Side by Side: A Three-Year Field Journal

Side by Side is a three-year field journal that begins with weekly volunteer work and grows only when experience supports the next step. It connects service, research, and an entrepreneurial way of thinking without treating the community as a problem to solve.

Phase 1 — Learn to notice

Build a consistent practice of attending sessions, supporting the lead teacher, writing anonymized field notes, and learning the language and ethics needed to reflect responsibly.

Phase 2 — Find a focused question

Look across the notes for recurring, evidence-based questions. Read relevant research, speak with experienced adults, and identify a need that is appropriate for a student to explore.

Phase 3 — Test something small

With guidance and permission, develop a modest activity, material, or process. Define what success would mean, collect appropriate feedback, and document both results and limitations.

Phase 4 — Share the learning

Present the project as a record of development: what changed in the work, what changed in my thinking, what evidence supports the conclusions, and what remains unresolved.

The website is the public layer of that record. It will grow through content files rather than redesigns, so the structure stays stable while the thinking becomes deeper.