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For my capstone project, I created posters and a website to help low-income families find the resources they need and to also get people to take action and give back to the Philadelphia community. The posters are meant to attract people to my website in the case that a student at SLA finds themselves needing these resources. I chose to focus my topic on low-income families because it affects many families and students in Philadelphia. Some families may not want to ask for help or may not know who to ask. My goal was to do research on resources that would be helpful for low-income families or SLA students. For example, bill assistance, food drives, affordable child care, how to apply for FAFSA, and ways we, as members of the SLA community and Philadelphia citizens, could help.

Link to website: https://heretohelp.squarespace.com/

Annotated Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w0Ej1Ly6Geu5FlXXQOqsG0nClOItxILU5nCZAFtN_Y4/edit

We all consume digital media everyday, whether that be movies, shows, or simply social media posts about such content. Representation of different kinds is becoming more normalized as time passes, however it’s still important to recognize and analyze the possible subtext of representation. While many people are aware of LGBTQ+ and autism representation in media, I find that they are less aware of the often more abundant queer and autistic-coding in media, or do not know of it at all. For my Capstone, I wanted to create a duo-logy of video essays, with one focused on queer-coding and one focused on autistic-coding. Prior to this, I didn’t know exactly what went into making a video essay, and so researching the basics and what made an engaging and thoughtful video essay was my first step. I then wrote each essay and had it peer-edited, story-boarded each video with its respective writing, gathered my clips, and then edited it all together. I learned more about not only about my style of editing and creating a digital project, but I, myself, was also exposed to more films and TV shows that included queer and autistic-coding. My ultimate goal was to educate more people on these concepts and expose them to looking at media through a lens that they might have not considered before.

Each video essay had approximately four pages of storyboarding to plan out the visuals with the accompanying voiceover. A page from each one is pictured above. Not every aspect of the story boards came to fruition as I altered and changed some parts, but creating the storyboarding made assembling and sequencing all my video clips much easier.

To make my capstone accessible to anyone, it’s uploaded on Youtube and you can view them here:

Annotated Bibliography

Where I come from, the youth depend on hobbies to get them through life as they get older and a common hobby while growing up in the city of Philadelphia is playing sports. From Peewee Little Leagues, to Pop Warner for elementary, middle schoolers, and freshman, and then working on your game to becoming a bright high school football player. As you get older, the priority of becoming an athlete, being very successful at it and taking care of your family is a great feeling. So, with this capstone, What I plan to do is launch a 1 on 1 interview with a special guest of my choice, who is also a family member of mine, that will send out a message to Young Student Athletes. This Interview will be then used to inspire these Young Student Athletes, teaching them how to balance the life of becoming a future college athlete and also living your life outside of school. Pushing them to focus on the ups, downs and accomplishments of pursuing that dream.

My Podcast/Interview: https://youtu.be/YhtGYqEgBcI

My capstone is centered on ensuring that the Student Action Board at Science Leadership Academy @ Center City, a part of the Philadelphia school district, is beneficial to the SLA community. Student Action Board is a student-made and led club whose purpose is to bridge the gap between students and staff. I was able to achieve this goal through various projects. One was creating a template to improve the organization of the advisory memo. Another was helping a Digvid group make a flyer to recruit background actors for their film. The last one I’d like to share is how I worked to get menstrual buckets in various bathrooms around the school. The process was difficult, there were multiple hurdles to jump through inside and out of school. By clicking on my artifact link you’ll find my Capstone Folder. This holds my portfolio of resources that helped in getting student needs met. I collaborated with Ms. Ryans to get the buckets, as well as another student, Paula Vekker. I collaborated with S.A.B participants to come up with ideas and pursue them. I also learned that I have a few more projects I am bringing to fruition, so my process will continue. One will be an end-of-the-year fundraiser, another will be an E-book for the next S.A.B leaders, and my last one will be a pitch to the staff to help them make decisions about the 2022-2023 senior year.

Artifact

Annotated Bibliography

Products:

My senior project, at first, was to find out how to make some sort of shelter for homeless people. Then, I switched to just building a small and affordable housing for a couple or a single person with a pet. I got to thinking and I came up with the tiny home that I have now. It is big enough and equipped with all the housing needs such as a bathroom, loft bed (with space underneath it to store items), kitchen space and then extra space. I wanted to make this project with my hands but I chose to have it digital so that it would be easier to present to all of you. I have learned that making a house is not as easy as you would think. It takes a lot of thought into how to use the space that you are given and how to position everything.

