The Public Service Grant Commission encourages innovative, student-led service opportunities through financial and operational support to mobilize individuals and organizations in GW’s spirit of service. Applications will be reviewed by a four-person commission; preference will be given to innovative project ideas that encourage collaboration between other students, student organizations, or DC organizations. Application materials can be obtained here, and completed applications can be submitted via email to GWServes@gwu.edu. All inquiries can be directed to that e-mail address as well.
Public Service Grant Commission Releases Application
Written by Julie on January 25, 2010.
I am participating in the Native American Political Leadership Program(NAPLP)–part of the Semester in Washington (SIW) program. I make Native American hand drums, and teach others who would like to learn about drummaking and/or Native American culture, values, and traditions that I am familiar with. I say that because out of over 500 distinct cultures, I am knowledgable about only a handfull. I have not spoken with the NAPLP, SIW, or any other programs about this idea yet.
I would enjoy teaching others from diverse backgrounds how to create their own drums. I would be willing to talk with student groups, the Multicultural Center, and others in the DC area about offering their support through sponsoring a location for this activity. I would love to have other individuals, who are active in ethnic groups that use and revere the drum, present to share the importance and symbolisim the drum holds in their culture(s). This, in turn, would make the whole experience of the class one that fosters community, cultural understanding, and partnership among the GWU student body. Hopefully those taking the class would take their drum and these lessons with them, and pass these valuse on in their daily lives.
The cost of offering this class would depend on the number of students taking the class. One instructor per 10 students. (I would train the instructors how to make drums one week prior to official class… in event of a larger than 10 student class estimate to attend) The materials are $55 per student–$45 plus an estimated $10 S&H per drum. Hopefully, if it is possible to obtain a free venue in Marvin Center, it would keep the costs down. I would also like to provide food for the workshop, Subway or Quiznos would be preferable to pizza, because of pizza leaving a greasy/oily residue on participants hands… which is not good for the rawhide.
Estimated Expense:
-Drum Materials-$55 x 22 participants** = $1210
-Venue- ?? Hope for someething in Marvin Ctr. cost unknown
-Food/Beverage- $5 x 22= $110
(“$5 foot longs from Subway”)
-beverages and other snacks= $25
Total= $1345
**(20 students plus 2 kits used to teach co-instructor… I teach while making one,along side my student/co-instructor, so that the co-instructor can engage the learning styles of visual… seeing me do it, auditory… hearing the instructions… and kinesthetic… after seeing and listening, reinforcing the learning through doing it.)
Thank you for the opportunity to present my proposal.
Regards, Jenn Brown
West End #204