Scene 4: Getting the Word Out

Back-story:

After May heard back from Daniel, our group found out that the other offer to buy the Plumstead property had not been accepted by the owner. Ms. May took this good news in stride and decided that our next step would be getting an idea of the need for a preschool in the area. With 180 copies of the flyers, we hopped into the car and headed to Plumstead. Our hope was to get an idea of how many students in the area are in need of a preschool and possibly write up a profit projection to present to the property owner in order to prove that renting his facility to Kiddies is in his best interest.

Cast of characters:

Ms. May- our liaison

ECD Team – Nick Deraney, Katelyn Nicosia, Julie Waddell, and Mindy Zhang

Setting:

As the car door opened, my eyes squinted slightly as the bright sun illuminated the gravel on the ground. As a small bead of sweat rolled down my brow, I realized how hot the day had become.  Horns beeped as we crossed the street into the neighborhood. The houses were no larger than two sheds. Each was guarded by a metal fence. A slanted metal roof covered the 4 walls of the houses. Clothes danced on lines hanging off the roof as a cool breeze swept the air. As we approached the first house a small dog barked and ran to the gate. This became the theme as we approached each house.  After   searching the outer edge of the homes, we discovered that the small wooden boxes with padlocks  were mailboxes.  We slipped a flyer into the box and moved on to the next house. Most of the houses appeared to be empty; however as we peered into one of the homes, we could see five small children running around.  At that moment we realized there was a need for what we were doing.

Scene:

Connecting:

After seeing a number of small children in this neighborhood, it appeared that there was a need for Kiddies College Preschool Too.

Planning:

We prepared a total of one hundred and eighty flyers to give out around the Plumstead area. Our plan was to split up into teams of two and pass out flyers in both businesses and in residential mail boxes. Ms. May targeted the bank, library, and a local doctor’s office. Katelyn and Julie passed out flyers in a more affluent neighborhood, while Nick and Mindy went to a lower-middle class neighborhood.

Action and Observation:

As Mindy and I walked along the streets of the neighborhood, we began putting flyers underneath the windshield wipers of a few beat-up 1982 Hondas.  The two of us observed that most yards were wild with unruly greens and mangled fences that screamed “abandoned,” but the noise of televisions proved otherwise. When we came across a nicely kept yard, it was like the diamond in the rough. Finding mailboxes of the houses with the sun beating down upon us was like a terrible game of hide and seek.  A few homes  had elderly people sitting on lawn chairs outside. As we interrupted their time to give them a flyer, they asked the purpose for it and smiled at our response. Making our way through the neighborhood, we saw that the homes with open doors and the television on were the ones that housed children.   one particular house   stood out. The door was wide open and as we walked past   children came running towards the door intrigued by our presence. Mindy approached the open door, the children yelled for their mother. As Mindy handed her the flyer  , the mother thanked Mindy with a smile and went back into the house.

Reflection and Learning:

From walking around the different locations as a team, we collectively noted that there were suitable customers for a crèche in the Plumstead area.. Nick and Mindy especially saw this in the lower-middle class neighborhood. Ms. May relayed to us what she learned from talking to potential clientele from the doctor’s office and the bank. She said that there were not many crèches in the area and the ones that existed were not the best option. Through this experience, I learned, our work will not go unnoticed and the opening of Kiddies College Preschool Too will benefit the lives of many children of the Plumstead area.