Science Leadership Academy @ Center City

Blog #3 Adoption and Effects on people

Posted by Tuyet Corson in English 1 - Dunn - X on Friday, May 30, 2014 at 9:01 pm

This is my third blog for my adoption piece. I have written two other blogs about adoption. My first blog was all about what I knew and why I wanted to study adoption. My second blog was about what I have learned from adoption. This blog is to incorporate all of that and something I was able to do out side the world called Agent of Change. My topic is adoption and the effects it has on adopted children. There are a lot of people don't understand about adoption when it comes down to the child. Adopted children are as affected as the adoptive parents. I am so close to this topic not just because I am adopted but I understand what it can be like not truly understanding where you fit in. This is my post for change and its the last phase of this project that I am doing.

Adopting kids is something that is very hard to explain to people who never gone through the process. There are many details but the out come is amazing and it can change the lives of the people that are adopting and the adopted. I want people to understand the myths and the facts to adoption. Myth vs Fact can be very closely related to one another. I did a Power Point presentation on adoption to my classmates. I wanted to know how much they knew about adoption and see if they could pick out the Myth from fact. My classmates where able to pick up on the myths and facts about adoption. The Power point that I made had information on adoption as well as a true or false game. The game had statements that I heard as well as question that are most comenly asked. There are a lot of things that happen behind the scene way before and after children are adopted. So this presentation was so I could get the message out there that there are two sides to everything.

There is a lot of things that when you think about it seem very complicated and difficult to understand. Adoption to a lot of people can seem like that but once you get the ball rolling it can become much easier to see the right path. Adoption has a lot of emotion attached to it. The child is to be give to people that love and can take care of the child. The new parents that take the child in is to have a new member of their family. But there can be a lot of heart ache because sometimes the child can emotional get along. It can be a struggle because they have come so far. Adoption finds kids that have no home a place to live and at the end of the day every child has a born right to have a loving home.

My change so far in this project was to really tell my story and inform people about adoption. I feel like this agent of change work that I have done has started a conversation on adoption. With this part of the project I have learned somethings about my self. Like I can just have my opion I have to look deeper into thing.

In my Agent of change piece of the project there are somethings i could have done differently. My presentation could have been better if I had cliff notes for my self and I didn't have to read off the board. My thoughts ended up being every where and it was hard to explain. My power point was very boring and bland and my slides where to short. These things I could have made a lot better . There are still things that can be done to my my work look much better then they did when I did my first presentation.

Adoption will always be a large part of my life it defines who I am as a person. Adopted kids can be miss understood. But I am here to say we are no different then anybody else. Adoption is a great but you need to want to climb to know was can be waiting on the other side.

These photos are from my presentation for my classmates

Autism vs. Education: Blog #3

Posted by Daouda Njie in English 1 - Dunn - A on Friday, May 30, 2014 at 8:59 pm

Welcome back! It has been a long year, but the time has come for my final Blog. My name is Daouda Njie and I am a freshman in Science Leadership Academy. Thank you for those who have read my other two blogs Blog #1 and Blog #2. For those who have just started to read my blogs I am exploring Autism for my You and the World Project, and whether the School District of Philadelphia is giving the best educational experience for a child with Autism.

For my first blog I talked about what Autism is and problems that the kids with Autism face. I have discovered that Autism is a disorder that causes problems with social interactions, repetitive behaviors, and verbal or nonverbal communications. Autism happens because of brain mutations in early stages of brain development. Autism affects how your brain processes information. These problem make school for children with Autism challenging. I have witnessed many children with Autism struggling in schools because of lack of assistance schools offer. Although there are special plans that children with Autism can take. They are called ILP which stands for Individualized learning plan. These plans all differ and are made to fit each child's needs differently.

For my second blog I decided to interview one of my fellow classmates that has Autism. Asking him if he thought the school district is doing everything to help him and what are problems he faces. He said that sometimes he does have trouble socializing in school but his family helps him and provides support for him. He also take studies skill which is provided for kids with disabilities. This allows him to stay focused and get his work done. I also interviewed a Special ed professor who works with people with Autism. She stated that children with Autism have trouble understanding what people say, if there are greetings such as “what's up.” If a child with autism hears this they might respond with “the sky.” This can make it difficult in a school environment because school is full of social interactions.

this is me also presenting in my advisory

For my agent of change I decided to inform my advisory on what they can do to help a child with Autism adjust to school more and not have challenges. I believe that I could have done more for my agent of change. I originally wanted to volunteer at Autism speaks but due to lack of communication I was not able to. But by at least educating other people I believe that I have helped my cause.

I really enjoyed this assignment and it made me feel like I was doing something to actually help someone else. I also enjoyed this assignment because unlike most assignments I was able to freely choose what I wanted to work on. Finding a problem that is interesting to me and going out and doing something about it. I believe that people should become more self aware of children with autism because everyone deserves the best education. I would like to thank Ms.Dunn for allowing me to have a chance to make a change and my advisory for listening to my presentation. I would also like to thank everyone who has read my blogs thank you and goodbye.

Blog #3: Making a change in the community!

Posted by Vilma Martinez in English 1 - Dunn - X on Friday, May 30, 2014 at 8:47 pm

Hey, Vilma Martinez again! In my first blog I talked about Kitten neglection that occurs here in the

city of Philadelphia. In my second blog I talked about animal neglection in general. Now for my

final blog post I will be talking about what I did to make a difference in our community. For my

Agent of change action piece I decided to start a bake sale at my school, so that I can

have an opportunity to donate the money I raised to the PSPCA. Selling the baked goods at my

school was tough work, but it was something I managed to get htrough. I was able to raise a fair

amount of money to donate. After a while me and my mom finally decided to go down to the

PSPCA to donate the money. After meeting with two of their employees, we were given a tour

around the building.

The tour was… WOW. The building contained murals of animals that have passed on and

places for the animals to play and relax. The cats were so playful and sweet and then looking

into the animal hospital was heart breaking, the poor animals were caged recovering from

operation. Witnessing this was something that truly was so powerful because these animals

managed to survive so many things. I felt very happy.

We were able to see the cats and kittens in the building that were being put up for adoption. They

were so sweet and adorable, and most of the animals there were only cats and kittens. It was

really sad to see them there without a family to care for them.

Finally at the end of the tour I was able to give them the money and leave the building satisfied

that I did something good for neglected animals. I really do hope the animals in the shelter find a

home where they can feel safe in.

Isaac Adlowitz Capstone (Phillies)

Posted by Isaac Adlowitz in Capstone - Hull - Wed on Friday, May 30, 2014 at 8:41 pm

Isaac Adlowitz

Mentors: Ms.Hull and Ms. Siswick

For my capstone I wanted to do something that would involve baseball in some way or another. Just about everyone who knows me knows how obsessed I am about baseball and the Phillies so this capstone was better than anything I could have ever asked for. I began pursuing this as capstone ever since my mom took me to a symposium at UPenn about "Ballparks as Urban Magnets" back in my sophomore year. At the symposium one of the owners of the Washington Nationals spoke, one of the owners of the Cleveland Indians spoke, an architect who has designed multiple Major League Stadiums spoke, and also Phillies President David Montgomery spoke. Afterwards I approached Montgomery and asked him for advice on how a high school kid could potentially get a job with a Major League ball club, he said told me about the Phillies having a senior project program, and gave me the contact information for someone who leads the program. Without meeting him I would have likely never found out about this program.

During my time at the Phillies I was given an insider's point of view on how daily life inside a professional sports team's front office operates. I learned about the many different facets which make teams a well oiled machine and I learned a lot of valuable lessons along the way. I met many different people and feel as though I have successfully gotten my foot in the door. I hope to present to my peers and other people what types of things are needed to move your way up in this business, wether or not I would want to still pursue this as a career, what types of things you actually do vs. what someone may think you do, and all in all my experience and how they have further molded me and provided me with a wider array of perspectives.

Here is a journal that I kept talking about each and everyday of my experience interning with the Philadelphia Phillies

https://docs.google.com/a/scienceleadership.org/document/d/15G9f5kMuBE4XL0TZ7UQ9VE57co84v6CmmGR5c8Sdp-I/edit?usp=sharing

Annotated Bibliography:

https://docs.google.com/a/scienceleadership.org/document/d/1jmMxqtenZwn03Dn5M7BW9Gi21lLGeccDn4XO_qrI2T0/edit?usp=sharing

YATW Blog #3: A Step Towards Change

Posted by Pedro Castillo in English 1 - Dunn - A on Friday, May 30, 2014 at 8:32 pm

Hello everyone, I am Pedro Castillo and I am back for my third and final YATW blog post. In my last two blog posts ( blog 1, blog 2) I took you into the deep “adventure” (more of a struggle) of the Philadelphia budget cuts and how their effect has taken art from students in certain schools. I talked about how they have saddened students and how money that could have been used education was used for funding prisons. From my last blog to this one, there have been a couple instances where these budget cuts have damaged kids permanently. There has been two children who have even lost their lives because of the lack of nurses because of the budget cuts (Rest in peace to both). Although these budget cuts have affected our city greatly, this final blog is a step towards change.

