Project 3: Photo Essay on Local Community Engagement
Overall Tasks and Goals:Your third project will be a presentation of a photo essay on a place that is
invested in our local community of Dayton, Ohio.
Step 1: Visit a locally owned business, market, or organization that you have not been to before now.
Research the location ahead of time to learn about its purpose, supporters, and initiatives for the
local Dayton community. If you are going to visit an organization that does outreach, such as the YWCA
or a public health clinic, you must contact someone ahead of time to set up an appointment to learn more
about the program.
Possible Locations to Visit (see more at www.daytonhistory.org or daytonlocal.com):
-Restaurants and Grocery Stores that are locally owned and only in Southwest Ohio
-2nd Street Market
-Patterson Homestead
-Carillon Historical Park
-National Museum of the U.S. Air Force
Step 2: Talk to people who work there. Ask about how they see the space as supporting the local
community and what issues are important to them concerning the city of Dayton. Without taking up too
much of their time, have a conversation about ways local residents can get more involved in their
community and support each other.
Take detailed observation notes about your experience there. If possible, visit again to take in more of
the environment and to talk to shop owners, employees, or volunteers. Take pictures and collect images
available online of things that represent how this spacerepresents Dayton, Ohio and how it encourages
support in the local community. If you want to take pictures of people, you have to explain what you’re
doing and ask for their permission first.
Step 3: Compose a photo essay of 10 pictures that represent your experience and a message that argues
for how the location represents the “local community,” supports the preservation ofthe city of Dayton’s
history, or responds to the needs of local residents. Write captions that are at least 20 words to
describe the image in a way that makes an overarching message about this local space across the photo
essay.
Step 4: Write a 3-4 page narrative reflectiondescribing the experience and the choices you made in
composing the photo essay. What message are you trying to get across about this space? How did you
identify words and images to build that message? What choices did you make to revise captions and
organization to improve the presentation of your essay.You should also reflect on your engagement in the
local community and thoughts on how UD students can be engaged in the local community of Dayton.
Formatting: Your photo essay must be a Powerpoint document with ten slides of photos with captions, and
one that cites your sources. Your narrative and powerpoint will be submitted on Isidore by the start of
class time on the day you present.Your narrative should be written in Microsoft Word, Times New Roman 12
pt. font, double-spaced, with 1 inch margins all around.