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For my Capstone project, I focused on plumbing and HVAC. I worked during the days I didn’t have school or holidays. The main purpose of my project is to teach others about plumbing and HVAC and why it is important. That’s why I decided to make slides and show pics of the work I do and my experience doing it. The process wasn’t too bad. It mostly consisted of showing up to work and taking pics of everything necessary for me to finish. I always wanted to be a plumber since I was 12 years old so I thought that this was the perfect project for me to do. I learned a lot from this project. I learned a lot of new facts about plumbing and HVAC that I didn’t know, and learning new things to me is something that will always be important because when you learn new things you can teach others about it. Learning from mistakes is another one because mistakes will make you more aware of what to do next time that’s how I learned some of the time while working during the days I had off its good and bad sometimes

Annotated bibliography  : https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gAcBczeWqYsiifHPCRcxNplEH12-2tGFhtnr6C3n0i4/edit?usp=sharing

For my capstone, I captured the “Big Day” for a couple in four minutes. A video that allows the couple to relive the day of their wedding. This idea came about when I heard that the couple was getting married. I introduced the idea to them and they approved of it. I didn’t know how to compose a wedding video so I started by researching different sources. I gained insight into what I needed, what to capture, the editing process, etc. Then came the time to record the wedding. I then went through the editing process then lastly, exported the video. There are many things I learned such as being more prepared. You only get one shot in each moment and can’t do it over. I should have taken the time to practice with the camera I was using and have an overview of the location where the wedding was held. I have gained new experiences and challenges through this project. I believe in the importance of capturing memories for us to look back upon. I hope to make a wedding video again and improve on this project.

Wedding Video: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qT_u1ts6j42Ndtq4WoxR91hz5Wy1NVOf/view?usp=sharing

For my capstone project, I aimed to dive deeper into the field of animation. Animation has always captivated my interest. It has played a crucial role in my life since childhood through various animated movies and shows. Eventually, I decided to initiate a learning program that I managed during an internship course to help others learn about animation and how it’s done. During this animation ILP, I thoroughly guided the participants through the animation process. We were able to create some amazing animated objects while learning. However, the achievement wasn’t complete without fostering a safe and diverse learning environment for my team to thrive and establish new friendships.

Here’s the Link to my “Process Paper”: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XGmqnSt73YNbgi5TATkgi_-optg6ipG8p4CGxZAFlEM/edit?usp=sharing

Down below ill attach a little animation I made! <3 (click it to see it move.)

I chose to create a website dedicated to immigration resources due to its immense significance in my life. Growing up with immigrant parents and residing in an area where immigrants are prevalent, I have witnessed firsthand the importance of immigrants. In the United States today, over 40 million people are foreign-born, highlighting the significant impact of immigration on American society. Immigrants have consistently played a crucial role in shaping American culture, society, and the nation’s economy. Their unwavering determination and pursuit of a better life have been the driving forces behind the American dream

Link to my website- https://sites.google.com/scienceleadership.org/immigrant-appreciation/home

Link to annotated bibliography- https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PWnAn1buh36SUeuaPxrq-g0EGSAq8KdDi8AuUT1fzPE/edit?usp=sharing

For my capstone, I decided to make three different videos or reels that help highlight three of the more important programs and events at Science Leadership Academy. The three things that are shown in the reels are the Ultimate Frisbee team’s season, Educon 2023, and the Engineering Career and Technical Education program. The three different reels required hours of acquiring footage over extended periods of time, interviewing people at the events or in the programs, and long periods of editing and creating multiple different versions before deciding what the final version should be. The order in which they were completed was the Educon reel first, the Ultimate Frisbee reel second, and the engineering reel being the final one completed. I believe throughout the watching of these videos ou can see the evolution of the interviewing and editing process with myself becoming much better at both as the year went on. Both interviewing and editing styles are both acquired by practice, and my capstone project allowed me to not just discover my own, but in my research discover others editing styles and how the overall video industry does their event reel filming and editing. For the overall process, I would say hitting all five of the core values makes the Capstone process different from other schools. Inquiry, research, collaboration, presentation, and reflection are what education stands on at SLA, so the process of a capstone is really trying to make something that benefits your school community while making sure each of the core values is represented in your efforts.

Process Paper: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1x0GlOwZMPqiNEBipivQ6YTPluL71xvEKMjd2RxCOKpA/edit?usp=sharing

Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XQF9XqIwv_SxbMlh5dBAqqeL0_5pHJsFRBaKBSaZ6Nk/edit?usp=sharing

Digitized Capstone: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1aPmwCj-RGh9XBzoeMYDAansSaBCoIMxD?usp=share_link

For my capstone project, I chose to do something that would be important to me and that would have a positive impact on people. For over 20 years my father has worked as a Respiratory Therapist at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and he has worked on infants in the NICU. He has come home and told me all the stories about the children in the hospital and the parents being desperate for their child to get better and for a way to be able to bond with them. While trying to find an idea for my capstone my dad told me about an organization at the hospital called, ‘Books for Babies’ they give books to babies and their families while they are in the hospital. At the end of my project, I ended up working with that organization and donating 80 books to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in the NICU. By giving books to families it gives them a chance to bond with their babies and it gave me a chance to give back to my community.