In my time away from writing these blogs, I have had the opportunity to witness protests and acts against these budget cuts. I feel as if these things could go along way even if it seems as if they not be doing anything. Simple protests and events could be the things that Philadelphia students need to receive a full learning experience.

In my time away I have been working as hard as I could to try and “spread the art” to my old schools. I have gone forth with creating my art magazine that I talked about in my last blog post and students seemed to have like it. I created copies of my magazine and gave them to classes in the elementary and middle schools in my neighborhood. I even got to take pictures of students enjoying the magazines that I had supplied them with (Below). I felt very good for spreading these magazines. I feel as if I learned that not only the adults have the power to help but everyone has the power to make a change. Although I did do a good job with these magazines, I feel as if I could have done things even greater. There are many things I could have done for example, give magazines to more schools outside of my neighborhood or even give magazines to anyone in the neighborhood.

Although I feel like I could have done more for my city and students in it, I was pleased with the results. I would love to do something like this again because I believe that this experience has made grow, and has gave me and even bigger connection with the city of Philadelphia. And for this I would love to thank my English 9 teacher Ms. Dunn for giving me the chance to do something like this, to make a change. I also want to thank the principle from my old school for helping me spread the magazines that I have created. This experience has made me think of things differently and I would like to say that anyone has the power to make a change, anyone could lend a helping hand no matter how old or young you are or how big or small you are, anyone can help. Goodbye to anyone keeping up with my blog posts and thank you.

Students at Benjamin Franklin Elementary school reading magazines.

James Prell Capstone

Posted by James Prell in Capstone - Ames - Wed on Friday, May 30, 2014 at 8:05 pm

Pictures:

Found Here

Abstract:

Throughout the year, I organized volunteer work days for SLA to work alongside the Friends of the Wissahickon. We worked on several projects alongside other volunteers from around Philadelphia who are passionate about taking care of the parks in their city. These included planting trees along the bank of the Wissahickon, building up the trails to prevent water damage, trash pick up, and removing storm debris.

Bibliography:

1. http://www.fow.org/

This is the main page of the Friends of the Wissahickon website. This site has and will continue to help me figure out dates to volunteer, either alone or with a group. I first found this site after returning from my weeks volunteering with the Appalachian Mountain Club, I wanted to continue conservation work closer to home, and this is what I found. This site has also helped me establish a relationship with the volunteer coordinators of the organization. I found their e-mails and was able to contact them to see if they would help me work to make these volunteer days happen.

2. http://www.passtheword.org/DIALOGS-FROM-THE-PAST/kelpiusinwardprayer.htm

Johannes Kelpius was one of the first European settlers of the Wissahickon valley. He was a monk from Germany who came over with the original group of Germans who bought the land from William Penn. He completed his studies in Transylvania, where he came to the conclusion that the world was going to end in 1693 based on a unique interpretation of the book of Revelations. He chose the Wissahickon as his place of meditation due to the regions reputation for religious freedom at the edge of the wilderness. None of this story particularly helps me organize volunteer work days, but the history is interesting and I will use this story in my presentation.

3. http://www.rittenhousetown.org/history/history.html

Rittenhouse town was the first industrial town in the region and home to the first paper mill in North America. It was first constructed by William Rittenhouse and his son Nicholas, and built up over eight generations in the same family. At the height of its operation, Rittenhouse town was a thriving industrial town with a boarding house for workers, stables, and firehouse, and a smithy along with the many mills build up along the banks of the river. While most of region was still a wild place on the edge of a new city, the Wissahickon became a thriving place of industry with many damns and mills taking control of the once secluded place of meditation.

4. http://fairmountworks.com/our-story/

The Fairmount Water Works began operation in 1815. Its purpose was to provide clean drinking water to the city of Philadelphia, and for a time it was one of the marvels of the western world. It was one of the the first attempts on this scale to provide drinking water to a city. Prior to its operation, the city of Philadelphia bought up a huge portion of the land upstream in the hopes of ensuring clean water for the city. This, of course, included Rittenhouse town which was razed to ensure that it would stop polluting the water supply. The region bought up by the city is what we know today as Fairmount park.

5. http://www.reversespins.com/Wissahickon.html

This website details some of the Legends of the Wissahickon. I'm citing it because it provides an interesting fact about my first source. According to this site, the monks who settled in the Wissahickon amassed an extensive library over the years of their operation in their area. Around the time that the property was divided up, Benjamin Franklin acquired the collection for his own personal library. Much of the original collection survives in the Benjamin Franklin library to this day.

6. http://www.visitphilly.com/outdoor-activities/philadelphia/wissahickon-gorge/

This source provides a map of the Wissahickon as well as some of the dimensions of the parks. This link will help me provide reference to the park in my presentation. I might be able to use it to illustrate the different locations where we worked as well as what we accomplished there. I can make an interesting graphic out of it that will add to my presentation.

7. http://www.fow.org/about-park/wissahickon-gorge/history

I cite this page because it details the history of the Friends of the Wissahickon. The original organization started in the early 20th century by a group of citizens who looked to volunteers to help keep the parks in operation. To this day they have kept the same mission and look to Philadelphia volunteers to make sure the human impact on the environment is as little as possible.

8. http://www.valleygreeninn.com/history.php

The Valley Green inn was built in 1851 by Thomas Livezey. It was built along the banks of the Wissahickon and provided food and lodging to the many visitors coming through the area to take in the scenery. Today the inn is still in operation, but no longer serves as an Inn, instead serving as a restaurant and wedding venue. It is placed at the heart of the trail system on forbidden drive and is the target for a good portion of the foot traffic in the parks.

9. http://hiddencityphila.org/2012/07/lost-goldmine-of-the-wissahickon/

Hidden City is one of the most reliable sources I could find on the Wissahickon. They specialize in Philadelphia's history and have confirmed many of the stories that I have listed here under different citations. The cite also provides many different pictures of the parks, which I can use in my presentation to help show the locations in which we worked.

10. http://www.fow.org/about-park

This source was cited for much the same reason as the last citation on this list. It is reliable in confirming other history covered in these citations. It also provides images for use in my presentation and can be linked to give people an idea of the general mission of the Friends of the Wissahickon.

Music (Blog#3)

Posted by Makhi Richburg in English 1 - Dunn - X on Friday, May 30, 2014 at 8:00 pm

Makhi Richburg

Music (Blog#3)

In middle school, I took part in an extracurricular program called Play On Philly. (POP) The program started in 2011 and I’ve been in the program since the first day up until I graduated. I enjoyed everyday of it and I wanted to give back to them by aiding in the learning process of the young viola students. I’ve interviewed my former viola teacher and asked her various question on how music affects the lives of not only children, but how it can have an effect on everyone.

As an agent of change I went back to POP and I was allowed to assist the Viola teacher with her students. The children seemed to have trouble keeping the tempo of the so I became a makeshift conductor and helped them maintain stability. The students didn’t practice either and I could relate to the, because I didn’t practice that much at first either. I gave them advice as to why they should practice and how practice makes perfect. I told them about my time in POP and how the violas were the leaders in the orchestra so that they have to keep that reputation.

I enjoyed helping out the violas. There were no major problems with them and that’s to be expected. POP is a pretty good program and they know what they’re doing; however they aren’t perfect and i was there to meet the kids eye to eye fix the things the teachers couldn’t and they appreciated that. The teacher thanked me and offered me a chance to help the string orchestra the afterward and I accepted. By helping these kids, it made me realize how much I’ve grown and how I’ve gotten better at what I’ve been doing so this whole thing is like a win-win.

If I could do anything better, I would’ve probably taken more pictures and added a video. I’ve pretty gotten everything in check, the program has got everything else covered. This whole experience felt good. I might go back more often just to help out. I might even become an intern there.

For blog 1 click here

For blog 2 click here

Scott, Brent Capstone

Posted by Brent Scott in Capstone - Kay - Wed on Friday, May 30, 2014 at 7:31 pm

I’ve always enjoyed playing card games ever since I was young and I feel like many people don’t play cards like they used to. Since I’m not very social and talkative, I find when playing cards it allows me to be more social. I find it easier to talk with people when playing cards and I feel this is with other people in SLA as well. I feel were always head first into our computer screens and not truly worrying about the things around us. Yes we do talk to one another but we always have our phones or laptops in front of our faces while doing so. I feel with cards its a face to face interaction with no distractions.

Bibliography:

"A brief history on playing cards." White Knuckle . MSN. Web. 31 Jan 2014. <http://whiteknucklecards.com/history/originofcards.html>.

This site provides good information on where cards originated. It doesn’t give a specific date because its impossible to know something of that, but they do give a decent theory of how it happened.

Coerver, Stewart. "The Rules to all Your Favorite Card Games." Grandparents.com. Grandparents.com. Web. 31 Jan 2014. <http://www.grandparents.com/grandkids/activities-games-and-crafts/card-games>.

