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  In your senior year at Science Leadership Academy you are asked to produce a Capstone. Our senior capstone gives us the responsibility to educate ourselves and the freedom to be in charge of our own education. Using what we know to educate those around us. Our capstone requires us to incorporate all 5 core values; presentation, inquiry, research, reflection and collaboration. These values have been instilled in our performance as students and in our work ethic over the course of years.

One thing that I always appreciated about the SLA community was our freedom to express ourselves in many aspects. One being in the way we dress. The freedom to wear whatever our hearts desired as long as it wasn’t offensive or creating a negative learning environment for other students around us. Image/fashion has always been an important aspect of life to me. I knew I wanted to center my capstone around this idea that the image and perspective we have of ourselves and others shapes our everyday experiences. Image/fashion plays a significant role in our lives, whether it used for racial discrimination, judgement, sexual orientation, class, business, or simply just to express ourselves as human beings.

During this project I was able to reach out to up and coming fashion designers, teachers, students, and family members regarding the purpose of image. After much preparation, time, and research I was able to create a website sharing my findings and ideas about fashion/image. One truth that I found to be evident is that as a society we shouldn’t try to make a purpose for image, we should make image purposeful.

Link to website: https://obrown35.wixsite.com/image

​I have always been interested in American Sign Language (ASL) for as long as I can remember. Many of my preschool teachers knew ASL and from time to time would teach us different signs. I also remember having books and and instructional video teaching ASL. For my capstone I wanted to learn a language. I was at first interested in relearning ASL, but found that it turned out quickly that I would much rather learn about the Deaf Community. In researching the about the Deaf Community, I learned about the two different sides of the Deaf Community, and how the invention of Cochlear Implants impacted the Deaf Community negatively. I continued learning more and more about Cochlear Implants and what they are and how they work. I listened to multiple podcasts in which reporters would interview people who had lost their hearing or were born deaf and who had Cochlear Implants about what their lives were like and how their lives changed due to getting Cochlear Implants. I also learned the other uses of cochlear implants or other technology instead of cochlear implants. I was able to interview three different people who either had Cochlear implants or were considered part of the deaf community themselves. Their opinions on the deaf community were very interesting and what they had to say about Cochlear Implants was very helpful. Overall I am very proud of the work I put into this capstone and am proud of the outcome.

For my capstone, it was important for me to work with children. I originally wanted to volunteer at St. Christopher’s Hospital and do storytelling with the children, as well as creating a book. However, there were a few complications with that idea so my mentor, Ms. Giknis and I, were brainstorming of other places I could possibly volunteer at while still doing something similar to what I wanted to do. We eventually saw that Ronald McDonald House offers opportunities for volunteers, most times high schoolers, to create arts and crafts or play some kids who are long-term ill. My main goal for this capstone was to give children who are ill, the opportunity to “play” or “live” like a normal child would. These children are constantly in and out of the hospital, some even only knowing what a hospital room looks like. Most of the research towards this project was just looking up ways to approach children who are ill and even families of the children. A lot of it was also finding fun arts and crafts for them to do.

Thinking about the Future

With my first blog post I talked about how the world will look like Earth from the Disney movie, WALL-E. The reason I related the future of Earth to WALL-E’s world is because in WALL-E the world is a trash planet covered in trash. There is buildings made of trash, now our Earth right now doesn’t have buildings of trash, but we do have large heaps and streets filled with trash. So how will it be in the future? Look at my old Blog Post here.

This whole project is about raising awareness about littering. I’m not just trying to make the world more beautiful, I’m trying to show people the effects this can cause and will cause. It's so much more than just dropping a piece of trash in the street. It causes so much harm to this planet to where we will soon have to leave Earth and go to a whole new planet, and leave this planet to be a wasteland. It's shameful for humans to not care. Makes some people ashamed to be humans. It makes me scared for my descendants. I am a person who is very fond of family. The cheatley family always must go on, for me at least. The fact that they will grow up on different planets because the one that birthed us, we destroyed. This is just my opinion though, back on the actual topic.