Annotated Bibliography

https://docs.google.com/document/d/14pf4n5iuI4HpahyLWLbrWteipw4Dk46gkKjtk9DAzK0/edit?usp=sharing

For my capstone, I decided to visualize myself creating my own school. Not just an ordinary school but a school that specifically focused on mental health. I want to make my school a place of learning but also learn the importance of life and what’s ahead of it. Mental health plays a big role in people in general, don’t matter what age you are but adolescents struggle with it the most. Some schools only care about the importance of attendance and the grade more than the understanding or how you feel. School plays a big role in your life as well but sometimes you need to put yourself first. I didn’t just search up schools that have that, I searched up different proposals due to the simple fact that every school is different. All of the sources I used definitely answer all the questions about how much will it cost, why it’s important, and where will it be located. They talked about every grade and age especially young teens and young adults because once you get into high school it’s a different environment, and different work depending on where you go. As we know depending on what district you are in it is very important to follow the rules as how many days we have off, the early dismissals, time that school starts and ends. The funding is very much important because without funds the school will definitely fail or eventually get shut down if we aren’t doing our jobs as a founder, principal, or anybody with a higher position.

Bibliography

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mTJwy8VPhylBRq22kQGbPI5XupnzkGFXsVaf5lfnqFo/edit

My capstone is soundproofing/sound dampening the room attached to the music room. When I first heard about the project I wasn’t entirely sure what I was signing up for but I had heard how loud the music room was and I needed a capstone. I immediately set out researching different products and methods and which would work best for our situation. Once I’d done that I started comparing different brands based on their price, effectiveness, and accessibility. I haven’t finished the installation yet, but I think it will turn out great. I am hopeful that next year and the years following even more kids will get to use this room and use it without damaging their hearing. I imagine all of the future bands and musicians that will start in this room, and I can’t wait.

The picture above is of the music studio after decluttering and reorganizing. As of submitting this I have not yet begun on the addition of the sound dampening panels or the rugs in the studio. I plan to install both of these things within the upcoming week. I also did a lot of research for this project, I had to look into different methods of soundproofing, which materials would be best, and which brands were most reputable. I also researched how to install the materials that we are planning on using.

Pictured above is my top down drawing of the music studio. Within the drawing I have dimensions of the room and it’s walls, I did this so that Mr. Clapper and I would have a rough estimate of how much materials to buy. To find this out though I had to take the length and height of the walls and calculate how much area we would need to cover, I initially thought this would be very easy, but I forgot to convert the units so it ended up taking longer than anticipated.

Annotated Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10BqjtcdNE0TFHxUaxeLl26MwqOxyLTmHksfL8AqaqXQ/edit?usp=sharing

The SLA AnyWay 5k was started in 2020-2021 by Ethan Chen, a former SLA Students Run member. In hosting the second annual race, my hope was to establish the AnyWay 5k as a yearly event. To build off of last year’s race, I held an in person race in addition to the virtual event. I kept participation free in order to foster an inclusive and accessible race and, like last year, gave every runner who completed the race a medal. Money raised from shirts and donations went to the SLA Home and School Association, who will use it for freshman mini-courses next year. See the numbers below:

The main challenge with planning this race was reigning in its scope. With the help of my mentor, I was able to eliminate expectations of needing chip timing, or large event permits. After creating a more realistic plan for my race, I started by pursuing funding from Braskem for shirts, medals, a timing system, as well as for food and water at the event. After receiving full funding, I began advertising the race on RunSignup and Instagram. My goal was to reach new participants, as well as participants from last year’s race. I also put up posters around the school with scannable QR codes. Leading up to the race, I held three group runs, open to all race participants. For the in person race, I marked a course from Lloyd Hall to about 2.5 km out. Runners would turn around at this halfway point and cross the finish line where they started, receiving their medal, a bottle of water, and a soft pretzel.

   ^^^Poster^^^

I designed this poster during my capstone marketing campaign. These were put up during report card conferences with the hope that parents would see them and sign their kids up for the race. I used a QR code to make it easy for people to access registration, and placed the poster strategically in the stairwells and hallways.

   ^^^RunSignup, Instagram, Shirts, and Medals^^^

Runsignup is the website that Ethan and I used for race registration, as it allows the user to integrate virtual racing into a 5k event. The race was mainly advertised on the Anyway 5k Instagram, which features photos from group runs, and the in person race. The shirts were ordered from custom ink, and feature the race logo on the front, and Braskem logo on the back. The medals were ordered from Crown Awards, using the same design as last year, with no date printed on them. This is so that uncollected medals can be reused across years.

   ^^^Braskem Pitch^^^

This is the original Braskem funding pitch. It features 3 separate funding levels, based on participation, for shirts, medals, food, water, and a timing system. This setup was based on Ethan’s pitch, allowing me to compare and contrast this year’s funding to last year’s during my pitch presentation. This also allows Braskem to get a better understanding of how their funding will be used based on how many participants show for the race.

Links -

Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qrVcleoJv_7z8cCWqntOgdCPD4zMi47XoW_dKcD2kWE/edit?usp=sharing

RunSignup Page: https://runsignup.com/Race/PA/Philadelphia/SLAAnyWay5k

Instagram Page: https://www.instagram.com/slaanyway5k/

Mya Fleming May 11, 2022

Capstone Abstract:

For my capstone project, “Five Entrepreneurial Brands to try in Philadelphia [2022]”, I promoted five small entrepreneurships in Philadelphia using marketing tips. The businesses include baked goods, photography services, clothing, and nail services. The goal of this project is to help support entrepreneurs by emphasizing their strengths and talents. In the process, I learned more about marketing, which is one of the subjects that I want to study in college. After researching marketing strategies, and talking with my mentor, Torian Ugworji, I decided to promote these businesses through a website.

