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Katelyn Minor

Senior Project Proposal

October 7, 2016

A. Abstract

For my topic I will be researching the overuse of prescribed drugs on those who are

diagnosed with autism and other sensory integrative disorders and the alternative therapies or

treatment techniques that can be beneficial instead of prescription drugs. I will title my paper

Hugs not Drugs: Alternative Therapies Versus Prescription Drugs while I will be naming my

project portion Hugs not Drugs: Autism Therapies Culture Fair. For my project I want to put

together a therapies culture fair using a number of alternative therapies that benefit those with

autism, I will determine the therapies present while researching and writing my paper. If

approved, I plan to hold my project at Woodstock Elementary School on March 11th. The project

would begin with a short presentation about autism and any other necessary information needed

at the beginning which would be followed by a guest speaker who is knowledgeable on autism.

After the guest speaker, I will turn it over into a free period where there will be scheduled

intervals of time for attendees to visit and learn about the type of therapy at the stations set up

around the room. I also plan to have a table set up for more information on autism and for

possible donations that I will donate to the National Autism Association or some other

organization that serves autism depending on research of the validity of the organization. My

consultant will be Kathrine Metzgar, a guidance counselor at First Colonial High School, who

knows about my inspiration for my topic and project and fully supports my topic.
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There was a personal reason for me choosing my topic, being that I have been surrounded by

the mental health community since I was born due to my older brother being autistic among

other mental health or behavioral disorders. I have been interested in the topic of mental

disorders since I was in middle school and have looked forward to completing my senior project

on this topic since I found out about the senior project requirement in eighth grade. I was

interested in the overprescribing of prescription drugs because I have seen it first hand with my

brother and know that it happens so I want to do a project that I know means a lot to myself and

those close to the mental health community.

While conducting my research I will focus on these driving questions:

What are the laws and regulation governing prescription drug companies and the doctors who

prescribe the medicine?

What are the affects (symptoms) of prescription drugs on people with autism (physical or

emotional)?
How many drugs can be prescribed to someone at a time?
What is a dangerous amount of prescriptions drugs? Why is it dangerous (short-term and long-

term)?
What role do prescription drug companies play on the overprescribing of medication?
What are the different types of therapies used on those with autism, anxiety, and other sensory

processing disorders?
What are the biological and emotional functions of those with autism?
What are the causes of autism?

In order to evaluate the success of my project, upon completion I will conduct a survey on

the people who attended my projects which will ask for feedback on the process of the fair as

well as a section which will question the attendants about the knowledge that they have

accumulated. In order to have a comparative survey on the knowledge they learned I will send

out a second survey asking the same questions that are seen on the first survey in order to
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compare what they knew immediately after the fair and how their knowledge has been retained

in just a weeks time. As stated in the explanation of my project, I do plan on having a donation

table set up so I will also be evaluating my success based on the amount of money accumulated.

My project is mainly about spreading awareness so if I can inform people about autism, and if it

sticks with them I will consider it a success.

B. Learning Skills

I obtain the following new skills:

Contacting people to participate in my project- counselors, organizations, venue, etc.

Advertising my event so people will come.
Running a whole event.
Using the therapies present at my project.

I will be enhancing the following skills:

Research skills that are needed in this project

Public Speaking
Working in with other people to get the event done.
Keeping contact with a consultant or mentor.

C. Marketing Plan/Facilities/Audience

My target audience would consist of people who are unaware of autism or who are aware

of it but are unsure about what it really is. I plan on targeting people of all ages at both FC,

Woodstock Elementary, and any parents or grandparents who attend because autism is not an age

specific topic; people can come into contact with autism at any point in their lives so limiting

who can learn about it through my project would be a loss of an opportunity to inform people

about this lifelong condition. People that know about autism wouldnt benefit as much from my

project because they already know the information that they would see in my project. If those

people were to attend my project, the only benefit they may receive would be from the therapy
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portion especially if they are new to the autism community and believe that medication that

masks the autism symptoms is the only available option. My project should not be age restrictive

because interaction with autism is not restricted to an age group; you could come into contact

with it at any point and it is better to be aware sooner than later. I plan on creating flyers to hand

around the both of the schools that I have access to, as well as sending out fliers to the

homeroom teachers on the First Colonial students. I also plan on contacting autism organizations

to see if they will help with the advertisement of my event to the older attendees for my project

which will help draw in a larger crowd which will help make my project feel like a success.

D. Project Steps

Preliminary Steps I will contact locations for venues starting with 5 hours

Woodstock Elementary School, research therapies

and begin contacting professionals for their

involvement in my project.
Midway Steps Confirm the therapies present at my project and 5 hours

any special guests that will be participate in my

event. Start putting together my presentation and

planning the scheduling for my project. Start

advertising event.
Later Steps Gather my materials, run through the event, and 6 hours

continue meeting with consultants

Follow up Send out and receive survey used for gauging 4 hours

success of project. Submit thank you letters to

each of the participating people in my project.

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Total 20 Hours (at least)

E. Project Documentation

I will be documenting my projects in the following ways:

Photographing the event

Journal
Blog
Time Log
Email, texting, any social media contact, and a general typed up transcript of phone calls.
Videos of the event
Analyzing the survey results.

F. Project Justification

I believe that my project would be a quality project. This project would give me a chance

to inform many different people about autism and the different treatment outside of medication

that comes with risks and side effect. This project would definitely be a challenge for me

considering I have to get in contact with people who specialize in that particular alternative

therapies that will be present at my project for the attendees to try out. I also have to make sure

that I have the material needed and make sure that I can advertise my project in a way that will

get people to attend my project. This project gives me the opportunity to show people that the

problem cant all be fixed with medication, which may not work at all for some people, and that

there are other treatment options that can work better for people.

G. Project- Paper Connection

My project directly correlates to my paper because my paper will be discussing the

therapy techniques that I hope to display at my project. I directly pulled my inspiration for my
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project from the focus of my paper which is autism and the use of alternative therapies over

prescription drugs.

H. Academic Honesty

I believe that academic honesty is a personal but necessary choice that has to be made to

insure that your ideas and work are truly your own. When you are typing a paper, giving a

speech, or running a project, it is about making sure that the credit is given to who deserves it

and that the information unique to you is truly your idea. Making sure the idea is yours, and the

credit is given to who it belongs to will make sure you avoid plagiarism and any other issues that

may arise from unrightfully use of anothers work.

I understand that any academic dishonesty by me on any part of the project will result in

failure of the Senior Project and forfeiture of the Legal Studies Seal on my High School diploma.