 Successful Grant Proposal Jason Zevenbergen Read an Excerpt The writers’ conference will take place over a one-week period consisting of student-writer contact time in the classroom, culminating in an evening event with a speaker or panel of speakers for students and the public. The invited writers speaking during the week will be from a number of academic fields, such as law, history, journalism, psychology, biology, and English. One objective will be to bring in a diverse group of writers in order for students to see the importance of writing in many career fields. The invited speaker or panel concluding the conference will ideally be a writer or writers who will speak to a pre-selected theme. The speakers invited to speak in the classroom will be selected to speak to career issues as they relate to writing. These writers will discuss how writing is an important element in their field. They will also focus on the essential writing skills necessary to be successful in the field. In order for students to have a model of those essential writing skills, the speaker will share with student a writing sample of her/his work. Finally, students will be asked to practice or model some of the skills emphasized by the speaker. The writing the students do at this point might be coordinated with a teacher in another discipline in order for the writing to be in a context similar to that of the speaker. Excerpt East Aurora Education Foundation, Inc. Leadership Grant Application GRANT APPLICATION COVER PAGE 1. Name of Applicant: Jason Zevenbergen 2. Address: 159 Temple Street, Fredonia, NY 14063 3. Phone-Home: 679-0253 School: 687-2300, ext. 7205 4. Position Title (Subject and Grade): English Teacher - 10th, 12th, and 12 AP 5. School Building: High School 6. Title of Project: East Aurora Writers’ Conference 7. Date Submitted: Total Dollar Amount Requested: $4000 PARTIAL FUNDING: Please indicate whether you will consider partial funding of this project by checking the appropriate box. ( X) Yes ( ) No PROJECT DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT OF UNDERSTANDING: I fully understand that I am participating in a competitive process and that my application does not guarantee funding. I understand that if awarded a grant, I will be responsible for conducting the project as detailed in this application and for submitting proper documentation to the Foundation. _____________________________________________________________________ PROJECT DIRECTOR’S SIGNATURE DATE PRINCIPAL’S STATEMENT OF SUPPORT I have fully read this application and fully support the implementation of this project. To the best of my knowledge, the materials are not available in this school at this time. ________________________________ ________ SCHOOL PRINCIPAL’S SIGNATURE DATE East Aurora Educational Foundation Leadership Grant Application Project Description Describe your project using the following outline: (Use additional pages as needed.) 1. General Purpose: a. Why do you want to do this project and who will benefit? The writers’ conference will take place over a one-week period consisting of student-writer contact time in the classroom, culminating in an evening event with a speaker or panel of speakers for students and the public. The invited writers speaking during the week will be from a number of academic fields, such as law, history, journalism, psychology, biology, and English. One objective will be to bring in a diverse group of writers in order for students to see the importance of writing in many career fields. The invited speaker or panel concluding the conference will ideally be a writer or writers who will speak to a pre-selected theme. The speakers invited to speak in the classroom will be selected to speak to career issues as they relate to writing. These writers will discuss how writing is an important element in their field. They will also focus on the essential writing skills necessary to be successful in the field. In order for students to have a model of those essential writing skills, the speaker will share with student a writing sample of her/his work. Finally, students will be asked to practice or model some of the skills emphasized by the speaker. The writing the students do at this point might be coordinated with a teacher in another discipline in order for the writing to be in a context similar to that of the speaker. Writers with a creative background will also be invited into the classroom to discuss their poems, short stories, or novels. The class will have had the opportunity to read the writer’s work ahead of time so that they could discuss with the writer the texts she/he created. Students may also model that writer’s style in their own fictional or poetic pieces. Additionally, the writer may conference with students as they compose their drafts. Students involved in the school’s literary journal, Synergy, will also invite the public on one night to read and discuss their own creative work. The final piece of the writing conference will be an invited speaker or panel of speakers who will address a theme interesting to a broad audience. The speaker or panel would be invited to speak at night with an audience composed of both students and the general public. Generally, this person or group will consist of those who have established themselves as notable writer/s in the regional or national community. This speaker or this panel would not deliver a lecture type presentation, but rather either have a performance driven presentation or have a discussion focus on a topic of significant community interest. It will be advertised to the public who the speaker or panel is and the theme of that year’s conference in order to read or consider the theme and texts of that presentation ahead of time. Students may also be assigned these texts in class in order to enhance their understanding of the presentation and for them to speak competently to these invited individuals. b. In what way is it innovative or exemplary? The project is innovative because a structure will be created within which students will work and discuss with professional writers in a variety of career fields. Moreover, they will have the opportunity to discuss with creative writers their poems and works of fiction in seminar instruction format, allowing students to ask questions about technique and interpretation that often cannot be fully addressed in the classroom. Students will also have the opportunity to share at an evening event poetry and fiction that they’ve written for the school’s literary journal. Finally, the invited speaker or panel for the final evening event will discuss either her or his own published work or speak to an issue of significant community interest, thus providing students and parents a shared forum for discussing a work of literature or a significant social issue. To my knowledge, the conference would be an event unique to East Aurora. I am unaware of any similar event in any high school statewide. 