  People who litter litter because people don't see it as a bad thing, they see it as just a normal act, but they don't see it as harming the planet. As seen in the graph below, you can see that the majority of people would do nothing if they saw someone litter. I think the reasoning is because people just don't want to intrude on people's lives, but for me personally, I would pick up litter if I see someone litter. My mother just always raised me in those ways.  

 I found out a lot about the ninth grade and what they think about littering. Most of the students do think that littering is a bad thing seen in this Histogram

Bibliography

Zeshawn Rahman

Freire, Paulo. Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Harmondsworth, Middlesex: Penguin, 1985.

* This source will be used to further an understanding of teaching in a more professional level going toward the future. It was recommended by Mr. Herman, who commented that it shaped his understanding and views on teaching. Though Freire analyzes teaching through a lens which focuses on 'oppression' and the need for an individual to be 'liberated', this can be easily adapted to teaching. When critical awareness and thinking are brought out via teaching, the students are, in effect, liberated. He brings up 'Problem-Solving' education as a method to combat this oppression, in which the teacher and student begin a dialogue, and learn from each other. Simple techniques from this text are beneficial; students focus more, have increased levels of motivation and happiness when they are accompanied by the teacher in various activities.

"Lectures Aren't Just Boring, They're Ineffective, Too, Study Finds." Science | AAAS. January 12, 2016. Accessed February 02, 2017. http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2014/05/lectures-arent-just-boring-theyre-ineffective-too-study-finds.

* As with 'The Pedagogy of The Oppressed', this source outlines why teaching with a firm hand, and mainly lecture-based is proven to fail. Although Freire embraces the problem-solving method of education, in a technical and often detailed workflow such as filmmaking, often times definitions and such are required. As this basis is often taught at the beginning of such courses via lecture-based format, it is evident that many students forget, or are unable to recall even the simplest terms and nomenclature after being in the program for three or more years. As a teacher for a course in which students are already enrolled in their respective media-coursework, many are already fluent in these terms. Adding review material toward the end and beginning of lessons in an engaging format will cement this knowledge in students.

Lehmann, Chris, and Zac Chase. Building School 2.0: How to Create the Schools We Need. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2015.

* Building School: 2.0 will be essential to leading a course in which many are accustomed to the lesson plans and general teaching direction as outlined by Mr. Lehmann. Even though SLA is a school that follows this form, some details may be hard to understand. For a teacher to fully deliver lesson in accordance at SLA, it seems imperative to read Building School 2.0. In essence, a class for an ILP would be an environment as it's own school, where the sole teacher is in control. With a combination of Freire's teachings and Lehmann's book, experience gained would not only be refined but applicable to modern environment.

"Multi-camera Editing Workflow." Create and Edit a Multi-camera Sequence in Premiere Pro. Accessed February 02, 2017. https://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-pro/using/create-multi-camera-source-sequence.html.

* This source by Adobe will be critical in upcoming lessons which are focused on multi-camera editing workflow. As this is the official method of editing recommended by Adobe, students learning will be greatly benefited early on. When moving on to senior year, CTE students will be Adobe certified, and required to have a working knowledge of all functions in Premiere.  Reviewing this source, it's easy to follow, especially for students who are learning it for the first time. A lesson set will be based on editing footage that was recorded during Educon.

"Prime Vs. Zoom Lenses » Expert Photography." Expert Photography. October 17, 2016. Accessed February 02, 2017. https://expertphotography.com/prime-vs-zoom-lenses/.

* A critical workflow that students will be introduced to as they progress further is the almost religious usage of prime lenses. Prime lenses are lenses that are fixed focal length, and 'do not zoom'. Examples of prime lenses are the 35, 50, and 85mm focal lengths. Benefits of prime lenses are that they usually offer very fast apertures, often exceeding f/2.0, with some 'super primes' even reaching the impeccable f/1.0 aperture. The benefits of fast (large max. Aperture) lenses are their ability to lower the sensitivity required by a camera. For example, in a dimly lit classroom, average exposure would read 1/30 second, f/3.5, at an ISO of 800. If a prime lens was used with aperture of 1.4, the equivalent exposure would read 1/30 second, f/1.4 at ISO 125. This would allow the photographer to have clear image quality, with almost no 'noise', that would be very evident in the ISO 800 shot.

Richardson, Will. From Master Teacher to Master Learner. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press, 2015.

