Amy Gen Posted May 5, 2022 Share Posted May 5, 2022 Last summer, we took my 15 year old and her best friend to tour colleges. At their dream school, we got to meet with the head of admissions who told the girls that they have the grades and the extracurricular activities needed for their applications, but they really needed a good service project. As I’m sure you know, some high schoolers already have over full schedules. My daughter swims in the morning, takes her classes at the community college, works as a lifeguard and swim instructor and then swims for another two hours in the evening. Both girls have weekends already full with swim meets. But they have an idea… We live in perhaps the most ethnically diverse city in the nation. Their is a huge gap in wealth in our community. Our girls know that they are super privileged in areas like getting cars for their 16th birthday and going to Disney several times a year, while their are children around them who never even get the opportunity to learn how to swim. Their idea is to start a fund and raise money for diversity in USA swimming. The money would be spent by paying for swim lessons for kids in the community who qualify for free or reduced lunch, have an IEP or write a letter outlining their particular hardship. The girls would hold several fundraisers and visit schools to get families interested in the program, and give talks at various functions in town to inspire clubs to donate. After they go to college, younger swimmers could take over the fundraising, but our kids would still have their names on the literature as having founded the foundation. They are stuck on giving this project a perfect name. They don’t want anything cutesy like “Just Keep Swimming”, and they don’t want anything in the name that could be stigmatizing line “Hardship” or even “Diversity.” Who is good at naming projects like this? In other news, my psychiatrist added Wellbutrin to my Lexapro and Buspar. By the second day, I felt great! So guess what I did this week? I got a job! I’ll be teaching first grade at our neighborhood school, and actually be able to walk to work. I thought principals might look askance at my 28 years out of the workforce, but I was just relaxed and completely myself during the interviews and the various schools were fighting over who was going to hire me. I’m so excited for this new chapter in my life. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted May 5, 2022 Share Posted May 5, 2022 Accessible Swimming Swimming for All All About Swimming Also, Nolo Press (based in Berkeley) has a great book about how to start your own nonprofit in California. I’ve used it several times. Just saying. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy Gen Posted May 5, 2022 Author Share Posted May 5, 2022 Thank you so much! I will check that out today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted May 5, 2022 Share Posted May 5, 2022 Let’s Get Swimming 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted May 5, 2022 Share Posted May 5, 2022 What a wonderful idea! I hope that the project is very successful. Possible name: In the swim. And congratulations on your new job, @Amy Gen! Regards, Kareni 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted May 5, 2022 Share Posted May 5, 2022 All Swim 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wintermom Posted May 5, 2022 Share Posted May 5, 2022 (edited) 1 hour ago, Amy Gen said: Last summer, we took my 15 year old and her best friend to tour colleges. At their dream school, we got to meet with the head of admissions who told the girls that they have the grades and the extracurricular activities needed for their applications, but they really needed a good service project. Oh brother! Is this actually a thing? I saw this in the TV series Living the Dream, but didn't believe it. I thought it was extra drama for the show. How on earth are young students suppose to get excellent grades, participate in extracurricular activities and complete a meaningful service project that isn't simply something on paper to look good? Talk about overburdening youth. I want to ask college staff what they do with their free time. Do they have a life or do they have to do anything near what they expect of the students applying for admissions. 🤪 Sorry, I don't mean to rant at the OP. This just sounds ridiculous to me. Look at volunteer hours or work experience. Why a "service project" that is simply to check a box - and the name of the project is subjectively examined with no explanation. Edited May 5, 2022 by wintermom 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brittany1116 Posted May 5, 2022 Share Posted May 5, 2022 Upstream? Obvious swimming connection and might imply hardship but more about bettering oneself. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted May 5, 2022 Share Posted May 5, 2022 13 minutes ago, wintermom said: Oh brother! Is this actually a thing? I saw this in the TV series Living the Dream, but didn't believe it. I thought it was extra drama for the show. How on earth are young students suppose to get excellent grades, participate in extracurricular activities and complete a meaningful service project that isn't simply something on paper to look good? Talk about overburdening youth. I want to ask college staff what they do with their free time. Do they have a life or do they have to do anything near what they expect of the students applying for admissions. 🤪 Sorry, I don't mean to rant at the OP. This just sounds ridiculous to me. Look at volunteer hours or work experience. Why a "service project" that is simply to check a box - and the name of the project is subjectively examined with no explanation. I agree! It’s different when a kid genuinely wants to do a service project because it’s something near and dear to their heart, but all of the different volunteering requirements and service project requirements seem ridiculous to me if kids are only doing them because it’s the only way they can hope to be accepted into a particular university program. