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HONORS SELF- DESIGNED PROPOSAL

Complete this proposal prior to your experiences start date and upload it in the UHP Database
(https://webapps.uc.edu/uchonorsstudent). Create an experience (Add a new record) in the Tracking Project
tab and upload your proposal document as an attachment. The deadline for submitting proposals is the 5th of
each month (excluding July).
Proposals are intended to be well developed plans for your experience. However, experiences are exploratory in
nature, and we are flexible with changes throughout the experience. If your experience changes after receiving
approval on your proposal, contact your honors advisor to verify the changes still satisfy the requirements of an
honors experience.

Basic Information
Full Name:

Frank Bolek

Title of Project:

LTS

Thematic Area(s):

Leadership - Research

Expected Start Date: May 10, 2016

Expected End Date:

July 29, 2016

GUIDELINES
1. Proposal submission timeline: Proposals should be submitted at least one month prior to the expected
start date of the experience. International experiences require at least two months notice. Contact your
honors advisor immediately for any exceptions.
2. Proposal length: While the quality of the proposal is most important, strong proposals are typically 3-4
pages single-spaced.
3. Proposal format: Please maintain the proposal format (e.g. headers, layout)
4. Time commitment: Experiences should consist of at least 75-90 hours of preparation, execution, and
reflection. This is approximately equivalent to the commitment of honors seminars and pre-approved
experiences.

REQUIREMENTS FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL

All self-designed international travel experiences require two months notice and must be at least one week in
length. You will need to provide a detailed itinerary (dates, locations and activities). If participating in
independent travel (not with UC faculty, staff or student group), you must also fill out a Worldwide: Honors
Experience application via UC International.
Additionally, the Student Travel Policy restricts UC-sponsored travel to countries under a U.S. Department of
State Travel Warning. Those who wish to visit a country with a travel warning must seek an exemption through
UC International. Students traveling without a faculty or staff leader must individually request an exemption.
We cannot allow you to count this travel as an honors experience nor can we give you a grant without an
approved exemption.

1. Abstract
The YMCA has a group for teenagers known as Leaders Club. It is designed to bring together teenagers in a
community who have a passion for volunteering and who wish to develop their leadership skills. Throughout the year,
Leaders Club members volunteer mainly around the YMCA they are associated with. They help work at the front desk,
assist coaches in their classes, and help counselors during camp. Throughout the year, Leaders Clubs from the Great Lakes
area also attend several rallies throughout in order to meet Leaders from other YMCAs. One of these rallies is Leaders
Training School (LTS). LTS is a weeklong program with over 50 staff members working to improve the leadership
qualities of over 200 students. The week consists of two class periods in which the students can learn about anything
from Day Camp Leadership to Sign Language. Then there is a period for an activity ranging from Ultimate Frisbee to
Yoga. Throughout the week, there are also special activities during the evening, such as a dance, tournaments, guest
speakers, a large group activity, and a talent show.
I was a member of my local Leaders Club, Lake County West End YMCA, for five years. My best friend and I
attended our first LTS together. Each year, I took the opportunity to attend LTS. It was, by far, the most influential activity
I had ever done. At LTS, I developed my leadership skills through more than just classes. I became much more social after
finding myself in such an inviting environment and was always excited to attend LTS. My best friend and I were so
impressed by the Leaders Advisory Board (LAB), the three teen leaders who helped to plan the week, that we agreed right
then and there that we would one day be LAB members. As the years went on, we drifted away from these goals, but the
day before the LTS before our senior year, our club advisor called us and practically forced us to run LAB. To my
surprise, we had both won a position on the board. Throughout the next year, my friend and I, along with one other
student, planned the week of LTS. At three meetings (during the rallies throughout the year), we found a guest speaker,
planned the large group activity, decided what classes would be offered, ad much more.
Attending LTS this year, I would be a Staff in Training (SIT). After being a student in the program, a student
leader, and also working the Executive Planning Committee, being a staff member is the final position I have not quite
learned about. My goals are to examine the different thoughts between being a student, being on LAB, and being a staff
member. I have experienced the first two and am interested in comparing them to the experience I would have this year.
Timeline:
Registration: Opens
Mandatory Staff Meeting:
LTS:
Advisor Feedback
Must Include:
Brief description of the experience
Personal connection to the experience
Identified goals for the experience
Timeline from start to finish
*Itinerary (international experiences only)
**Explanation of differentiated experience
from what is required of other students

