Located in Southern Westchester County, Mount Vernon, NY is my hometown. I did not go to public schools in the city, but I have understood from a young age the connection between an effective school system and a successful community. Mount Vernon's schools are facing some challenges in the upcoming school year because the budget was voted down twice by voters. Attached to the budget was a NYS Bond that would have provided capital money for repairs and improvements. Mount Vernon residents are tired of poor school system performance, and are also frustrated with the heavy dependence on property taxes to improve the failing schools. This is why the budget was voted down twice. But other than an effort by the new mayor to save the sports programs, which were cut with the current contingency budget, no one has stepped up to say how they are going to help students do better at being students. Sports are a great supplement to the life of a child, but these students need help reading and writing. The Spanish-speaking community is growing, and while most of my hometown seems up in arms about the lack of sports, I am frustrated. I cannot just sit back and fail students in my community. I don't think I can save all 10,000 of them, but if in one school, we can find 15 students, then that's 15 students who will do better. Then we mentor them informally the next year while we work with 15 more. It's a small step, but it's a step, and I think it will inspire more people to do something about the situation.

GET IT DONE will work with 15 middle school students from the Mount Vernon School District in 2008-2009 providing organizational and study skills in addition to basic tutoring help in reading, writing, ESL and math. Other than the direct services provided to students, GET IT DONE tutors will correspond monthly with teachers, counselors and administration about student progress and encourage dialog among student, school and parent/caregiver on a regular basis. By creating a structured environment of support that extends beyond the student, GET IT DONE will slowly, but surely positively affect students, school communities and the greater community of Mount Vernon, NY.

For GET IT DONE to be successful, I will first need to recruit at least 3 tutors, including an ESL specialist. Once we have all agreed to the first year committment and identified a partner school within the Mount Vernon Public School District (NY), we will meet with district officials and school personnel to identify up to 15 students who would benefit from supplemental educational services. Then GET IT DONE will launch as a pilot program in fall 2008 with the goal of increasing students' in-class attentiveness, parent/caregiver involvement and overall student performance & achievement. By setting tangible outcomes such as completed homework assignments, development of study and organizational skills and quality time spent with parents/caregivers to foster support outside the schools to supplement the school environment, GET IT DONE will help the first 15 students.

Volunteers can be trained to be tutors and professionals and leaders in the community will be sought out to be mentors to students. Donations and in-kind support for supplies are always welcomed and celebration will be an important part of the process.