Progress+Reports

March 13, 2009 1. For my project I have contacted my topic expert and have begun talking to him, getting feedback on many of my ideas concerning my project direction. My topic expert has also offered me insight on how to approach my topic and possible programs I might be interested in reaching out to and possible connecting with L.E.A.P.S. I have narrowed down my research spectrum on the educational aspects of why it is so important so pread lacrosse to communities where is is not as accessible or not accessible at all. I have also made an inital questionnaire/survey for interviews I will be conducting within the next week. I have targeted four people in particular to interview who have different backgrounds, but have been involved with the sport of lacrosse. I do have other people to interview if necessary. 2. Goal A.) Revise my questionnaire/have mentor look over it, and send it out by email to interviewees. Goal B.) Come up with a list of possible organizations to connect to L.E.A.P.S. and reach out to those organizations to see if they are interested in my ideas relating to connecting their program to L.E.A.P.S. Goal C.) I need to involve myself with the program more (hands on stuff). To do this I will contact my topic expert to find out when the next L.E.A.P.S events, fundraisers will take place, and I need to attend them-gaining more experience. 3. I have discussed with my mentor how to go about approaching my focus area. This has been very resourceful because my mom(mentor) developed a list of names of people who I know and some who she just knows, who will be used for interviews. My mentor is also involved with organizations with Women's Way and has many friends who have connections to these types of organizations. This has been very helpful also because I have phone numbers and emails I will use to reach out and one organization may want to hook-up with L.E.A.P.S.

March 27, 2009 1. For my research paper I have conducted interviews with college coaches, high school coaches, and directors of programs helping to spread the game of lacrosse to other communities. These interviews are such a valuable source because each person is from a different generation of lacrosse so their inputs on the development of the sport and the spread of it vary. Through the interviews the interviewees expressed different opinions on what the face of lacrosse will look like in a decade, and shared opinion of why lacrosse is limited. This confirmed previous research but also gave me more evidence to write my paper for senior seminar. I have also gotten more sources through an interview with John Christmas, who gave me other organizations similar to LEAPS where they have looked at to create LEAPS. I have also been in contact with my topic expert, who has given me specific days of the week with matching locations to continue my volunteers work with LEAPS and their outreach to kids who don't have the access to lacrosse. 2. Goal A.) Continue my volunteer work with LEAPS and decide on a day of the week that I can commit myself to. I will just need to confirm with my topic expert which days I will be attending. There are three locations that I can chose from. Goal B.) Gather information from my new sources that I have been given by John Christmas and sort that information out with my thesis based research that is already on wikispaces. Goal C.) Propose my ideas that will contribute to spreading lacrosse with LEAPS to other programs that help kids who are less fortunate. 3. As I have been in contact with my topic expert, he has provided me with certain dates to contribute to the development of the program LEAPS. I also conducted an interview with my topic expert giving me more clarity on the importance of this subject. My mentor has made some phone calls to other organizations, helping me figure out which programs/organizations seem to be proressing the most and why?

April 3, 2009 1. This past Wednesday I went to Overbrook Recreational center to help out John Christmas and LEAPS with the Overbrook youth team. Unfortunately, due to the rainy conditiond we were limited to staying inside. Inside we conducted equipment sizing for each kid, even though only about half of the Overbrook participants showed up. John Christmas is in a contract with Maverik Lacrosse, so all of the gear they will be using will be free of charge, although they cannot keep all of it, just the sticks that they get. I have also made myself a calender where I will continue to volunteer once a week. Due to my lacrosse game schedule each week I will be in a different location, either Overbrook, Ardmore, or in Germantown. 2. A.) Continue working with the kids that come out to participate in learning the game of lacrosse, and learning about good nutrition each night I am with them. B.) Discuss with Eric Gregg or John Christmas about entering the springfield youth team into the LEAPS tournament, which will take place sometime in May. This tournament will consist of the three teams from the locations above and any other teams who want to challenge them. The entry fee by the other teams will go towards LEAPS. C.) I have been saving up money to help LEAPS. From all of my interviews I have conducted everyone has said that volunteers are great but money talks. 3. I have constantly been contacting other programs such as PAL and my mom has helped me contact the people in charge at these organizations. Unfortunately, it seems like they all have set calenders and no room to partner up with LEAPS in the near future. So talking with my mentor (mom) I have changed my project somewhat. Instead of hooking another organization up with LEAPS I will hook Springfields youth team up with LEAPS for their fundraiser tournament later this spring.

April 17, 2009 1. Yesterday I got a chance to make it out to the LEAPS Ardmore clinic after my lacrosse game. I also learned when I arrived that LEAPS had been moved out of the Ardmore Recreation, forced to use a side piece of grass on a nearby playground. I think the reason for the Ardmore administration not allowing LEAPS is because they lack knowledge of the lacrosse and the organization LEAPS. I have also started collecting the everything needed to make the scrapbook. I invited a friend, Eric, to Ardmore the other day. While I, Christmas and a few other volunteers ran the clinic, my friend Eric was able to capture photos of us doing so. Some photos will be used in my scrapbook and some in my powerpoint. 2. A.) This weekend I have to go to Michaels to get the rest of the materials I need to complete the scrapbook. B.) I also need to begin putting the scrapbook together. Decide which pictures I will use and how the pages will be designed. C.) I must email Mr. Higgins keeping him updated on my conversations with my topic expert-but only once I am given information from my topic expert about the date of the tournament. 3. I asked my mentor where to go in order to get the materials needed to progress in terms of making the actual scrapbook of my experiences with LEAPS, findings, and accomplishments I have attained through this project. I have also had discussions with my topic expert concerning the LEAPS tournament and will wait for a final confirmation of the tournament date.

April 24, 2009 1. I have gathered all materials needed to make scrapbook including pictures I have either taken or have had a friend take while volunteering for LEAPS at one of the three possible clinic locations. I have also been asked to be a spokesperson at the Katie Samson Lacrosse Festival held at Radnor High School tomorrow for LEAPS. I will be there spreading the word about LEAPS and answering any questions about the program from 8 AM tomorrow until approximately 12:30 PM. 2. A.) I need to put together the scarpbook now that I have gathered all of the materials needed to most effectively show what I have been involved with for a few months now. B.) Begin forming powerpoint. Brainstorming different methods of how I will present my findings to the class and others. C.) Continue to keep in touch with Mr. Higgins and my topic expert. It has been difficult finalizing whether Springfield's youth teams' participation in te LEAPS tournament because and exact date has not been put out yet. So I need to keep on my topic expert so as soon as LEAPS finalizes the date I will be able to discuss the envolvement of Springfield's Youth team in the tournament. 3. My mentor and topic expert have been in contact a few times a week helping find more volunteer work I can do for LEAPS, including my spokesperson role tomorrow at the Katie Samson Festival. This will allow me to share my experiences with LEAPS and the importance of making a donation to this non-profit organization.