Senior Projects With The Arc
The Arc of Bartholomew County offers several senior project opportunities for students who still do not know what they are doing yet. Below are the senior project opportunities that the Arc of Bartholomew County offers. If you are interested please get into contact with the contact person listed at the end of this article.
Project Ideas:
A Student-Designed Activity to raise awareness about the Arc of Bartholomew County.
Activity: Always Ready for Chocolate/ “Works of the Arc” Art Exhibition
Helping to co-organize the annual Always Ready for Chocolate Art Exhibition
Disabilities Awareness Month Dance:
Plan and coordinate a dance for disabilities awareness month (March).
Public Awareness Campaign on Disability
Plan and design a campaign that will help raise public awareness of disabilities.
Governmental Affairs Activity:
Create an awareness campaign that can be presented to governmental bodies for change.
Special Interest Fair:
Plan and design an event where students can display their special interests. This should engage both students with and without disabilities.
Activity: Event Designed by Student
Brief Description of Activity: Event to raise funds and/ or awareness about The Arc of Bartholomew County.
Estimated Number of Hours Involved: 20-30 (Includes organizing and implementing)
Deadline for Completion: March 2024
Skills/ Personal Characteristics Needed: Organization, attention to detail, enthusiasm, ability to work independently and with others, and the desire to learn about the disability community.
Skills to be Learned/ Developed: All of the above skills with the addition of, fundraising and public speaking.
Activity: Always Ready for Chocolate/ “Works of the Arc” Art Exhibition
Brief Description of Activity: Join The Arc of Bartholomew County as a co-organizer of the annual Always Ready for Chocolate and “Works of the Arc” Art Exhibition showcasing the amazing abilities of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities from Bartholomew County. The event will take place in February 2024.
Estimated Number of Hours Involved: 20-30 (Includes organizing and implementing)
Deadline for Completion: February 2024
Skills/ Personal Characteristics Needed: Organization, attention to detail, enthusiasm, ability to work independently and with others, and the desire to learn about the disability community.
Skills to be Learned/ Developed: All of the above skills with the addition of, fundraising and public speaking.
Activity: Disabilities Awareness Month Dance
Brief Description of Activity: Plan and coordinate a dance for disability awareness month (March). This is a social event, not a fundraising one. You will be planning the event, working with news media, arranging for a disk jockey, contacting organizations that work with people with disabilities, and arranging activities that ultimately culminate in a dance.
Estimated Number of Hours Involved: 20-30 (Includes organizing and implementing)
Deadline for Completion: March 2024
Skills/ Personal Characteristics Needed: Organization, attention to detail, enthusiasm, ability to work independently and with others, and the desire to learn about the disability community.
Skills to be Learned/ Developed: All of the above skills with the addition of, working with news media and public speaking.
Activity: Public Awareness Campaign on Disability
Brief Description of Activity: Plan and design a campaign that will help to raise public awareness of disabilities.
Estimated Number of Hours Involved: 20-30 (Includes organizing and implementing)
Deadline for Completion: March 2024
Skills/ Personal Characteristics Needed: Organization, attention to detail, writing and planning skills, enthusiasm, ability to work independently, and the desire to learn about the disability community.
Skills to be Learned/ Developed: All of the above skills with the addition of public speaking.
Activity: Governmental Affairs Activity
Brief Description of Activity: Implement a program designed to heighten the community’s awareness about disabilities. The program should be presented to at least 2 different types of audiences off of the following list: (Schools, State/ Local government, and the General Public) within the Bartholomew County Area.
Estimated Number of Hours Involved: 20-30 (Includes organizing and implementing)
Deadline for Completion: March 2024
Skills/ Personal Characteristics Needed: Organization, attention to detail, enthusiasm, ability to work independently and with others, and the desire to learn about the disability community.
Skills to be Learned/ Developed: All of the above skills with the addition of, speaking skills and speaking to public officials may be necessary.
Activity: Special Interest Fair
Brief Description of Activity: An event to allow students to display their special interests by creating booths with facts and information about their special interests. This should engage both students with disabilities and without disabilities to get together and learn about each others’ interests.
This project will require you to network with your fellow students and teach them important skills related to event planning. During the event, you will be at a table related to The Arc. Here you will be educating participants on the organization, what it does, and disability awareness in general.
Goals of this Project:
This project will give students a chance to display things that are important/ interesting to them.
This project will engage both people with I/DD and those without them.
This project will encourage communication and mingling between students with and without special needs.
This project will introduce and spread awareness of The Arc and disability awareness/ advocacy.
It may be a good idea to select a partner for this project to better handle the workload. For example, one person can focus on the planning and details of the event and the other works on outreaching out to fellow students and faculty to spread awareness and encourage participation in the event.
Outreach and networking within the student body are very important for the success of this project. It is your responsibility to find people to make the displays and advertise for people to come to the event itself.
Estimated Number of Hours Involved: Around 30 (Includes organizing and implementing)
Deadline for Completion: March 2024
Skills/ Personal Characteristics Needed: Organization, attention to detail, enthusiasm, ability to work independently and with others, and the desire to learn about the disability community.
Skills to be Learned/ Developed: All of the above skills with the addition of, advertising events and recruiting talent/ garnering interest.
Organization Information:
Organization: The Arc of Bartholomew County
Organization Mission/ Description: The Arc of Bartholomew County is a 501(C)-3 Nonprofit Organization that promotes and protects the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and actively supports their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes.
Contact for Senior Projects: Grace Kestler, Executive Director
Phone/ Email: 812-372-0610 info@thearcbc.org
Address: 2060 Doctors Park Dr.
Hours: Tues-Thursday 9 AM-2 PM
Is someone from the organization willing to serve as a mentor? YES
Grace Kestler:
Phone/ Email: 812-372-0610 info@thearcbc.org
Students: If you are interested in one of these projects, get in contact with the listed contact person as soon as possible. These projects will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis.