Proposal

__ Briefly describe your intended project: __ I intend to set up a shoe drive within the Springfield community to be collected and sent to an organization called Hope Runs. This non-profit works to empower AIDS orphans in Kenya and Tanzania in athletics, education, and social entrepreneurship in order to give them a bright future. Donation boxes will be set up within the high school, middle school, and elementary school as well as running stores including Born to Run and Jenkintown Running to collect used sneakers. __ Project Outcome or Goal: __ From the shoe collections, I hope to receive at least 100 pairs of sneakers in good condition. This means the shoes must be clean, the shoe laces must be intact, and there cannot be any holes. My research topic centers around the AIDS orphans, the impact the disease has on them, and how sports programs have assisted their welfare. By collecting shoes for actual AIDS orphans, I hope that by this small gesture, I can help to assist the empowerment of these children. __ Project Completion Strategies: __ In order to complete my project, I will need to gain permission from school administrators to start the collection boxes and place them around the schools. Also, I think kids might be more empowered to help if they are spoken to directly. So, I hope to set up short meetings with kids in the middle and elementary schools to provide a brief overview of my goal and to ask for their help. In order to set up collection boxes at the running stores, I must get in touch with the owners and ask their permission. It is my hope that their connection to running will translate to excitement and willingness to allow me to set up boxes at their stores. In the high school, I think it would be easiest to target student athletes because they would be the most likely to have old sneakers to donate. __ Project Resources and Materials: __ I plan to use regular old cardboard boxes to hold donated shoes. I will have to decorate the boxes in order to advertise the cause and draw attention and enthusiasm. I have the email of the owner of Born To Run and will be able to drive to the other running stores in order to talk to the owners. I will have to talk to teachers and administrators in the middle school and elementary school in order to determine if they would be willing to allot a short part of class to talk to kids about my project and elicit their help. ** __ Research __ ** __ Research Topic: __ I want to research orphans of AID victims in Africa and the after effects of the disease on the kids. Also, I want to narrow in on how athletic programs can assist these kids in leading better lives. I picked this topic because I stumbled upon an organization called Hope Runs when I was looking for a place to send the shoes once I collected them. Being a runner, I was drawn to the program because it taught AIDS orphans how to become proactive in their lives through running. Kids are easily influenced by the world around them, especially if they have gone through such traumatic experiences as losing one or both parents to AIDS. They need someone who can show them that anything is possible, and I think this program does that. __ Essential Question: __ How have AIDS orphans’ lives in Africa been affected? And how do sports programs in Africa assist AIDS orphans? __ Prior Experience: __ None __ Research Benefits: __ Hopefully, the class will just be more aware of the disease’s effects.
 * __ Project __ **