Service Learning

Organizational Proposal

Submitted by:
Malika Mahi and Atravias Borley
Information Technology/Business Leadership
Program
SLCC Communications 1010

March 22, 2016

Table of Contents
Section
Page
Overview.....................................................1
Project Description......................................2
Group Assets...............................................5
Group Limitations........................................6
Recommendations.......................................7
Conclusion...................................................8
Works Cited.................................................9

OVERVIEW
The

problem that

we noticed

visiting the

Elizabeth

Academy

Montessori School, was that they didnt have an exercise program

that really grasped all the kids and taught them life lessons that
they would use forever.
Our proposal to solve this problem was to bring in high
school volunteers to teach self defense
and life skills through martial arts.
They loved the idea and jumped on it
immediately! We knew that working
with these kids would change their
lives for the better, giving them
something that they would never
This is Julian smiling from
ear to ear while breaking a

forget.

Elizabeth Academy Montessori

We solved the problem by bringing in Company employees

that stood as role models to add to their Montessori experience
and inclusively teach all of the children self defense and life skills
through martial arts. We wanted to show these kids that they
could do anything that they put their mind to. We also wanted to
teach these kids what to do if an adult were to ever take
advantage of a situation that they were in.
The value of this service project is the way that we can
add to the lives of children with special abilities and special
needs. The best part is knowing that we were changing the lives
of these children in the sense of their personality and the way
that the can defend themselves in dangerous situations.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
....We had our service project at The Elizabeth Academy
Montessori School because it is a non profit all inclusive school
and we knew we could contribute to their purpose. The purpose of
our project was to teach the students that they could learn and do
anything that they put their mind to and to teach them self
defense and life skills that they could use for the rest of their life.
We wanted to make these kids smile and give them something

that they would remember forever as it is very important and

useful information that they could use throughout their entire life.
The first step that needed to be done was the training
sessions and meetings for the Company employees. We needed
to first teach an efficient class to them about the basics of martial
arts and how to teach and deal with certain situations. This
Spencer breaking a board.

happened to be a very fun time. We

got to know each other a lot more
than what we have experienced
inside of Company. This was a fun
and incredible experience for all of
the employees. They actually

learned some self defense skills that they could come in handy in
the future!
After all of the employees were trained on the basics of
martial arts, how to teach them, and how to deal with certain
situations with special abilities, we were ready to go! Our second
step was to go and apply everything that we learned to the good
use for these children.

In the classes our first step was

to start off with introducing ourselves
to all of the kids and explaining what
exactly we were going to do. Then we
bowed and talked about how to have a
black belt attitude. In the second step, we explained that one of
the big goals in martial arts is to receive your black belt. In order
to do so, one must act like a black belt. Kind of like the saying
that we say in Company, Fake it until you make it. Black belts
are respectful and confident. We explained to them that they
should treat everyone with respect because everyone deserves it
no matter what, to always be the bigger person respecting
everyone. Raising your hand so that you dont interrupt anyone is
a very respectful and courteous thing to do. Saying Yes maam!
and Yes sir! is a respectful thing to do. We also explained to
them how they had to be confident in everything that they did.
They had to stand and sit up straight with confidence. They had to
walk with confidence. They had to defend themselves with
confidence. They had to speak with confidence. After that we had
a full class of kids that already looked, acted, and sounded like

black belts! In our third step, we actually began class. We warmed

them up, taught them a front kick, let them kick pads, let them
Atravias learning how to block
a punch.

break boards, taught

them what to do if a
stranger grabbed
them by the wrist,
and then played a
game. This made for
a great class for

Preston holding a board for Jimmy and Mariah

motivating another child to break the board.

everyone!
In the end, we

ran three successful and fun classes for the students at the
Elizabeth Academy Montessori School. After the third class the
Company employees wanted to teach more classes! Everyone left
with a huge smile on their face. I am very glad that this all worked
out. This service project benefitted everyone.

GROUP ASSETS
Our group was a very strong group. We had a lot of
different personalities and they were all able to come together to

work for the best. Our first asset was our communication skills
that we learned from the Information Technology/Management
Training Program. We were all able to communicate with each
other efficiently. We had a group text message and everyone had
my number just in case. In the
packets that I gave everyone I made
sure that the addresses came with
pictures of the place so that they
could easily be navigated to.
All of the Company employees
warming
up with the children.