* This source is yet another on the fundamentals of teaching, and process to become an influential teacher. In Chapter 2, Richardson states "Students should "productive learners", learners who have their passion, their own purpose.", which resonates with the concepts of the ILP and the Capstone project. From personal research and experience, one can find himself in a position to teach, yet this was formed through a passion, and desire of giving back to those who have taught him. Richardson's method of teaching is critical in evaluating this relationship between teaching and learning as the fundamental basis for a cycle of learning.

TEDxTalks. "Learning Styles & the Importance of Critical Self-reflection | Tesia Marshik | TEDxUWLaCrosse." YouTube. April 02, 2015. Accessed February 02, 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=855Now8h5Rs.

* Though many agree that learning styles are a concept that lead to students learning differently, and lessons have to cater to various students' learning styles, it is not truly required. This source is critical in dismissing the myth of 'Learning Styles' and unify toward a universal teaching method: an inquiry based, teacher-student relationship. As a student, learning styles have often been discussed, with largely no benefits. However,  in an attempt to cater to all, maintaining interest while simultaneously teaching and assessing performance is difficult, if not impossible to accomplish without inquiry based learning and teaching, in which both parties are involved. Personal goals of teaching are to combine Freire, Richardson & Marshik to create vivid, engaging lesson plans, and this source cements one section of teaching.

TEDxTalks. "What Do Top Students Do Differently? | Douglas Barton | TEDxYouth@Tallinn." YouTube. March 26, 2015. Accessed February 02, 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Na8m4GPqA30.

* This source will be presented in the form of a presentation during the first ILP of the third quarter. Though this is may not be directly related to media, it will serve as a primer for the further lessons which are more technically based, with occasional tests and grade-based system. Furthermore, as students progress to higher education, and are removed from the ILP program in senior year, there will be more test-based and standardized workflow. As an ending portion of every lesson, a quiz or similar format of review (5 minutes timing) will be delivered in a subject matter of what the class wants to learn.

"Try Basic Editing Techniques in Premiere Pro | Adobe Premiere Pro CC Tutorials." Try Basic Editing Techniques in Premiere Pro | Adobe Premiere Pro CC Tutorials. Accessed February 02, 2017. https://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-pro/how-to/edit-videos.html.

* Although a teacher has to be advanced in the subject before they are capable to teach, there are often small errors one will make. In the position of a teacher, if  this mistake isn't caught, students may follow unknowingly, leading to a larger issue. This source will be simplified, and printed out to give to all students as a refresher and guide as the lesson is in progress. Also, this is the certified Adobe method of editing using their program, and is industry standard. The significance is that students taught via the Adobe method will have an easier experience testing for the Adobe certification, rather than following along a roughly structured lesson.

Richardson, Will, and Bruce Dixon. "10 Principles For Schools Of Modern Learning." Modern Learners. 2017. Accessed February 2, 2017. https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/modernlearners/Modern Learners 10 Principles for Schools of Modern Learning whitepaper.pdf.

*  While the Pedagogy of The Oppressed is from the 1970's, and even Richardson's own book is from 2015, it's hard to find source material that is applicable in the present area. Of course, the terms and practices are everlasting in general application, however this is an article that was released just this month. With the new administration in power, this article provides valuable insight that "an “education” is what we create for ourselves rather than something someone else creates and delivers to us.", and the educational shift is " And let us be clear: it is the modern learner’s newfound capability to take full control of his or her learning that is THE educational shift of our times." A modern interpretation of Friere, this is a teaching method that will be applied in the ILP class. As it is an individual learning plan, students will experiment and learn various techniques themselves, through experimentation and self-direction, thus taking control of their learning and creating an education for themselves.

Philadelphia's class divide is very noticeable. Its neighborhoods range from single home mansions, to townhouses, to some of the country's most dangerous communities. This capstone focuses on the life history behind the people living in these areas, their stories. People from these different communities have very different experiences and opinions of Philadelphia. Some think that the politicians are not doing enough to help strengthen the relationships between the police and the communities they serve. While others don’t believe that there is a problem at all.

Data collection involved a survey delivered in person. In an attempt  to assert some control of the survey the same 10 questions were asked by the same surveyor. The questions were asked at the same time of day on the same day of the week over a 5 week period.

