Alex Steeves

Mrs. Heyer
English II Honors
11 April 2016
Summer Enriched and Accelerated Learning Proposal
Every person deserves the opportunity to reach their fullest potential academically,
especially those who are willing and craving to go the extra mile in their education. As a student
who has been successful and exceled in the classroom growing up, I know what it is like to be
bored in class and to want a more accelerated learning experience. Unfortunately, this is not
always possible because teachers tend to make sure all of the students understand the curriculum
before moving on, leaving the excelling students waiting. With my help, students who can grasp
academic material at a quicker pace, such as the 10% of students in the Siouxland Community
Schools, will now be able to have access to a more difficult and enriched learning experience in
the summer of 2016.
Founded by Erin Pinney of Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, the SEAL program (Summer Enriched
& Accelerated Learning) is teaming up with the nonprofit SHIP program Beyond the Bell in
order to assist high-ability students in need. These students, grades 1-6, will now be able to
pursue a more difficult and challenging academic program this summer with the help of
scholarship donators, SEAL teachers, and as my goal, myself. I firmly believe that with my help
and contributions the SEAL program will become a reality instead of an idea fathomed by my
passionate and eager billet-mother, Erin. Not only will these students be offered a valuable

challenge, but I will feel as if I have helped assist these Siouxland scholars into becoming
successful leaders of the community; something I would have loved to be at a younger age.
It is one thing to talk, yet another to act and advocate for change in the Siouxland
community. As stated earlier, this program is just a likely possibility, but still relies on the
donations of citizens and businesses abroad. Working and collaborating in my billet-house with
Erin Pinney and her TAG students, I have already and will continue to help design the SEAL
logo, create flyers and program applications, fold and stuff envelopes to be shipped to hopeful
donors and applicants, and market the program to high-ability students who I have come to know
through my experiences as a Sioux City Musketeers player. Although I do live in New
Hampshire and am only here in Sioux City temporarily, I cannot help but feel that my actions
with the SEAL program will help implement myself as a positive influence in the community,
and allow me to help advocate for something bigger than myself: the needs of others. Hopefully,
this concept will call attention to the needs of high-ability students globally who suffer from
subpar educations, and not just here in Sioux City.