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For this Lit Log, I created a visual representation of Chapter 6 from The Handmaid’s Tale. More specifically, I drew the scene regarding the wall of Gilead. The main details here are the two handmaids, Offred and Ofglen, along with the wall and its six hanging bodies.

A goal of mine with this drawing was differentiating the two handmaids without trailing too far from what happens in the actual scene. One key moment I took inspiration from was Ofglen’s tremor, along with Offred suggesting that she was crying:

“I feel a tremor in the woman beside me. Is she crying? In what way could it make her look good? I can’t afford to know. [p.33]”

Due to how Ofglen is described here, I gave her dress a more frantic pattern. This is opposed to the smoother and more vibrant dress worn by Offred, who reveals that she feels a mix of blankness and relief to the hanging bodies. Relief in particular, because she knows that none of these men are Luke.

Since the handmaids’ headgear are often referred to as “wings,” I also decided to give them literal wings behind their heads. Ofglen’s wings are sharp and alert, while Offred’s wings are more relaxed.

In case the differences with the dresses and wings were too insignificant, I also drew the handmaids’ faces next to them. Ofglen is almost squinting, soft tears running down her face, and Offred has a blank stare.

The wall is said by Offred to be at least one-hundred years old. Because of this, I tried to make it look as antique as possible with the different paint splashes, vibrant warm colors, and the messy brick textures in some areas. I wasn’t sure where the gates would fit in this image, but I did draw flood-lights along the wall instead. There are also seven hooks on the wall instead of six, because it’s noted in the story that not all of the hooks are occupied.

Regarding the hanging bodies, the primary quote I took note of was this one:

“A child’s idea of a smile. This smile of blood is what fixes the attention, finally. These are not snowmen after all. [p.32]”

Offred’s description about the bodies being like snowmen inspired multiple things for this drawing. To start, the title of this piece and the writing on the wall behind the men. I also decided to give the bodies a cold bluish-gray color, considering that they’re lifeless. They are compared to snowmen even earlier in the scene when Offred notices the outlines of the faces through the bagged heads, and suggests that they’re like snowmen without the coal eyes or carrot noses. I drew shadows in place of the eyes because of this.

Back to the main quote from before, one of the bags had blood seeping through it in the shape of a smile, “like the mouths painted with thick brushes by kindergarten children. [p.32]” This detail stood out enough for me to put the smiling body in the center, even though that would mean the other five bodies would have to be off-centered. I also made the smile glow a bit, since it’s being seen from far away.

In short, what’s portrayed in the scene are the two handmaids with opposing emotions, the eerie wall in front of them, the lifeless doctors and scientists, and the bleeding smile on one of the bags. I made sure to re-read the chapter before drawing this representation so I could include as many details and perceptions as I could. I believe this chapter in general is significant to emphasize the cruelty of Gilead, and the individuality of the two handmaids. Since it’s pretty early in the story, Chapter 6 of The Handmaid’s Tale serves as part of a well-done exposition.

Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale is a profound exploration of power, gender, and identity set in a dystopian future that strips women of their rights and autonomy. Section eleven where Offred reflects on some of her past life resonates with me, specifically her memories of her mother and the concept of femininity. This chapter captures the tension between the nostalgia and harsh realities of her current living conditions, entailing both intellectual and emotional responses that reflect the contemporary issues surrounding women’s rights and identities. In a moment of sadness, Offred recalls the sight of her mother’s activism and the feminist movements of her past. In chapter eleven, she describes her mother as a “feminist, a term that was once seen to evoke pride and empowerment but has since felt distant and almost foreign in the oppressive place of Gilead. Having a fate served to you by an upper power limits your choice and freedom as expressed throughout the story so far. I recognized that Offred and other handmaids have been convinced that they have less power than they do being controlled by some kind of republican government ruled by some belief system of god with the willingness to do things unquestioned but with full attention and specification with harsh consequences that follow if you were to break the rules. In chapter twenty Offred speaks on the times when she recalled her mother expressing her femininity and she says, “…not young and earnest and pretty the way she was in the movie, but wiry, spunky, the kind of old woman who won’t let anyone butt in front of her at a supermarket line.” I found this particularly intriguing as it allowed me to try to picture what Offred’s life must’ve been like when she was with her mother and connect all these flashback memories that she has of her mother together. Initially, I felt a sense of discomfort as it approached the social expectations of beauty but more so the reality of aging which provoked a thought on death and what it means to confront death when it knocks at your door. It also provoked a thought on life and what it means to live your life or have life being lived for you through someone else. Offred’s confrontation of her memories with her mother is both stimulating and emotionally charged, “I admired my mother in some ways although things between us were never easy. She expected too much from me, I felt. She expected me to vindicate her life for her, and the choices she’d made. I didn’t want to live my life on her terms.” As Offred reflects on her mother, I find myself stuck between a mix of admiration and a sense of discomfort. Her mother represents a fierce, unapologetic feminism that Offred reveres and feels completely distanced from. The recollection of her mother’s activism, marching with signs, and fighting for women’s rights brings out a sense of loss in Offred. I felt both nostalgia and sadness coming from this quote recognizing how far she is from that world. It’s a world where women have a voice, choice, and agency. This causes tension between the two as they grapple with ways to be included in each other’s lives being as though they live in two completely different worlds of feminism. The close and far proximity between the past and present times is striking, revealing a sense of loss for Offred and all women who have fought for autonomy and power. I found myself often struggling with the emotional weight that this chapter carries. Offred’s specified reactions are often laced with a bittersweet nostalgia that highlights the contrast between the freedom that her mother fought for and the enslavement she now endures. This moment is particularly intriguing to me because it forces me to confront my understanding of feminism and the ways it has evolved. Her reflections prompt me to consider what it means to be a woman in a society that seeks to define and limit femininity. Offred’s ambivalence towards her mother’s beliefs mirrors my uncertainties about the path of feminism. The comparison of Offred’s mother’s radicalism with Offred’s subdued existence raises questions about identity and self-worth. Offred struggles with feelings of not being enough, questioning her feminism in a world that has rendered her powerless. I found this internal conflict to be relatable to some ideas of masculinity, highlighting the struggle one may face when confronted with the legacies of those who fought for change. How do we honor their struggles while navigating our limitations?

Clicking the PDF should allow you to view all 3 pages

Knowing Fear within thy inner soul

The section that resonated with me was when Offred lost luke. However, the moment that truly struck with me within my mind was when Offred felt such fear after supposedly losing Luke that she felt not so much loneliness but afraid as if she had lost not just her child but also a part of herself, her very being as if there was nothing left in her world to truly matter to her.

After noticing this It seemed to me that Offerd had lost so much of herself that she felt fear not only that but she felt fear and darkness so much within that moment that she now knew fear itself as if she were looking directly at it as fear too was looking back through the darkest deeps of the world.

“I want to reach up, taste his skin, he makes me hungry. His fingers move, feeling my arm under the nightgown sleeve, as if his hand won’t listen to reason. It’s so good, to be touched by someone, to be felt so greedily, to feel so greedy. Luke, you’d know, you’d understand. It’s you here, in another body. I think of the hanged men, hooked on the Wall. I can hardly stand up. I have to get away, back to the stairs, before I dissolve entirely. His hand’s on my shoulder now, held still, heavy, pressing down on me like warm lead. Is this what I would die for? I’m a coward, I hate the thought of pain.”

Now as to why Offred was feeling this was because she had lost luke the man who she had a romantic interest with, only to then see him in a different body some time after losing him therefore causing her to feel such sadness, shame as well fear because it was as if she feeling thy sting of death within her body.

Due to the School District of Philadelphia half day for Staff Professional Development, SLA will follow the below schedule on Friday, 9/27:

08:15-08:55 B2 Band

09:00-09:40 C2 Band

09:45-10:25 X2/Y2 Band class

10:30-11:10 D2 Band

11:15-11:55 E2 Band

12:00-12:30 Lunch/Dismissal

Welcome Back to School!

Due to extreme heat in the forecast, SLA will follow modified schedules on Tuesday, 8/27, and Wednesday, 8/28. We will follow our traditional daily schedule on Thursday, 8/29.

TUESDAY, 8/27

08:15-08:40 Advisory

08:45-09:20 E1 Band

09:25-10:00 A2 Band

10:05-10:40 Y2/X2 Band (class, not lunch)

10:45-11:20 B2 Band

11:25-12:00 C2 Band

12:00-12:30 Lunch/Dismissal

WEDNESDAY, 8/28

08:15-09:10 D2 Band

09:15-10:05 E2 Band

10:10-11:00 A1 Band

11:05-11:55 B1 Band

12:00-12:30 Lunch/Dismissal

The traditional SLA schedule (linked below) resumes on Thursday, 8/29.

Welcome Back to School!