The entrepreneurs who participated put a lot of effort into their work and were easy to communicate with, showing their leadership skills. Each business is marketed on the website with pictures of the products and a written description of the services provided. The quality of each product reflects the importance of presentation, which is a big part of marketing. This project shows the business owners’ talents and helps others see them. It also allows people to hear and learn more about the entrepreneurs and their businesses.

I learned how important presentation is, both for promoting the entrepreneurships through the website, and for the entrepreneurs’ products. Presentation skills in particular are useful for anyone, whether starting your own business or working for someone else. Hopefully this website inspires people and makes people want to share their talents with others.

Website Link: https://sites.google.com/scienceleadership.org/myaflemingseniorcapstoneprojec/five-entrepreneurial-brands-to-try-in-philadelphia-2022

Annotated Bibliography Link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JchDxFZ0IDCcxF0tP3-fkAXNU-B2tA9NwgF-GclgnQM/edit

Presentation Link: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1obsXVYNWnsHA8yQKrd5LigRF_iPTDT1OXh0ZUJwe1d0/edit#slide=id.p

My capstone project focuses on society and experiences on gender inequality in the automotive industry. During this process I read articles, watched videos, and interviewed people to further my knowledge and understanding of the automotive job and society’s views. I learned how to do basic car repairs like changing the oil, changing the windshield wipers, and changing a tire. Unfortunately the girls auto clinic in Upper Darby was unavailable for an interview, so I was only able to have an interview with my mentor on his experiences. While Steven, my mentor, is not someone who would’ve felt that oppression he has a behind the scenes experience of “garage talk” and stereotypes that have been said that he’s witnessed. I decided a video representation would be better because it could be educational and a fun thing to view. Just photos of a car fixed wouldn’t do my project justice because I wanted people to really think about where the prejudice from society comes from.

For my capstone, I did a podcast on BATMAN as you may know. There’s something unique about what I did here because I took my favorite superhero and tried to figure out if I was right if Batman was the greatest superhero of all time. Why did I choose to do this well it’s been something I was urged to do especially ever since I got obsessed with video games and movies. During my childhood, Batman was my favorite superhero but at that time I was never really sure if it was him or spiderman. What I did for my project was a lot of extensive research on essentially everything having something to do with Batman, his villains, gadgets, family, sidekicks, storylines, suits, why he is the greatest superhero, and what makes Batman Batman. The point of this research was for me to find out “am I right?” or “am I wrong?” Now this was the hard part especially since that is more of a theory than a question. Is Batman the greatest superhero of all-time? I mean is he? Ok I asked that above to possibly get your opinion on the matter but from my perspective Batman does have everything that a great superhero should and more. The best villains of all time and it’s not even close because he has arguably the best villain in the Joker, but also the Riddler, Penguin, Mr. Freeze, Killer Croc, BANE, Scarecrow, Mad Hatter, Court of Owls. So many great villains there’s really nowhere to begin and nowhere to end. Batman has a gadget for everything, something most superheroes dream of and to most this is an impossible feat. You’re not wrong if you think it’s impossible though. What can be said about the suits, there’s a suit for every situation every criminal has to fight regardless of what the outcome ends up to be. And finally the sidekicks man has one great partner after another’ five Robins, Catwoman, Batgirl, Arzael, James corden so many sidekicks one could say one too many for a single hero’ however this is BATMAN we’re talking about. I learned more than I could imagine about the caped crusader more than I needed but it was certainly helpful to me to gain an even greater understanding of my favorite superhero. Before this capstone I didn’t know there was a zebra batman, or that he was the flash for a brief period of time, or that bruce wayne was the first robin or that Batman is bruce wayne’s true personality of who he is and strives to become. So much that I accomplished during this capstone for starters I did my first ever podcast and keep in mind I did it by myself which I still can’t believe. All in all this was the biggest project I’d ever done and I owe it to myself for being able to stick with it all the way through because I was stuck a lot during this capstone. I hope you enjoy!

Link to my podcast - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FkA5lCqYBc3_Xs-bCxjKjNtOIXRsDKF6/view?usp=sharing

For my capstone, I wanted to create a product that caters to curly hair. Throughout my natural hair journey I have come across many products that made bold claims, but they missed the mark on my hair type and thats how this idea for my capstone came to be. Many of these products are loaded with ingredients such as silicones and alchohls but I wanted to create a product that cuts out those 20 letter word ingredients while still having the positive benefits of the formula. To do this I researched what elements were essential in a product including humectants (substances that retains moisture), oils, and butters. Through trial and error with test batches I’ve slowly but surely come to know how important of a role ratios play in hair care, just because an ingredient is good on paper it doesn’t translate to its order on the ingredient list. For my final product I feel I have made an affordable natural alternative to off the shelf brands.

