10/6/2014

Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque

RE: Two by Two Project

Dear Board of Directors,

Two by Two is pleased to present this proposal for your review. We look forward to partnering with you
in order to expand our programs. Two by Two Character Development is a national leader and expert in
character education and is committed to developing responsible citizens of strong character who care for,
respect, and appreciate people, animals, and the environment. The Two by Two way incorporates the
universally accepted character traits of kindness, respect, responsibility, empathy, cooperation,
perseverance, and citizenship. Two by Two Character Development is a nonprofit organization created in
2005 by Dubuque native, Kristin Woodward. Kristin, an educator for over 20 years, witnessed social and
emotional changes in children and the profound need for character education in our schools. She stepped
away from the classroom to research best practices in character education and formed Two by Two
Character Development.
We have seen measurable success in our programs and are now seeking to expand. Our proposal requests
$5000 in funding in order to gather testimonials and create a video to spread our message of success and
allow us to assist more children in surrounding areas.
We appreciate the Community Foundations time and interest in helping our students develop the
character necessary to succeed.
Thank you,

Ginger Sakas
CEO and President of Two By Two
Two By Two
470 W. 4th St.
Dubuque, IA 52001

1. What is the amount and purpose of funding request?

Two by Two is seeking a grant to expand its character development programs. In order to do so, a
testimonial video is necessary in spreading our message of success. It will be used as a promotional video
for future expansion. Funding in the amount of $5,000 is requested for technology use and other costs that
will be required for the making of the video.

2. How will the funds be used?

The budget for this video production is $5,000. Craig Schaefer has worked with Two By Two in the past.
Due to the previous relationship that Craig and Two By Two have, he is reducing his prices for all costs
included in video making. This fund will be spent on the following: location video work, studio video
work, scriptwriting, graphic production, editing, distribution, music rights, and talent.

Production
Location Video work: Crew and Camera Costs
Studio Video Work: Shooting in Studio
Scriptwriting
Graphic Production
Editing
Music Rights
Talent: other people inolved like actors
Camera and equipment rental
Uploading and Distribution cost
miscellaneous

Costs for five hours of work

$75 and $60 an hour each
$100 and $60 an hour
$60 an hour
$60 an hour
$60 an hour
Good music about $1,000
$50 an hour
$60 an hour
$50 an hour
covers cost of crew and other possible costs

3. Who does your population serve and what is the service area?

Total
$675
$800
$300
$300
$300
$1,000
$250
$300
$250
$825
$5,000

Two by Two serves kindergarten students to 5th grade students. Today, Two by Two Character
Development programs and instructional resources are being used in classrooms throughout the United
States.
4. What does your organization or program do?
With the collaboration of national leaders of character and local educators, Two by Two has created
curricula based on 21st Century education standards-the skills students need to succeed in work, school
and life. The popular and highly effective Two by Two Kindhearted Kids programs have been delivering
character education in local schools since 2006.
The Two by Two Toolkits of Character provide teachers with well thought out, cutting edge strategies that
infuse positive character traits in daily lesson plans. The toolkits are grade level specific and have a
character focus based on the American School Counselor Associations Standards and Benchmarks. Each
toolkit has Community Meeting lessons, Literature Links addressing character topics and legendary icons,
Curricular Connections tying character to Core, and Cheers, Songs, and Poems. Two, life-like, animal
puppets based on Native American legends and representing character traits are included.
5. What is the key issue or need that is being addressed?
Dr. Marvin Berkowitz, professor of character education at the University of Missouri- St. Louis,
expresses the need simply good character education is good education. Findings show that effective
character education supports and enhances the academic goals of schools: good character education
promotes learning. Not only is character education a vital component of a childs psychological
development, it is crucial that it is fashioned and implemented as carefully and thoughtfully as academic
education.
Todays youth has been surrounded by violence through media, school shootings, and personal
experiences. Research indicates that our youth have become a ME, ME, ME generation and differences
among others seem to have been shunned. Kids who are obese, gay, or have disabilities are up to 63%
more likely to be bullied than other children. Due to the increased exposure of violence and the selffocused attitude of the current youth, morals, values and a strong foundation of good character is hard to
come by. Dr. Thomas Lickona, author of Educating for Character, stated, Good character is not formed
automatically; it is developed over time through a sustained process of teaching, example, learning and
practice. It is developed through character education.
Other research indicates that animals can be used in developing higher moral reasoning, including
empathy and willingness to care. There is evidence that children draw on their understanding of human
relationships when they reason about animals. Children recognize both similarities and differences
between humans and other biological entities but hold that despite such differences these nonhumans
deserve moral treatment. Children take account of human needs and rights but does so in order to justify
the same moral rights for the nonhuman. Animals as pets can be used as teachable moments for parents. It
is said that childhood experiences with animals may be predictive of later adult moral reasoning
(Melson 2013).
There is research that shows that there is a need for character development. Two by Two provides
character education that is necessary for our youth today. There is evidence that shows that the use of
animals help children to develop a better understanding of what good character is. Two By Two uses
stuffed animals within their programs to provide children an opportunity to develop good character
through the understanding of what it takes to take care of another living thing.

6. What will change as a result of your effort?

Our main goal is to improve the character of all the children that enter our program. But through
this funding request we also wish to spread our ideas and teachings to other areas of the country
to help build character everywhere. We want to expand our reach outside the Dubuque and tri
state area. We will continue to develop Character curriculums for elementary but also wish to
expand to Middle and High School. We have started to develop partnerships at the college level
and hope to continue this as well. We want to expand our character development to the private
business sector. To enhance the character of just once child through our program could make the
biggest difference in the world. In other words, what will change specifically is that our
programs will be utilized in more schools throughout the country, and therefore will infuse
positive character traits into more children. In the past 10 years, 25,000 children have been
exposed to Two by Two character programs. We would hope to significantly expand that number
in the next 5 years and the video will significantly aid in this expansion.
7. What results will you report and how will they be measured?
Two by Two will continue to conduct pre and post-tests to assure the success of their character building
programs. We want to know if the video is effective in expanding Two by Twos work. In order to do this,
the following data will be collected: number of students and schools that have gone through programs
before video is showed and used as promotion, date of when video is exposed, and number of students
and schools that use these programs after video exposure.
Once expansion is successful, to assure that our programs are achieving the correct goals, we will
continue to conduct the pre and post-tests that have already been developed. The following graphs
demonstrate the results from previous pre and post-tests given.

Kindhearted Kids is our primary level program. This graph shows the average score of all traits previous
of graduating the program was 57.2. After graduating the program, children scored an average of 83.76
among all traits. This is about a 26.6 growth rate.

Kindhearted Kids to the Rescue is the sequel program to Kindhearted Kids. Similarly, to Kindhearted
kids, children showed significant growth in all areas tested. Pretest children scored an average of 61.8.
After graduating the program, children averaged an 83.3 score for all traits. This is about a 21.5 growth
rate.