Over the last few weeks, some of Taft High’s senior AVID students have been assigned to complete a Senior Project. A senior project asks it’s AVID students to organize an event that involves the community without the help of their own money and family. The students go out into their community looking for donations and putting on fundraisers in order to start their project. From there, they begin their project in hopes of helping and bettering their community. 

In Sierra Kozloski, Lily Noland, and Abraham Ramirez’s projects, they planned to hold a carnival at the WBF church where all proceeds were going to go to the St. Jude’s Hospital. Unfortunately, due to some complications they had to find another project. After doing some research and holding a meeting with the Westside Senior Care center across from La Salsa, they planned on doing an open house for the home. Their hopes with this project was to inform the community about the home. They held a car wash fundraiser to help with their project. However, due to the coronavirus, their project has been postponed until a later date.

Another project was a yard sale to help the Taft Animal Shelter. AVID students, Morgan Pulido, Alexis McCord, and Bree Johansen organized this event. They started by reaching out to the community for donations such as: clothing, furniture, toys, and shoes. After receiving the donations, they held the yard sale. With a profit of $312, they headed to Walmart and Petco and purchased food, treats, toys, and leashes for the shelter. Pulido stated, “It felt good to help out our local animal shelter; they are always so happy to get any kind of donations.”

Two other seniors decided to do their project to help and provide support for women who have either gone through or are currently going through breast cancer treatments. Marissa Kelley and Amanda Diaz are working with a group called My Sister’s Healing Closet. They asked their community for fabric, stuffing, and monetary donations. With these donations, they set up two dates where they planned to sew the pillows. After the first day, they sewed 45 pillows! Their ultimate goal was to donate $800 and 50 handmade mastectomy pillows.