This site provides multiple games that I haven’t even heard of that I can teach to the members of card club. This allows not only for my members to learn but for me to learn new games myself that I can teach my family.

Harke, Brian. "Is Social Media Making Us Anti- Social."The Blog. Huff Post, 14 06 2011. Web. 31 Jan 2014. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brian-harke/is-social-media-making-us_1_b_875455.html>.

I feel this in a sense gives a glimpse of what goes on our everyday lives. Majority of people have cell phones, computers or one of those devices. When on this device constantly, personal conversations go in one ear and out the other. Like harke said in the article “The student was not present during the conversation”. When having a conversation it should be clear eye contact and full attention but with the technology that we have that doesn’t happen as often but I feel like this would change with card club.

"How To Play Hearts." Bicycle. Bicycle. Web. 31 Jan 2014. <http://www.bicyclecards.com/card-games/rule/hearts>.

This is another game at which i’m adamant on teaching ( and also learning myself) with card club I do not just want to expand my members knowledge on different card games but also mine since I’m still unaware about the many card playing games there are.

israel5236.. "How to play phase 10 " Recorded March 22 2012. Youtube. compact disc, Viewed January 31 2014https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFjrADJH3rM.

This is a game that i’m really adamant about teaching to members. I enjoy playing phase 10 and I believe this is a game that requires a good amount of strategy and trying to trump your opponents from losing cards.

Pavlicek, Richard. "Learn To Play Bridge." rpbridge. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Jan 2014. <http://www.rpbridge.net/1a00.htm>.

Doing research on difficult card games I found bridge to be the most common upcoming which means I would like to learn and teach it in card club. I find that if its tricky then its worth playing and enjoying with other people. This site gives a simple rundown on the rules of bridge and how to play it.

"Pinochle." Bicycle. Bicycle, n.d. Web. 31 Jan 2014. <http://www.bicyclecards.com/card-games/rule/pinochle>.

Recently learning this game was a fun moment for me. My grandfather taught me this game and I felt it was a good connection because he learned it when he was in the service and then he began to speak about his history. I feel talks like these will happen during my card club or this is what I’m hoping. It may not be to the extent of lifetime war stories but having conversation about our everyday lives works also.

Putnam, Robert. "Bowling Alone." Bowling Alone. N.p.. Web. 31 Jan 2014. <http://bowlingalone.com/>.

This site talks about how America has changed over the years due to technology always growing. It talks about how since were acquiring new habits we tend to drop the old ones.

Sherry, Turkle. "Connected or Alone?." TED. Ted Talk, n/a Apr 2012. Web. 31 Jan 2014. <http://www.ted.com/talks/sherry_turkle_alone_together.html>.

This ted talk is one of the resources block introduced me to. Watching this ted talk was very informative. Sherry Turkle spoke about having balance in your life with such technology. In our society we become so consumed with the electronics around us that we never speak to one another face to face anymore. She didn’t make it as if technology was a bad thing but just that we cannot allow technology to take over for everything.

Blog #3: Making a Difference!

Posted by Kara Heenan in English 1 - Dunn - X on Friday, May 30, 2014 at 7:21 pm

Hello, my name is Kara Heenan and I attend Science Leadership Academy. In English class, we are doing a project to take part in changing the world, called You and the World. If you don’t remember from my previous blogs, I am extremely against animal cruelty. In my first blog, I gave facts and statistics on the different types of abuse and voiced my opinion. In my second blog, I provided some recent news on stories and laws on animal abuse and also shared what I did for my original research, which was examining stray animals in my neighborhood. This time around, I will be sharing my last blog with you on what I’ve done for my agent of change, and giving suggestions on how you could help.

In recent news of the world, animal cruelty cases are still popping up each and every day. In research I’ve done, I found that more cases of people abusing animals are showing up is because of law enforcement becoming stronger. In New York, they are training law enforcement to always gather important evidence of abuse or neglect for prosecuting the abuser. Costa Rica finally banned dog fighting. In Tennessee, law enforcement agencies are working hard together to make a change in the neighborhoods, they mostly see cases of neglect and hoarding. "I think that we're getting more complaints about those not because it's happening more often, but i think people are becoming more aware that it is a problem," said Frankie Bryne, animal cruelty investigator. Overall, I’m happy to see people coming together and giving these animals the justice they deserve, and I think training law enforcement is a major step forward in ending animal cruelty.

You must be the change you wish to see in the world. If you want to change an issue, you have to take part. I wanted to take part, so I heard about a shelter called PAWs. I heard that it was a great shelter, and that they were in need of money and supplies in order to stay open. After hearing this, I was concerned, and teamed up with my friend Jaiye. We wanted to help out, so we decided to have a bake sale for money to donate. Jaiye and I had obstacles on the way, we started too late, we kept trying to schedule days to sell, trying to get people to buy things, but it still made me feel good about myself to finally be able to help people and animals in need, and those obstacles don’t matter in the end.

Jaiye selling donuts.

At the end, we raised $38. I wanted to make more than that in the beginning, but it was okay, I was still proud. Going to the shelter, I was excited, I love making people happy. When I got there, there were many, many cats. I felt bad that they couldn't have a home. I gave the very nice ladies the money, and they were ecstatic. They wouldn't stop thanking us. I felt really proud of myself. This whole project was great. It can really make a person feel good about themselves, to make a difference in the world. I know that there are many things left to do to end animal cruelty. But I'm glad I made an effort to stop an amazing shelter from closing and leaving animals without homes. Anyone can help, do the same thing I did, donate to any organization, adopt an animal from a shelter instead of buying them from breeders, help a stray animal. Small actions count too. It's not hard to change how we treat our fellow animals, if we all pitch in together.

Sweet PAWs staff member accepting the money. Cute cats, that sadly have no home.

I would like to thank Jaiye for helping me, everyone who bought from our bake sales, the staff at PAWs, and last but not least Ms. Dunn for giving us time and encouragement and coming up with this amazing project.

Final Podcast Brent, Helen, Raeven and Sara

Posted by Brent Scott in Statistics - Miles - C on Friday, May 30, 2014 at 7:18 pm

All group members were present during this discussion.

What your club discussed/How you discussed it: We sat down and discussed chapters 7-10. We spoke about several examples from the book and tried to relate them to real life examples that we see everyday.

Any points of conflict/disagreement in discussion: We all agreed on everything.

Questions that came up as a result of the discussion: No questions.

The Effect of Casinos- Blog #3

Posted by Jun-Jie Zou in English 1 - Dunn - A on Friday, May 30, 2014 at 6:58 pm

Parents In Kids Education- Blog 3

Posted by Siawale Vesslee in English 1 - Dunn - X on Friday, May 30, 2014 at 6:54 pm

Hello everybody! My name is Siawale Vesslee and this is my last blog post for my You and the World project for my english class. As you should know from my first and second blogs, my topic is how do parents influence their chil outlook on education. This topic is something that is impacting my life everyday and I knew that this topic was something a lot of other kids in the city of Philadelphia struggle with.

For this final stage of this project, I was suppose to find a way to take my topic and be an agent of change somewhere in the city. At first, I wanted to try to talk with parents and show how they can be motivation with their kids. However, I couldn't work with work schedules and many parents didn't want me to even talk with them. Because of that, I decided to focus on the kids. I know that in my life, both of my parents never received a college education. Because of that, they have to work a lot of the time. Because of this, I had to find a way to motivate myself to see how much education is needed in my life. One thing I found out was that because I had positive friends who had the same goals I had, I was motivated to get an education make something of my future.

After relating to my story, I decided to be a personal motivator to kids my age. I then met with Casey Thomas,a fellow ninth grader here at Science Leadership Academy. She is such a fun and uplifting person. She described education as something very important to her. After I heard that, I decided to teach how she can be her own motivator. We met at our lunch times and discussed things that bring down her confidence in herself. We then found ways to use those things to help motivate her. In these discussions, we learned a lot from each other. Her parents are heavily involved in her education and she gave me tips on just talking with my parents.

These are photos when Casey and I had our discussions during lunch.

Working with Casey made me stronger in my opinion that parents are really needed in their kids education. She describe to me how she gets in her parents involved. She talks with them and they ask her questions about her school work. She motivated me to get my parents involved.

Overall, I know that parents are needed in kids education. They help shape how their child will think of education. However, I know that there are many kids who are in my situation. They have parents that work all the time, so they don’t have the critical support from from home. However, I can say that having friends can not only help shape your educational goal, you can gain confidence in helping your parents get involved.

I would like to thank everyone that stayed on this mind changing experience with me. I really appreciate it and I hope I am able to motivate any kids and parents that education is key to a successful future. It is only able to happen with a strong support system!

Shanayia Roland Capstone

Posted by Shanayia Roland in Capstone - Miles - Wed on Friday, May 30, 2014 at 6:39 pm

1.Shanayia Roland

2. Ms. Dunn is my mentor. I thought about how I loved the way Ms. Dunn carried herself as a female figure. I felt as though she was a great person to mentor me, since my capstone was all about the way young ladies present themselves to others.