Experience Advisor

April 1, 2016
May 10, 2016
July 24 July 29, 2016

Required Revisions:

Effective:

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When I was on the Leaders Advisory Board, I had worked closely with the Executive Planning Committee. The
Assistant School Director at the time was Joe Hinds, from Miami County YMCA. Joe grew to be a great friend of mine
throughout the experience and was always available to help me. This year, Joe has moved up to be the School Director
and I cannot think of a better choice for an advisor.
Contact Information:
Phone:
(937) 570-4111
Email:
jmhinds3@gmail.com
Note: Advisor(s) should have knowledge or expertise in an area related to the experience. Honors advisors, undergraduate
students, and family members cannot be experience advisors.
Advisor Feedback
Must Include:

Required Revisions:

Effective:

Experience advisor name and contact

information
Description of why advisor was selected
Specific plans to engage with advisor

Connection to Learning Outcomes

Motivate and collaborate effectively with others towards completion of shared projects or goals.
Throughout the week, there are many opportunities to work with others. The primary
example that I will focus on is known as Squad. Squad is the small groups within each
grade that the students are broken into. Throughout the week, this group meets the most
and is where the closest friendships are made. As a staff member, I will be a co-leader of
a squad with another staff member. This will be a great chance to experience working
with a single partner on the shared goal of giving a great week to our group of students.
This specific task would start at the staff meeting, where I would meet my fellow squad
leader. Then, throughout the next two months, we would work on creating a lesson plan
for the week, which we would provide to the Executive Planning Committee. Finally, we
would implement out plan throughout the week and hopefully achieve our goal of giving
the students a fantastic week.
Produce dissemination appropriate to the field in order to share the results or impact of the
research.
Throughout the week, I will record my experience as a staff member and also compare it
being a student and LAB member. I will also talk to several others about the similarities
and differences between being a student and a staff member.
At the end of the week, I will work on a paper to explain my personal experiences and the
similarities and differences that I noticed. I will also include the views of others.
After the paper is completed, I will probably share it with others involved in LTS through
the Facebook page. I also plan to share it with some the alumni of the program through
their Facebook group and inquire about how Leaders Training School may have changed
over the years.
Develop strategies to identify and respond to challenges and obstacles.
When I was a member on LAB, one of the major challenges we faced was the poor
weather. With many of the activities planned to be outdoors, we had to adjust our original
plans to comply with the weather.
As a staff member, I am sure there will be other challenges, such as involving students
and encouraging participation. Throughout the week, I will record the challenges that I

encounter and my solutions to them. I will also talk to other staff members about
challenges they have experienced and what they did to overcome them.
After the week is over, I will review all of the information I recorded throughout the week
and evaluate what I believe I did well or what I could have done better.

Advisor Feedback
Must Include:

Required Revisions:

Effective:

3 learning outcomes explicitly identified

from any thematic area(s)
Examples of activities and explanation of
how each will assist the progress towards
the chosen learning outcome
Estimated time commitment for each
activity

Academic Resources Connected to the Learning Outcomes

Developing Students Leadership Abilities
Kathy L Guthrie & Laura Osteen

A novel that specifically focuses on the development of leadership abilities in undergraduate students.
I plan to read this and incorporate some of its teachings in my lesson plan as a staff member.
Also, as I will be working with middle and high school students rather than undergraduate students, I will evaluate
the effectiveness of the books methods outside of the undergraduate level and also compare it to other methods
that I may use while working with the students.

Note: Academic resources are professional works that can be used to assist your understanding of the topic. Some
examples are books, documentaries, videos, or research journals.

Advisor Feedback
Must Include:

Required Revisions:

Effective:

1-2 academic resources connected to the

learning outcomes
Title and author of each resource
Description of how resources will help
make progress towards learning outcomes
and execution of experience

On-going Reflection
In my last year of LTS, one of my squad leaders gave me a notebook. He explained to me the importance of
recording everything that happens to you and just how valuable it can be. This is how I plan to reflect throughout the
week. Not only recording my actions throughout each day, but writing about what specifically relates to the outcomes I
have chosen immediately after they occur. This will give me a detailed description of the week along with plenty of
information I will be able to use after the week is finished.

