Philly Senior Projects

Quick Links - Spotlight On Helpful Posts

TOPIC SELECTION
Conducting Preliminary Research

Choosing A Topic

RESEARCH PAPER / Tips & Resources
First Draft - Graphic Organizer

FIELDWORK OPPORTUNITIES / PROJECT IDEAS

One-Time Volunteer Events - Fall 2009

FIELDWORK RESOURCE GUIDE

Do-It-Yourself Fieldwork/Project Ideas

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Resource: PhillyYouth.Org

For COLLEGE MENTORS / ACADEMIC TUTORS

Download Academic Coach/Overview of Senior Projects PowerPoint

Archive: Senior Project Workshops

 

*** Scroll down for more FIELDWORK OPPORTUNITIES and ADDITIONAL RESOURCES! ***

FIELDWORK: Fieldwork Resource Guide

Download and print out your own copy of the Fieldwork Resource Guide! 

All organizations listed in this guide have been personally contacted by PHENND as fieldwork sites for high school students. 

Please contact the organizations directly for more info.

Download Fieldwork - Resource Guide Listing

FIELDWORK OPEN HOUSE: UPenn's Office of Health Education - Nov. 16th

SENIORS!

 Here is another wonderful opportunity to meet with a potential fieldwork site to complete your hours:

Monday, November 16th

4-5PM

3611 Locust Walk, 3rd Floor (University of Pennsylvania)

Issues addressed are sexual health, body image and mental health in young people

Students can e-mail Susan Villari - Director, Office of Health Education - for more info or to register….villari@upenn.edu

See attached flyer for info: Download SeniorProject_OHE

FIELDWORK OPTIONS: One-Time Volunteer Events - Fall 2009

There are many wonderful opportunities around the city this fall that students can register to volunteer for!

Most opportunities were found using VolunteerMatch.com (http://www.volunteermatch.com). Search by City (Philadelphia) or zip code.

To sign up for an event, please access the VolunteerMatch.com and find the listing to sign up/contact the organization directly. Have fun!

Download Senior Projects - One Time - Fall 2009

Philadelphia Cares Day - Saturday, Oct. 17th, 2009, 8:00 am - 2:00 pm
Interest Area: Education & Literacy

Volunteer Work Day at The Summer-Winter Community Garden - West Philadelphia - Saturday, Oct. 17th, 2009, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Interest Area: Children & Youth, Community

Aids Walk Philly 2009 - Sunday, October 18, 2009
http://www.aidswalkphilly.org/index.php

Boo at the Zoo (minimum age: 16) - Saturday Oct. 24, 2009 - Sunday Oct. 25, 2009
Interest Area: Animals, Children & Youth, Environment

Volunteers needed for the 4th Annual Free to Breathe Lung Cancer 5k Run/Walk - Sunday Nov. 1st, 2009, 5:30 am - 11:00 am
Interest Area: Community, Health & Medicine, Women

Greater Philadelphia Walk to Defeat ALS - Saturday Nov. 7th, 2009
Interest Area: Health & Medicine, Sports & Recreation

Thanksgiving Meal Bagging with MLK365 at SHARE Food Program - Saturday Nov. 14th, 2009, 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
Interest Area: Community, Hunger

Memory Walk Team Captain - Alzheimer's Association - Sunday Nov. 15th, 2009, 9:00 am - 12:30 pm
Interest Area: Advocacy & Human Rights, Health & Medicine

FIELDWORK FAIR! Civic Opportunities Fair for Students - Monday, Oct. 12th

SENIORS! You DO NOT want to miss this opportunity! Monday, Oct. 12th is Columbus Day/No School so if you're free, please try to make this event.

Independence Mall, 525 Arch Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106
215-409-6600

Civic Opportunities Fair for Students
October 12, 2009
2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
For high school students in Southeastern Pennsylvania
http://constitutioncenter.org/ncc_calen_Landing.aspx?code=3290

Do you need community service hours or ideas for your senior project?  Are you looking for activities to strengthen your résumé or college transcript?  Have you considered an internship, volunteering or a part-time job?  If working at an organization dedicated to improving your community appeals to you, come to Philadelphia’s first ever community engagement expo!  Spend your Columbus Day learning what opportunities exist for teens at area organizations and businesses.  The fair is free and refreshments will be provided.  Bring a friend, a parent, or just yourself!