To kick off the 2024-2025 school year, we’re beginning with a modified schedule on Monday.

MONDAY, 8/26 – Have a wonderful first day!

08:15-10:20 Advisory

10:25-11:15 A1 Band

11:20-12:10 X1 Band (first lunch)

12:10-01:00 Y1 Band (second lunch)

01:05-01:55 B1 Band

02:00-02:50 C1 Band

02:55-03:45 D1 Band

My Capstone project was all about digging into how students here at school and in our city get around on bikes. I was super into the idea of doing something related to biking because it’s just something I’m really passionate about. I wanted to either work directly with bikes or teach others about them. But, here’s all the options I found were paid, and our school doesn’t let students get paid for their Capstone projects.

I Worked with the Bicycle Coalition to create some surveys and analyze data. The inquiry question I wanted to answer was why some students bike and why others don’t. I figured it would be a cool way to see how students get to school and what they think about biking.

Working with Nicole from the Bicycle Coalition was awesome. She helped me make sense of all the data and keep on track. We found some interesting stuff, like safety concerns about biking to school. I even came up with some ideas to make things better.

Honestly, the beginning was a struggle. I had to switch up my project halfway through the year because of payment rules. Originally, I wanted to help younger teens learn about bikes, but that fell through.

Looking back, I wish I’d planned things out better from the start and maybe reached out to more schools for data. But overall, I’m proud of what I accomplished. And I think I made a positive impact by caring about this stuff and trying to make things better for everyone.

Annotated Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qEs3E2dVvdxGPuzY0jYhzJjc8gpwsQxMhh3m1gfCD_Q/edit?usp=sharing

Link To Slideshow: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/145pU9-fHAHEbfnsftIk7Da0BpZEfqZ8mBiUNSta6Hcg/edit#slide=id.p

Link to responses: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1i1ukqwQ8nPgzLxOBxsRZvIU3Yt6MDg5Gf8wVJPQ9Oho/edit?usp=sharing

Capstone: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1JwvD1awfKpv0skU6tVa-1V_-HHnbvpE6ZF_BsY9M-0k/edit?usp=sharing

For my capstone, I wrote a book of poems. The poems are structured as they would regularly be, but instead of just a stanza of a poem, there is a book full. I decided to do this because of the passion I have for poetry. I’ve always been infatuated with the flow, mindset, words, and escape that poetry provided for me. Finding a different focus and perspective every time I put words on the paper. During this process, I discovered a lot, A lot about myself mostly. I had to start a new perspective about the reminiscence of my past. Focusing on where I used to be and where I am now. Reflecting and considering how I’ve changed, how I’ve felt, my mindset during that time, and where I am now.

Annotated Bibliography

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ouhVTprMOqkpn0nClXXjeDrZ-o0XvkziVpYhVIXegOw/edit?usp=sharing

I created a one-shot manga chapter that includes roughly 20 pages and a cover. A manga is a style of comic books that originated in Japan and is read from right to left. A one-shot manga specifically is a type of manga that has the entire story included within the lesser amount of pages given for the story. They are similar to a television pilot as one-shot manga are often written to be submitted in a writing contest and can possibly develop into a full-length series. My capstone project addresses the SLA core values through the messages in the story. The teacher of the main character is constantly asking questions to gain a better understanding of new knowledge. The teacher and their family’s constant research over generations is the reason they and the people around them were able to progress in the world they live in. Collaboration is shown through the peace and bonds built upon successful collaboration of a community. Presentation was shown through character interactions as well as my best attempt at paneling and drawing. The main character undergoes growth stemming from self reflection. The teacher’s application of these core values is what allows the main character to succeed, displaying the benefits of the SLA core values. The steps I focused on were meeting with my mentor, organizing my ideas in a google document, practicing drawing, and researching the manga creation process.