3.The objective of my project was to create a girls mentorship program that creates a sisterhood through mentorship and interaction.

4. For my capstone, I create a girls mentorship program. This program was called Etiqué and it created a sisterhood through mentorship and interaction. Every friday I met with six, of Science Leadership Academy’s eleventh grade girls. Throughout the process I learned many things about not only myself but every one of the girls as well. I learned that as a person helping, and supporting people is my passion. I am a person who loves to leads other people to the best possible lifestyle for themselves as well support them through their worst. The most important thing that the girls helped me learn about others is that there will be setbacks in life times when you may feel unappreciated, or discouraged but when you need people the most, those who impact you positively in life, will always be there there to help you over the obstacles. My final product will act as a timeline of how the girls and I have become women and how we have created a better female environment in Science Leadership Academy. It will also display the sisterhood we have created with one another.

My Capstone's Group Doc
My capstone Website

You and the World- Blog 3

Posted by Reily Knott in English 1 - Dunn - A on Friday, May 30, 2014 at 6:26 pm

YATW #3: Agent of Change

Posted by Imani Weeks in English 1 - Dunn - A on Friday, May 30, 2014 at 6:26 pm

Hi again, it has been awhile since my last blog posts. In my first post, I introduced information about the late effects of childhood cancer. Late effects are illnesses that can occur after chemotherapy. Some of these late effects include memory impairment, heart abnormalities, impaired lung function, and a secondary or original cancer occurring. In my second post, I conducted my own research on childhood cancer. For my own research, I created an online survey. From the responses I received, I learned more about the patient’s family and friend’s point of view on childhood cancer. Though I did not receive responses from people who experienced late effects.

The final portion of this You and the World project is Agent of Change. For Agent of Change, we set out into the world to help with the issue we chose. In my second post I stated that I was going to volunteer at the CureSearch walk but unfortunately the timing of the walk and the project timeline did not match. Even though those plans fell through, I was able to volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House of Philadelphia.

At the Ronald McDonald House located on Front & Erie in North Philadelphia, I was a Guest Chef. My parents and I came in and cooked dinner for the families on Memorial Day; I prepared everything in their kitchen and then set it out for families to get for themselves. When I was preparing the menu there were some guidelines provided by the Ronald McDonald House. I had to have a salad, at least one meat entree, a vegetarian dish, 2 dishes (a starch and a vegetable), and a dessert. I had decided that the menu would be a garden salad, roasted chicken, and ziti with yellow rice and broccoli as the sides. For desserts, it was chocolate ice cream and chocolate cookies.

We had to cook for 40 families even though only around 25 families came to dinner but some were in the hospital and would come in later. When buying for the menu we got 6 chickens, 5 boxes of family size yellow rice, 5 boxes of ziti pasta, 2 family size bottles of pasta sauce, 8 lbs of cheese, 4 heads of lettuce, assorted toppings for the salad, 2 large bags of broccoli, 2 large rolls of cookie dough, and a tub of ice cream. It may seem like a lot but at the end of the night, most of the food had been eaten.

Prepping for the dinner

photo 4 (2).JPG photo 4.JPG

More Prep Work

photo 2 (2).JPG photo 2 (3).JPG

The Welcome sign Clean up afterwards

There are many organizations and events in place to help the fight for childhood cancer. Some of these include the Ronald McDonald House which gives families a place to stay while their child is in the hospital and the CureSearch Walk which gives the money fund raised at the event to childhood cancer research. From all of my research and volunteering, I feel invested in supporting those who are focused on supporting those with childhood cancer. I will continue to volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House, in fact I am scheduled to be a Guest Chef again on July 4th.

As this project winds down, there are a lot of people to recognize who helped me with my project. Ms. Lucy helped me focus my topic. Mrs. Dunn who helped me with the construction of my blogs and to figure out an alternative project when my plans for Agent of Change changed. Finally, I want to thank my parents for putting their time aside to come to the Ronald McDonald House with me and helping me cook for the families.

The Secret Ingredient to Chococlate: Child Slavery - Blog Post #3

Posted by Arianna Haven in English 1 - Dunn - A on Friday, May 30, 2014 at 6:22 pm

Ayoola Hooks-Gibbs. Capstone

Posted by Ayoola Hooks-Gibbs in Capstone - Baird - Wed on Friday, May 30, 2014 at 6:05 pm

Abstract:

I've always loved sewing ever since it was introduced to me when I was 10 years old. When figuring out what I wanted to do for this capstone, it was bit of a no brainer that I wanted to be creative and make headbands. I thought that making headbands and selling them would be pretty easy, but it turned out not to be, because everyone has there own opinions and at the end of it, it's always the customer who is right.The only thing I’m really good at is sewing, knitting and arts and crafts. I began to make headbands for fun at the start of January of 2012, and I thought that I should continue that, but instead become more serious about the sewing and perfect my sewing in order to make the type of headbands that people like, and see in other stored.

Bibliography:

http://howtosew.com/blog/first-projects/diy-turban-headband

This is a website that explains in pictures how to sew a head band, an smaller one. It’s really easy and straight forward. This website is to help me make the smaller headbands which will be cheaper than the other headband that I’m making. Throughout my research I’ve noticed the different fabrics people are using and it seems to me that it’s stretchy fabric. All of the tutorials that I’ve seem so far consist of the same steps, some steps different than the other, but for the most part the same style comes out at the end. I also think that the pictures are a lot more helpful than youtube videos, mainly because for the youtube videos I have to pause it and see how to do one part. With the pictures it’s more of an easy process to follow.

"DIY Turban Headband." How to Sew. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Jan. 2014.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9EWMt2QsIk

This source is an video/ tutorial on how to make thick turban headbands. This an really reliable source because it gives me step by step instructions on how to professionally make an thick, winter turban headband. The reason why I chose this video, because I want to have a variety of headbands and not just one head band that people can choose from. Another reason why I choose this video is because it’s an tutorial on how to sew the headband. The majority of the tutorials that I ‘ve been watch are how to make a headband without sewing it.

"Easy DIY Headwrap â ¡ - ThatsHeart." YouTube. YouTube, 05 Nov. 2012. Web. 31 Jan. 2014.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_751282&feature=iv&src_vid=Uh5Kr-2munw&v=y1ZD88zs6eU

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"Sewing Basics #2: 7 Ways to Attach/Use Elastic." YouTube. YouTube, 19 Jan. 2012. Web. 31 Jan. 2014.

This site explains how to but elastic in the headband so it can, one size fit all. The reason why I chose this site is because everyone has different shaped heads and it would pretty hard to make the headbands knowing that. This site, I think is by far the best one because it gives some great insight on how to make them professionally. I don’t want to make the headbands too identical to the ones that are sold in clothing stores, but better and more creative. I would only be able to use this method for the smaller headbands that cost less than the other one.

http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook/bmxlYmtfXzEwNzI2MV9fQU41?sid=d55a3154-8740-4221-80d6-ec61c803727d@sessionmgr115&vid=4&format=EB&ppid=pp_XVIII

"Sewing Basics #2: 7 Ways to Attach/Use Elastic." YouTube. YouTube, 19 Jan. 2012. Web. 31 Jan. 2014.

This is a book called Special Events which basically covers how to organize events. I skimmed some of the pages ad not all related to what I’m doing, but one page did. It describes ways to achieve goals. It explains how to have a goal. This page is petty helpful, because I yet have a goal for the amount of money or the amount of head band goals I should have to sell.

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/1548181094940673/

"Sewing Basics #2: 7 Ways to Attach/Use Elastic." YouTube. YouTube, 19 Jan. 2012. Web. 31 Jan. 2014.

I picked the website pinterest because it has a bunch of pictures of headbands and different picture tutorials. I’ve never been on pinterest before, but I’ve noticed how helpful it is, because you’re able to see DIY products, which I think is pretty cool. This also gives me ideas for my blog that I’m going to create. The picture tutorials are something that I’ve been looking to and something that I’m going to most likely have on my blog.

http://www.cottonandcurls.com/2012/04/3-diy-turban-tutorials/

"Sewing Basics #2: 7 Ways to Attach/Use Elastic." YouTube. YouTube, 19 Jan. 2012. Web. 31 Jan. 2014.

This website has a picture tutorial for different looking headbands for the spring. Since I’m going to make headbands throughout the rest of this school year, I’ll have to switch it up. During march I’m going to begin to switch over to more spring looking headbands. This website has different tutorials for headbands that aren’t exactly turban headbands, but similar and consist of the same thing and instructions.

http://www.giveforward.com/p/how-to-raise-money-and-funds-online

"GiveForward." GiveForward RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Jan. 2014.

