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Think of the most exciting field trip you’ve ever been on. Did it leave you feeling energized to learn more? Most great field trips do. In response to a need for more engaging, experiential learning opportunities for students, Butler College of Education Youth and Community Development (YCD) interns launched a new immersive learning experience and fundraiser: A Picture in Time for Horizons at St. Richard’s Episcopal School. This event raised money through corporate sponsorships and ticketed admission to raise money for Horizons field trips.
YCD interns Maycie Farrell ’21 and Amanda Murphy ’21 responded to the need for more in person learning experiences in the wake of the COVID-19 shutdowns through this event. A Picture in Time’s immersive nature allowed people of all ages to experience Indianapolis in a totally new way. Although there was ticketed admission for general community members, Horizon’s families were admitted for free to uphold the organization’s mission of providing free enrichment opportunities for their students and their families. Narrowing the opportunity gap for under-resourced students through tangible learning experiences is a core goal of the Horizons program.
A Picture in Time was a city-wide scavenger hunt that brought Indiana’s history to life by allowing participants to experience downtown Indianapolis like never before. The event kicked off on April 17, 2021, and was live for asynchronous participation through May 15, 2021. Horizons families and community members utilized an interactive scavenger hunt app to visit eight mystery locations while completing fun secret missions to learn about each location’s history. This fundraising opportunity was especially unique because it resembled the field trips that Horizons students benefit from during their summer program. The funds raised will sponsor the field trips on Horizons summer program and throughout the year. Although the 2021 A Picture in Time event has already ended, there are discussions with Horizons staff to make this an annual event.
Horizons at St. Richard’s Episcopal School serves under-resourced children in Indianapolis and strives to address the disproportionate summer learning loss that they experience. This primarily occurs through Horizons’ annual tuition-free summer program that approximately 160 children attend. Through this program, students achieve an average gain of 2-3 months in math and reading skills, students participate in swimming and improve by at least two skill levels from the Red Cross, and many students self-report that they are more aware of how to eat a nutritious diet. One unique aspect of the Horizon’s program is that once a student is accepted, they are invited to remain in the program until they graduate from eighth grade — regardless of any changes in their family’s economic status. The services that Horizons at SRES provides can be a life changing experience for students, and their work is making a significant difference in the Indianapolis community.
Throughout Maycie and Amanda’s internship and while developing this event, the Butler network was an invaluable resource. So far, Butler University and Horizons at St. Richards are connected through multiple channels. For instance, two Butler professors serve as Horizon board members, a graduate from Butler’s EPPSP Program is Horizon’s Executive Director, and Butler serves as the facility host for the Horizons middle school summer program. These connections were extremely helpful resources while Amanda and Maycie were striving to form partnerships with several local nonprofits, to secure sponsorships from Butler alumni, and to gain the expertise of faculty from two colleges. This network has only expanded through A Picture in Time.
A Picture in Time was made possible through new partnerships the COE interns helped form with several organizations. These include local nonprofits, such as the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library and the Indiana Historical Society. Sponsorships were also secured from Butler alumni business owners, including Joy Mason from Optimist Business Solutions. Butler became a hub of connections for Horizons which brought this event to life, and these sustained partnerships will help bring students new learning opportunities in the future.
Maycie and Amanda recently graduated from the College of Education with a Bachelor of Science degree in Youth and Community Development. This major is a new addition to the COE and sets Butler students up to expand the educational opportunities for young people outside of the classroom. Horizons at St. Richards is just one example of the many organizations and opportunities that Youth and Community Development students can learn from and be a part of. Maycie and Amanda both have gained valuable skills, knowledge, and experience through their capstone internship. This hands-on experience creating a fundraiser and educational event from scratch has allowed them to feel more confident as they proceed into life after graduation.
The Butler and Horizons partnership began with alumni who are passionate about equitable education, was deepened through Maycie and Amanda’s full-time capstone internship, and was expanded through the local connections they established. The combined time, efforts, and resources of this enthusiastic team will help make education and enrichment opportunities more accessible to students and the Indianapolis community.
Learn more: https://www.horizonsindy.org/a-picture-in-time-info
Youth and Community Development
The College of Education understands that the role of professional educators extends beyond the traditional classroom. Through the COE’s newest major—Youth and Community Development (YCD)—students are prepared to be well-informed advocates for high-quality educational and outreach practices in community settings. In addition to 39 hours of professional education coursework, students select a concentration area to provide more in-depth knowledge.
FIVE AREAS OF CONCENTRATION INCLUDE:
• Sociology with an emphasis in Socail Work • Recreation and Sport Studies • Human Communication and Organizational Leadership • Arts Administration • Entrepreneurship and Innovation
The capstone experience in the senior year, similar to student teaching, is a full-time internship that aligns with both the major and the area of concentration. Organizations hire our graduates for positions in museums, nonprofit youth organizations, educational policy roles, recreation and sports programs, and community centers.