Link to Biblography : https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FiLFlPVssDxwrvDtmibEj_dEffH0xMARnSl7CntKVTA/edit?usp=sharing>

The SLA AnyWay 5k was started in 2020-2021 by Ethan Chen, a former SLA Students Run member. In hosting the second annual race, my hope was to establish the AnyWay 5k as a yearly event. To build off of last year’s race, I held an in person race in addition to the virtual event. I kept participation free in order to foster an inclusive and accessible race and, like last year, gave every runner who completed the race a medal. Money raised from shirts and donations went to the SLA Home and School Association, who will use it for freshman mini-courses next year. See the numbers below:

The main challenge with planning this race was reigning in its scope. With the help of my mentor, I was able to eliminate expectations of needing chip timing, or large event permits. After creating a more realistic plan for my race, I started by pursuing funding from Braskem for shirts, medals, a timing system, as well as for food and water at the event. After receiving full funding, I began advertising the race on RunSignup and Instagram. My goal was to reach new participants, as well as participants from last year’s race. I also put up posters around the school with scannable QR codes. Leading up to the race, I held three group runs, open to all race participants. For the in person race, I marked a course from Lloyd Hall to about 2.5 km out. Runners would turn around at this halfway point and cross the finish line where they started, receiving their medal, a bottle of water, and a soft pretzel.

   ^^^Poster^^^ 

I designed this poster during my capstone marketing campaign. These were put up during report card conferences with the hope that parents would see them and sign their kids up for the race. I used a QR code to make it easy for people to access registration, and placed the poster strategically in the stairwells and hallways.

   ^^^RunSignup, Instagram, Shirts, and Medals^^^

Runsignup is the website that Ethan and I used for race registration, as it allows the user to integrate virtual racing into a 5k event. The race was mainly advertised on the Anyway 5k Instagram, which features photos from group runs, and the in person race. The shirts were ordered from custom ink, and feature the race logo on the front, and Braskem logo on the back. The medals were ordered from Crown Awards, using the same design as last year, with no date printed on them. This is so that uncollected medals can be reused across years.

   ^^^Braskem Pitch^^^

This is the original Braskem funding pitch. It features 3 separate funding levels, based on participation, for shirts, medals, food, water, and a timing system. This setup was based on Ethan’s pitch, allowing me to compare and contrast this year’s funding to last year’s during my pitch presentation. This also allows Braskem to get a better understanding of how their funding will be used based on how many participants show for the race.

Links -

Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qrVcleoJv_7z8cCWqntOgdCPD4zMi47XoW_dKcD2kWE/edit?usp=sharing

RunSignup Page: https://runsignup.com/Race/PA/Philadelphia/SLAAnyWay5k

Instagram Page: https://www.instagram.com/slaanyway5k/

For my capstone, I decided to explore Fusion 360, which is a 3D modeling software. Over the course of the year, I made fifteen projects in Fusion 360, exploring the different tools and workspaces available in the software. I used a variation between tutorials I found online and designs of my own creation. On the website linked below, I go through the different tools and workspaces I used in Fusion and each individual project I made. I also included multiple screenshots of my website and work in Fusion 360. The main obstacle I faced was really my own time management skills and procrastination, like many seniors. If I had to do this project again I would start making and exploring in Fusion earlier. I started in the spring and because of that I did not get to explore all I wanted to, for example, I would have loved to try to use the manufacturing workspace or do more types of animations. Overall, I really enjoyed working on my capstone. I learned many new things about Fusion 360 and I can take these skills to college where I will be majoring in engineering.

Link To The Website I Made: https://sites.google.com/scienceleadership.org/amelia-shamble-capstone/home?authuser=0

Link To Annotated Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1blZxydsE70CfNqbANRSn7ZvK-nPz_kB5RbCAjCigKOY/edit?usp=sharing

My capstone project is a presentation for teachers and staff on how to help students with Anxiety and Depression in school. One of the main reasons I wanted to do this project was because a lot of my friends and I have dealt with issues like this in school and it’s hard to get support when teachers don’t always know what to do. Anxiety and Depression are very common in students so my hope for this project is that in the future when students are going through similar situations this project can sort of guide teachers through helping them.

Slide Presentation Link: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1CrfsccpqcY1AMSuBfPv8tcaJJJ8aWm4twda_pArPstk/edit?usp=sharing

So for my capstone project, I made a video of me debunking two common misconceptions about knight armor that many people believe. Those misconceptions are, “Armor is weak” and “Armor is cumbersome”. Although my final product is a video lasting 5 minutes and 30 seconds, the process took a while to get where I wanted to be when making my video. The first thing I did was a lot of research on knight armor. I watched videos talking about the same topic, I read articles from different sources, watch videos of people wearing actual knight armor and testing it out to see what it can do, and the list goes on from what I researched. After doing research on knight armor, I started to do some research on how to even make an informational video. Having some information on how to start making videos, I started my script. The script was interesting to do because I found myself getting sidetracked a lot with my topics because im very interested in my topic but I got it done. After getting my script done, I worked on my video and it wasn’t that bad. After my process, I learned a lot of new information. I learned different types of armors and what century they are from, terms, and stuff about knights.