This is an website that has steps on how to fundraise. This is the first time I’m fundraising ever. I thought I’d ask google on how to have an successful fundraiser. Since I’m going to fundraise many times throughout the school year I needed to find an reliable source, and I think this is one of the straight to the point reliable sources I’ve found about fundraising. It explains about advertising and having a team, and having a goal. Although this is what I’ve been thinking about throughout the week, it also has explanations, which is helpful.

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/top-lists/top-local-fabric-stores-in-philadelphia/

"GiveForward." GiveForward RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Jan. 2014.

For my project I also have to buy all of the materials. During my research I had to research where I’m going to buy the fabric, for a cheap price. I stumbled upon this website where it provides a couple of topic fabric stores in Philly. I’ve chosen that I’d go to to Jomar because they’re known for their low prices.

http://www.jomarstores.com/fabric

"GiveForward." GiveForward RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Jan. 2014.

I’ve chosen the Jomar website because I’m able to see te type of fabrics they have before going. Although I don’t know if they’ll necisarilly have all of the differen fabrics on the site. I have a sense of what they have. When browsing the websites, I got a lot of different ideas for the headbands, and the pattern. The patteren is a big concept of the headband, because I have to pick patterns that that people will like.

http://www.pinterest.com/s_erika/sewing-tips-tricks/

"GiveForward." GiveForward RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Jan. 2014.

I chose this website because I’m an beginner at sewing and any tips for sewing can be helpful. Although I’ve been sewing for about four years, this is the first time I’ll be continuously sewing. Tips from different websites are helpful and I believe that this website is the mot helpful because it has multiple tips and tricks

Link to Blog:

http://ayosturbans.blogspot.com/

motion in the ocean

Posted by Xavier Carroll in English 1 - Dunn - X on Friday, May 30, 2014 at 5:51 pm

The Agent of Change

Hello, and welcome back to my you and the world blog. To see blog #1 and blog #2 click on them. For the third blog post, we set out to make a change in our issue. For my agent of change I decided to organize a small group; mainly consisting of peers from school; to clean the river banks of the schuylkill river. My agent of change created an example for passer byers; showing that keeping trash out of our oceans isn’t a difficult task in the least bit. Picking up after yourself is incredibly easy and does a significant amount of good.

The Clean up Crew

the clean up crew was a group of students that seemed to be interested in helping aquatic environments anyway they could.

The main concern about this project was that creating an example hasn’t made that much of a difference in the past; environmentalist have been trying this for years and it hasn’t seemed to have a lasting affect on people. This may make people more conscientious for a day or two but people quickly go back to their old ways. Not to say that setting an example doesn’t change anything. Many groups worldwide create examples on how to preserve aquatic environments. One of the most infamous groups set out to raise awareness is One World One ocean. This group not only fundraise but also raises awareness about the problems that are caused by climate change. This organization is amazing and has made progress in getting the public to acknowledge the situation that has resulted from our carelessness.

One World One ocean

Even with all of these groups set out to save marine life there’s still a lot that can be done to help make a change. people are already experiencing the results of the damage done the oceans and our lack of action could be the final catalyst No more than two months ago did Philadelphia experience one of its worst floods of the millenia. The flood was a direct result of the extreme weather changes that have been taking place. The evaporations from the west coast are being moved by wind systems creating drought; these clouds are carried by the wind system to the east coast where they turn into precipitation causing flooding. The earth works like a checks and balance system, each environment needs the other remain hospitable to the life that inhabits it. When one get’s messed up the others suffer as well. When using the phrase

The bottom line is that the we all suffer for not taking care of any part of our environment and even though work is being done to preserve our environment there is always more work to be done. When all is said and done it’s the actions that we do that really count. People could have all the aspiration in the world to make a change but if they don’t do anything it doesn’t mean anything.

MORGAN TAYLOR'S CAPSTONE

Posted by Morgan Taylor in Capstone - Miles - Wed on Friday, May 30, 2014 at 5:11 pm

NAME: Morgan Taylor

MENTOR: Ms. Dunda, as she has experience with being a mentor for blood drives in earlier years.

ABSTRACT:

For my capstone, I decided to host a blood drive. I wanted to do something that had to do with the medical field, but I was not so sure what exactly I was going to do until Ms. Dunda came up to me and asked me to host the blood drive. I didn't want to just host a blood drive, I wanted to leave something behind that would be helpful in some way. I did a lot of research and found that the Red Cross has a blue tag program. This blue tag program collects blood specifically for people with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). I wanted to learn more than just what it was like to plan an event, this was my chance. I researched the disease and made a brochure on it, this brochure has some information on the blue tag program as well. So, if the next student hosting the blood drive has trouble explaining the blue tag program, they can hand out this brochure. In the process, I ran into a few issues. These mostly revolved around getting student to want to sign up and for students to actually show up to appointment times that were made. Another snag was a miscommunication of times with the Red Cross. I wanted the last appointment to be at 2:00, but they thought that I meant for everything to be packed up and gone by 2:00. So I lost a couple of appointments that way, it was mostly a problem for the last blood drive. I was, however, able to overcome these difficulties. I am so unbelievable grateful to have had them because they helped me to test my problem-solving skills. I worked diligently throughout this year planning, hosting and researching. Overall I am satisfied with my result.

PROOF OF EXISTENCE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTDZqCuT2UA&feature=youtu.be

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY:

"Blood Facts and Statistics." American Red Cross. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Jan. 2014. <http://www.redcrossblood.org/learn-about-blood/blood-facts-and-statistics>.

When I first reviewed this source I thought it was very reliable, mainly because it was the Red Cross website. I am sure that the Red Cross has a lot of interesting statistics about giving blood and facts on it as well. This tab on the Red Cross website explains the things that I need to put into my brochure. As well as it tells me things that I can tell other people to make them want to donate at my blood drive.

Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood.
More than 41,000 blood donations are needed every day.
A total of 30 million blood components are transfused each year in the U.S.
The average red blood cell transfusion is approximately 3 pints.

"Blue Tag Program." American Red Cross. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2014. <http://www.redcrossblood.org/info/heartofamerica/blue-tag-program>.

When I first reviewed this source I thought it was very reliable, mainly because it was the Red Cross website. The Red Cross started the blue tag program, that is how I heard of the blue tag program. This tab on the Red Cross website explains what the program does, how it originated and how it helps people. This website will be helpful by informing me on how the blue tag program helps people/kids with the sickle cell disease. This website will also help me explain the blue tag program in my brochure.

The American Red Cross and Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago developed and created a Cooperative Sickle Cell Donor Program dedicated to meeting the transfusion needs of sickle cell patients.
Sickle cell disease affects approximately 70,000 African Americans.
Some children with sickle cell disease need blood transfusions through the course of a year.
The best blood for an African-American child usually comes from an African-American donor.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 09 Sept. 2013. Web. 27 Jan. 2014. <http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/sicklecell/index.html>.

When I first reviewed this source I thought it was very reliable. The rule of thumb for me is if it ends in .gov or .edu it is a reliable source. This website will be helpful by informing me on what the sickle cell disease is. I know that I already have a reliable source for explaining what sickle cell is, but I just want to make sure that all of the information I found on the other website checks out. This website is from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, therefore it should give me a lot of reliable information.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a group of inherited red blood cell disorders. In SCD, the red blood cells become hard and sticky and look like a C-shaped farm tool called a "sickle."
People with SCD can live full lives and enjoy most of the activities that other people do. If you have SCD, it's important to learn how to stay as healthy as possible.

"History of Blood Transfusion." American Red Cross. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Jan. 2014. <http://www.redcrossblood.org/learn-about-blood/history-blood-transfusion>.

When I first reviewed this source I thought it was very reliable, mainly because it was the Red Cross website. This tab on the Red Cross website gives a timeline on the history of blood transfusion. It will tell me when the first blood transfusion took place. This website will be helpful by informing me on how giving blood started and why it is important. This website will also help me explain how blood drives started and why they are important in my brochure.

British physician William Harvey discovers the circulation of blood. The first known blood transfusion is attempted soon afterward.- 1628
U.S. physicians attempt transfusing milk from cows, goats and humans.- 1873-1880
The U.S. government establishes a national blood collection program.- 1940

"Hosting a Blood Drive." American Red Cross. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2014. <http://www.redcrossblood.org/hosting-blood-drive>.

When I first reviewed this source I thought it was very reliable, mainly because it was the Red Cross website. This was a very important piece to help me host the blood drive. This tab on the Red Cross website explains the things that I need to do to have a successful blood drive. It also has a place to sign people up for the blood drive. This site helped me prepare for my first blood drive.

The Blood Drive Host

Offers a suitable location
Helps recruit donors within the organization and publicizes the drive
Schedules donors for their appointments

The Red Cross Does the Rest

Works with you every step of the way to plan and organize the blood drive
Helps you determine how many donors to expect and how to recruit them
Brings equipment and supplies to you, sets everything up and takes it down at the end
Confidentially screens donors and collects the donations, safely and professionally

"Office of the Dean of Students." DOS: Successful Steps to Event Planning. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2014. <http://dos.cornell.edu/activities/sao_handbook/tips.cfm>.

