Community Orchard
Chris Bentley
Project Abstract: The purpose of the Community Orchard is to provide students of Weber State as well as the larger community with the knowledge of the benefits of growing local crops. In producing our own foods locally, we save great amounts of carbon emissions that result from transporting the fruit. Additionally, this project will provide an existing Botany course, Home Orchard and Gardening, with a perfect avenue to practicing the things they are learning in the classroom in a real setting. Additionally, as all the fruits produced will be donated to a local charity, we can provide the rare commodity of fresh fruit to those who otherwise would have possibly only canned.
We will be working with Catholic Community Services to donate our fruit. This organization provides sustenance to families in need without asking any questions about their situation. This approach allows people to keep their privacy and their dignity. While they attempt to give the best products they can, normally fresh fruits are beyond their capacity. However, within just three short years of the Community Orchard’s efforts, we will be producing at least 20 bushels of fresh, locally grown fruit that can be donated. Within five years we may have as much as 60-100 bushels once the orchard reaches peak production.
Green Bus Tour
Chris Bentley
Project Abstract: The Green Bus Tour will provide children who might not have been taught the extreme value in being aware of the environment around them and what they can do to protect our natural resources with an interactive learning experience. It is hoped that through teaching the children these important things, parents will be similarly impacted by having the children influence their parents by their new-found knowledge and enthusiasm discovered through this project.
We will be working with Sunset Elementary as well as Vae View Elementary, both lower income Title I schools. Both schools are very excited to participate in this project, and we have already begun planning for the project to take place as part of the schools’ Earth Day events.
We have set the goal of getting 30 university students to go on the actual Tour, but in order to ensure these students will be prepared and contributing participants, there will be a series of trainings led by WSU faculty. We are scheduling the Tour to coincide with the elementary schools’ Earth Day activities which will be planned for the week of April 22.
Pocket Resource Guide 211
Susan Canova
Project Abstract: Utah’s Information and Referral Service, available on-line, or by dialing 2-1-1, connects Ogden’s low-income and/or Hispanic populations with resources, i.e. medical, food, shelter, legal aid, language classes, and more. Since January, I have been working with this organization and two affiliates, Utah Food Bank and United Way of Northern Utah, to update and expand the Resource List for Weber County. Simultaneously, I am reviewing statistics taken from incoming calls to 2-1-1, analyzing utilization patterns from zip codes 84401-84405. The research also documents caller needs and the agencies with which they were connected. Once initial statistics are compiled and resource lists updated, the next stage begins. This step is two fold. First, a publicity campaign targeted at low-income and/or Hispanic populations informing them of 2-1-1 and its associated resource guides. Posters, printed in English and Spanish, will be designed and placed in storefronts, schools, and other public places throughout Ogden areas where income and homeownership are lowest, and those areas where Title One Schools are located. 2-1-1 calls will be tracked for six months after onset of publicity to document the efficacy/impact of the project. Second, a pocket-resource, also printed in both languages, will be distributed to school administrators, clergy, shelters, and other agencies, which they in-turn use to connect people and resources.
How to Read a Prescription Label
Alicia Giralt
Project Abstract: Many people in Ogden who visit the Health Department and local clinics do not take their medications properly. Many do not get the refills they need. Marilee Rohan, a nurse practitioner with Weber County Health Department and the WSU Student Health Center, believes this is partly due to a lack of understanding regarding prescription labels. Our proposal will help people understand their prescription labels.
Mrs. Rohan contacted me because she found out that some patients who did not take their medication properly and who did not get refills as needed were not rebellious or not interested, but did not understand the label on their medications. People felt stupid asking for clarifications, specially the ones who do not speak English well. After brainstorming, we decided my Spanish for Medical Professional students and I would work on an easy to understand poster and flier that explained the information on a prescription label.
Alternative Spring Break
Scott Moore
Project Abstract: The main purpose in organizing and attending the Weber State University annual Alternative Spring Break trip is to render service to those in need. As students we have the objectives to help out the Skagit Habitat for Humanity to build quality homes for financially underprivileged families who could otherwise not afford such accommodations. The second objective is to increase the awareness in the student body that community service is commonplace and insight others to engage in philanthropic activities. We will be working directly with Habitat for Humanity providing direct, selfless service in the form of skilled and unskilled manual labor. The project requires student recruitment, briefing, travel, service, and debriefing. The timeline will start with the recruitment process beginning in
November and student selection in January. We will have pre-trip briefings held one week prior to the departure date. We will depart for Washington on Sunday March 8, 2008 and will be engaged in service related activities all days but one. The return trip will take place on Saturday March 14, 2008 and trip debriefing will be taken care of during the bus ride home. We will be able to evaluate our goals to increase student awareness to service and to build quality homes for underprivileged families by accurate journal keeping and initiation into the Weber State University Volunteer Involvement Programs Database. Through the database the Community Involvement Center can evaluate the progress of each individual and the service to the community that they render.