Bibliography:

1. Middle Ages https://www.ducksters.com/history/middle_ages/knight_armor_and_weapons.php

   At first, I really didn’t want to use this source because the website is mostly used for kids but, after reading it, it did list some nice facts that will be helpful for me later down the line. It doesn’t go into much detail on what each armor piece did or what it is made out of but it did do a good job saying what knights used and wore.

2. Fun Facts for Kids on Animals, Earth, History, and more! https://www.dkfindout.com/us/history/castles/armor/

   I like how interactive this website is. This website also gave me what I thought the previous website was missing. Also, I like how it states some myths involving knight armor.
   

3. The Armor of an English Medieval Knight https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1244/the-armour-of-an-english-medieval-knight/

With this website, It talks about the importance of the armor to a knight at first then it breaks down the different armor pieces a knight would wear. I like how they mention shields because shields played a big part in a knight’s arsenal.

4. Medieval Knight https://www.worldhistory.org/Medieval_Knight/

This source, it lists how to become a knight and what are traditions they need to know and do before even getting knighted. This is useful because it says that knights are not some random dude in armor, they are smart, wealthy person who knows how to fight.

5. Common Misconceptions https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/aams/hd_aams.htm

What I like about this article is that it both, denies and confirms if some misconceptions of knight armor are true or not. The main reason why I hear people say knight armor sucks is that they just listen to common misconceptions that aren’t true. With this list, I can mention how the misconceptions are false

6. Debunking the biggest myths about knight’s armor

Written by: Steve Charnock Steve Charnock is a freelance writer who scribbles all sorts of things for all sorts of people and Steve Charnock is a freelance writer who scribbles all sorts of things for all sorts of people

https://www.history.co.uk/shows/knight-fight/articles/debunking-the-biggest-myths-about-knights-armour

Like the previous source, this debunks some of the biggest myths involving knight armor. I feel like debunking myths in anything is very important because not only does it show things that are not true, it can also hurt the reputation of the topic in question.

7. Suit of Armor Close-Up: The medieval Harness http://medievallifestyle.com/armor-and-weapons/suit-of-armor.html

What I like about this website is that it goes into detail about every piece of armor a would wear.

8. Can a Real Suit of Armor Stop a Bullet https://youtu.be/80ZSM6qpJw8

In this video, we see actually some bullets being stopped by knight armor. I feel like this video will be good to show because its shows the strength of the armor instead of talking about it.

9. Katana vs. Longsword - Debunked https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5tuklPjtAU

This video shows the strength of a sword a knight might use. The knight’s sword withstood a strike from a katana and ruined the katana in the process, but the knight’s sword only broke after another knight’s sword struck it.

10. Mobility in Medieval Plate Armor. https://youtu.be/qzTwBQniLSc

I like this video a lot because it shows many athletic things being done in knight armor. It also shows them taking blows to each other so it also shows the durability of the armor as well.

11. The TRUTH About Full Plate https://youtu.be/rO2nM_2iBXA

While watching Amélie, I had a feeling that this movie was similar to another movie I had watched before. I couldn’t quite put my finger on what movie it was until the scene about what Amélie likes. It’s when I made the connection to the movie Matilda, which was released in 1998. I hadn’t realized how I didn’t connect the two earlier, they were eerily similar. I looked up the two films to see if the director of Amélie could’ve possibly taken inspiration from Matilda but didn’t find much except a Spanish article that agreed with me. I wasn’t crazy as they had many similarities to the movie posters, wacky childhood, love of sweets, a sense of justice, and happy endings. The storytelling and camera work was also super similar in that they both must be in a super niche movie category. I mention all of this because it was those characteristics that made me enjoy Amélie so much. Matilda is a staple in many of our childhoods because of how lighthearted and fun it was. I found all of that in Amélie but with a more mature plot.

Starting with the narrator in Amélie who introduces the movie to us which I thought was a smart decision. Amélie is a very eccentric character and without much context from the narrator, we wouldn’t know why she acts the way she does. An example of this would be when the narrator explained what Amélie likes. She likes dipping her hand in grain sacks, cracking creme brulee, and skipping stone. These habits could be attributed to the weird upbringing that allows her to enjoy the simplicity of life. Another example is the phone booth scene in which the narrator explains why the box is so important to Dominique. In explaining the sentiment’s meaning, the narrator makes the audience more emotional. The narrator also allows Amélie to break the fourth wall frequently which adds a whimsical element to the film. It adds a nice touch to the film and fits nicely with her personality.

Another theatrical element that made the film work was the use of black & white for flashbacks and to show “likes”. Although the film is a full-color movie, whenever introducing a character’s habits, black & white were used. Though these habits were strange and random, they added texture to the movie. There were many examples of this throughout the film like the introduction of Suzanne, Georgette, and Gina. While they don’t add much to the plot, they don’t take anything away from it. If anything it just makes everyone all the more interesting and more dimensioned. It does fit into the movie when you think about all the fourth wall breakings. The flashbacks also include a variety of aesthetically pleasing sounds like bubble wrap popping, a cat bowl on tile, and soft whispering. When listening to it on the speakers, it is a nice experience for the ears.