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livetoread Posted May 5, 2022 Share Posted May 5, 2022 All In 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted May 5, 2022 Share Posted May 5, 2022 6 minutes ago, wintermom said: Oh brother! Is this actually a thing? I saw this in the TV series Living the Dream, but didn't believe it. I thought it was extra drama for the show. How on earth are young students suppose to get excellent grades, participate in extracurricular activities and complete a meaningful service project that isn't simply something on paper to look good? Talk about overburdening youth. I want to ask college staff what they do with their free time. Do they have a life or do they have to do anything near what they expect of the students applying for admissions. 🤪 Meh - I really don't think this is necessary. My kid had volunteer based stuff and got into a number of competitive colleges. I also don't really like the concept of the "dream" school. The school that fits your needs that is affordable is how college prep and admissions went around here. Keeping an open mind through the process is a good idea. I do know some private college prep high schools have graduation requirements that require something community service oriented. So I do think for more socio-economically privleged kids seeing something along those lines on a college application may be more expected if you are applying to competitive colleges. But doing that is a guarentee of nothing as well. Like if they need to fill out some weird niche on campus like tap dancing accordian players, your carefully crafted application for a particular might get passed over anyway. Best to do what is meaningful to the student. And this isn't a jab at the OP at all. I think it is wonderful when kids have the motivation and means to organize something from scratch that is meaningful to them. I just don't think it is something every student needs to do. My kid was into performing arts so he served on a couple different youth councis at theaters and did volunteering and leadership through those opportunities. Not everything needs to be homegrown. I also think for some kids, volunteering in an interest area or having some sort of job with a strong reference can fill a similar need. I like Upstream! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy Gen Posted May 5, 2022 Author Share Posted May 5, 2022 We have already put two of our kids through college, so I have learned quite a bit about what I value in a school and what I would prefer to avoid. I think the pressure is really high on kids going to public and private schools and getting ready for AP exams this week while keeping up at swim and in all of their other classes. My daughter has a much more flexible schedule and I’m still able to prioritize her getting enough sleep and healthy food and exercise. That is more of a struggle for her friends. I don’t really see the issue with the head of admissions telling me what their particular school looks for in applications, and what their admissions committee would find lacking in our kids’ applications. I do think it would be misleading to say that every kid applying to college needs an outstanding service project to be accepted anywhere. We know that isn’t true. But a private, Christian college may put more weight on component. As far as having a dream school, there are many reasons why this is our first choice. First, it is only 5 hours from home. I’ve had kids across the country for school, and I prefer to be closer. Secondly, in the 70s my uncle was hired there. He wanted to combine the spiritual support and growth he received at his private Christian college where he did his undergraduate degree with the academic rigor he encountered at University of Texas Law School. He is approaching 90years old now and is still a chancellor there. Also his kids work in different departments of the university so my kids would be away from home but still have family around them who would attend their swim meets and take them to church and family dinners. I also like that the average class size is 13 students to 1 professor. Also, the president of the university has the entire freshman class over to his house for dinner. Professors host student dinners themselves as well. There is a lot to like. So I’m looking at a lot of factors other than just any school that is a good fit and affordable. I’ve spent over 20 years homeschooling my kids, so I want them to have the same support and academic quality in their university experience as well. We used to have a therapeutic horse riding facility on our street. My older kids volunteered there and ended up with over 350 volunteer hours by the time that they graduated. They had time to do this because they weren’t swimming competitively every day. They didn’t do it to look good on a transcript but because that is their value system. I agree that volunteering to be volunteering is not helpful at all. But taking a hard look at your privilege and deciding to create an opportunity for other kids to have a tiny bit more equality can’t be a bad thing, particularly for spoiled teens! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonhawk Posted May 5, 2022 Share Posted May 5, 2022 Making Waves [Swim Foundation] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bootsie Posted May 5, 2022 Share Posted May 5, 2022 A service project that is related to their interest/passions is a great idea. Would it be possible for them to work on a project with an existing non-profit, like the Michael Phelps or US Swim Assoc Foundation? Or, there are a number of organizations that provide swim lessons as part of water safety/drowning prevention programs? If they already have a very busy schedule, trying to start a new foundation can be time-consuming. They would need articles of incorporation, apply for IRS tax exemption, apply for any state tax exemption, make sure the are up on all state fundraising laws, have a process for accepting applications from recipients, reviewing those applications, and disbursing funds. This would be in addition to going to clubs to raise funds, etc. All of that could be a great learning process, but it is not going to be a quick, easy project for young people with a busy schedule. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine State Sue Posted May 5, 2022 Share Posted May 5, 2022 Swimsters Swim Stars 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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