The survey was created by giving the respondent yes or no questions. The result were compiled by taking the result of each neighborhood and tabulting the most recurring answers to give a percentage. For example: did you participate in the last presidential election? If No do you think that you vote counts?

What some of the result show is that people from the most dangerous communities are not voting because they don’t think that their vote counts or that it will make a difference. While people from wealthy neighborhoods believe in voting and that the system fair and just.

I interview someone named john, John was from north philadelphia and was downtown because of an internship at the comcast center as a salesman. He is 23 years old and he does not like catching the broad street line every morning to work and said he wishes there was a better way to get there  it seemed to me he didn’t like his job or the way he’s living right know.

Later I interviewed a young lady named Sarah, she worked downtown also as a government official and she takes regional rail every morning. Regional Rail in mostly a quiet train above ground for what it might seem like only privileged people take  because it takes 6 dollars way . Sarah is 25.

#English 9

#You and the World

In my previous blog post, I looked at how over the past five years, Taney and Bainbridge streets have gone from beautiful and healthy to litter filled and unclean. Why is this? The construction of CHOP towers and new neighbors who don’t seem to care about the neighborhood are the cause. There are multiple organizations that clean up the streets like the Philadelphia Streets Department’s garbage trucks and the Litter Cabinet. These would be helpful clean up plans, but the garbage trucks only pick up people’s trash on Monday and only take the trash in the garbage cans and I have never heard of or seen the Litter Cabinet in my neighborhood. Though there is an organization that is currently in full swing and is effective at picking up litter, called Not in Philly. Not in Philly is a non-profit organization about cleaning various neighborhoods in Philadelphia. It started in Walnut Hill and Spruce Hill but has spread throughout the city over the years. You can sign up on http://notinphilly.org/ to join the organization and clean your own neighborhood with Not In Philly.

On May 6th, I went outside, equipped with a notebook and a camera to make observations on what I saw on Bainbridge and Taney streets. As I walked around, I expected to find the people who were littering so I could write it down for my observations. To my disappointment, I found no one doing such, I was out alone. Fortunately (or unfortunately), I found a lot of leftover trash on the curb and the sidewalk. I found objects such as discarded children’s clay under a family car, plastic bags of dog waste, and used batteries, old newspapers, and cigarettes, both recently discarded and ones that had been there a long time. From my research I have come to the conclusion that Bainbridge street is much dirtier than Taney street. Again, this is because Bainbridge is where the majority of the new neighbors live and at the end of the street is the construction site for the new CHOP towers.

I did help to pick up the litter.  I was not just making observations.  Most of this litter can go in regular trash bins or in recycling bins.  However, the batteries presented a problem: what does a person do with old, slightly crushed batteries? I have heard off different programs that take in used batteries and recycle them. One of these programs is at the University of Pennsylvania upenn battery-recycling. Also, there is a used battery drop box at the information desk in Houston Hall.  Another program is from the PhiladelphiaStreets.com: ¨E-cycling¨. The website says the city has events for collecting ¨...household hazardous waste (HHW)...¨. philadelphiastreets.com/recycling/home-base-residential  This includes electronics (old TVs, computers, etc.), paints, household cleaners, and batteries.  You can find a detailed list of what can and can’t be recycled here. So the next time I see a used battery lying on the streets or on the sidewalk I know I can drop it off at Houston Hall to help the environment and my community. As a way of helping my community I am planning to sign up with ¨Not In Philly¨ and help my neighbors recycle used batteries.

https://sustainability.upenn.edu/news/battery-recycling-expands-sas-buildings

http://www.philadelphiastreets.com/recycling/how-to-recycle

http://www.philadelphiastreets.com/recycling/home-base-residential

http://notinphilly.org/

Damaged battery on Bainbridge St.

Old Play Dough under a car.

As seniors eager to walk across the stage in June at graduation, we often look at Capstones as another mandatory project that we need in order to get there. For what I look at as the most important project of my senior year, I wanted to be able to put forth a product that would be beneficial for my personal growth as well as the potential growth of my peers.

