Example of a Point-Form Essay: Helping Preemie Babies at IWK Hospital
- Vision: Improve the lives of preemie babies at IWK Hospital by knitting hats to keep them warm.
- Personal connection: I was born prematurely, so I understand the importance of warmth for these babies.
- Action Plan:
- Knitting:
- Goal: Knit 30 preemie hats over one year.
- Commitment: 5 hours of knitting each week (240 hours total).
- Materials: Soft, hypoallergenic yarn for the babies’ sensitive skin.
- Fundraising:
- Organized bake sales at a neighbourhood garage sale and in the lobby of my apartment building.
- Created a grocery list and used my own money to buy ingredients.
- Baked and sold goods, raising enough money to cover all the knitting supplies.
- Total time spent: 15 hours for groceries, baking, and selling.
- Volunteering:
- Volunteered for 3 hours, 4 times a month, for a total of 144 hours over the year.
- Personally delivered hats to the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit).
- Observed the positive impact of the hats on the babies’ recovery.
- Knitting:
- Execution:
- Timeline: February to May for knitting and fundraising.
- Key Participants:
- Me: Knitter, fundraiser, and volunteer.
- Hospital Staff: Provided guidance and support.
- Community Members: Supported bake sales and fundraising efforts.
- Goals:
- Knit 30 preemie hats.
- Raise funds for supplies through bake sales.
- Ensure hats are delivered to babies in need.
- Geographical Focus: IWK Hospital, Halifax.
- Outcome:
- Hats helped preemie babies stay warm, recover faster, and go home sooner.
- Personal growth: Learned the impact of community support and individual effort.
- Commitment to continue helping preemie babies in the future.
Time Commitment:
- 240 hours of knitting (5 hours/week over a year)
- 15 hours for fundraising (groceries, baking, selling)
- 144 hours of volunteering (3 hours, 4 times a month over a year)
Example of a Full Essay: Helping Preemie Babies at IWK Hospital
I believe that every baby deserves the best start in life, especially those born prematurely. My vision is to make a difference for preemie babies at IWK Hospital by knitting hats to keep them warm. I was born early myself, so I know how important it is for these babies to stay warm and comfortable. That’s why I decided to combine my love for knitting with a project that could help them.
To make this happen, I set a goal to knit 30 preemie hats over the course of a year. I spent about 5 hours each week knitting, making sure each hat was soft and gentle for their sensitive skin. I also needed to raise money for the yarn, so I organized bake sales at a neighborhood garage sale and in the lobby of my apartment building. I made a grocery list, bought all the ingredients with my own money, and baked everything myself. This process took about 15 hours in total, but it was worth it as I raised enough to cover all the supplies.
From February to May, I worked on knitting the hats while also volunteering at IWK Hospital. I volunteered for 3 hours, 4 times a month, for a total of 144 hours over the year. This allowed me to personally deliver the hats to the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) and see the babies who would wear them. The nurses told me that the hats really helped the babies stay warm, which is super important for their recovery. Some babies even got to go home sooner because they were able to keep their body temperature stable with the hats.
The people involved in this project included me, the hospital staff, and the community members who supported my bake sales. My main goals were to knit 30 hats, fundraise for the materials, and volunteer regularly at the hospital to make sure the hats went to babies who needed them. I focused on helping the babies at IWK Hospital in Halifax, and my plan worked out from February through May.
The outcome was exactly what I hoped for—providing warmth and comfort to preemie babies and helping them get stronger so they could go home sooner. This project taught me how much of a difference one person can make with the right support and determination. I’m proud of what I accomplished, and I’m committed to continuing to help preemie babies in any way I can.
Time Commitment:
- 240 hours of knitting (5 hours/week over a year)
- 15 hours for fundraising (groceries, baking, selling)
- 144 hours of volunteering (3 hours, 4 times a month over a year)