Blog Feed

My capstone project, EcoSTEM, is a sustainability and STEM-based initiative aimed at educating and empowering youth, particularly in underfunded and marginalized communities. The project originally began as a video game concept with three key missions: turn trash into treasure, clean up the community, and teach others about environmentalism. However, after testing and feedback, I realized the game lacked tangible impact. I pivoted the project, becoming “Player One” in real life—putting myself in the center of the mission to inspire change.

Rooted in personal experiences and passions, EcoSTEM was shaped by moments from my childhood: growing up in an environmentally conscious neighborhood, falling in love with STEM through a summer camp robotics experience, and seeing my creative work spark inspiration in younger students. These moments made me realize how powerful it is to give back—and how critical it is to provide access to sustainable innovation and creative technology for kids like me.

Through this capstone, I partnered with organizations, pitched to companies like Braskem to receive recycled 3D printer filament, and developed workshop ideas to educate youth on sustainability through hands-on creation. I explored how we learn, what we can create, and what it means to lead—by reflecting on my story and using it to design a solution for others.

EcoSTEM brings together art, science, sustainability, and equity to spark long-term environmental and personal change. It is more than a project—it is a mission to empower the next generation of creators, thinkers, and leaders.

For our senior capstone, my partner Trent Rodgers and I set out to recreate Spider-Man’s web shooters through a chemical lens. Inspired by a shared passion for Marvel and material science, we began by researching polymer structures capable of mimicking the fictional webs. Our initial experiments used a sodium alginate-based solution–our “First Generation” formula–developed during a summer program at The Franklin Institute. This laid the foundation for more advanced experimentation. Our research deepened when we studied a promising paper by Fiorenzo Omenetto at Tufts University. His work became the basis of our “Second Generation” solution. We collaborated with Omenetto and mentors like chemical engineer Bill Rodebaugh and engineering teacher John Kamal. After securing $650 in funding from Braskem, we acquired key materials, including chitosan, dopamine, and silk fibroin. However, delays in chemical delivery and insufficient quantities hampered our ability to perform comprehensive testing. Despite setbacks, we successfully tested multiple chemical combinations to create a durable, web-like polymer. Our most promising experiment revealed a critical reaction window when the solution turned white and foamy, though limited resources prevented us from fully capitalizing on it. This project demanded persistence, collaboration, and creative problem-solving. I learned how to navigate scientific research, develop experimental procedures, and manage real-world project constraints. While our final prototype fell short of full functionality, we took significant steps toward translating fiction into reality. With more time, materials, and focus, I believe this project could have achieved its ambitious goal. Below is a link to a drive of uncut lab recordings we took over the year.

My capstone was to create a lesson plan for 1 unit of physics in order to assist the new physics teacher in their next year of teaching. To create a fully fledged lesson plan I worked with different teachers such as Mr.Kamal and Ms.T(the physics substitute). To test the lesson plan I picked out a lesson and taught a physics class. It went really well and they gave me a lot of positive feedback.

biblography https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fLA0yuzu2Si7XVepAnPnStW7eNiPHNA8JtRNV2kDZV4/edit?usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Tq8hlETCWpuTKbhZCkDSs-5oOA0jzYSx?usp=drive_link

For my Capstone project, I created an eight week hygiene course plan for SLA’s health class to help educate students on how to properly care for their bodies. This idea came to me from my own experience in health class, where I felt that hygiene was not covered. I wanted to provide students, especially those who may not have learned about hygiene at home, with accessible, non embarrassing education on the subject. The process include alot of extensvie and independent research, and collaboration form students, the school nurse, Nurse Chris, and the health teacher Mr. Kelly. I designed engaging, easy to follow lessons on various different types of hygiene topics, ensuring they were age appropiate and relevant to students needs. One challenge that I had faced was the inability to fund and distribute hygiene kits, which were originally intended to support the lessons with practical resources. Despite this challange, I adapted by focusing on the digital aspect of the course planning. Throughout the project, I attended meetings, gathered feedback, and polished the course based on real concerns voiced by different students and teachers about hygiene in the school. I am ost proud of creating a safe and a supportive educational experience that aims to reduce shame and promote confidence. My Capstone reflects SLA’s core values by asking an important question, conducting research, collaborating with the communnity, and sharing a final product that can benefit future students at SLA. This project taught me how to turn personal expierences into meaningful action and how to build something that empowers others to take care of themselves with confidence.