Initially, I did not know what exactly I wanted my final product to be, but I knew that i wanted my target group to be young females in high school. After pondering I came up with a concept of helping build self-esteem and unity among the girls in your community. Growing up I was bullied by some of the girls that I was surrounded by, but me being young and naive, I confused it with it being apart of the process of becoming cool. Coming into SLA allowed me to find genuine girls that cared, loved, and supported one another. My capstone was targeting the underclassman and attempting to get them to take part in like behaviors for the greater good of their community. Along with having special lunch dates with 9th and 10th grade students where we created a safe and non- judgemental space to talk freely to one another, I also put on a Ladies Who Lunch event where myself and about 15 other girls got together, enjoyed sweet treats, and got in tune with our inner selves to build each other up. My final product is a video documentation of my event followed by a Girl's Guide To Surviving High School. Although graduation is rapidly approaching, I was able to take away lessons from my events and hope to implement them into my college life.

Jamira Terrell

Capstone

03 February 2017

Annotated Bibliography

Volleytastic. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Feb. 2017.

http://www.volleytastic.com/about-volleyball/history-of-indoor-volleyball/

I selected this source because I think it is important for people to know the history of volleyball. I think that this is important so that people will know why the sport is so popular. This website also provides informational timeline on the growth of volleyball and how it spread to different countries. Knowing the history of a sport can help curious players the risks of the sport, the difficulty level, and who/what originated the complexity of the sport.

Volleytastic. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Feb. 2017.

http://www.volleytastic.com/playing-volleyball/volleyball-injuries-and-prevention/

This source is essential to my project because it provides information on injuries and different ways to prevent them. The reason I have multiple sources on injury prevention is because it I think that is important for beginners to know and fully understand the risks that they are posing to there bodies and also what to know if said risks occur. It is important for every athlete, not just volleyball players, to learn how to take care of their body both during and after a sport. Stretching, icing, massaging, etc. are just a few ways to keep one’s body in good condition and this site explains other ways as well.

"Differences Between Indoor and Outdoor Volleyballs." Real Volleyball. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Feb. 2017.

http://www.realvolleyball.com/blog/differences-between-indoor-and-outdoor-volleyballs/

I found this source useful because I do not think that most people know the difference between indoor and outdoor volleyball. Also, a lot of people who play volleyball play both indoor and outdoor. It is important to know the difference between the two because although one may know how to play indoor, they may not know how to play outdoor. The rules and regulations for both differ from each other in both major and minor ways. Because of the difference in rules, it may prevent some from playing. Also, outdoor (beach) volleyball is generally more difficult to play than indoor volleyball.

Hebert, Mike. Thinking volleyball. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2014. Print.

There are many people whose first thought is that volleyball is so easy and that there isn’t much to it, which is why I found this book to be very useful. It breaks down the mental capacity and strength needed to play volleyball. This source is essential because most people do not understand that there is more to the game of volleyball than just serving, passing, and hitting. The game requires mental determination and the ability to understand multiple plays, defensive skills, offensive skills, etc. Without this understanding of the mental aspect of the game, some people may find it harder than others to excel in this sport.

"How to Play Volleyball | Learning Skills and Rules." Volleyball Advisors. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Feb. 2017.

http://www.volleyballadvisors.com/how-to-play-volleyball.htm

This source provides information on the “how to” basics of volleyball. The article goes into detail about the game as whole but more specifically the physical and mental aspect of playing the game. This source, although too detailed for exactly what I need, I can still use the basic information in order to construct step by step rules on the game. Instead of completely dismissing the additional information given within the article, I can use it to provide and even more detailed and advanced explanation.

Kenny, Bonnie, and Cindy Gregory. Volleyball: steps to success. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2006. Print.

I selected this book because I think it helps beginners understand the major steps in order to be successful while playing volleyball. Although, this source is so detailed to the point where it can also teach people that have been playing volleyball for a very long time. This source is not just geared towards beginners but it will help be in laying out the basic steps to success for those who do not know anything about volleyball. This source is extremely informative and also describes how one can better specific skills used in volleyball. With this source I can inform people of the steps that they need to take and the drills that they can do in order to become a better player.