Best Buddies
Robert Ortega
Project Abstract: The Weber State chapter of the Best Buddies program would like to ask for funding to send two officers to attend the annual Best Buddies Leadership Conference. Best Buddies is a peer mentoring program for people with disabilities. The Weber State chapter works with Ogden area school districts to provide invaluable services to the students in their special education programs. We match college students with a person with disabilities in one-to-one friendships. These friendships are commonly the only contacts these disabled students have outside of their families and school programs.
Each year, Best Buddies International holds their annual Leadership Conference in Indiana. Each school with a Best Buddies chapter is required to send at least one person to this conference for training. I have attended this conference for the last two years, and it is truly one of the most informative and inspiring events I have attended. I used this information to train my officers and chapter members at Weber State. Our chapter has flourished over the last year with 43 volunteers. This is the most in our schools history, but there are still several disabled persons in Ogden that are not given the chance to participate in the program. Having a solid group of volunteer officers has been the key to our success.
Our chapter has budgeted money to send next year’s president to the conference as required. However, I have seen that sending more than one person would be extremely beneficial. We would like to ask for funding to send two additional volunteers.
A Family Advocate for MOJH AVID Class
Tracy Parker
Project Abstract: A partnership between WSU and Mount Ogden Junior High School (MOJH) has been formed to serve approximately fifty college bound students chosen for an elective course entitled Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID). Under the direction of the WSU Community Involvement Center, tutors, afterschool program leaders, family advocates, and student researchers have been recruited as team members to support the AVID program. The purpose of AVID is to “level the playing field” for minority, low-income, and other students who lack a family history of college attendance, by preparing them for college entrance and success. The goal of the family advocates in this AVID team is to build a bridge between the parents of AVID students and MOJH.
The desired effect of this project is that parents will begin to feel more comfortable with the culture of MOJH and the school system in general, and consequently, become less afraid to approach teachers with questions and concerns. Additionally, the lines of communication between Meredith and the AVID student’s parents will be enhanced and more open than before, enabling Meredith to discuss concerns regarding her students with their parents. Moreover, parents will become more involved in their children’s education.
Physics Outreach to Schools
John Sohl
Project Abstract: The Utah Science Core Curriculum contains two aspects of physics that the school teachers are often unable to easily demonstrate to their students with hands on activities: electric circuits and optics. I propose to obtain two kits (and spares) for hands-on activities in these areas. Typical elementary classrooms have approximately 30 students which will require at least 15 sets of equipment. I propose 20 sets. The additional sets are for oversized classrooms and for spares. I want to incorporate Community Based Learning into my electronics and optics courses. The WSU students will be instructed on how to use these kits to lead activities in elementary schools. Title I schools will be targeted as the primary venues, most likely schools from the Ogden School District.
There are two primary objectives to this project. 1. Teaching physics majors about the value and importance of supporting the community and 2. providing hands-on activities in science to school children that are otherwise unlikely to have such experiences.
The electronics circuit kits are designed to directly match the Utah State Office of Education Core Curriculum in science for the 5th grade: Standard IV, Objective 2.
The Optics for Kids kits will be used to directly address Utah State Office of Education Core Curriculum in science for the 6th Grade: Standard VI, Objective 2.
Moving Company 2009
Erik Stern
Project Abstract: Moving Company 2009 — Erik Stern, WSU Professor of Dance, creates an outreach performance during fall 2008 and spring 2009 to tour this April to many of Ogden City School District’s thirteen elementary campuses, as well as other schools and local community organizations. The show features eight WSU dance students, music faculty Dr. Keipp and Stern, and utilizes the skills of WSU staff Jean-Louise England (costume design) and John Bizzell (technical director).
Moving Company 2009 will involve audience interaction in several ways: 1) by inviting students to solve puzzles associated with the oversized mathematical props; 2) by having students answer other related questions; 3) by engaging students to make observations about dances; 4) and through post-show question and answer sessions.