Initial idea for grant proposal capstone project

For my capstone project, I plan on completing a grant proposal in partnership with Reading Partners, a national literacy nonprofit with which I have worked for the last four years in various capacities. Reading Partners mainly operates in Title 1 schools and services students who have fallen behind grade-level expectations. I began working with Reading Partners because I am deeply invested in equity in education and also benefit greatly from my engagement and relationship with the school where I volunteer. Though this organization does not directly serve or operate in foreign countries, I believe the work it does in the United States, and particularly in Los Angeles, has global significance in two ways.


Last year, I became a member of the regional Tutor Advisory Council, specifically contributing to the Library Improvements committee. In meetings, it has been noted that there is a lack of reading options that reflect the diverse student body Reading Partners Los Angeles serves. Furthermore, our libraries may not offer students the truly global education that they deserve. Seeing representation in the books we read—and being exposed to fellow members of the global community—is crucial in children’s educational development. I hope, in going forward with this grant proposal, to obtain funding to expand our selection of books that center on global narratives or members of groups that are relatively underrepresented in children's literature. Reading was a central part of my childhood and crucial in my development as a student, critical thinker, and member of a community. I latched onto the narratives in the books that filled my bedrooms and lined the halls of my house. I believe, by funding books that afford that opportunity to the countless students Reading Partners Los Angeles serves, we can make the experience I had as a beginning reader available to many deserving students in our community.

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