"Preventing Volleyball Injuries." Volleyball Injuries | Volleyball Injury Prevention & Treatment. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Feb. 2017.

http://www.stopsportsinjuries.org/STOP/Prevent_Injuries/Volleyball_Injury_Prevention.aspx

Initially, I did not think that this website would help with my capstone project because I figured that it would be basic information on common volleyball injuries. I was in fact proven wrong when I reviewed the source because it provided in extreme detail multiple injuries caused by playing volleyball and also gave the types of injury prevention exercises specific to each injury. This source is beneficial to me because it is a major section in the Volleyball Guide 101 book that I am making and the information provided within this article will fit perfectly in the book.

"Safety Tips: Volleyball." KidsHealth. The Nemours Foundation, n.d. Web. 03 Feb. 2017.

http://kidshealth.org/en/teens/safety-volleyball.html?WT.ac=ctg

I selected this source because it provided information about safety tips of volleyball and the accessories needed to remain safe while playing the game. Although, this source does not go into in depth detail, it still allows me to use the information for my project so that I can information students on the required and optional materials used for the sport. Some of the materials are used to better one’s performance and others may be used for personal preference. I will specifically use this source for the information that I present in my “how to” book for my final project.

"Volleyball Shoes – The Right Pair Makes A World of Difference." Volleyball Shoes Make All The Difference. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Feb. 2017.

http://www.volleyball-training-ground.com/volleyball-shoes.html

Although short in content, I find this sourced to be very useful. Most people who are beginners to the sport do not understand how essential it is to have the right footwear while playing. Regular tennis shoes are acceptable, but for better performance, specific court shoes should be worn. Court shoes generally have a rubber sole so that individuals can move quickly and also stop abruptly without slipping and sliding on the court. Also, the website provides details on how to determine when to get new court shoes and the reason behind taking care of said athletic wear.

"Volleyball Training 101 - A Program For Successful Players!" Bodybuilding.com. N.p., 09 Apr. 2015. Web. 03 Feb. 2017.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/volleyball_training.htm

At first, I was not going to add information to my capstone about pre-season and off- season workouts, but after reviewing this source, I feel like this is a necessary element to add. The reason this source is so important is because in order to play not just volleyball but any sport, one needs to be in good physical condition and healthy both during and after the season. Working out before the season enhances the ability of better performance and strength during season and off season workouts maintains the balance of health with the abrupt halt of activity.

In my first blog post I talked about what internet addiction was and how it can affect your life. I also talked about a few reasons why people are addicted to the internet. One thing I never talked about is carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome is something that only affects the hand and fingers and rarely anywhere on your arm. Carpal tunnel syndrome is when you feel pain, numbness, or tingling in your fingers or hand. Not gonna lie, I have had a bunch of carpal tunnel syndromes in my life at night and its short ones and only in one finger. I wanted to talk about carpal tunnel syndrome as one or two people who responded to my survey said they had no clue what it was when I checked the responses. I sort of blame myself as I left a little explanation at the top but forgot to add that it was at the top on the question. Carpal tunnel syndrome happens when there's pressure on the median nerve in your wrist. The median nerve to simplify it is the nerves in your entire arm and hand. Want a more scientific term for it follow this link. I should mention that carpal tunnel syndrome is one thing you can get from an internet addiction and that’s why I am talking about it.

Image found at: CTS

For my capstone, I wanted to do something not only for students and teachers as well. So I decided to clean up Room 500 up on the fifth floor. Room 500 is a room where students hang out, teachers take students for quizzes and studying, or both students and teachers go to so they can use the printer there. The room was in a bad state, the walls were a pale green covered in graffiti and there were books and trash all over the floor.  I took it upon myself to take some time to clean up the room before I got to painting the walls to cover up the graffiti and moving shelves in for teachers. However, before I got to doing physical work, I collected data from students and teachers in order to get the result both parties wanted, as well as doing research. When it came to painting walls, light and dark colors worked best for ficus and prevented headaches and such. Bright colors that have an extra pop tend to strain the eyes and gives people headaches, which is what I was trying to avoid for students. Teachers wanted space to organize things as well as a space that is clean in order to hold tests and such. As soon as I got what I needed, I moved straight to the physical work which was finished in no time and the result came out really nice.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1il6lWFdozwLtbGNKL2g4-9DxshwRYwrFTi1jjhecyZ4/edit?usp=sharing

For my capstone, I wanted to learn more about music than I already had. I’ve been involved with music since I was 7, and have always been trying to immerse myself in it. What I originally wanted to do for my capstone was to be an intern at a recording studio. After learning I had to be 18 to become an intern, I waited before kickstarting my capstone. Once I turned 18, all the good internship spots were gone. So I had to create a new capstone.