Link to my bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dk8EHYWkSAZ066dMnmW-3rBk1WmpdOBsPje9xkbQnkw/edit?usp=sharing

For my capstone I created an open space for people to talk about about their mental health and for them to talk to and uplift people not having the best time this was done via two ways one way was a instagram page and another is by a google form which was practically a mental health check up which included the question of including words of affirmation which were put on mini tv’s and put around the school. On top of that I raised money from a bake sale that I ran to donate money to a mental health organization called mental health America. I learned to think outside the box when coming to reaching out to people that deal with people with mental illness or people that suffer from mental illness itself. I have seen a very repetitive take when it comes to connecting people like this and when researching pages that work the best for me I took a more creative approach that glorified unity and art to spread the message.

The project I chose to do for my Capstone was to improve upon the wind tunnel that is used in CTE Engineering. A wind tunnel is a testing system that can simulate an object in flight that is commonly used in aerospace engineering fields. At the beginning of the year, the wind tunnel was nothing more than a wooden tunnel with a fan at the end and it was my job to improve upon it. This project required a lot of research and also funding from Braskem. My improvements included a system to test lift and drag, a large contractor and diffuser to create a higher wind speed, and a flow visualization system that uses smoke to show how air interacts with the object. This project taught me a lot about wind tunnels and the physics behind them, how to use a 3D modeling software to create what I need, how to use the 3D printer and the laser cutter, and how to work through a massive project over a long period of time. My final product is a functional wind tunnel that will be used in CTE Engineering to help students learn about aerospace engineering.

Link to my annotated bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1S-XmrO7V6_UPeks_sV3KXZGDeXkwOhrh3CQHroRIPmo/edit?usp=sharing

I started by thinking of an idea that related to my hobbies/interests. I knew I wanted to do something that related to gardening as an idea for my capstone. I kept narrowing my thoughts down and eventually thought of the name for my capstone, SLA’s Sky Garden. I went from wanting to have a garden on SLA’s rooftop to having a greenhouse where anyone could grow plants to gift them to whoever they wanted. I started planting seeds so they could sprout and get people’s attention so they would be asking around about the plants. As the plants matured more people started asking me about them, I told them they were welcome to plant anything they’d like. I received full funding from Braskem so I could proceed with my project the way I wanted. I bought a greenhouse that fit the rooftop the best and asked my friends if they could help me assemble it. After it was assembled I moved in my extra supplies and plants. I was aware that I wouldn’t be able to continue maintaining the greenhouse next year so I approached a junior student who told me they wanted their capstone to be kind of like mine, relating to plants. I offered them the opportunity to base their capstone on mine and they agreed. My final addition to this project is a sign explaining the rules and steps people can take to successfully grow plants.

For my capstone, I decided that I wanted to focus on mental stress and anxiety. To do so, I formatted my project in a way where I can learn more about SLA’s mental health status and how stress & anxiety can play a role in the student’s everyday lives. I designed and 3D printed my own fidget toys, which I plan to distribute to a handful of students at some point. I took a survey for the students to answer and gave them the opportunity for interviews so they can share their thoughts and opinions on the topic. This whole process was a learning experience. It taught me time management, collaboration, communication, and patience. If I could redo it, there are things I know I could improve on but I’m satisfied with how my project ended up. I worked with a lot of people and learned more about myself and my community along the way.

By using the Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) approach to solve the problem of feral cat overpopulation, my capstone project intended to bridge the gap between my personal and academic lives. To reduce the number of feral cats and enhance their well-being, TNR involves catching, spaying/neutering, and relocating the cats to their original habitat. I chose to do my research because of my passion for the topic and the negative consequences of population growth, including the spread of disease, competition for resources, and effects on wildlife. My capstone matched SLA’s five guiding principles. Researching cat behavior, trap design, and community needs prompted the inquiry. To enhance the design process, extensive research was conducted on the materials, methods, and traps already in use. The most effective trap ideas were chosen after thorough evaluation and brainstorming, and they were then prototyped and tested with my pet cat and bait. I found some obstacles including selecting a material that would minimize harm to trapped animals.