For my Capstone project, my partner Sebastian Torres and I organized a school-wide basketball tournament at SLA, aiming to foster school spirit and community engagement. We planned a bracket-style event where student teams would compete, with the top teams facing teachers in a Student vs. Teacher game, alongside field day-style activities, a concession stand, and music to enhance the atmosphere. Throughout the process, I researched best practices for event organization, focusing on logistics, participation, and crowd management, especially given the challenge of a broken gym divider. We tried to collaborate with the NHS for event promotion, used flyers and Google Forms to recruit participants and helpers, and worked closely with staff to secure a date and resources, including a trophy for the winners. Although unforeseen scheduling conflicts prevented the event from taking place, the planning process taught me the importance of communication, flexibility, and accountability in large-scale projects. I learned that building a sense of belonging and school pride requires thoughtful organization and collaboration. Reflecting on the experience, I am proud of the structure and outreach of our project and believe it set a foundation for future community-building events at SLA.

Link to guide/bibliography: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ML_UT9yrwonRS_1Vdo5m6CvHYr9UPfd3?usp=drive_link

For my capstone project I worked with the Jewish Youth Climate Movement (JYCM) to create a chapter (also called a kvutzah) of their organization here in Philly, specifically at my synagogue. JYCM is a primarily youth-led organization taking climate action across the country, especially through the values of Judaism and the Jewish identity. I was able to start a kvutzah by teaching for three 45 minute sessions at one of my synagogue’s teen programs called Teen Tuesday, which is made up of 7th-9th graders. There were usually 11-14 of them there, and I taught about how the environment is connected to Judaism, how to take climate action, and more that can be viewed in my lesson plans which are in the google drive link below. This took a lot of planning which includes the virtual Kvutzah Leaders Fellowship, the JYCM Northeast Retreat, and meeting with one of the teen programmers at my synagogue, as well as my mentor (one of the JYCM adult organizers). The fellowship connected me with other teens who were aiming to create a kvutzah in their communities, and gave me training for how to actually start my own kvutzah, and was the main thing that helped to prepare me. One of the biggest lessons I learned from this is how much teachers and students learn from each other, because that is exactly what I experienced, and it brought me a lot of insight. (Please read the lesson plans before anything else in the google drive folder).

For my capstone project, I designed and executed a community mural in the school ballroom, inspired by Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree. The process involved significant inquiry with school artists to understand mural design, extensive research into materials and painting techniques, and collaboration with Mural Arts for funding. Initially, I explored STEM and language-based projects, then a Moroccan zellige tile mosaic, before settling on the mural due to funding constraints. The final product features a tree with a trunk painted by me and leaves representing various school communities. This project taught me the importance of adaptability, the practicalities of large-scale art production, and the power of community engagement. Reflection throughout the process allowed me to refine my vision and ensure the mural resonated with its intended audience. Ultimately, this capstone demonstrates the application of SLA’s core values in overcoming challenges to create a lasting, community-centered piece of art.

For my capstone project, I worked with the School District of Philadelphia on their plan for putting period products in all Philly school bathrooms. I started a mini organization called Students Against Period Poverty that advocated for more student voice to be included in the decisions being made around period products in school bathrooms. This culminated in a town hall that we led in collaboration with the School District and Philadelphia Youth Commission (which I am also a part of) where students could share their ideas and thoughts. Additionally, I met First Lady Shapiro and was able to advocate for student’s needs directly. I learned a lot about how to be a leader and a student activist, and how to get people to listen to what I have to say.