2. Objective(s): a. What will this project accomplish? First, the project will make students more knowledgeable regarding the importance of effective writing skills in the work place. Meeting with professional writers from a many disciplines will facilitate, therefore, a stronger connection between the school’s curriculum and the careers students envision themselves entering. Second, student will be able to more fully understand and appreciate the creative process in the context of writing poetry and prose. Students will gain a fuller understanding of the creative process through the poems and short fiction they write through their collaboration with the guest speaker. Having read the creative works of that guest speaker, students will have the opportunity to ask questions regarding both the creative process and the texts’ overall themes, thus enhancing students’ understanding and appreciation of that writer’s works as well as literature generally. Third, at an evening event where students have invited the public, students will have the opportunity to share with their peers and their community their own creative pieces, thus creating a format where students are able to communicate both their writing and the issues they raise in that writing to the community at large. Fourth, the final evening event highlighting an esteemed writer or panel will allow students to participate with their parents and their community in a dialogue about that writer’s poetry or fiction, or the issues explored by the panel. b. What products will be produced? Students will produce a variety of written texts (e.g., non-fiction prose, fiction, and poetry) in the weeks leading up to and over the course of the writers’ conference. In general, students’ written work will parallel the planned activities with the guest writers. The creative writing produced by students will become part of a writers’ conference special edition of the school’s literary magazine. Students will also develop a performance project based upon a poem or short story they have written. c. How does it forward the goals of the East Aurora Educational Foundation? The proposed writers’ conference project directly addresses the Foundation’s goal of funding projects that develop students’ academic excellence, creativity, character, citizenship, and service to society as the project as a whole emphasizes each of these goals. Furthermore, the project is not limited to the discipline of English, as it is important to establish an interdisciplinary approach in order to meet all objectives of the project. Finally, by funding the first year of this project, the East Aurora Educational Foundation would allow for a very successful first year of the writers’ conference, a success that is especially important for establishing more permanent funding sources from local sponsors in subsequent years. Without sufficient initial funding from a granting agency such a yours, it is unlikely that an annual writer’s conference event could be established for the school and the community. 3. Method: a. How do you intend to meet your objectives? I plan to meet my objectives by carefully planning lessons and writing activities that will lead to productive interactions with the guest writers as well as to writing experiences that are more effective and meaningful to students. The event will be organized early enough so that instruction and the students’ needs can be considered and fully addressed. All public events will need advance advertising to ensure a strong attendance to the two evening events. Advertising will also help facilitate the public’s understanding and purpose of the events. b. Be specific about your activities. (Detail the materials and resources you will use.) Ÿ Daily planned activities will require no additional resources for materials as they will be developed from the general curriculum. However, financial resources will be required to pay invited writers to work with students. Ÿ The evening event organized by students will require no additional resources outside of those needed to advertise the event. Ÿ The concluding event with a prominent writer or panel of speakers will require significant resources for that writer’s speaking fee as well as the cost of advertising the event. c. What is the time schedule for your activities? Guest writers will be invited to participate in planned activities on a daily basis for a one week period. An invited writer will meet with one to two classes as their schedule permits. The invited writer or panel for the final conference event will speak for approximate one hour to one and a half hours. 4. Evaluation: How will you judge whether your project is successful? The success of the project will be determined through the evaluation of student writing produced as a result of the conference, as well as through the feedback received about the conference as a whole from students, faculty, administration and the community. The success of the conference will be further determined through the community’s continued financial support in subsequent years so that the conference becomes an annual event. 5. Abstract: Write three sentences or less that could be used to publicize your project if funded. The writers’ conference will take place over a one week period consisting of student-writer contact time in the classroom, culminating in an evening event with an esteemed writer or panel of speakers for students and the public. The writers invited to meet with students may be from a number of academic fields, such as law, history, journalism, psychology, biology, and English. The conference will conclude with a performance or discussion by an esteemed regional or national writer or panel who will speak to a pre-selected theme. Budget Page Advertising: The project would need funds for professionally created posters that could be placed throughout the community to advertise the event. Funds would also be needed to pay for advertising in the local newspapers. Cost: $300 Classroom Speakers: This category reflects the category and number of writers who would be invited to classrooms. 12 Speakers X $100 = $1200 Key Note Speaker: $2500 (This cost may include not only salary, but also possible travel and lodging costs.) Total Amount Requested: $4000 DISSEMINATION COMMITMNT FORM Please check any and all appropriate boxes. Activities: _X__ I am willing to conduct a workshop on my project. _X__ Teachers may visit my classroom to view my project (if applicable). _X__ I will submit a mid-year progress report. _X__ I am willing to have a visit from a Foundation Board Member ________________________________________________________________________ Products that will be available for sharing within the East Aurora Union Free School District _X__ course outlines _X__ instructional guidelines _X__ lesson plans _X__ curriculum guides ____ audio/visuals ____ photographic or video record ____ other (please explain) |
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