The last cinematic element that I hadn’t realized until the ending was the color palette of the film. It was centered around yellow, green, and red. While Amélie was made in 2001, these colors made it seem much more nostalgic yet modern. It gave the movie a homey feel and fit right in with the aesthetic of the film. If the movie had used more bold, modern coloring it wouldn’t contrast well. Can you imagine the movie with the color scheme of a movie like Edward Scissorhands? An example of how well this color scheme works is in Amélie’s clothing, she frequently uses the color red in her clothes. When draped against the yellow background, it separates her from the rest of Paris. She is different from the other people that surround her and these red dresses are what signal that. In my opinion, Amélie’s color scheme is one of the most beautiful I have seen and it’s what made Paris all the more alluring.

In my own time, I had to go back and rewatch some of the scenes in the movie because I didn’t quite understand. I realized that some things just didn’t have much meaning and were just there for fun. That is what makes Amélie so great, it is super lighthearted. The cinematic and technical elements were all carefully crafted and still stand out today in contrast to other films. The movie doesn’t seem outdated or out of place because of the way it was filmed and written. If anything it is like wine, it gets better as it ages.

For this project, I chose to foster 5 nursing kittens, and their mom (not pictured). You could agree the final product of this capstone is a multitude of different things, whether that be five healthy kittens, free of disease and sickness. Or being able to give animals that went from living on the streets, a new, forever home. The process, was, chaotic to say the least. I didn’t plan on making this such a major part of my year, I intended for it to be a side project, but it was pretty obvious after the first week that this would take much more time than I had originally thought. It took a while to get equipped to what I would be doing every day, before and after school. The first 2 weeks included feeding the mom more food than the average cat. Because she was nursing a litter of five, she needed to be overfed for her to produce enough milk. In the afternoons, I would watch the kittens nurse to make sure they’re getting equal amounts of nutrition from their mom. At around 3-4 weeks, I introduced the kittens to wet and dry food, which also meant I had to give them a litter box, which was much easier said then done. Soon, they will begin to visit the veterinarian to get their vaccinations, and spay/neuter surgery, to make them eligible for adoption.

Due to a School District of Philadelphia professional development day on Friday, 5/13, SLA will follow a modified half-day schedule, as listed below.

Friday, 5/13 – SDP Staff Professional Development

B2: 08:15 - 08:55

C2: 09:00 - 09:40

D2: 09:45 - 10:25

E2: 10:30 - 11:10

X2/Y2: 11:15 - 11:55

Lunch/Dismissal: 12:00 - 12:30

Students vs. Staff Basketball Game: 01:00 – $2 admissions cost for student spectators

For my Capstone, I chose to teach a mini-course, which was once a week for 7 weeks. The goal of my mini-course was to help students learn how to best advocate for themselves and their peers, as well as, how to be a part of ‘adult discussions’. Often teenagers are not included in meaningful discussions, because they are viewed as too young or immature. The minicourse introduced important discussion skills, gave students a place to lead and participate in group discussions, and allowed them to reflect on what they learned. This minicourse helped young leaders to realize their full potential. Initially, I had to propose my idea and get it approved by Mr.Spry, who runs minicourses at SLA. After my idea was approved, I did research surrounding how to best include and engage youth in discussions and the importance of doing so, the sources I used are included below. I then used this research to develop my 7-week lesson plan, the lesson plan is also included below. My lesson plan focused on creating structure while allowing room for student input and independence. It was also important to me that students felt comfortable in the classroom, to achieve this I added in daily warm-ups. In addition to this, I used the second class period to review important discussion skills so that each student entered with the same level of knowledge, these slides are included below. After completing my minicourse I met with a handful of students to gain feedback.

Documentation of my capstone is below click on each image to be taken to the full PDF document. (Lesson plan, day one slides, and annotated bibliography)

My name is Mas’ud and I attended Charter High school for Architect & Design (CHAD) for 9th and 10th grade. In June of 2020, my school closed down permanently also, this was the year of Covid 19. However, I ended up becoming an SLA student during my junior year. Stress would be an understatement with navigating junior year being virtual and attending a rigour more academically excelling school. At first, I was going to do my capstone on Human Trafficking but I scratched that idea. I wasted time not asking for help due to my shyness, being a new student, and trying to keep up with my grades. I decided on Pollution for my capstone. I selected Mr. Lehmann to be my mentor. When it came down to brainstorming my idea it was a real struggle because I didn’t have a clear insight into what a capstone project truly consist of. During my research on Pollution, I came across Hydroponic Gardening Systems (a method of growing plants without soil) I found this to be very interesting. Finally, after doing a more in-depth research on the benefits of Hydroponics, I concluded this would be my Capstone Project. My capstone aligns with Science Leadership Academy core values. My inquiry question is How can having a hydroponic garden promote an engaging learning environment, uplift communities, and teach healthy food selection at Science Leadership Academy High School? I had a great deal of support from my Environmental Science teacher Ms. Gade, Principal Lehmann, Ms. Martin (advisor) and some family members. Below are links to view my work.