My Capstone is an Improvement plan for the building that is based upon architectural precedent and student opinions. In my capstone I outline problems with the school building and how I would solve them, other improvements, and what I believe would be the best course of action for the school to take in the future to improve the lives of students.

The first step in this process was to research what the school district has done in the past in order to improve the district’s buildings and what they have done recently.

The next was to attempt to find a building like SLA/Ben Franklin but there are not many like this and so I had to look into non-school buildings for ideas and found my inspiration in Europe instead with an airport of all things.

Then once I found my precedent I went into identifying problems and finding solutions.

Ultimately what I think I have learned is that I shouldn’t lose faith in projects because there were multiple times where I considered giving up on this project but I persevered

My Capstone is an Improvement plan for the building that is based upon architectural precedent and student opinions. In my capstone I outline problems with the school building and how I would solve them, other improvements, and what I believe would be the best course of action for the school to take in the future to improve the lives of students.

The first step in this process was to research what the school district has done in the past in order to improve the district’s buildings and what they have done recently.

The next was to attempt to find a building like SLA/Ben Franklin but there are not many like this and so I had to look into non-school buildings for ideas and found my inspiration in Europe instead with an airport of all things.

Then once I found my precedent I went into identifying problems and finding solutions.

Ultimately what I think I have learned is that I shouldn’t lose faith in projects because there were multiple times where I considered giving up on this project but I persevered

For my Capstone,I made 40 baby hats to donate to the Tiny Miracles Foundation, along with that, I will be donating things I have received.I like giving back to the community in many ways, such as donations, community service, etc. After consideration, I decided that I wanted to crochet something of use.I wanted to do something that had some sort of creativity aspect as well as a meaningful contribution to the community. Many families with infants in the NICU experience emotional and financial stress during this challenging time. My handmade items can provide comfort and warmth, helping to create a more nurturing environment for these vulnerable little ones. When researching, I came across crocheting articles and found that making baby hats for premature babies was something that was common and was something that was encouraged for people to do if they could. Crocheting for babies and donating the items is not just about the physical items being created. It embodies the spirit of community, compassion, and creativity, making a significant difference in the lives of vulnerable infants and their families while also enriching the lives of the crafters.

For my capstone, I aimed to foster cultural exchange between the SLA community and visiting exchange students. Combining my involvement in SOCA, a club I co-founded to celebrate cultural diversity, and my participation in the SLAmbassadors program, which offers cultural immersion experiences to students. I sought to create events that would promote understanding and appreciation of the different cultures that make up SLA. (The only event I don’t have pictures for is the Sports day with the Polish exchange students.)

This year my Capstone was Rocketfest which was a group capstone with my partners Olivia Gavin and Mira Khurana. Rocketfest is a Philadelphia Film festival hosted by Philadelphia Public School Students for Philadelphia’s Public School Students at the Philadelphia Free Library. The project itself consists of a Film Festival in which students from across the Philadelphia Public School area will submit films or photography to be judged by filmmakers and judges to be placed into the festival. Really working to create more filmmakers within Philadelphia and create a tradition for SLA to have for years to come.

For my capstone project, I created a website that teaches beginners how to code in JavaScript and make simple games using p5play, a JavaScript library for game development. This site is organized into a start page, a note page, a lesson menu, and 8 sections of tutorials, each introducing a major JS concept and some p5play concepts, alongside small interactive games, clickable multiple-choice questions, and a drag-and-drop coding activity to reinforce learning.

I began my project by inquiring about how to create a game and make it shareable to other people through a link. I planned out the layout of the website and created a visual design for the main components by using Google Slides and free assets from Kenney. I developed my game using Visual Studio Code and tested it using a live server. I learned about using Chrome Developer Tools to debug. For deployment, I first used Google Drive with DriveToWeb but encountered performance issues and an abnormal amount of third-party warnings. I then switched to Vercel and Github for a smoother and more reliable web deployment. I shared my website with people in SLA and obtained a lot of helpful feedback. This feedback is helpful for me to realize the issue I hadn’t noticed and bugs I didn’t find, which help me improve the usability of the website. Overall, I am proud of what I did and what I learned from the experience.