Hi! My name is Simon and I am in SLA. I’m doing my You & The World project about the food access in Philadelphia. We saw in the first post that the food quality is directly related to a lot of criterias, like the place you live in. The price is probably the most important factor, that is why this issue is very controversial and not fair: it is way harder to get healthy and fresh food when you’re disfavored. For more information, click on this link.  

A lot of relevant information have been found since the last post, and I think that I have been very well surprised by the survey responses (even if they are some stain points). The first thing that surprised me is the number of people who are bringing their own lunch at school (26 people ought to 49 responded “yes”), which is a good sign because most of the people who do so bring healthy food. But let’s remember that, sadly, almost 60% of the people don’t!

This is the proportion Yes and No on the question, that's a pretty good result!

Secondly, another good point was what people eat at home, for dinner. Out of 49 answers, most of the poeple (like 90%) mentioned pastas or rice with chicken (that’s the most common dish I noticed!) and sometimes with vegetables, like broccoli. I am really nicely surprised on this point because I thought that most of the people use to go to a restaurant eating alone a such of non-healthy food (even if some people said they used to do). In the same register, I saw that people don’t often eat outside of the school, which is also a positive point.

Through all of the data given, many links can be drawn with my initial researches for the first post. First let’s see the relationship between the area where people live and the quality of the food they eat. In the survey, most of the people considered that they use to eat healthy, let’s analyze this!

One of the question of the survey, asking how healthy people think they eat…

As we can see, most of the people (43 out of 49) consider that, on a scale of 5, they give themselves a score between 3 and 4, which is actually pretty encouraging, even if we can reconsider the question of what people consider as healthy.  

While doing researches, I found new interesting facts about the food access in its globality. A very interesting one is the food desert. This is a phenomenon defined as large regions in the country where it gets very hard to get fresh food, mainly fruits and vegetables. In Philadelphia, this pattern is sadly increasing since a while. As says this article and a couple other sources, the issue makes the healthy food access harder for those who don’t live close to grocery stores and have to take public transportations for a long time, around an hour. This issue just complicates even more the organization of the city in term of proximity.

To get all this data, I made a quick survey that I sent by mail to people from my highschool, including few teachers. My questions were mainly answered by multiple choices question or via scales. Before starting, I had a lot of European stereotypes or common says, like that the American East Coast eats very bad food, that most of the people are overweight… This wasn’t very conscious but I was still concerned about it! Obviously, this is kinda true, but not totally. What I mean by this is that a lot of progress are being made, like associations, global realization, and that’s what I took conscious of while doing my researches! My personal opinion is really changing: I think that a lot of the people have the goal to eat healthier, they can just missing ways of doing it.

Though, everything is not totally clear and I am still wondering about few facts. For example, if people use to eat dinner in family, or other habits about food.

For more information, you can check my Annotated Bibliography.

Here is the link to my survey, where all my images are from.  

(sorry for the non-cropped images, slate didn't paste them correctly!)

Ultimate frisbee

For my capstone I held an ultimate frisbee clinic. I thought this would fit  my interest because after high school I want to continue to play ultimate frisbee and be able to make it to nationals. Everything leading up to the event was prep work for the event. I wanted to bring awareness to the athletic department at Science Leadership Academy. I focused on Ultimate Frisbee because I have been play for fours year and I thought it would be cool to teach others how to either get better at playing or learn how to play in general.  By doing this project I learned to be the leader. It was a challenge to keep my patience because not everyone would pay attention to what was being shown. Doing the prep work was probably the best part of this project. I was looking up drills to run and of course there are so many skill levels and it was hard to chose each drill because I wasn’t sure the skill level that would attend. Overall I think my capstone was a success because everyone who showed up had a lot of fun and as each day came to an end it was like a weight got lifted off of my shoulders.