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Quote”………xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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Date

Donor Name

Donor Street Name

Address

City, State Zip

Dear Mrs. Sample

Can we give you a “homework” assignment? (Don’t worry, it won’t

be graded and spelling and grammar will not count.

Fill in the blank to this statement:

In five years from now it would be nice if Ashtabula:

__________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

Now, pose that same question to your kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews, and neighbors. See

what their response is. Is it similar? You might be surprised.

Here is what After School Discovery (ASD) students said in ASD’s River Of Many Fish 2014

Summer of Discovery program.

Board of Directors

Your passion,

commitment, and

resources have

helped ASD:

List ASD

accomplishmen

ts

Over the past

20 years

Is it safe to say that our community, the young and the wise, have similar hopes and dreams for

their place of school, work, and recreation?

The next question in our homework assignment is:

“What are the steps we need to take to reach that vision for Ashtabula?

You are among the many wise individuals who have worked hard over the past years, and

continue to work hard, to lay the path for Ashtabula’s growth and prosperity. Thank you for

your time, dedication, and commitment.

Did you know our young people today have many of the answers that can help you in your

work in making Ashtabula a better place? When ASD asked students this summer what steps

they would take to create change in Ashtabula they responded by saying:

“I would start a clean-up crew ,to help with garbage”

“ I would get permission from the city to repaint the walls with graffiti on them”.

“I think they should put up signs that say not to paint the tables. Hopefully when people

see the sign they will stop.”

Okay, it might be a little premature to appoint ASD students to leadership positions; but,

with the approach to career training and education ASD piloted this summer ASD students in

leadership positions just might be a reality 10-15 years from now.

Before we reveal the next level of programming ASD aspires to in their next 20 years, let us

revert to ASD’s grounding roots and explore the accomplishments of our past 20 years.

Over our 20-year history, ASD youth have navigated through the native trails of

Ashtabula’s first settlers, discovered the biodiversity, wildlife, and ecosystems hidden

deep within Ashtabula’s rich natural soil and water resources, and

hypothesized questions to stimulating chemistry and science

experiments. Daily, ASD staff deposit words of encouragement,

support, and inspiration into the ears and eyes of our students.

These virtues remain the backbone of ASD.

As ASD thinks about the next 20 years, we take into account not only

the future of our students, but the future of our community. In

today's economy, a child's educational attainment strongly influences his

or her earnings, and thus has a strong determinant of economic

mobility (Pew Charitable Trust, 2008).

“I think if we

took these

steps more

people would

come visit

Ashtabula, an

ASD students

stated after

being asked

what she

thought

would happen

if we took

small steps to

community

change”.

--ASD Summer of

Di scovery Student

The Model

This summer, seven Ashtabula County high school students participated in a paid mentorship

program. They started the summer by applying and interviewing for a position as a youth

mentor, went through job readiness and workforce training provided by an Ashtabula Area City

School Career Counselor, and ended the summer with _____ hours of hands-on experience, a

resume, and a career journal. Students were expected to show up for work on time, follow

policies and procedures, pass a drug test, and meet daily outcome and goals.

The high school students were mentors to our elementary participants, and helped ASD staff

prepare daily activities’. All Summer of Discovery Students gained skills in personal development

(i.e. _______________________); went on field trips to Ashtabula County attractions; practiced

academics skills using an innovative technology approach; and prepared visual art projects for

participation in Ashtabula’s TABS Parade.

Over the next two years, ASD aspires to continue developmentally appropriate programming for

kindergarten – 12th grade students within these five basic pillars of lifelong learning:

Community leaders, business owners, and governmental officials, have nurtured our community

to be place of opportunity. A place where families and friends can gather along Lake Erie's

This will be a visual graph representing the 5 pillars of lifelong learning

Academic

Life Skills

Life Skills - Healthy eating, cooking, recreation, budgeting and finance,

communication, goal setting, and personal development skills

Creativity - Visual arts and music programming

Job Preparedness - Resume writing, interviewing, career e-portfolio, paid

internships, and exposure to specialized career opportunities within the county (i.e.

Northeast Ohio Opportunity Fund, Kent State University, XYZ industries)

Community Service –Sustiantibe projects within Ashtabula County that

contribute to the aesthetic appearance of Ashtabula

County

southern shoreline, an aspiring artist can bounce creative concepts off the walls of an outdoor

summer theatrical tent, and a business owner can place ideas into a strategic framework while

sipping fresh espresso beans at Ashtabula’s hub of innovation, Harbor Perk.

Who will keep these realities, and your visions alive? ASD knows just the candidates! Let us take

this opportunity introduce you to Jimmy, Sarah, Carlos, and Sammy.

Picture of Jimmy

KinderCove

When the rest of her classmates are greeted by their mom or dad at 11a,

Jimmy is greeted by her favorite adult outside of her normal classroom

teacher, Ms. Lisa.

Jimmy loves Ms. Lisa because of her gentle smile, and Ms. Lisa always has

something nice to say that makes her feel better.

Ms. Lisa has been so proud of Jimmy this school year. Jimmy has been

working so hard on his iPad to complete personalized reading and literacy

skills. Ms. Lisa has been amazed on Jimmy’s progress and know where

parents will be so enthusasized when Ms. Linda shows them Linda’s online

success report.

“The iPad is so much fun,” Linda exclaims. I like winning the coins when

Grover The Fire Chief tells me I did good job and got all my reading words

Jimmy’s Resume

Education: Bachelor of Arts in Fire Chief Reading Skills from Kinder Cove

University at After School Discovery

Accomplishments: Moved from a beginner reading level to an

intermediate reading level in 3 months using digital

technology

Reference: Linda is always ready to go and so excited to learn new things.

She always has a smile on her face, and always is willing to try.

I worry about Linda because I know she comes from a family

of six and her parents do not speak English. I always try to do

more to incorporate her culture our lessons.”

---Ms. Lisa, ASD Kinder Cove Director

Aspirations: “I want to be a vet when I grow up. My dog at home is sick

and I want to make him feel better because he is the only

person that understands me.” ----Linda Coblitz

Write the closing statement

Create the donor pyramid and

Recognition levels

Picture of Discoery Cove Club 2121 Student Story and Profile

Club 212 Student Name Profile

Education: Bachelor of Arts in __________from Discovery Cove University

at After School Discovery

Accomplishments:

Reference:

Aspirations

High School Student Profile

Richard Recker Resume

Education: Bachelor of Arts in __________from Discovery Cove

University at After School Discovery

Accomplishments:

Reference:

Aspirations

High School Student Picture

Parent Profile

Richard Recker Resume

Education: Bachelor of Arts in __________from Discovery

Cove University at After School Discovery

Accomplishments:

Reference:

Aspirations

So, ASD has done the job, and will continue to do so, of finding the candidates who will keep the vision

and realties of Ashtabula alive. We promise to re-commit ourselves to education in a way that it

translates into a growing middle class, people getting jobs, people being able to support their families,

and people being able to pass something on to the next generation.

The final homework assignment for you is to consider re-committing yourself.