Link to my website: https://capstone1-phi.vercel.app/

For my Capstone, I created GEMSTONE (Girls in Engineering, Math, Science, and Technology: Opportunities, Networking, Empowerment), a digital resource hub designed to support high school girls interested in STEM. It includes monthly exploration worksheets, a curated database of over 50 extracurricular opportunities, and a series of 40 video interviews with women in STEM across a range of advanced fields. GEMSTONE is going to be integrated into 11 Philadelphia public schools and used in over 80 STEM classrooms in September.

I created GEMSTONE because as a girl who has spent four years in STEM classes, there have been many moments where I didn’t know where to start or who to turn to, and that made everything, from signing up for programs to picturing a future in STEM, feel harder than it needed to be. GEMSTONE is meant to change that: It gives girls a way in, and it gives them a head start.

Over 80 hours went into research, expert interviews, opportunity vetting, content design, and school integration. I collaborated with educators and professionals to make sure the materials were high-quality and useful. One of the most powerful parts of this project has been building a network between young girls and women already working in STEM—something that can be difficult to access in public school settings.

GEMSTONE is a resource I wish I had, and now it’s here for others. I’m proud that I adovcated for this project and believed in my idea so that it could be made an affordable, district wide resource.

Over the past year, my capstone project evolved significantly—from the original plan of building an electric guitar and learning to play it, to focusing solely on building the guitar. I chose this project to challenge myself in electrical engineering while also pushing creativity. Throughout the process, I made sure to incorporate our school’s core values: integrity in decision-making, extensive research into guitar design and construction, endless collaboration with my mentor, regular reflection to guide my progress, and a forthcoming presentation. One of my biggest challenges was attempting to design the guitar body in CAD software, since I struggle with that skill. After months of failed attempts, I pivoted to purchasing affordable parts online, only to find out they didn’t fit together. With just weeks remaining, I scrambled to find parts that worked. Despite setbacks, I devoted around 90 hours to researching, designing, and building the guitar, with tremendous help from my mentor. I’m proud that I was able to complete the project and learned valuable lessons about time management, adaptability, and my own limitations. Beyond the technical skills, the capstone experience also brought me closer to my classmates and teachers.

I, like many others in this school, have had trouble with losing things in school. My interest in coding inspired me to develop a Lost and Found app to remedy this. Users add their belongings to a shared catalog, where they can post their missing items to the entire school (or at least everyone who uses the app) for others to find and report to you. In turn, when you find someone else’s item, you can directly message the owner in the app to let them know when and where to meet you and retrieve the item.

For my Senior Capstone project, I created a web-based, full-stack chess engine in which users can play against AI opponents with adjustable difficulty levels. Throughout eighty hours, I built a JavaScript engine with 64-bit bitboard representations, a depth-limited minimax algorithm with alpha-beta pruning, and handcrafted evaluation heuristics for position scoring. I combined this with a React frontend that utilizes Chessboard.js for interactive play, and a Node.js/Express backend with WebSocket support to sync game state in real-time.

The project demonstrates Science Leadership Academy’s five core values: I used Inquiry to define driving technical questions, Research to learn about algorithms and network communication, Collaboration to work with classmates and gain feedback online, Presentation to present progress through code and blog entries, and Reflection to record problems and insights in a development journal.

Key milestones involved developing the core engine, altering evaluation logic, constructing a complex user interface in terms of CRAP design principles, real-time server communication implementation, and debugging performance. Issues like search bottlenecks and asynchronous message sequencing require technical problem-solving through pruning strategies and sequence tracking.