Proposal: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GUbR5gjK-MGzzLg3UlhnpAC1eUTRK7Yed3WLvDwsOCM/edit?usp=sharing

Annotated Bibliography:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LwoxnPY0V6zg8X_GRq3J7zY8pxRLu-xe-zvXKoGCQI8/edit?usp=sharing

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Xr7vm9Q9VxeumFJqGsD0Ccp9UquDurgHM5JVfpZH6x0/edit?usp=sharing

How do we effectively analyze film, and why is it important to do so? What is the impact and relevance of film throughout history, especially in regards to techniques, themes, and the way film has been used over time? Film has a very powerful influence over society, both in the past and present. However, studying and examining film can be inaccessible to the common audience. Oftentimes, people are not equipped with the tools to dissect movies and visual media, which can then mold their ways of considering major issues, people, the world, and reality as a whole.

For my capstone project, I designed and printed a film journal. Developing this capstone involved thorough research, designing and writing. I also fundraised to print it, so as to ensure the publication would be free and accessible to a wider audience. Through the publication, I want to introduce people, especially high school students, to film analysis, theory, and history, with an emphasis on foreign and independent cinema. I want to illustrate the power of movies, and how to think critically about the media we consume. The article subjects vary widely, focusing on elements like the use of color in film to auteur theory to negative representation. Ultimately, I want to teach and encourage both media literacy and a passion for cinema.

It was critical for me that my magazines were free, so as to increase accessibility and exposure. This, in turn, meant I could not fund the prints by selling my work. In order to finance my capstone, I explored several different avenues. I reached out to a number of different sponsors, using market research I had conducted to justify a partnership. Results from a couple of the polls I held are pictured above.

I also held several bake sales with Sasha Mannino, another senior, as a dual effort to fund the printing of our magazines. Pictured above is one of the posters used to advertise the bake sale. For each bake sale, I baked upwards of 90 cookies and 20 brownies. Thanks to the supportive SLA community, we managed to raise enough to print our work.

The images above provide a few examples of the spreads and material within my publication. They illustrate the diversity of my work, and demonstrate elements like film theory, history, and foreign cinema. The full digitized version of The Parenthetical can be found here. I learned a lot through my capstone project. Not only did I gain experience with film review, writing, printing, and networking, but I also learned to have the courage to put myself out there. I discovered new sides to film and my love of it. I discovered new movies and favorites, like Touki Bouki. Ultimately, in my efforts to educate and introduce others to the magic of cinema, I learned a lot about it myself.

Annotated Bibliography

Akerman, Chantal. Chantal Akerman. Edited by Jaap Guldemond and Marente Bloemheuvel, Eye Filmmuseum, 2020.

This book provides a detailed examination of Chantal Akerman, a director I intend to include in my publication. It gives an overview of her work, her life, and related essays. It not only allows me to once again develop a more comprehensive idea of writing about film, but also to develop a deeper understanding of her as a person and a director. This would enable me to write a better, fuller piece of her work. In addition, this book, by analyzing her work, teaches me to apply such skills across different films, genres, and directors. It gives me the tools necessary to truly dissect cinema and analyze it.

Barsam, Richard. Looking at Movies : An Introduction to Film. Second ed., W. W. Nortion, 2006.

This book not only provides information and teaches readers about film analysis, but it also provides guidance as to how to teach film to others. From the textbook, I am able to explore how to teach and inform my own readers about cinematic elements and techniques. I can see which examples to use to illustrate my points, and how to incorporate them into my work. It also serves as inspiration for topics and films I might address in my own magazine. The textbook also examines the theoretical and cultural aspects of film, which are points I would like to emphasize throughout my magazine.

“Color.” Movie Jawn, vol. 4, no. 1, 2021.

This magazine does a clear and effective job of capturing the fun and engagement in reviewing film, while still recognizing the limits, mistakes, and other issues movies might have. The publication includes a diverse selection of analyses and pieces based on cinema, demonstrating the scope and potential my own magazine can have. All the reviews are interesting and immersive, yet still honest. The magazine does not refrain from criticizing movies, nor does it hide any problematic issues within the films or work. These negative reviews are still critical to the magazine, and just as fascinating and enjoyable to read. They allow the reader to get a full grasp of the consequences of film. As a result, I selected this magazine as it demonstrates how to write negative reviews, the importance of doing so, and the different formats writing about movies can take. The magazine also features a theme, color, which can be inspiring for me in devising my own themes.

Cook, David A., et al. “History of Film | Summary, Industry, History, & Facts.” Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/art/history-of-the-motion-picture. Accessed 26 January 2022.

I chose this source because it gives a detailed description of the history of film. In order to design a full film magazine, complete with analyses and an examination of the influence of cinema across time, I need to have a comprehensive understanding of cinema history. In this way, I can properly and comprehensively approach film and provide more thorough and intentional reviews, as well as represent the full scope of their context and impact. This source not only gives me the information to do this, but also features a diverse range of history. Not only does it speak to major periods, like American film and the French New Wave, but it also contextualizes Taiwanese, Tunisian, and Mexican film. Therefore, using this source, I can really delve into the history and influence of movies.