One of the things that I have to do for my capstone is plan two blood drives. To do that I researched how to successfully plan an event. This website will help me take the steps necessary to make my blood drives great. This website is reliable because it is from Cornell University’s Office of the Dean of Students. Therefore this website will help me a lot.

Step 1—Assess resources

Know what you have to work with before planning. Faculty and staff members, students, and community groups are all resources.

Step 2—Assess needs and interests

Who will attend? What are their interests? What are your goals? What needs are you trying to meet?

Step 3—Brainstorm ideas

Think of every type of event that might fulfill the goals. Don’t evaluate ideas at this point, just list all suggestions. Once this is done, review each idea and assess it for feasibility.

Step 4—Develop a time line

Make a list of everything that needs to be done to plan the event. Sometimes it’s easier to work backward from the date of the event to the present. Make a schedule that shows when each task needs to be completed.

Step 5—Reserve space

Over 600 organizations plus university departments compete for limited campus space for events. Reserve your space as early as possible.

Step 6—Develop a budget

Most likely you have a set amount of money available to spend on the event, or ticket sales may need to cover all the costs. List all associated costs and allocate the available funds. You may have to contact various departments for cost estimates associated with their services, including Cornell Police and EHS.

Step 7—The paper chase

Complete all the necessary paperwork including department services, room reservations, the UUP form, and permits.

Step 8—The people chase

Contact all the persons necessary for a successful event; performers, speakers, volunteers, and campus departments. Cornell Police and Environmental Health and Safety may require staff members to be present at your event, and must have advance notice to schedule these individuals to work.

Step 9—Details

Complete and confirm all details pertaining to the event.

Step 10—The Event

HAVE FUN!!

Step 11—Evaluate

Write a brief synopsis of the event, including participant and planner comments, attendance, suggestions for future events, and final costs.

Step 12—Start planning the next event!

"Sickle Cell Anemia." KidsHealth - the Web's Most Visited Site about Children's Health. Ed. Robin Miller. The Nemours Foundation, 01 Sept. 2012. Web. 28 Jan. 2014. <http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/blood/sickle_cell_anemia.html>.

When I first reviewed this source I thought it was very unreliable. I say this because it is for kids. I was worried that while the website was trying to explain sickle cell disease more simply, they would forget some of the important difficult things. Then I realized that this might help me better understand sick cell. As well as it will help me explain it better.

More than 70,000 Americans have sickle cell anemia. And about 2 million Americans — including 1 in 12 African Americans — have sickle cell trait, which means they carry a single gene for the disease and can pass this gene along to their children, but do not have the disease itself.
Sickle cell anemia occurs when a person inherits two abnormal genes (one from each parent) that cause their RBCs to change shape. Instead of being flexible and disc-shaped, these cells are more stiff and curved in the shape of the old farm tool known as a sickle — that's where the disease gets its name. The shape is similar to a crescent moon.
Sickle cell anemia is an inherited blood disorder that mostly affects people of African ancestry, but also occurs in other ethnic groups, including people who are of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern descent.

"Sickle Cell Donor Program History." American Red Cross. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2014. <http://www.redcrossblood.org/info/pennjersey/sickle-cell-donor-program-history>.

When I first reviewed this source I thought it was very reliable, mainly because it was the Red Cross website. The Red Cross started the blue tag program, that is how I heard of the program. This tab on the Red Cross website explains the history of the Sickle Cell Donor Program.. This website will be helpful by informing me on how the blue tag program started. This website will also help me explain the blue tag program in my brochure.

The Penn-Jersey Blood Services Region’s Sickle Cell Donor Program was developed in 1997 in collaboration with the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) to meet the chronic transfusion needs of patients with Sickle Cell Disease.
A “blue tag: is placed on blood donation from self-identified African Americans and Black-identified blood donors. This “blue tag” identifies the unit as one designated for the Sickle Cell Donor Program which prompts additional testing in order to match a Sickle Cell patient.
Hemoglobin is the complex molecule of your red blood cells that helps carry oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. It is also what gives blood its characteristic deep red color. Most people have only the most common type of hemoglobin, called hemoglobin A, in their red blood cells. Testing positive for hemoglobin S simply means that your red blood cells contain a different type of hemoglobin called sickle cell hemoglobin or hemoglobin S for short.

"What Is Sickle Cell Anemia?" - NHLBI, NIH. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Jan. 2014. <http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/sca/>.

When I first reviewed this source I thought it was very reliable. The rule of thumb for me is if it ends in .gov or .edu it is a reliable source. This website will be helpful by informing me on what the sickle cell disease is. This website is basically a more formal way of introducing sickle cell disease. Although some of this might be hard to understand, it will help me make my brochure on the blue tag program even more professional.

Sickle cell anemia (uh-NEE-me-uh) is the most common form of sickle cell disease (SCD). SCD is a serious disorder in which the body makes sickle-shaped red blood cells. “Sickle-shaped” means that the red blood cells are shaped like a crescent.
Sickle cells contain abnormal hemoglobin called sickle hemoglobin or hemoglobin S. Sickle hemoglobin causes the cells to develop a sickle, or crescent, shape.
In sickle cell anemia, the abnormal sickle cells usually die after only about 10 to 20 days. The bone marrow can't make new red blood cells fast enough to replace the dying ones.

"Why Donate Blood?" American Red Cross. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2014. <http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/why-donate-blood>.

When I first reviewed this source I thought it was very reliable, mainly because it was the Red Cross website. This site explains to people why donating blood is important. This tab on the Red Cross website explains the things that I need to put into my brochure. As well as it tells me things that I can tell other people to make them want to donate at my blood drive.

You just need your own reason.

Some of us give blood because we were asked by a friend.
Some know that a family member or a friend might need blood some day.
Some believe it is the right thing we do.

Whatever your reason, the need is constant and your contribution is important for a healthy and reliable blood supply. And you’ll feel good knowing you've helped change a life.

Isabela Supovitz Capstone

Posted by Isabela Supovitz-Aznar in Capstone - Baird - Wed on Friday, May 30, 2014 at 5:10 pm

Abstract Paragraph:

My dream has always been to be a published author. In order to achieve this goal, I decided that I needed to read and write consistently every single day. When thinking of a capstone, I wanted to choose a project that held a much deeper meaning for me. The idea came to me very naturally, I wanted to write my first novel.

My novel takes place in Mexico, and aims to be a beautiful and creative piece that references the struggles of growing up, life and death, and most importantly, the importance of cultural awareness. This book’s focus is the drug cartels, and what experiencing them is like. I decided that cultural awareness is a good focus for a novel, because I feel like most people my age are not conscious of what is going on outside of the U.S. In order to make this story come to life, I read and researched plenty about the cartels, as well as interviewed family members and used stories of friends who have had personal and terrifying experiences with the Mexican drug cartels. While my book is still a work in progress, I have written well over two hundred pages and am constantly editing and adding to my story every day.

Proof of Completion: I talked to Mrs. Echols because I do not feel comfortable sharing my novel in the works publicly online, as I one day hope to publish it. Instead I have made a presentation which I will attach the link to here, with two of the more composed excerpts from chapters one and four of my novel. Here is that link:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1K86n_mDyobqeGcsV4H6Z1hoV7a5lRpPgZpxhD6f-qRQ/edit?usp=sharing

Bibliography:

1.

Hernandez, Anabel. Narcoland (The Mexican Drug lords and Their Godfathers). Mexico: 2010. 304. Print.

After a visit to Mexico in which I began to learn more about what the police and government are like, and how they really work as the backbone for the drug cartels I decided that I wanted to write a novel about the drug wars happening there. The first thing I did as a part of research for my book was to buy Narcoland by Anabel Hernandez because she is a well respected Mexican Journalist, and her book states all of the facts and very detailed explanations and recalling of events throughout drug cartel history. From this book I was able to pool a reliable variety of information that helped inspire events in my book, and helped my portray things more accurately. I appreciated the way she wrote the book, because she wrote it completely unopinionated, stating only the facts and citing her resources.

2.

Goldberg, Natalie. Writing Down the Bones. Boston: Shambhala, 1986. 171. Print.

Mr. Block my American Government teacher recommended I read this book in order to learn more about what it means to be a good writer. Although I have not finished reading this book, what I have read depicts simple but accurate techniques that help any writer continue to write. This book will continue to function as my main resource as far as how to write a book professionally. I think the main way it is helping me achieve my goal in writing a book is by giving me a constant wide variety of ways that I can improve my writing and create a book that appeals to everyone. I want to make sure my book is well written, so this resource is helping me do that.

3.

Fabrizio, Mejía Madrid. "Drugs and Mexican culture." BBC Radio World Service. (2008): n. page. Print. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/news/2008/11/081029_narcoculture.shtml>.