The project instilled in me fundamental skills in algorithm design, software architecture, and user-driven development. It also made me further appreciate the application of abstract theory through practical engineering.

GitHub Link: https://github.com/wosorio25/ChessEng

My Capstone was focusing on building a college helper and assistant tool where you can have the ability to see and compare different universities. Also communicating with other students for help and support.On top of that one special feature is where you could connect with students thought linkedin by specific majors. I choose to do this project because I wanted to be able to help students who want to be able to branch out and diversifying their portfolios to reach their highest potential.In the summer I worked for this startup company called open which is a college application mentorship. I was able to work on this and build something for my high schools. I worked with some of my colleges from the summer to help me with this product.THis process involved a lot of planning,a lot of research on different college information ,and a lot of website building into finding something which is unique. Also working with my mentors and listening to their advice on building this helped me a lot. I learnt a lot on that you have to be able to adapt and not everything will go your way.

https://lighthearted-cupcake-3427b8.netlify.app/

My senior Capstone project involved teaching a mini-course to 9th graders about strength training, while having them do exercises. This was possible due to an abundance of research, mentor assistance, and planning. I wanted my students to be ahead of their health, and I wanted to share the thrill of physical exercise with the youth. I have made several slide shows that I update regularly and plan to share with my students when my mini-course is over. I also have videos of them exercising, as well as my people who took pictures of my mini course in action.

For my capstone, I created a 30-minute podcast exploring Philadelphia’s stray cat population, examining the problem’s scope, impact, and potential solutions through expert interviews and research. My project began from personal concern when learning about cat dissections in class. I gathered essential questions about community cats and their management, which guided my research. Through a combination of personal stories, expert interviews, and statistical data, the film aims to shed light on this often-overlooked urban challenge. This podcast aims to raise awareness about Philadelphia’s stray cat population, encourage community engagement, and explore humane solutions to a complex urban issue. Stray and feral cats are ubiquitous throughout Philadelphia, with particularly high concentrations in areas with abandoned buildings, industrial zones, and neighborhoods with limited resources for animal control. These cats typically form colonies around reliable food sources, often provided by community members. According to estimates from local animal welfare organizations, Philadelphia may be home to over 400,000 stray and feral cats, with the population showing seasonal fluctuations related to breeding cycles (Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society, 2023). The cats’ presence is particularly noticeable along major corridors such as Columbus Boulevard and in the city’s extensive network of alleys, where they find shelter and access to food sources including discarded food waste. Over 80+ hours, I researched academic literature, designed interview protocols, conducted and transcribed interviews, and developed audio editing skills. When my original documentary vision proved impossible, I pivoted to creating a podcast format. This project taught me persistence, adaptability, and independent problem-solving. I learned to build trust with hesitant interviewees and create coherent narratives from disparate sources. Most importantly, I discovered that meaningful learning often happens when plans fail and we must reimagine our path forward. Creating something outside my comfort zone, a podcast I’d typically avoid listening to, became a source of pride and personal growth.

Podcast: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZoNJ_Xhy4Ad91ZxPAeLZF1aCjqm2eXIT/view?usp=sharing

Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yr5ta16QwoAChCm2-XiTHUx7R6ZgF_RvnnlC01nEYrc/edit?usp=sharing

The broad goal of my Capstone Project is to capture photos of the school’s athletes and edit photos of them all in uniform with each other. Throughout the time spent working on this project, I poured my passion for digital video editing into the work. As a senior student athlete myself who plays three sports that are all finished now, I know what it feels like to have that gut punch feeling of “oh wow, I’m never gonna be able to do this again.” It really hurts to lose your teammates, your coaches, and sometimes your chance to play the sport ever again. Being able to hang up the photos of all these senior athletes and honor their dedication to not only their sport and their teammates and their coaches, but the school as well. Our capstone project gives them the opportunity to be seen by the next generation. When looking back on everything that has happened, I wish I had been able to put more effort into the photo shoots. Not being there to help out my partner with all of the complications I just mentioned was really weighing on me while I was going through all of my health issues. I would consider the final product of this project a little bit rushed, but still complete enough that I’m happy with what I’ve created and I feel confident enough to be able to submit by the deadline and present it to people with pride.

