211214 1455 city proposalFrom:sangpaul@sbcglobal.net
To:Frances Marquez
Subject:city proposal
Date:Tuesday, December 14, 2021 2:54:47 PM
Attachments:City Proposal.docx
Thank you for promoting this , and I am so sorry about what you are dealing with.
Sangeeta
Teen Intervention Writing Program
Write On!
Contact: Sangeeta Swendson, 714-329-1341
INTRODUCTION
Thank you for considering this proposal for a vital educational and personal intervention
program for teens within our city. This document will elaborate on the specific program design,
goals, and objectives of the proposed program.
First, I would like to introduce myself and my small business, Write On! My family and I have
lived in Cypress for 22 years. For over nine years, my small business Write On! has provided
encouraging and engaging writing classes privately and as a contract instructor for the city of
Cypress, Parks and Recreation Department. These year-round writing programs and summer
themed camps were also co-sponsored by the cities of Los Alamitos, Long Beach, and La Palma.
For the past nine years, Write On! provided monthly classes that combined writing, ecology,
marine science, and civic involvement. Parents were thrilled with the results, and kids loved
attending. Our summer writing camps have had long waiting lists, and we have consistently
obtained at least a nine out of ten on evaluations from parents and students. In addition, I have
helped many teens from our city create highly competitive college essays with a collaborative
writing process, and these teens have gained admission into some of the top universities. At
Write On! We love working with children and teens from our city, and we continue to discover
that writing is an incredible tool for engaging and transforming the teen spirit.
As the director and owner of Write On! I utilize my background and training both as a writing
expert and as a therapist who has worked with kids and teens, particularly those who struggle in
school or live with learning issues, adhd, or autism. My bachelor’s degree is from the University
of California, Irvine in Comparative Literature, and my master’s degree is from UCLA’s School
of Public Policy and Social Welfare. Before starting my own business, I worked for ten years as
a therapist with kids, teens, and adults and saw firsthand how anxiety and depression affect
learning outcomes and academic performance. With the current Covid pandemic, the struggles
of our teens have increased and the academic performance for many has plummeted. I can use
my training and experience to implement an intervention program which is effective and
enjoyable for teens.
BACKGROUND, PROGRAM DESIGN, GOALS, & OBJECTIVES
Background Information & Current Need
Covid and the ensuing lockdowns have impacted the lives of kids, teens, and adults. Needless to
say, meaningful interventions must continue to be made available particularly for teens who have
often been at higher risk than the general population. Adolescent years are a formative time
when peers and social networks become a priority, and teens find their place in the world
through positive friendships and supportive relationships. When the ability to socialize and
connect with others is taken away, teens experience negative developmental, educational, and
relational consequences which can have long term effects unless we intervene.
During the pandemic, education was offered virtually, without the opportunity to learn with a
hands-on, sensory approach. Some teens adapted to this new educational style while others fell
far behind in their academic skills at a critical point in life. In addition, as educators, we have
long realized that students’ levels of anxiety or depression affect their ability to learn, focus, and
pay attention. Unfortunately, during the pandemic, the rates of teen depression and anxiety rose
considerably as documented by several research studies. In designing an enriching, impactful
academic program for teens, we must take into account all of these fundamental variables and
address the multiple educational and developmental needs of adolescents.
Many academic tutorials and resources exist online, like Khan Academy, which can help
students fill gaps in their math and science skills. However, learning how to write well,
communicate effectively, and critically think through a variety of topics and prompts are skills
best taught in-person and by someone who has appropriate training and experience in writing.
Furthermore, the educational and personal benefits of expressing one’s thoughts and feelings
through writing are now being recognized explicitly by experts. When teens can write and create
meaningful stories about their life experiences and reflect on what they have learned or how they
have changed, then they not only acquire valuable academic writing skills, but also they take
charge of their personal life narratives. Research has also shown that writing about even painful
challenges through the lens of gratitude can create healthier, more resilient teens.
Program Design
Write On! will provide multiple 8-week, intensive narrative writing sessions in small group
format for 50-64 teens which focus on creating self-reflective stories about their experiences,
challenges, and obstacles through the lens of gratitude, personal growth, and recognition of skill
development. By creating personal narratives, teens will not only increase their writing skills
and critical thinking abilities, but also they will connect with peers through positive interactions
as they share stories and increase their sense of belonging to a community. Writing is a
transformative tool for reducing depression and anxiety through personal storytelling. Stories
have been a long-held human tradition and at times a necessity for the struggles of the human
spirit, and they hold the power to help our teens make meaning out of their difficult pandemic
experiences.
