Interview Transcript

CPM 252

Interview Transcript

Reflection Paper Interview Brennan Feldman

Date: 4/14/09 Name: Evelyn Pizarro

Relationship to the Belle Center: I am the Project Director of the 21st Century After School Grant. We are very lucky to receive this grant because not many organizations were able to. Our grant-writer obtained it by focusing on not just a failing education system and poverty, but crime as an important factor in the survival of the center and its programs. It was started in October of '08 and it is a 5 years grant. Most of our students are from 6th to 9th grade because the older kids would rather be at home or out playing basketball or doing their own thing. I am working here on average 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week, including summers and is closed on holidays. Our best opportunity to obtain money and help by sending out begging letters from a network of individuals. $200 here and there is much easier than asking for a $3,000 grant.

Thoughts On Distinctive Learning: Feasibility-wise, it is not worth it in elementary education, and as far as Jr. High and High School there already is some choice in electives but they are very limited. Most of Buffalo is in poverty and they focus on math/reading, inspiring very little creativity. Writing and poetry is usually not offered, there has been frequent elimination of foreign languages in early school, guidance counselors, music, and other enrichment. Home and Careers is limited to a short term of a class (half a semester) and finance knowledge is very limited among students. Sports teams are rare and many schools in Buffalo draft kids from other schools for a collaborative team.

What Would You Do With A Million Dollars? I would put $200,000 into the center and help my kids first if personally given 1 million.