SENIOR PROJECT SELF-EVALUATION

Directions: Utilize this worksheet to help evaluate yourself and your project. Be as complete
and descriptive as possible. This self-evaluation should give the scoring team a clear picture of
what you accomplished in your project.

Name - Nicole Dodson-Dozier Project Start Date – Second Semester, 2020

Title of Project - Seized in the System Project Completion Date - May 1- now

● In 40 words or more describe who your project benefited and how. In other words, what was
the impact of your project?

My project exists to benefit the foster community. This community includes foster children, foster
parents, Court Appointed Special Advocates, foster alumni, and any others affected by the system. The
money raised for FosterClub will help the organization carry out their mission to, “Lead the efforts of
young people in and from foster care to become connected, educated, inspired and represented so they
can realize their personal potential and contribute to a better life for their peers.” My instagram serves
as both an educational platform as well as a support platform. I post information about the implications
of the system to educate my followers and anyone who may stumble upon my page. I also post stories
like my own to show foster youth that they are not alone.

● In at least 40 words explain how the project challenged you. How was this a stretch for you?

This project challenged me in a variety of ways. I very rarely share my story with others, and taking on
this topic meant explaining my connection to it… which meant sharing my story not just with a few, but
publicly. As I researched, I struggled with my mental and emotional health. It was painful to be taken
back to such a low point in my life, and read about others that never get as fortunate as I did. Thanks to
the love and support from parents, friends, and teachers, I persisted through the emotional turmoil.
When it came time to begin event prep, I was ecstatic. Shortly after securing my venue and preparing for
my event, Covid-19 caused the world to hit pause. My event was cancelled and once again I was back at
square one. After many conversations with my support systems, I decided to raise money for an
organization I had come to love. After sharing my story on my fundraiser, @seized_inthesystem was
born and I finally felt like my project had a purpose again.

● List and then describe 5-8 fundamental ideas/concepts/skills of your project, which you
learned/enhanced during your project.
● Event Planning
Although I have planned events in the past, this project was the first time I completed every step of the
process 100% on my own. Contacting potential venues was by far the hardest part.
● The lack of mental health awareness within the foster care system
The most shocking discovery I made while exploring this topic was that there are very few mental health
resources provided to children in the system. Minor behavioral infractions are often what send these
children to jail, and most of the time these outbursts are due to mental health issues.
● Self Advocacy
In order to have a truly successful project I had to fully immerse myself. This was difficult due to
traumatic past experiences. I learned that self-advocacy was the most powerful way to get people to
care about my topic and truly listen to me.
● Professional Communication
Prior to this project, I never thought twice about sending an email. I learned to remain professional in
my diction and always double check before hitting send. I carefully constructed each email using these
guiding factors.
● Adapting to change
I think it is safe to say no one ever expected this global pandemic. I had been instructed to have a rain
date, but beyond this I had no sort of backup plan. I was forced to adapt rather quickly in order to make
a virtual project.

● List and describe 4-8 problems/obstacles/issues you encountered in your project, and briefly
describe how you solved each.

● Event Cancellation
I used my connections to an organization to start a fundraiser for them. I also decided to use instagram
as a platform for a virtual project.

● Emotional Connection
I relied on my amazing support systems to get me through emotional hardships stemming from my
personal connection to my topic.

● Records of minors are sealed

It was incredibly frustrating trying to find cases for my paper and project, because the records of those
that are currently in the system are sealed.

● Lack of reliable articles on topic

The foster care-to-prison pipeline is a rather new topic, so it was difficult to find accurate and reliable
articles on the topic.

● List materials used.

● instagram
● fundraising page

● List all people who helped you on the project and briefly describe the help given.

● Parents- support in all forms, from hugs to food to words of encouragement

● Friends- support, advice, and distractions when needed
● My old Social Worker Jennifer- provided information about the system, details about my case
that I did not know while I was a minor, and advice on how to plan and run my project
● Barbara Duncan- served as Senior Project advisor, making sure I stayed on track and helped me
make decisions about my event
● Mrs. V- served as my guardian angel throughout this journey. Always smiling and willing to help,
Mrs.V guided me every step of the way.
● My Donors- each and every penny helped fund a wonderful non-profit organization that aims to
help foster youth
● My Followers- gave me an audience and a reason to continue posting. They showed me that
there truly are people that benefit from the information I put out there.
● Those who shared their stories with me- helped me to show the foster community that they are
not alone through sharing their truth
● The foster community- gave me my cause

● How does your completed project compare to the picture you had in mind when you started the
project? Explain the reason behind any changes from your proposal.

My project could not possibly be further from what I originally pictured. I never anticipated that a
global pandemic would make it impossible to host any sort of physical gathering. There was no game
of shoots and ladders, no art project, and over all no event. While I was initially disappointed, I have
grown incredibly proud of what my project evolved into. I feel like my instagram is art and
demonstrates the meaning behind my designed game. The fundraiser was the cherry on top.
Although it is the polar opposite of my proposal, I love my virtual project.

● If given the opportunity, explain what you would have done differently now that you speak from
experience?
 I could not possibly be more proud of my project; however, if there is one thing I learned from the
experience it is to always prepare for the unexpected. I planned out almost every detail of my event,
but what I never planned for was a global pandemic. While I know this is not exactly a predictable
event, I wish I would have had a plan beyond a rain date. I found myself stuck and feeling defeated
when my event was cancelled and it was a horrible feeling. I now see that it is smart to always have
a virtual plan of some sort. Technology has the power to reach people when you can’t do it in
person.

● Beyond the project itself, what did you learn about yourself?

This project taught me just how powerful my voice can be when I open myself up and become
vulnerable. It is one thing to educate others by raising awareness, but another thing to relate to and
inspire others in the same situation. You can create change within a community simply by sharing
experiences. I learned that people are almost always willing to listen to your voice if you are passionate
and knowledgeable about your message and put in the work to make it heard. My voice is powerful. My
voice can make change.

● What grade would you give yourself on the project? Justify the evaluation of your grade in at
least 25 words.

Grade: 96

Justification: I would give myself a 96 on my project. Although my original event did not go as
planned, I think I showed my ability to quickly adapt to change. In regards to my fundraiser, I
surpassed my goal time and time again, ultimately raising the most of any fundraiser for FosterClub.
This is an organization that I am immensely proud to support and I am incredibly grateful for each and
every one of my donors. My instagram was the post difficult part of my project. Telling my story
publicly was extremely difficult. Although my following is currently small, the amount of support I
have received is amazing and uplifting. I truly feel that I not only brought awareness to an unfortunate
topic, but also made change within the foster community.