Mrs. Amy Boutilier Sport and Medical Sciences Academy 280 Huyshope Avenue Hartford, CT 06106
Dear Mrs. Boutilier:
My capstone project is to lead a pep squad for middle school students at SMSA between the grades 6-8. This pep squad is meant for anyone who is interested in cheerleading once they get to high school, but also anyone who wants to be a part of a group. My partners and I, Alexis Smith and Madison McKeever, will not only be focusing on cheer, but also self-esteem and self-confidence because both are great qualities that can be built from cheerleading and working as a team. We will teach the children cheers so that they can perform at middle school basketball games, which will also prepare them for high school cheer. Our club isn’t limited to just fun activities, we will also assist the girls with school work and be there for them when they just need someone to talk to. These pep squad meetings will take place after school once a week at SMSA starting in October, with the supervision of a middle school teacher, Mrs. Turner. I am interested in this topic as my project because I, myself, was not prepared to go into high school cheerleading, but I worked hard and I am now a captain on SMSA’s cheer team. I want to help these children in any way I can, including school because I know how tough some things can be to grasp. I would like to also address self-confidence because children around the age of 11-14 become insecure due to puberty.
My research question is:How does being a part of a team impact the development of children? Since my capstone activities involve aspects of self-esteem and self-confidence I felt that this would be an appropriate question. I will research how one’s mental health changes when having social interaction, and also how these social interactions will make it easier for someone express themselves to others.
I asked my previous high school cheer coach, LaTasha Hunter to be my mentor. She is qualified to be my mentor because she coached the SMSA cheer team for several years. My learning stretch is to learn how to interact with preteens and how to be a role model to them. I want the students to not only learn from me, but for me to learn from them as well. This project will bring out the best in me by making me grow compassion and build relationships with others.