I have looked at many websites that depict what cartel life is like in Mexico, but I think BBC does a wonderful job at doing so accurately. The way that Mejia Madrid (the author of this article) talks about the cartels in many different perspectives is not only interesting, but accurate. People fail to realize how many different roles the cartels play in Mexican society, and how differently certain people in the country relate to and react to what they are doing. I want to portray all of these different perspectives in my novel because I think it’s very important for me to make it as accurate as possible.

4.

Daily Mail Reporter, . "Mexican 'hitman' called El Ponchis 'who killed seven people' ." Daily Mail. 04 DEC 2010: n. page. Web. 29 Jan. 2014. <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1335510/14-year-old-Edgar-Jimenez-known-El-Ponchis-arrested-committing-murder-Mexican-drugs-cartel.html>.

This article is really important to my book because it is a good example of the shocking things that occur in Mexico because of the cartels. The 14 year old boy murderer whom this article is about is a character in my book. I use this story in my writing to show how shocking the things that happen in Mexico now are and just how close danger is to innocent people there. I also want to make a point to unveil the absolute hardest truths because I want people my age to read this and think “Wow. I can’t believe I didn’t know how bad things were there.” and “What could I do to stop this?”. These types of things hardly ever happen in America, and I think we shouldn’t be alright with it happening anywhere else.

5. Calderon, Beatriz. Personal Interview. 15 Dec 2013.

My Grandmother from Mexico, Betty, had a close encounter with the dangers occurring in Mexico. This experience was not only absolutely terrifying, but it accurately represents the types of things that happen in Mexico now a days. I decided that this book, in order to stay true to me and my background, had to include real life events that had impacted me. I think this story that I interviewed my grandmother on adds grit to my story, and makes it all the more appealing to the reader.

6. Nabokov, Vladimir. Lolita. Paris: Olympia Press, 1955. Print.

A great majority of the research I have conducted for this project has been through reading great novels so that I have some frame of reference on how to properly write a novel. This book is not only a classic, but it is very controversial and sort of perverse, and I think my novel in it’s own way has similar characteristics, as it is dealing with the hundreds of thousand murders that have occurred because of the drug cartels. I want to learn how to present these issues in a way that people can understand.

7. Diaz, Junot. This is how you lose her. Riverhead, 2012. 224. Print.

I chose to read This is How you Lose Her by Junot Diaz as one of my research books because I figured that it was drastically different from Lolita, and I want to make sure my book incorporates modern ideas. One of the ways in which Junot Diaz helped me with my book is by creating an endearing sense of humor in the midst of chaos and heartbreak. I want to make sure that my readers feel everything in the way that Junot Diaz has made me really feel everything. I think the main reason why this book is great for my research is because it has taught me the importance of adding humor to good literature.

8. Walker, Alice. The Color Purple. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1982. Print.

The Color Purple is another drastically different text that I chose to read for my research, mainly because it is structured in a clever way that I have never seen before. When I read this book I saw issues that used to exist in slavery and sexism portrayed in a very unique way. You are thrown into the diary of a woman whom at first you don’t particularly like, but as she grows and the book gets better, you grow with the character. I think I want my main character Alma to have this kind of growth.

9. Kerouac, Jack. On The Road. Viking Press, 1957. Print.

On The Road is a classic piece of literature that takes the reader from one location to another. Towards the end of my book, Alma and Chello take a road trip from Cancun to Sinaloa, Mexico. In order to write this as accurately as possible, I used Jack Kerouac’s style of writing to teach me how to describe things vividly and at a fast pace.

10. Multiple, . "Mexico Drug War." La Times. 2 Dec 2013: n. page. Web. 4 Feb. 2014. <http://projects.latimes.com/mexico-drug-war/

LA Times has been doing projects online, one of which keeps up with what is happening with the Mexican drug cartels. I have been keeping up with this website regularly so as to see what is currently happening. I think in order to write this book as accurately as I can, I need to continue to stay updated on what is happening in Mexico. I will continue to use this site to find details for my novel.

Jordan Hairston

Posted by Jordan Hairston in Capstone - Garvey - Wed on Friday, May 30, 2014 at 4:40 pm

Cover Page:

Student Name:

Jordan Hairston

In school mentor’s name:

Erin Garvey

Out-of-school mentor’s name and affiliation:

Jessy Kyle

Topic Summary:

For my senior project, I am creating the lyrics to the songs from my first album.

Project Abstract:

My entire Science Leadership Academy journey has prepared me for my senior project. Since I was a freshman here, I’ve had an idea of what I wanted my capstone to be. Then the following year, my sophomore year I thought I was 100% decided on my capstone. However at the end of my junior year of high school, I began to actually think about how different factors would affect the efficiency of my capstone. All summer I weighed the pro’s and con’s of starting my record label Touch Bass Records up again. I would have many more people that would be apart of it. We would learn together and perform together as well. Selfishly, I knew that I would’ve spent too much time working with a group of talented musicians. So I decided to focus on myself instead. So this year, I am preparing myself for college and the rest of my life by being an independent recording artist. During the course of my capstone, I will work with my music mentor Jessy Kyle to create a collection of songs and performances. I am in the process of creating a R&B album which contains songs that reflect my experiences. Experiences that are worth remembering and appreciated.I’ve selected Jessy Kyle to be my mentor because she can offer a great level of expertise on the music industry. She also offers expertise on being successful in the music industry because she is a musician. After my junior year, she has enhanced my level of writing and performing skills. This year, I’ll write and perform many songs. Songs that were inspired by my idols and songs that were created by me. As a musician, I am able to prepare for college auditions.

Annotated Bibliography: MLA

Videos:

Beyoncé creating Dangerously In Love

This video source reveals Beyoncé Knowles’ work ethic during the creation of her album “Dangerously In Love”. In this video, she’s interviewed about each song in her album. This video also contains clips of her singing the songs. This source is helpful to me because it shows me a little bit about the recording process. The process which I haven’t experienced yet. I chose to analyze this video because Beyoncé has won 27 awards from the songs on the album. That is one of my goals. To be an award winning performer. A performer that not only creates music for entertainment, but for connection and understanding.

How to create an album:

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-an-Album-Without-a-Recording-Studio

This specific source is a website that is titled, “How To Make an Album Without a Recording Studio”. The website gives advice on how to record music outside of a recording studio.The website contains steps that should be taken after a long period of writing has been done. It suggests that the artist should use a recorder. This source is helpful for me because it gives me another alternative when creating music. It would be cheaper for me to record my song outside of a record studio. However for better song quality I’d have to record inside a studio.

http://www.studio-lights.com/blog/the-7-steps-to-making-a-great-music-album.htm

This source is a website that is titled, “The 7 Steps to Making a Great Music Album” The website gives you seven steps to creating a “timeless article”. The steps are titled, Ideation, Background Arrangement, Recording, Music Production, Mixing. Every step gives very specific and helpful tips on how to make a timeless album. Each steps gives details on how to make the album timeless.

http://www.musicthinktank.com/blog/9-mistakes-to-avoid-when-recording-your-own-album.html

This source is a website titled, “ 9 Mistakes To Avoid When Recording Your Own Album”. This website is helpful to me because it gives me useful advice for my album. I’m glad that I came across this source because I think I would’ve maken the mistakes this website listed. Like Step 9 : Death, Taxes and At-That-Crucial-Point computer malfunction. They come to us all in the end. Back-up your work daily, weekly or even monthly….but make sure you do it. This would be the step that I would regret the most. To loss all my hard work. The other step that I make sure I’ll pay attention to is Step 1: That Odd Buzzing Noise Will Come Out In The Mix. The buzzing in the background would distract listeners from the greatness of my song.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RIAA_certification

This is a website that gives information about RIAA certification. RIAA certification is the Recording Industry Association of America. The Association awards artists on the amount of albums or singles that are sold. There are different levels to these certifications. Gold, Diamond, Platinum, Multi-Platinum. This website lists the artist that have won each certification and how many times. The website is very important to me. I finally found out how to go platinum.

500,000 units: Gold album

1,000,000 units: Platinum album

2,000,000 or more units: Multi-Platinum album

10,000,000 units: Diamond album

http://www.whereseric.com/the-vault/awards/gold-platinum-diamond-record-awards-certification-process

This source has shown me that I need a great producer. Catchy lyrics. Deep meaning.

Quotes:

"I miss that immersive experience, now people only listen to a few seconds of song on the iPods and they don't really invest in the whole experience. It's all about the single, and the hype. It's so much that gets between the music and the art and the fans. I felt like, I don't want anybody to get the message, when my record is coming out. I just want this to come out when it's ready and from me to my fans."

— Beyoncé describing her intentions with the unorthodox release of Beyoncé.[32]

This source is a quotes from recording artist Beyoncé Knowles. This quote is Beyoncé’s explanation for her spontaneous release of her fifth album Beyoncé. The reason I am using this quotes as a source is because it reveals her feelings for the music industry and selling process. Beyoncé states that she misses experiencing music being appreciated thoroughly.

