Topic selection
Page 6
The most important part of the Change Project is the choosing of a
topic. Topics that are chosen carefully and thoughtfully are usually
rewarding. Topics that are chosen with minimal consideration are usually
grueling. The guidelines are:
A.
B.
C.
D.
The topic must address an environmental problem in our community.*
The topic must be changeable to a measurable extent.
The proposed change must not put the team in significant danger.
The topic must be acceptable to all team members and must be
approved by the teachers and parents involved.
Some broad categories of environmental topics include
environmental pollutants, resource conservation, wildlife conservation,
and site restoration. While some freshman may have a topic in mind from
the beginning, there may be even better options available. The first step is
talking to former Change Project participants such as siblings, friends, and
classmates to see what topics they explored and what service projects they
conducted. Next comes networking with experts in the Bay Area
community.
The East Bay Regional Park District (http:
www.ebparks.org) is extensive and many sites have volunteer programs.
There are also numerous independent environmental organizations such as
Fremont’s own Math/Science Nucleus (http://msnucleus.org), which has
been working with Irvington freshmen since the Change Project’s inception.
When making contacts, freshmen must make sure that the volunteer
opportunity will be compatible with the Change Project time line and not
limited by restrictions such as a minimum age requirement. Making these
contacts can be intimidating so freshmen are coached on cold calling
strategy and etiquette (see next page).
There are literally hundreds of topics that have been successfully
explored over the years and freshmen are expected to use the time given for
topic selection productively. As each team puts together a list of possible
topics they will consult their teachers to make sure the topics are acceptable.
Once teams have demonstrated that they have done a thorough search they
will be allowed to make their final selection (See Appendix 1, page 15 & 16
for a list of some past topics).
*Our community begins with Fremont but may include other Bay Area sites
depending on parental approval and willingness to provide transportation.