Program Goals
The proposed intervention program by Write On! will have the following program goals:
1. Increase teens’ academic skills, specifically in the area of writing and critical thinking, in
order to prepare them for the academic challenges ahead such as writing their college
essays and class assignments
2. Connect teens with each other in a supportive, encouraging environment in order to
reduce isolation, depression, and anxiety
3. Create personal stories in the form of narrative writing with a choice of prompts that
include reflecting on experiences, challenges, and obstacles through the lens of gratitude,
personal growth, and recognition of skill development
Program Objectives
The Write On! Teen Intervention Writing Program will be designed around the following
measurable objectives:
1. Provide four 8-week writing sessions for teens, ages 13-18, in small group settings with
6-8 teens, separated by age groups
2. Write On! will serve a total of 50-64 teens throughout the year
3. Students will increase their writing skills in the area of narrative writing and grammar, as
assessed by self-reporting of writing ability and academic confidence in this area
4. Program will connect teens with other peers through sharing of stories, working
collaboratively, and creating a positive, encouraging group environment in order to
reduce the level of isolation experienced by participants.
5. Through narrative writing and reflections, program will reduce self-reported levels of
depression and anxiety
6. Pre and post evaluations will be conducted with participants to measure objectives three
through five above, and this data will be analyzed to measure whether objectives have
been met
Program Location
The program will require the city of Cypress to donate space at the Cypress Community Center
during cold weather months for group meetings. During warmer months, groups can take place
outdoors at locations that teens frequent, such as Starbucks or local parks
Program Dates
8-week sessions, serving 50-64 teens total:
Wednesdays, ages 13-15, 4-6 p.m, 6-8 teens in each group
Session 1: Feb 2- March 30 (no meeting March 16)
Session 2: April 6-May 25
Session 3: June 8-July 27
Session 4: Sept 7-Oct 26
Saturdays, ages 16-18, 10-12 p.m., 6-8 teens in each group
Session 1: Feb 5-March 26
Session 2: April 2-May 21
Session 3: June 11- July 30
Session 4: Sept 10- Oct 29
PROGRAM PERSONNEL
Director, Part-time employee, 25 hours/ week, $50 per hour, $5,000/month, total $40,000
● Must have a bachelor’s degree in writing or related field and a master’s degree in a
similar field, business, communications, or public health
● Creates all curriculum materials and designs lesson plans for each session
● Conducts background research and creates training materials for important program
concepts such as narrative writing, working with teens, and teaching concepts effectively
● Trains social media liaison about program goals, activities, and job responsibilities as
well as public relations skills
● Conducts interviews, skills testing, reference checks, and background clearances in order
to hire teachers, social media consultant, and support staff
● Creates training materials for teachers regarding program goals, objectives, teaching
skills, positive discipline techniques, group behavior, and how to create encouraging and
engaging teen interactions
● Conducts trainings for all employees regarding program implementation, interpersonal
skills, positive behavior modification, and redirection techniques needed to work with
teens while building a positive rapport
● Leads weekly teacher and staff meetings to discuss student progress and address any
challenges. Promotes group cohesion and support.
● Designs pre and post program evaluation measures and assessment tool to measure
student progress with program goals
● Will supervise instructors through weekly meetings and through regular visitation of
classes to monitor quality and implementation of program design
● Will work closely with social media consultant and data analyst
● Will act as liaison with funding sources, submitting updates and information as needed
● Will monitor budgets, submit payroll, and maintain records for employee work hours
● Will comply with all city, state, and federal requirements
● Will maintain appropriate liability insurance, workers’ compensation insurance, payroll
services and submissions to IRS
● Answers queries from enrolled families, potential clients, media, and resolves any issues
which may arise between clients, staff, and other personnel
Writing Instructors, two part-time employees, 12 hours/week, $30/hour, $2880/month, total
$34,560
● Must have or be working towards a degree in English, Writing, Composition, Literary
Analysis, or similar field at a four-year university
● Must have experience working with teens
● Must have experience teaching writing or tutoring
● Must present a pleasant demeanor and have skills to build rapport with teens
● Will set up classes and clean up after
● Will edit essays outside of class to provide grammar and content feedback, particularly
feedback related to making meaningful interpretations of life events
● Will implement lesson plans and monitor student progress
● Will create positive group interactions between teens, encouraging constructive feedback
and creating a safe environment for sharing stories
Social Media Consultant, Contractor, $25/hour; 4 hours/week; $400/mo, Total: $3,200
● Creates ads and promotes program on social media regularly to recruit teens each month
● Designs, maintains, and updates program website for parents to obtain more information
● Responds to inquiries on social media from teens and their families
● Attends events to take pictures and gather sample work with student consent
● Participates in all trainings regarding program goals and implementation as well as
working with teens in an encouraging, engaging manner
Data Analyst, Contractor, $35/hour, 30 total, $1,050
● Will assist director to design a data-based evaluation tool which can be used pre and post
program to assess a student’s progress toward program goals
● Will track responses from each session’s participants and tabulate final results by creating
charts that showcase changes for participants and for entire program based on objectives
and goals
Other Costs
Payroll Services: $60/month
Liability Insurance: Write On! maintains liability insurance
Workers’ Compensation Insurance: Write On! maintains workers’ compensation insurance
Fingerprinting: $500
Copies of training materials, curriculum, lesson plans, flyers, student handouts, pre and post
evaluations, final reports etc: $800
Students’ Writing Supplies: $800
Snacks for Students: $400
Total Budget: $82,000