Judges, Senior Project

First Colonial High School

1272 Mill Dam Road
Virginia Beach, VA 23454

Dear Judges:

Approaching the end of my senior year I have begun to contemplate my time in the Legal
Studies Academy at First Colonial High School. Coming in as a freshman, at 14 years old, the
idea of senior project was intimidating to me. It still was the day I walked into Mrs. V´s class the
beginning of my senior year, but nonetheless I felt a little more prepared for the task I had in
front of me. I had learned some valuable lessons about time management and facing challenges,
but most importantly, I had time to cultivate my interests and discover what I was passionate
about it.

Freshman year I had no idea what topic I´d be able to write 15+ pages on but by my junior year I
had truly found something I knew had to be brought to light. While searching for topics for my
ethics paper I came across an article about homeless individuals in Boise, Idaho that had been
arrested for sleeping outside due to a city ordinance banning anyone from sleeping outside
regardless of whether there was place to stay. What really struck me was that the article detailed
that there were not enough shelter beds in the city to accommodate these people and that this was
a common occurrence among cities in America. I thought back to the many people I had served
food and shared conversations with at Winter Shelter and the Judeo-Christian Outreach, right
here in Virginia Beach. A hundred questions ran through my mind. How many of these people I
had met did this affect? Why did this legislation exist to begin with? I was genuinely concerned
as to how this was affecting my city and more importantly this nation.

As I began my research senior year, I thought back to how my freshman English teacher Mr.
Godfrey talked about being an advocate and told us that for our senior project we would have to
be one. I had no idea then what it meant then, but reflecting back I realize not only myself, but
everyone in my class had become articulate, strong-minded individuals who each were
passionate about something. At the completion of our projects we each had not only taken on the
characteristics of a good advocate, but we had taken the actions of one. I am very proud at what
my peers and I have accomplished. As I continue on to the next step of life, I want to continue
being an advocate for not only for people experiencing homelessness, but for anyone who needs
a voice.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Sincerely,
Katrina Beasley