AndieHach

ReflectionPaper
SeniorExitProject
Mr.Scanlan
41515
Duringmysenioryearinhighschool,IspentmanyhoursworkingonmySeniorExit
Project.Myprojectwasonthetopicofsexualassaultoncollegecampuses,andIdidalotof
thingstohelpinformmeandothersaboutthisproblem.ThefirstthingIdidformyprojectwas
visitacollegecampustolearnaboutthesafetymeasuresthatareinplace.Iwenttothe
WomensCenterattheUniversityofPennsylvaniaandaskedquestionstotheladywhoisthe
SeniorChairofAbuseandSexualPrevention.Forthenextpartofmyproject,IvisitedtheHope
HouseinBaraboo,WI.TheHopeHouseisashelterforvictimsofdomesticviolencethatalso
offersfreeandconfidentialserviceslikeadvocacy,counseling,legalservices,andcommunity
education.WhileIwasthereItookatouroftheshelter,metsomeofthewomenthatworked
there,andlearnedmoreabouttheoverallfunctionontheHopeHouse.Anotherpartofmy
projectinvolvedgoingtoaclassinMadisoncalledChimera.Chimeraisaselfdefenseclassthat
teachesverbalassertivenessskillsandphysicaltechniquestopreventandstopharassmentand
assault.Italsoemphasizesavoidanceandteachesawareness,assertiveness,andphysical
protectionskills.Forthefinalpartofmyproject,Iputtogetheraslideshowofallthe
informationthatIhavegatheredthroughoutthepastfewmonths,andIpresentedittothejunior
andseniorclasses.

Thisyear,IhadatwopeoplewhohelpedmemeetthegoalsofmySeniorExitProject.
ThefirstpersonwhohelpedmeisnamedJoannaKamhl.JoannaistheChairofAbuseand
SexualPreventionattheWomensCenterattheUniversityofPennsylvania.Shehelpedmeout
byansweringallofmyquestionsaboutcampussafetymeasures,andbygivingmeadditional
informationabouttherolethattheWomensCenterhasoncampus.Thesecondpersonwho
helpedmewithmyprojectisLaciPustina.Laciwasmymentorthroughoutmyproject,andalso
myinterviewee.Alongwithgivingmeadvicethroughoutmyproject,shealsogavemeatourof
theHopeHouse,answeredmyquestions,andgavemeextrainformationabouttheshelter.
Duringmyproject,IlearnedmanythingsthatIfoundsurprising.Iwasveryshockedto
learnthestatisticsaboutsexualassault,includinghowcommonitisandhowitisusually
perpetratedbysomeoneknowntothevictim.Iwasalsosurprisedtolearnthefactthatsofew
collegeshavereportedassaults,andthatoverfiftyschoolsareunderinvestigationfor
mishandlingcases.AnotherthingthatIlearnedwasabouttheworkshopsoncampusworking
towardspreventingsexualassault.ThissurprisedmebecauseIhadnoideathattheseexisted.
AnotherthingIdidntknowexistedwasfederallawofTitleIX.Ithoughtthatitwasinteresting
tofindoutthattherewerelawsinplacethatworktoprohibitgenderbaseddiscriminationin
education.
Ibelievethatthereweremanythingsthatwentwellformethisyearduringmyproject.
Onethingthatwentwellwasmycollegevisit.IwasveryhappythatIlearnedsomanynew
thingsattheWomensCenter.Igotapamphletfullofinformationandsawmanyposterstalking
aboutassault.WhileIwasoncampus,Iwashandedaschoolnewspaper.Inthatnewspaper,
thereweretwoarticlesthatweretitled,Lawprofsstandagainstsexualassaultpolicyand

Why...should[it]belegallyhardertoexpelsomeoneforrapethanformovingnewspapers,or
cheatingorassaultingapoliceofficer?Ithoughtthatseeingthesearticleswasareallyneat
coincidence.ItalsoworkedoutwellthatwhenIwaswalkingaround,Isawalotofthecampus
policeandthebluelights,whichweresomethingsthatIhadwantedtoknowabout.Another
thingthatwentwellformewasmyChimeraclass.IlearnedalotofnewthingsandIactually
hadfundoingittoo.
Alongwiththemanythingsthatwentwellinmyproject,therewerealsoafew
challenges.OnechallengewaswiththeChimeraclass.IhadsignedupforclassA,which
includedsessiononeandtwoontwodifferentweeks.However,Iendedupnotbeingableto
attendthesecondsession,whichmeantthatIdidntmeettherequirementstotakeclassB,which
waswhereIwasplanningongettingmyremaininghours.Anothersmallchallengewasfinding
timetomeetwithmymentor.Sincewearebothverybusy,itwasslightlydifficulttofindtimes
thatworkedforbothofus.Intheend,though,wefigureditoutandwemadeitwork.
Intheend,IamveryproudofmySeniorExitProject.IworkedhardtoachieveallthatI
did,andIamhappywiththeresult.IftherewasanythingIcouldhavedonedifferently,Ithink
thatIwouldhavestartedmymentormeetingssoonerthanIdidthatwayIwouldnthaveto
struggletofindtimeforonemoremeetingbeforetheendoftheyear.However,Iamstillpleased
withmyendproductsoftheproject.

Selfdefenseclassthatteachesverbalassertivenessskillsand
physicaltechniquestopreventandstopharassmentandassault