Everyone was there and on time to

everything. As we talk about it in Company, the ability to

communicate is so incredibly important in everything that
everyone does. Using instrumental communication was the best
way to get the information to the group members. Instrumental
communication are messages aimed at accomplishing the task at
hand. (Alder, Elmhorst, Lucas, Communications at Work, 2013,
p.8). The efficiency of our groups communication skills was
definitely one of our strengths.
Our second asset was that each and everyone one of us
came into every situation with an open mind. We all respected

each other and were able to learn to the top of our efficiency
because of the level of respect portrayed by everyone. Relational
communication are the messages that shape and reflect the way
people regard one another. (Alder, Elmohorst, Lucas,
Communications at Work, 2013, p.8). We were all able to have fun
because we respected what everyone had to say and put that into
consideration. We had the power group!
GROUP LIMITATIONS
All situations have weaknesses, but all weaknesses should
be turned into strengths. Connection power is the ability to
influence that arises because of ones conviction and associations
inside and outside of the organization. (Alder, Elmohorst, Lucas,
Communications at Work, 2013, p.7) One weakness that our
group had was a lack of confidence. Now this kind of hindered the
efficiency of the class. All the teachers and instructors are
leaders. Leaders lead by example. As mentioned before, one of
the first things that we taught the children was to have
confidence. Children, especially children of special abilities, learn
visually. In order to do so in this situation, each of our instructors
should be fully confident. We understood that this would have

been difficult to achieve since the Company employees were

teaching something that was new to them to students with no
experience. But again, this is where the saying, Fake it until you
make it come into hand.
A second limitation that we had was that the Company
employees were not familiar with working with children of special
abilities and special needs. Using the Utilitarian Approach, which
is finding whether this action provides the greatest good for the
greatest number was an approach we looked at in our group.
(Alder, Elmhorst, Lucas, Communication at Work, 2013, p.26).
Some of the employees were encountered with situations that
they didnt know how to deal with and then panicked. An example
of this would be a child with down syndrome or autism not
understanding what to do when a board was presented to them
and the Company employee not knowing how to communicate to
them. This is why we had the training session before to go over
situations like these but it is different when the employees come
face to face with it. Malika, one the group leaders, was aware that
this would happened and prepared for this event. She taught all of
the employees how to teach these activities and hold pads and

boards so that she could walk around and assist wherever

needed.

RECCOMENDATIONS
Our proposal to better improve
our service project would be to sit
Malika assisting Jackson and Talia
with holding a board for a student
with autism.

down and personally talk to each

of the employee to understand

what they valued, what they wanted out of the service, and what
they would prefer and feel comfortable doing doing the project. If
we were to have done that then the class would have ran more
smooth and efficient because everyone would be happy and
confident with what they were doing. Cohesiveness is the degree
to which group members feel part of and want to remain with the
group. (Alder, Elmhorst, Lucas, Communication at Work, 2013,
p.2).
Even though we were very happy with our service project,
we would have done it again to ensure the happiness and
confidence in each one of the employees so that the happiness

and confidence would be shared among the students. It would

have be a lot of fun to share this experience again!
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, we had a very successful service project
thanks to all of the Company employees that participated and
their knowledge and intellect that keeps growing at the
Information Technology/Management Training Program. Still to this
day I receive responses from teachers from the Elizabeth
Academy Montessori school about how much they love the
classes and want the classes to available for the children in the
school. The teachers were amazed to hear that only one of the
Company employees had some sort of rank in martial arts.
We are very grateful for the opportunity to create this
experience for all of the Company employees and the students at
the academy. Any kind of act of service creates immense love,
positivity, peace, and growth in our community.
Everything counts towards a brighter and better
future.

Sammy happily breaking a

Works Cited
"Autism / Autistic Spectrum Disorders." Autism / Autistic Spectrum
Disorders.
Web. 22 Mar. 2016.
"Strategies for Learning and Teaching." Strategies for Learning
and Teaching.
Web. 22 Mar. 2016.
"Welcome to Elizabeth Academy." Elizabeth Academy. Web. 22
Mar. 2016.

Company employees
running a martial arts class
for special abilities and