*Participating agencies include:
A Broader View
Academy of Natural Sciences
After School Activities Partnerships (ASAP)
Alex's Lemonade Stand
American Red Cross
ARAMARK
Back on My Feet
BuildOn
Champions of Caring
City Year Greater Philadelphia
Council for Spanish Speaking Organizations (Concilio)
Delaware Valley Earth Force
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources -Bureau of State Parks
EPIC Stakeholders Group
Franklin Institute
Green Jobs Philly
Independence Seaport Museum
Keep Philadelphia Beautiful
MANNA
National Constitution Center
Philadelphia Aids Fund
Philadelphia Futures
Philly Project P.R.I.D.E.
Philadelphia Youth Commission
Philadelphia Zoo
Project PEACE
School District of Philadelphia
Students Run Philly Style
Temple LEAP
Temple University Volunteer Efforts
Urban Tree Connection
WXPN

*Please note that is list is just a small sampling of organizations who have confirmed their participation. A final vendor list will be posted closer to the event.

Academic Coach Orientation: Download PowerPoint

For college students that have (or even have not) attended orientation and would like to view the PowerPoint or review the information, you may download it here:

Download Academic Coach info

FIELDWORK OPPORTUNITIES: Upcoming Informational Sessions

If your topics are any of the ones listed below, it is encouraged that you attend these upcoming informational sessions with possible fieldwork sites! You will get the chance to speak with people at these sites to inquire about available opportunities as well as research more about your topic!

 

Is your Senior Project about VIOLENCE, SOCIAL CHANGE, or HEALTHY COMMUNITIES? Want to create media about your topic?

Attend an informational session at Temple University to learn about the opportunities available through UCCP's Temple Youth Voices Project!

Date: Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Time: 4:30 pm

Location: 8th Floor Anderson Hall, 11th & Berks St.

If interested, contact Natalia @ 215.204.2007 or nsmirnov@temple.edu

Download UCCPflyer

 

Is your Senior Project about BULLYING, GANGS, GUN VIOLENCE, or INTERNATIONAL PEACE EFFORTS?

Here is your chance to speak with Physicians for Social Responsibility to learn about the available opportunities! 

Dates: Wednesday, October 7th OR Thursday, Oct. 15th

Time: 4:00 pm (on both dates)

Location: 704 North 23rd St. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19130

If interested, contact Ms. Patricia Harner: pat.harner@verizon.net

Download PSR-09

RESOURCE: PhillyYouth.Org!

PHILLYYOUTH.ORG

http://www.phillyhealthinfo.org/youthphilly/index.php

 

The purpose of this site is to provide students with a place where they can easily locate information and resources relevant to their education, health and social development. With student driven content, this site will offer young people the chance to educate their peers on a wide variety of subject matter and will give them a forum to address the issues that are most pressing in their lives.

Topics include: Your Health, Diet and Exercise, Mental Health, Drugs & Alcohol, STDs & Pregnancy, Violence & Safety, Jobs & Volunteering, Managing Your Money, College & Careers, Entertainment, Computers & more!

FIELDWORK OPPORTUNITY/EVENT: 6th Annual Natural Pet Expo

For students whose topics are about animal rights, animal abuse/cruelty, there is an event for them to attend THIS SUNDAY at Northern Liberties (near Fishtown/Kensington):

6th Annual Natural Pet Expo
Sunday, September 27, 2009
10 am - 5 pm

1040 N. 2nd Street
Northern Liberties - Philadelphia, PA

Learn about how to care for your pet naturally from experts:
+ Nutrition
+ Behavior
+ Holistic Health
+ Wellness

http://www.naturalpetexpo.blogspot.com/

TOPIC SELECTION: Preliminary Research

The Senior Project is an opportunity for high school seniors to examine a topic of their choice in-depth. However, with an array of topics to choose from: health, poverty, education, etc., topic selection can be somewhat of a challenge.

Successful Senior Projects study a topic in-depth, so instead of using too broad of a topic, examine the HOW and WHY questions vs. the what questions.

For instance, if the topic was about smoking, the what question (What are the dangers of smoking?) would produce more of a book report than a research paper. A how/why question could be: why do teens smoke? How to media encourage smoking among youth?

Generating these how/why questions can help as guiding questions when conducting preliminary research on a topic. If there is too little existing research or resources regarding the topic, the topic selection can be modified.

Conducting preliminary research can help narrow down topics and can even help direct writing a strong thesis.

TOPIC SELECTION: Choosing A Topic

One of the hardest parts of the Senior Project can be choosing a good topic. Choosing a good topic in the beginning of the process can be a great help. You can start by brainstorming topics of interest first. You can ask yourself these questions:

-- What am I interested in?

-- What about this topic makes it interesting to me? Can this also be interesting to other people?

-- What specific things do I NOT know about this topic? 

Keep fieldwork options also in mind when choosing a topic. Successful Senior Projects in the past have explored interesting topics AND used good fieldwork sites. Projects that haven't been as successful have topics that are too broad or aren't dynamic or original (ex. abortion, sports, STDs, tattoos). For more help, ask your teachers and family members so they can help you brainstorm.