For my project, I decided to focus on a group of athletes who had been overlooked and lacked a dedicated photographer and cinematographer for their season. I ultimately chose flag football because, first, I never understood how the game worked, and second, they needed someone consistent to attend their games and practices. I dedicated hours of my time taking game and practice footage for them since it wasn’t fair that most other students often volunteered to take pictures for other highlighted sports. This specific group of athletes deserved that same recognition because they work just as hard as any other sport

annotated bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/16bECl27iE4JXRZy0Sa6tqYA5Y62UQWJAY2sxewdOtus/edit?usp=sharing

For my capstone project I wanted to display a form of community service to the school by helping other students on their mental health. I was thinking, what is a more newer but still school appropriate way of getting the students to talk about their mental health. so I wanted to make a bulletin board for students to write down how they feel about their academic challenges or how to handle personal life in school life. It’s easy for a student to be stressed out when dealing with mental health issues, so the bulletin board I wanted to make I wanted to help students to feel more open about how they feel about school and how we can handle mental health and classrooms better. Mental health is important in schools for a bunch of reasons. For me to complete my Capstone I was talking to a lot of my family members because in my dad’s side of the family we struggle a lot on mental health. I was just talking to them about their experiences dealing with mental health and how it impacts the family. It’s hard dealing with mental health when your family isn’t so supportive of your decisions or can’t understand you when you go through something.

For my senior capstone project I made a stained glass window. The idea started because I had done stained glass with The Stained Glass Project at the Kedrick Rec Center for my internship for junior year (now based at Woodmere Art Museum in Mt Airy). I loved the program and knew I wanted to come back next year. To create this capstone project we had a timeline, featuring the ideal design process and the creation process. I learned a lot about safety, the importance of connection and networking, and collaboration

At this point of my project, I wanted science to do that for other children around the nation. Accordingly, I did research. I scoured the internet for data and statistics, and I found a weird “anomaly.” According to PEW Research Center, children attending a K-12 school in the United States report loving science and hands-on learning, but as they aged older, that passion waned. In the report of The National Library of Medicine, It wasn’t because they didn’t like science anymore, in-fact, that interest seemed to stay almost constant. But, the children seemed to have lost their confidence in their ability to pursue a STEM career. When I looked into it, I found that this was most common amongst children who come from low-income backgrounds, a minority group, or children that suffer from a low self-esteem. My heart shattered when I saw this data. I kept picturing myself in that scenario. Especially because I was one of those kids that came from a minority background. It was apparent to me how close I actually was to losing something I was so passionate about. Something that I was sure I wanted to give my life to.

The Opioid Epidemic

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1T1jw75y7E7jFlFu-1pjUIwYY7WAzoBjB/view?usp=sharing

For my capstone, I created a mini YouTube-style documentary that was around 10 minutes long and talked about the history of opioids. It talks about how the drug works, how it became an epidemic, the solutions that have been implemented, and what should be done to deal with the issue. Throughout the video, I combined real photos and AI-generated images to bring attention to certain words and information that I talked about in the video. I also used background music to intensify and draw attention to important points.

My goal while creating the capstone was to bring more attention to the opioid epidemic. As a resident of Philadelphia, I frequently see news about fentanyl overdoses and see homeless people who appear to suffer from drug addiction either while using Septa or while walking through city hall. The thing I’m proud of during the creation of this documentary was getting new skills and doing things I didn’t think I could do before. For example, at first I thought it would be challenging to talk to a camera and edit the video since these aren’t skills I had before, but I was able to do both successfully. I am also proud that my video conveys the core message I intended to communicate.

My capstone project was a fantasy book I named “Princess Indira.” It’s a tragic legend about Princess Indira of Anastasia. She grew up in a kingdom that was once attacked which caused her parents to be very restricting. One day, to her surprise, she witnesses an attack on the kingdom so she takes it upon herself to find a way to protect it. My story was derived from an assignment I did in statistics class that I decided to build upon. The assignment itself was essentially a graded game of Dungeons & Dragons, which I enjoy playing. The story itself doesn’t exactly follow the SLA core values, but the process does. First, I had an inquiry about what it would be like to write a book since I’ve taken multiple writing classes at SLA. I then researched how to write a typical structured novel and what constitutes as a novel. After I collaborated with my older sister and aunt who both wrote books within the last five years. From that, I learned that books need storyboards the same way movies do. I presented the idea to my advisor after reflecting on my circumstances by reassuring myself that I can take on such a task before the due date.

My capstone is documentation of the the SLA student-run Art Festival and the student-run film festival Rocketfest with an interview of Torian Ugworji about the impact festivals can have for creators as well as the pitfalls present within the industry.

Hello my name is Aidan Simas and my capstone project is a documentary on the opioid crisis. I chose to do this project because the opioid crisis is so prevalent in my day to day commute to school. To complete this project I needed to plan what I wanted my documentary to look like. I spent a long time just gathering B-roll footage and gathering leads for interviews. It took a lot of effort and late nights to put everything together towards the end. Not to mention that a lot of my ideas didn’t end up working out. I am proud of the research that went into this project the most. I gathered a lot of statistics and credible resources, and I kept an ear out for information about the opioid crisis in my day to day life. I listened to a lot of stories about people who lost loved ones to these drugs. I learned a lot about the reality of addiction and the opioid crisis. Not just on a personal level but on a societal and economic level. I’ve always known this has been a problem but I now see it for what it truly is, it is a cancer.