“Film Analysis – The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.” UNC Writing Center, https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/film-analysis/. Accessed 26 January 2022.

This article showcases a thorough explanation of how to approach, study, and analyze film. I need this, not only to learn how to more professionally review movies myself, so that I may write about them, but also to teach my readers how to analyze film themselves. The goal of the magazine is to review movies in addition to educating and equipping the audience with the tools to do so themselves, in order to apply this knowledge throughout their lives. Therefore, this guide is critical because it clearly explains the intellectual and professional process behind examining cinema, which I intend to apply to the publication.

Keung, Laura. “Magazine Cover Design in InDesign | FREE COURSE.” YouTube, 9 June 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZmtlvKnhMc. Accessed 26 January 2022.

This source is a video that teaches how to professionally design magazine-specific elements on Adobe InDesign. This video is especially useful to me as it not only covers the basics of InDesign, but also speaks to particulars of it that are relevant to my own project, unlike other sources. Furthermore, the video was crafted by an actual graphic designer, with a very in-depth, experienced resume. The advice listed in the source are not simply technical, but important to design and aesthetic as well. As such, I will heavily rely on this source as a foundation for my skills and techniques in using Adobe InDesign.

Monaco, James, and David Lindroth. How to Read a Film: The World of Movies, Media, and Multimedia : Language, History, Theory. Third ed., Oxford University Press, 2000.

This textbook provides an in-depth analysis of the history of cinema as a whole. It speaks to politics in film, and the ways in which movies were used politically, as well as film movements, eras, and innovations. In order to approach my magazine, in which I hope to write about the history of film and the evolution of the purposes of cinema. As such, I require a thorough understanding, which I can obtain through the textbook. The book provides me with the tools necessary to dissect film, film theory, and film history, so that I can, in turn, inform readers about these same topics.

Perhiniak, Shumi. Anatomy of a Magazine Layout. 2020. Yes I’m a Designer, https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1hhs7rBg278bSfNhtZ-7_wCHX0zFwN66e.

As an amateur in magazine design, there is much I do not know about the creation of such publications. This source features a variety of educational components, which I can use in conjunction with one another. There is a video, which I can use simultaneously as I design my magazine. There is also a written explanation, in addition to a diagram. These give me a clear understanding of the material. The visuals also help to contextualize words or concepts I do not understand. This source covers the foundation of magazine design, which I require to put together my final product, as well as certain magazine elements and rules I did not even know existed, or I did not properly understand.

“Resources.” Fireball Printing, https://fireballprinting.com/resources/. Accessed 25 January 2022.

The Fireball Printing website, especially the resources page, is incredibly informative in regards to the process of publishing the magazines. It provides insight as to the papers utilized, and the meaning behind the different styles and types. It also describes the printing process, the layout process, and the binding process. In addition, the website details prices and options. From this resource, I am able to learn more about the actual act of designing the magazine and getting it printed. I am also able to begin to piece together my overall plans, particularly in terms of pricing, fundraising, and page count.

Sharman, Russell. Moving Pictures. University of Arkansas, 2020. University of Arkansas, https://uark.pressbooks.pub/movingpictures/. Accessed 25 January 2022.

This textbook describes the history of film and film review. The author also speaks to techniques and cinematic elements that developed over time. Therefore, the book will enable me to properly and intellectually approach film. It will ensure my reviews and analyses are professional and coherent. Additionally, the history and context shown throughout the text allows me consider the film as a whole, rather than regard it from a single, unnuanced perspective. Using it, my final product can be truly relied on as being unbiased and informative. It will also give me the means to fully comprehend how to teach such a skillset, so that I can impart it on my audience through my magazine.

“Silence Is Golden.” Whalebone, vol. 7, no. 6, 2021.

This source represents a successful film magazine, complete with detailed articles, reviews, advertisements, and other innovative pieces. I selected it as a way of studying magazine design, especially as a publication on a similar topic to mine. In this way, I can examine the features I find effective, those I do not, as well as the ways in which I can transform the material to be more engaging, informative, and varied rather than just a compilation of film reviews. The source also has a very particular style to it, which in turn, enables me to beign developing ideas of my own style, and how to thoroughly communicate it through my work.

Stewart, Al. “How to Sell Magazine Advertising.” Azcentral, https://yourbusiness.azcentral.com/sell-magazine-advertising-9838.html. Accessed 25 January 2022.

This article provides a detailed description of how to approach selling advertisement space within magazines, especially small, low-traffic magazines. It lists out steps, including how to manage the financial aspect, how to craft a proposal, and how to make your pitch attractive. It also describes how to select companies that might be willing to buy advertising space from you. This is very helpful as it gives me the tools I need to start planning how I will finance this magazine. It gives me an oversight of the process of selling ad space, which thus helps to inform my decision of whether or not I think it will be feasible for me to do. It also teaches me how to sell ad space.