• https://sites.google.com/scienceleadership.org/slamediaday/home (Digitization)

• https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OciLtohLM7cYkg0lFzEiJ0EFSqukS6a_YCS_OpQJ_Nc/edit?usp=sharing (Bibliography)

For my capstone project, I explored the world of engineering by interviewing professionals across various fields such as mechanical, electrical, civil, biomedical, aerospace, and software engineering. My goal was to gain insight into what engineers actually do, their career journeys, and the challenges they face. These interviews, conducted via Zoom and organized by field, were created as a resource for students interested in STEM careers. The idea stemmed from my own uncertainty about engineering paths, despite classroom exposure. I wanted real-world perspectives and used this project to improve my communication, organization, and interviewing skills. I collaborated with mentors, especially through Braskem, to connect with engineers and refine my questions. Though I faced challenges, particularly getting responses, I successfully conducted five meaningful interviews. Throughout the process, I embraced SLA’s core values: Inquiry through my curiosity, Research by preparing and learning from interviews, Collaboration with mentors and professionals, Presentation in organizing interviews by field, and Reflection in evaluating both my progress and the insights gained. I’m proud of turning my curiosity into a resource that exposes some engineering careers. It offers relatable, authentic stories for students who may be unsure where to start in STEM. This project made the field feel more approachable and showed me that there’s no single path to becoming an engineer. If I could expand it, I’d include more interviews and possibly job-shadowing opportunities. Ultimately, I hope this project inspires others to explore engineering with confidence and curiosity.

https://sites.google.com/d/1xEh6WaaOOZYN2qD4PD4608isbVKyNP3y/p/17-72x0LiMwM5EHlQp-pultuZZtkKBXN6/edit

By the end of my freshman year, I had already decided what my capstone was going to be. I participated in a running event put on by another member of Students Run Philly Style, dubbed the “SLA Anyway 5k” which he did as his capstone project, inspired by another iteration of the 5k before him. Since I had always participated in running races, I was struck by curiosity about what it is like to be a race director. How do the elements that make a good race come together? From my capstone, I learned a valuable lesson in event planning that I hope to apply moving forward. Always account for the unexpected. There were many elements to this project that I did not even consider beforehand, such as venue troubles and T-shirt designs. The process involved selecting a location and date, advertising, redesigning the race website, purchasing and selling T-shirts, and setting up snacks and drinks, among other things. My work culminated in the SLA Anyway 5k on May 10th in FDR Park. Around 60 participants ran around the park loop, with snacks, hot dogs, and beverages awaiting them at the finish line. Medals were given out to finishers along with shirts for $15. From this, we raised $500 for SLA, with huge support from the Philly Slow Girl Run Club, who helped volunteer and contribute. I was able to connect with the running community through this event, and (hopefully) fostered a fun Saturday morning for everyone involved.

Use this link to view photos from race day! https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iYQh8-6nCZLbl1Gn11WM4N1oXkqR05dH?

In an effort to bring my neighborhood together and promote sustainable living, I transformed my front yard into a thriving community flower garden. Through the process, I learned the importance of planning, patience, and research. I learned a lot, not just about gardening but also about organization and challenging myself. I did a lot of research, and I even taught someone about the process of planting as it was happening. It wasn’t easy, but being able to teach myself something I had never done before was both fun and grueling. I spent hours of every week maintaining my flowers and teaching others about how gardening worked and how my process had been going so far. I am very proud of how far my garden has come, here are some picture of my before and (almost) after! The final result will be shown in my presentation!

Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1C-GDvB3fA4ZylxEl0Jfpd21TF7oi6OimuIG99l6XP7Q/edit?usp=drivesdk