Capstone product attached: https://www.wevideo.com/view/3452369001

As a graduate for the year of 2024, for my senior capstone project I developed a website that is purposed around a question-and-answer, artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot for Science Leadership Academy (SLA), Center City specific questions. This project was developed to be an informational hub for SLA specific answers, so that students, whether they are current SLA students or upcoming students, are able to find quick answers for any questions they have. Although the database is not as broadscale as it was supposed to be, as in the fact that it doesn’t know about every teacher nor does it know about every current event, it knows about a few teachers, serving as the start of something that could be further improved by anyone who wants to pursue the capstone in the future. And if no one wants to pursue it, that’s completely fine! Since the reason for its proposition was to lessen the fear mongering brought forward due to AI advancements, and show the good things AI can do under the right intentions and hands.

And , if someone does end up trying to further improve it, I hope this paragraph will help you. The languages I needed a basic understanding of are Python, Javascript, CSS, and HTML, which I already knew a bit about. Resources to learn include: W3schools, YouTube, and Codecademy. The AI, the python code, is the backend – cannot be seen – of the website, while the HTML, CSS, and Javascript are the frontend of the website – can be seen. For the AI, look into FAISS, Hugging Face, and Langchain. For hosting the website, look into Vercel, and for hosting the Python app, look into Pythonanywhere, Heroku, or Render. That’s it, good luck!

Website (AI may or may not be down atm): https://slagpt.vercel.app/

Annotated Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IpLb-_myW_AXVRYiibjFVCnllIKxPdHkntVrypc4mGU/edit?usp=sharing

My capstone is about the misrepresentation of Black Women/girls in media. Throughout my capstone, I kept asking myself “How to take back my narrative?”. In a mini case study, I asked multiple Black girls from different backgrounds how they wanted to be represented and this is their response. I wanted to do something that I knew that I was going to be proud of and in the making of my capstone, I succeeded.

The idea for my capstone is to connect with as many communities as I can and share as much love as I can. I would like to start practicing some networking skills before I go to college. As the product of my capstone, I decided to make appreciation cards and send them to various organizations. One of my favorite hobbies is to scrapbook and journal. This is a perfect mixture of a passion project and for me to improve on my networking skills. I learned to create opportunities for myself and problem solve when things do not go as planned. I also learned to appreciate the little things more.

This is one of the workshops we did during our club. We made affirmation posters for this workshop. There were many other workshops such as making cards for disabled kids, and thanksgiving card fundraiser.

This is one of our club members making a card for disabled kid. They were sent to various organizations such as Cards for Hospitalized Kids and The Confetti Foundation.

This is a close up example of one of the cards. This was made by one of the club founders. Many stickers were used to brighten up the cards and bring personality to the paper.

My goal for my capstone was to invest in other people’s lives in a way that related to my future. I assistant coached a neighborhood recreation center’s first softball team and then created a lesson plan focused on building teamwork. This lesson plan was based on my observations on improvements that could be made during their practices and games. My family has been part of this recreation center for many years so I have a passion for working with and helping the kids who are participating on its teams. I have watched sports my entire life and have also had the opportunity to be on multiple different teams through my athletic career. Throughout both of these experiences, I have noticed and acknowledged how important teamwork can be in achieving wins and a healthy team environment.

Going into capstone brainstorming, I knew I wanted to make something app related and something that would help me and other people as well. I looked back on some of my struggles from past years and tried to see if I could address any of the problems I had. In the end I came up with a Todo App designed for students that is also integrated with Canvas. During Freshman and Sophomore year I really struggled with disorganization and Procrastination and If i had an app where i could keep track of my personal tasks and school related tasks, that would have been one less thing getting in the way of my academic success. After roughly 90 hours of work, I ended up with my app, Simplicity. Simplicity is essentially 2 apps combined to one. Students can use Simplicity like a regular todo app with features like favorite tasks and categories, but at the same time they have the option to connect the app to Canvas and utilize the app to view course grades and upcoming assignments.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jFJdL1glunVhMDfnAsAwE8zu76V_iksCdGK1JlLD7lA/edit?usp=sharing