Teach For America Alternative Spring Break
Group photo for Teach For America Alternative Spring Break in Tony Hsieh's apartment.
Basic Information
Full Name: Nathan Bodenschatz UC Email: [email protected] College: College of Engineering and Applied Science Major: Aerospace Engineering Title of Project: Teach For America Alternative Spring Break Expected Project Start Date: 3/19/12 Expected Project End Date: 3/23/12 |
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Project Information
1. Provide a brief overview/abstract of your proposed honors experiential learning project.
Teach for America and Zappos partnered up to bring college students into the Las Vegas region to see and experience first hand the achievement gap that exists in the area. The week was filled with unique experiences like teaching in the classroom, touring Zappos’ headquarters, and touring downtown Las Vegas. At the end of the week, groups of students were asked to present a unique solution to the problems we learned about throughout the experience.
1. Provide a brief overview/abstract of your proposed honors experiential learning project.
Teach for America and Zappos partnered up to bring college students into the Las Vegas region to see and experience first hand the achievement gap that exists in the area. The week was filled with unique experiences like teaching in the classroom, touring Zappos’ headquarters, and touring downtown Las Vegas. At the end of the week, groups of students were asked to present a unique solution to the problems we learned about throughout the experience.
2. Clearly state how each of the following elements will be exhibited in your work (refer to the first two pages of this document with the full description of what is expected in each of these areas).
a. Substantial Content and Quality within Community Engagement Theme
The entire experience was geared toward closing the achievement gap. Many children in Las Vegas grow up in a house of absent parents. Many parent have to work double shifts to support their families. Other parents who have no experience or knowledge of college do not push their children to attend. We spend the week learning and experiencing this. At the end of the week, we presented to a panel of Teach For America staff, Zappos staff, and School District staff. The presentation was focused on giving each student equal opportunities to be successful.
b. Connection to Academic Goals and Theories
For this project, the Teach For America staff gave us prework to complete before attending. The prework included reading “Delivering Happiness” by Tony Hsieh (the CEO of Zappos). Furthermore, we were given articles and documents on the current state of education and the economy in the Las Vegas area. The organizers also worked closely with us and provided multiple other resources we could use to prepare ourselves for the trip and presentation at the end of the week.
This particular trip meant a lot to me because I am strongly considering joining Teach For America after college. Their cause is a great one, and I hope to be able to help them achieve their goals in the future of providing a quality education to all children. My interest in TFA and teaching in general led me to the project when I met a recruiter at LeaderShape. I applied and was accepted. I decided to apply and make the trip to help me figure out if teaching were a career I would enjoy and am capable of doing when I graduate college. I believe I am intelligent individual with a talent for explaining difficult ideas and concepts to others. Teaching may be a more worthwhile way to use my engineering talents in the future.
c. Initiative, Independence and Creativity
While we all participated in the project, I took it upon myself to document many of the events of the week with photography. I made the pictures available to all those involved to use for any purpose they may need. The Teach For America staff used my photographs in their summary presentation of the week. It was cool to see them using my pictures to explain details of our week. Furthermore, I took it upon myself to do extra research on implementing a summer program for student experiencing the achievement gap. Much of their knowledge dissipates over the summer break, and I wanted to find a way to eliminate that factor. I made extra effort to talk with my host for the week (Jordan; a corps member for TFA) and talked with the superintendent of the Las Vegas school district about his views on the “summer backslide”. My efforts to learn and gain knowledge allowed our group to present an idea at the end of the week that we knew would solve a real problem in the area.
d. Reflection & Dissemination
Please see TFA ASB Reflection page.
The presentation we gave to our guest panel is attached.
Links to pictures from the week:
https://picasaweb.google.com/116762815154295610768/LasVegas . https://picasaweb.google.com/116762815154295610768/LasVegas_2
e. Advisor (list the person’s name, title, and contact information)
AdamJohnson
Director of Development
Teach For America - Las Vegas Valley
4040 S. Eastern Ave., Suite 300
Las Vegas, NV 89119
Office: (702) 696-9059 x33116
Cell: (646) 753-0354
Email: [email protected]
f. Budget (if applicable)
N/A
a. Substantial Content and Quality within Community Engagement Theme
The entire experience was geared toward closing the achievement gap. Many children in Las Vegas grow up in a house of absent parents. Many parent have to work double shifts to support their families. Other parents who have no experience or knowledge of college do not push their children to attend. We spend the week learning and experiencing this. At the end of the week, we presented to a panel of Teach For America staff, Zappos staff, and School District staff. The presentation was focused on giving each student equal opportunities to be successful.
b. Connection to Academic Goals and Theories
For this project, the Teach For America staff gave us prework to complete before attending. The prework included reading “Delivering Happiness” by Tony Hsieh (the CEO of Zappos). Furthermore, we were given articles and documents on the current state of education and the economy in the Las Vegas area. The organizers also worked closely with us and provided multiple other resources we could use to prepare ourselves for the trip and presentation at the end of the week.
This particular trip meant a lot to me because I am strongly considering joining Teach For America after college. Their cause is a great one, and I hope to be able to help them achieve their goals in the future of providing a quality education to all children. My interest in TFA and teaching in general led me to the project when I met a recruiter at LeaderShape. I applied and was accepted. I decided to apply and make the trip to help me figure out if teaching were a career I would enjoy and am capable of doing when I graduate college. I believe I am intelligent individual with a talent for explaining difficult ideas and concepts to others. Teaching may be a more worthwhile way to use my engineering talents in the future.
c. Initiative, Independence and Creativity
While we all participated in the project, I took it upon myself to document many of the events of the week with photography. I made the pictures available to all those involved to use for any purpose they may need. The Teach For America staff used my photographs in their summary presentation of the week. It was cool to see them using my pictures to explain details of our week. Furthermore, I took it upon myself to do extra research on implementing a summer program for student experiencing the achievement gap. Much of their knowledge dissipates over the summer break, and I wanted to find a way to eliminate that factor. I made extra effort to talk with my host for the week (Jordan; a corps member for TFA) and talked with the superintendent of the Las Vegas school district about his views on the “summer backslide”. My efforts to learn and gain knowledge allowed our group to present an idea at the end of the week that we knew would solve a real problem in the area.
d. Reflection & Dissemination
Please see TFA ASB Reflection page.
The presentation we gave to our guest panel is attached.
Links to pictures from the week:
https://picasaweb.google.com/116762815154295610768/LasVegas . https://picasaweb.google.com/116762815154295610768/LasVegas_2
e. Advisor (list the person’s name, title, and contact information)
AdamJohnson
Director of Development
Teach For America - Las Vegas Valley
4040 S. Eastern Ave., Suite 300
Las Vegas, NV 89119
Office: (702) 696-9059 x33116
Cell: (646) 753-0354
Email: [email protected]
f. Budget (if applicable)
N/A
Attachments:
Group 5 Presentation
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Trip Prework Example
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