schools. I will do this very thing throughout my donation of books to S.P. Morton
Elementary School in Franklin, Virginia. I then further believe that is it vital to increase the
students educational experience by involving the parent as much as possible. Parental
involvement and investment in a childs education can create a dynamic relationship between
parent, the student, and the teachers. This relationship I believe will be influenced by my literacy

fun night as it is encouraged for parents to also attend. I am confident that my project will have
an extreme impact on those students living in poverty and their educational experience. For this
reason alone, I believe my project is justified and beyond reasonable to achieve such goals
above.
F. PROJECT-PAPER CONNECTION
In my paper I will discuss and analyze the effect that poverty can have on a childs
education, focusing on their literacy. I will then further analyze those effects and how they play a
role in a students overall later life. My paper will also discuss how funding to a school may be
disproportionate to that schools needs. These needs are generally based on the percentage of
students who lie below the poverty line. Often, the funding given to a school does not match the
funding needed. This funding gap in schools can significantly harm students living in poverty.
My project will provide students living in poverty with books, which the school system may not
be able to provide due to the funding gap. Secondly, my literacy fun night will maximize the
parents involvement and outlook on a students education and possibly help to decrease the
effects of such funding gap. I believe that the legality of how a state funds their school district
and further apportions the money to specific schools is currently extremely questionable. I am
adamant that this paper is vital to my project and that a clear connection is in existence.
G. ACADEMIC HONESTY
I understand that Academic Dishonesty consists of any plagiarism, cheating, or
fabrication of my work. I also understand that any Academic Dishonesty that I display
throughout this project will result in disciplinary action and possible dismissal from the Legal
Studies Academy.

H. COMPLETION DATES
Step 1:

Step 2:

Step 3:

Step 4:

Step 5:

Step 6:

Step 7:

Step 8:

Step 9:

Reach out to S.P. Morton

Elementary School to discuss
the specifics.
Go to First Colonial High
School teachers, community
organizations / businesses, and
other local schools and ask them
to either place a book donation
box in their rooms/locations or
ask them to donate.

30 Minutes

February 6, 2016

1.5 Hours

February 12, 2016

Reach out to local experts and

ask them to either provide
information/resources or speak
at my event.
Meet with Ms. Mason to discuss
the specifics of my trip to
Franklin and literacy fun night.
(Get Feedback)
Work on Advertisements for
Literacy Night, print and
distribute them.
Gather materials for my literacy
fun night. This will include
making programs, gathering
resources, printing literature.
Go to schools and businesses to
gather donations. Distribute
more boxes if needed.
Meet with volunteers for my
literacy fun night, contact
businesses helping, and all
others involved. Finalized and
confirm involvement.
Have a video call or phone call
to S.P. Morton Elementary
Schools administration to
finalize details of our book
day.

2.5 Hours

February 14, 2016

1 Hour

February 19, 2016

1.5 Hours

February 22, 2016

3 Hours

February 24, 2016

2 Hours

February 29, 2016

3 Hours

March 5, 2016

2 Hours

March 6, 2016

Step 10:

Step 11:

Step 12:

Step 13:

Book
Drop Off
Literacy
Fun
Night

Also speak to Bettie F. Williams

for my literacy fun night,
discuss and finalize details.
Make last round of collection
for books. Sort the books by
level and box them for
transportation. Total the number
of books and send the
information to S.P. Morton
Elementary.
Drive to S.P Elementary School
in Franklin, Virginia to
distribute my donated books to
their school.
Unload and unpack boxes of
books at S.P Morton Elementary
School, set up for story time
Set up at Bettie F. Williams for
literacy fun night. Ensure all
materials are complete and
ready. Double check all
programs, presentations, and
technology that will be used.
The actual project itself.

The actual project itself.

I. FACILITIES IMPACT FORM

N.A.

5 Hours

March 7, 2016

1.5 Hours

March 12, 2016

5 Hours

March 12, 2016

2 Hours

March 16, 2016

Saturday March 12,

2016
Tuesday March 16,
2016.