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Note: A variety of methods can be used for on-going reflection. Some examples are videos, drawings, blogs, songs, and
journals. Reflection topics to consider include your ideas/insights about the experience, connection to other areas of
involvement, and your progress towards the learning outcomes.

Advisor Feedback
Must Include:

Required Revisions:

Effective:

Method for ongoing reflection

Reflection questions/topics clearly
specified

Sharing Your Learning

As I described earlier, there are currently two Facebook pages (Great Lakes LTS and Great Lakes LTS
Alumni) that I plan to use in order to share my findings. In sharing it with the Great Lake LTS page, I hope to give
others a different view of the program they love so dearly and encourage them to experience the different leadership
experiences available in the program. However, in sharing it with the alumni, I plan to gain some feedback as to what they
believe may have changed over the years (LTS had its 60th anniversary this past sumer).
Note: While social media can be an effective platform for sharing, only posting on your personal learning portfolio or
social media account(s) does not reach a targeted audience.
Advisor Feedback
Must Include:

Required Revisions:

Effective:

At least one method to actively share takeaways/learning from the experience

A specific audience and why the audience
was selected

Budget (if applicable)

Cost of Program:
Extra Materials to be Used in Activities:

$150.00
$50.00

The cost of the program comes from the information packet from last years LTS as the current information packet has not
been mailed yet. The cost of materials is an estimate based on the amount spent by previous staff members in previous
years.

Advisor Feedback
Notes:
Detailed budget of expenditures with
sources to justify budget estimates

Required Revisions:

Effective:

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*Indicates the number of hours per week
and number of weeks of participation

THEMATIC AREA LEARNING OUTCOMES

Learning Outcomes for the Community Engagement Thematic Area:
By engaging in this thematic area, you will make progress towards learning how to

Identify and differentiate multiple ways to contribute towards the development or

achievement of the communitys goals.
Develop a thorough understanding of the world view, beliefs, experiences, selfconsciousness, or history of community members through collaboration.
Articulate the purpose of service on a social issue or public policy and how service
mutually enhances individual growth and the common good.
Explain how education, advocacy, mobilization, or public policy can influence social
issues and transform communities.

Learning Outcomes for the Creativity Thematic Area:

By engaging in this thematic area, you will make progress towards learning how to

Discover new techniques to gain knowledge, consider options, make new connections,
and ask questions.
Explore a new creative competency/medium or seek new ways to engage an existing
competency/medium.
Understand and optimize the use of people, technology, physical resources or community
in a creative process.
Articulate the broader significance of a creative project and the value of its contributions.

Learning Outcomes for the Global Studies Thematic Area:

By engaging in this thematic area, you will make progress towards learning how to

Develop practical travel skills that promote safe, stimulating, and productive travel
throughout your life.
Summarize the interconnectedness of geography, history, cultural traits and world issues.
Articulate the interdependence of professional fields to address current and impending
global issues such as technology, the environment, human rights, or politics.
Demonstrate an understanding of cultural diversity by acknowledging the impact of their
own identity and the experience of social norms, customs, or beliefs that are different
from their own.
Demonstrate a sense of empathy, respect, and appreciation for others to build meaningful
cross-cultural collaborations toward mutual growth and prosperity.

Learning Outcomes for the Leadership Thematic Area:

By engaging in this thematic area, you will make progress towards learning how to

Formulate and manage a shared vision and develop goals towards its achievement.
Motivate and collaborate effectively with others towards completion of shared projects or
goals.
Develop strategies to identify and respond to challenges and obstacles.

Identify personal strengths and areas of growth and evaluate opportunities to maximize
skills and abilities.
Synthesize the current trends related to a specific issue or field and evaluate how
thought-leaders are currently addressing them.

Learning Outcomes for the Research Thematic Area:

By engaging in this thematic area, you will make progress towards learning how to

Demonstrate the ability to locate, interpret, and critically evaluate primary sources
appropriate to field.
Identify and apply appropriate methods to collect and organize data for analysis.
Analyze and interpret the meaning of results.
Produce dissemination appropriate to the field in order to share the results or impact
of the research.
Articulate the broader significance of the research project and its relationship to other
fields, research and ideas.