THIS IS ONE OF THE FIRST SONG THAT I WROTE: YOU COME FIRST

GreenHouse

Posted by Juan Rivera in Capstone - Baird - Wed on Friday, May 30, 2014 at 3:43 pm

Juan Rivera

Ms. Menasion

Overview of the Capstone:

The whole point behind the capstone was to be able to create a garden that was going to be able to help grow and would be carried on by students of SLA if they wanted to try and extend the greenhouse into other possibilities that they might have come up with. We thought that being able to grow plants in a neighborhood we would be able to grow the plants and sell them for a greater cause, such as being able to raise money for teams in SLA like frisbee, baseball or even clubs if we could by selling the products to corner stores or grocery places that were willing to buy some vegetables or fruits and sell them to the public.

Overview of the Water System for the Garden:

The point for the water system to be able to have a substantial amount of water to be able to grow the plants and have them grow healthy and stable. I came up with the plan of having a water system run under the soil and have the hose be pinched with tiny holes that would be able to have the water run through the hose and out the little holes being able to go straight to the roots to help it grow. Unfortunately, we couldn’t run a water system under the soil because the greenhouse was not big enough to run one and also the way the soil and garden was made the garden was in the ground causing it a problem to be able to put a hose under it so the way we had to compromise was that we took a big bucket full of water and took cups to be able to pour the water onto the soil to be able to give the plants some type of moisture for them to begin growing.

Physical Proof Of Capstone

https://docs.google.com/a/scienceleadership.org/document/d/14QswWbtyhZAVXpfaYCQ5Y3v5E6v5Hfm2YnpumH_WaAc/edit

(This link is the pictures because it was giving me trouble to upload picture onto the SLATE)

Bibliography

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlEczaE0-eg

"Insulating Your Greenhouse." YouTube. YouTube, 26 Dec. 2012. Web. 31 Jan. 2014.

This video explains how to construct double walled insulation which is 2 thin pieces of plastic that will cover the greenhouse. The plastic will be about an inch apart an air pump will constantly pump air into the space between the plastic pieces causing it to stay about 3 times warmer in the greenhouse during the colder seasons.

"Irrigation & Watering." Greenhouse Megastore. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 May 2014. <http://www.greenhousemegastore.com/category/irrigation-watering>.

This site sells a bunch of different products that we can use to water our plants automatically so that it will be considered self sustaining so that it wont require constant attention but will still give us great growth results.

"Rainwater Capture on a Greenhouse." YouTube. YouTube, 31 May 2011. Web. 30 May 2014. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kN_hyHoKhg>.

This video is explaining the use of a rain capture for a greenhouse which collects rainwater and uses it to water the plants. This is very helpful for us since we want it to be self sustaining we wont have to worry about making sure the pumps always have water during the seasons that have a lot of rain.

"Greenhouse Growing: Tips for Basic Greenhouse Cultivation." Mother Earth News. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 May 2014. <http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/greenhouse-growing-cultivation-zmaz11zsto.aspx>.

This site provides tips for for growing in an indoor environment like a greenhouse. It is helpful because we need to know how to treat the plants since we are new to gardening it also explains what plants grow the best during certain seasons.

"Tending a Greenhouse." How to Grow in a Greenhouse: Organic Gardening. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 May 2014. <http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/tending-greenhouse>.

This site breaks down the process into steps that explains how we should construct the greenhouse and how temperature regulation is very important to the health of the plants since we want to make the greenhouse be functioning all year round the temperature inside will be one of our biggest challenges.

"How to Maintain a Greenhouse." WikiHow. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 May 2014. <http://www.wikihow.com/Maintain-a-Greenhouse>.

This site explains the steps that are nessecary to keep the plants alive on their own and since we wont be able to tend to them everyday we need a good way to be sure they stay healthy.It also exlains how we will have to choose smart plants that can grow in the same cimate since the greenhouse will all be the same temperature.

In this website is helpful because it tells you all the important things that need to be put into a greenhouse in order for it to work and grow all the plants properly. It speaks on the heating, watering, ventilation and everything that has to be set in order for it to work and grow. The amount you give it and how long it is given to the plants.

This website lets you know of the different types of greenhouses and which ones work the best compared to the others. Also speaks about the benefits and the reasons that they are used the way they are used. It also speaks on the different types of kits and materials that are used in order to make it all run and work.

This blog has a post on anything and everything you might need to know when making the greenhouse.

http://ohiofloriculture.osu.edu/sites/drupal-ohioflori.web/files/file/greenhouse-energy-savings-part-II.pdf

This website provides many energy saving tips in order to maximize the greenhouse’s efficiency.

Michael Roth Capstone

Posted by Michael Roth in Capstone - Miles - Wed on Friday, May 30, 2014 at 3:37 pm

NAME: Michael Roth

MENTOR: Mr. VK, as he has experience with both physics and Tesla Coils.

ABSTRACT:

For my capstone, I decided to attempt to construct a Tesla Coil in an attempt to learn more about electricity and magnetism, as well as to test my abilities as a builder and an engineer. In the process, I ran into a few issues. These mostly revolved around waiting for certain items to be delivered, or solving issues that arose when I did not have the required tools for what I wanted to do. I was, however, able to overcome these difficulties, and am glad to have had them as it worked to test my problem-solving skills.

PROOF OF EXISTENCE:

The above photo shows the parts to my Tesla Coil, though deconstructed. I had to take it apart in order to help a classmate with a device that I had yet he did not, and needed. Because I didn't take a picture of it when it was constructed, I have posted this picture. When it is reconstructed, it should work as intended.

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY:

DevCoder, “How to build a Tesla Coil.” Instructables. Autodesk, n.d. Web.

This is a guide for construction a Tesla coil. This is the first website which I used to examine the steps required for building a Tesla coil. It goes through one method of construction of the coil clearly, and is a good starting point for seeing what must be done. This site did not explain to me how a Tesla coil worked, or what modifications to make in order to modify the build, but it did explain its methods well.

Halpern, Alvin, and Erich Erlbach. SCHAUM'S OUTLINE OF THEORY AND PROBLEMS of BEGINNING PHYSICS II Waves, Electromagnetism, Optics, and Modern Physics. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1998. Print.

This is the second of two books outlining and explaining many physics topics. This book has a very in depth section on transformers and induction, as well as capacitance and many other important things. It offered a clear, yet complex, description and explanation for many of the things which are necessary for my project’s completion and understanding.

Hewitt, Paul G. Conceptual Physics. 9th ed. San Francisco: Pearson Education, Inc., 2002. Print.

This is a intermediate physics textbook which explains many physics topics. This book provided a decent amount of information regarding induction and capacitance, and was helpful in my beginning to understand the concepts required for the completion of my project.

Lehrman, Robert L. Barron's E-Z Physics. Barron's Education Series, Inc., 2009. Print.

This is a beginner’s guide to many physics topics. This book was the first book from which I learned about electricity and magnetism, and also provided the least detailed description of the topics which I covered, but was very helpful with introducing me to the concepts required for the completion of my project.

Olson, Lynn. “The Art of Speaker Design.” Nutshell High Fidelity, n.p., 2002. Web.

This page discussed the design of multiple kinds of speakers, which was helpful in teaching me how speakers work. It also briefly described plasma speakers, which related directly to my capstone.

“Plasma arc speakers – the most amazing speakers on earth.” Noise Addicts. n.p., n.d. Web.

This was one of the first places where I saw a plasma speaker and, while it didn’t actually teach me anything, it was helpful to the process of designing my entire project.

“Plasma Speaker Kit.” Eastern Voltage Research, LLC. n.d. Web.

This page provided me with a video of a plasma speaker working, and also has manuals for the creation of plasma speakers from kits purchasable on their website. While they don’t directly apply to my work, they can provide some sort of guidance for what must be done.

Plasmana, “The Plasma Speaker.” Instructables. Autodesk, n.d. Web.

This is a guide for the construction of a plasma speaker. It was very helpful to see one method of making it, though my method will involve the modification of a Tesla coil, rather than the method used in the guide.

Wilson, Kevin, “Tesla Coil Theory of Operation.” Tesla Coil Design, Construction and Operation Guide. n.p., n.d. Web.

This page of the website gives, among other things, a somewhat cursory overview of how a Tesla coil works. In conjunction with resources regarding the theory behind induction, capacitance, and other things in the field of electricity and magnetism, the page provides an acceptable overview of the theory behind a Tesla coil.

Xellers, “How To Build A Spark Gap Tesla Coil (SGTC) Step 3: Build the Primary Capacitor.” Instructables. Autodesk, n.d. Web.

This page of the guide discusses equations for matching capacitors to primary circuit. This particular step of the guide gave me the equation I needed in order to match a capacitor to my build, and was therefore extremely helpful with the construction of the coil.

Podcast 3

Posted by Anthony Best in Statistics - Miles - B on Friday, May 30, 2014 at 3:35 pm

Anthony, Jamie, Taylor

Podcast 2

Posted by Anthony Best in Statistics - Miles - B on Friday, May 30, 2014 at 3:34 pm

Anthony, Jamie, Taylor