Writing the Proposal Letter
This sample letter will give you some ideas of how to approach composing your own proposal. As you write, be sure to be honest, accurate, and thorough to get your ideas across in a truthful and clear way. Work to generate interest in your readers. To ensure the originality of your letter, please do not model your letter too closely on this example. DETAIL IS KEY!! **MARGINS NOT TO SCALE**
5443 Nearglen Avenue Glendora, CA 91740 20 February 1974 (Insert your teacher’s name) and North Carolina Graduation Project Approval Committee C. A. Erwin High School 60 Lees Creek Road Asheville, NC 28806 Dear (insert your teacher’s name) and North Carolina Graduation Project Approval Committee, For my North Carolina Graduation Project, I plan to learn how to rock climb. I chose this topic because I feel that North Carolina Graduation Project is a chance for me to learn to do something enjoyable and to provide me with the opportunity to spend time outdoors. The only rock climbing experience I have is one hour spent in Climbax Climbing Gym on Wall Street in Asheville. My time spent there convinced me that I will enjoy the sport. I hope to build on the few skills I learned during that first session. In my research paper, I will argue that climbers who are lost or stranded should be required to help cover the cost of their rescues. At present, the government and taxpayers have to pay for most if not all of the rescue costs. I believe that if climbers and mountaineers are willing to take the risks involved in the sport, they should also be expected to finance the costs of any rescues that they might need. To support my argument, I plan on using magazine and newspaper articles, financial reports from the National Park Service, and an interview with a member of a Search and Rescue team. For my practical experience, I will take climbing lessons at Climbax until I have learned and developed my skills. After I am comfortable with my abilities and in fairly decent condition, I hope to climb outdoors. One ascent I’d like to make is up Devil’s Courthouse on the Pisgah National Forest. While the climb seems difficult to me, I believe that with time and effort I can reach the top. The climbing lessons will create the major cost of my project, but I have saved enough money from my job to pay for two months of lessons if I attend one lesson a week. I will document my project with photos and log entries of my efforts in the gym and outside; since I have a digital camera, I will not have to purchase film or pay for developing any pictures. This experience will impact my life in several ways. I am a little shy and don’t really believe in my ability to take on a project that requires a large amount of courage. I will need to build confidence to move from the gym to outdoor routes. As a result of this new level of confidence, I hope to be able to practice enough to qualify for a job with Outward Bound so that I might then be able to help young people like myself find their own inner confidence. I am interested in mentoring young people as a future career. That, with my love of the outdoors, would make me a good candidate for employment in a situation such as Outward Bound. This project will allow me the time to focus on that goal. I am aware that plagiarism is using somebody’s ideas without giving proper credit to that individual. I also realize that plagiarism will result in a failing grade for the North Carolina Graduation Project. Since I plan on passing this course and graduating in June, I will work to be honest and accurate in my efforts. Sincerely, Your Signature Your Name (Typed) Attachment: List any appropriate attachments