Annotated Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1I5OS5l_T6PfmVBTPG7SPgSvVdOquQDSbjZyDD95DCvU/edit?usp=sharing

When I first started on my capstone I originally wanted to create my calendar app but also allow it to communicate with Canvas to take assignments from there. I realized that recreating something that big is ridiculously hard and not feasible for me. So I decided that I would need to change what I had for my final plan. This meant not making it an app and instead just purely coding it. I also then decided to limit my calendar to only adding classes and assignments. So after coming up with what seemed to me like a reasonable direction to start working towards, I got started. Most of the time I spent at the beginning was familiarizing myself with the API that Java Script had for date and time because I knew it would be necessary to create a calendar and also re-familiarizing myself with coding in general as it had been quite a while since I had coded anything. I started by creating basic date checkers and after that looking at other calendars online where I noticed that all of them were unable to add events to the calendar so I decided that I would at least be able to do that. As I worked I eventually created the base but I realized that with the time I had spent working on just making the calendar itself, I would have to cut out either the ability to add assignments or classes. I chose assignments over classes because making classes seemed less important but also more difficult. I then kept working and eventually created the calendar I have today.

Capstone: https://github.com/Spumason/SLA-Senior-Capstone

Bibliogrophy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kuU1sx9l_dlZb1uMRax3_AYxydTyP33Sk5JW8gqQk4A/edit?usp=sharing

Through the course of my capstone project, I went looking for things that reflected my passions and personal growth. After my experiences with My School Votes and diving into various resources and lessons on voter education, I felt it was important to bring these crucial topics to my school community. It took time and contemplation to find the perfect concept that resonated with me, but when I did, I knew it was worth the effort. Crafting a lesson plan that would not only educate but also engage my underclassmen became my mission. I wanted to make the learning experience fun and enlightening, so I incorporated activities that allowed everyone to participate and win incentives along the way. It was nice to see my peers get involved and witness the fun that some students experienced. As the lesson plan unfolded, I made sure to discuss the upcoming election and we worked to explore the candidates so they could cast their own ballots and reflect. To tie everything together, I continued work on a website I had created back in 2020, where I expanded on the significance of my capstone project. Through this platform, I aimed to convey the importance of voter education and how it could shape our future. This entire journey has been a visual to my growth and the realization that when we pursue things that align with our passions, meaningful ideas can take shape.

Annotated Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/16Lw2hd1W4W5tZeClTF7nhkMXtrISI-G02rF5ZelLv68/edit?usp=sharing Website link: https://synaiharris.wixsite.com/everysynaibreae

For my capstone I chose to highlight Latine entrepreneurs in Philadelphia. I was able to reach out to around 5 different businesses to ask them for an interview. I recorded their stories and learned about their business. My goal was to share the places with others because they have played an important role in my community and directly impact our world’s economy. I grew up surrounded by these businesses and never realized the lack of attention they receive. I designed a website to showcase how special these places are. I took pictures of the shops and included them in the website alongside the best clips of the interviews. I cut down hour-long interviews into less than 10 minute clips.
The purpose of my capstone was to portray the strengths within my community and invite others to visit these shops. Most of the media I have been surrounded by has focused on highlighting the negatives and all of the obstacles the Latine community faces. I wanted my website to be different. I wanted to focus on our successes. In this capstone I met hardworking and humble business owners. I built connections and became a stronger filmmaker. I was able to merge my passion for my community with my film studies. In addition, I partnered up with another student who created a children’s book based on the interviews I acquired. Our goal was to inspire the next generation to become entrepreneurs. We wanted youth in our community to know that owning a business was attainable. This makes our message reach a broader audience, both adults and children.

WEBSITE:

https://sites.google.com/scienceleadership.org/latinxbusinessesphilly?usp=sharing

For my capstone, I created a digital magazine called “Sugar Snaps” and two original songs. The songs were created using the Digital Audio Workshops (DAW) Cakewalk and Logic Pro X. I chose this project because I want to be a musical artist professionally and photography, production, and songwriting are all skills that will be vital to my career path so it would be a strategic use of time to design a project that encompasses all of those skills. To complete my capstone, first I researched inspiration for “Sugar Snaps”. I wanted it to be somewhat bright like “Fruits Magazine” but also creatively realistic like “Nana” stills and manga covers. Separately, I worked on my music in the Digital Audio Workshops “Cakewalk” and “Logic Pro X.” The largest obstacle I encountered was overall inexperience with every skill involved in my project except for writing music. I did not know how to edit photos, mix or master music, and both were technical skills so my musical abilities did not help with getting through those. My schedule in high school has always been hectic so I’ve never had the ability to get involved in the music scene in Philadelphia which always made me feel stagnant and incompetent. This project allowed me to push myself away from the negativity I focused on and devote my time to music production skills, which were a lot more accessible and just as important in my opinion.

Link to Hold You: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RnfQpbvQekK2CyBO8057OucYFMVRydNM/view?usp=sharing

Link to Booboosoosa’s Lullaby: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zZ4jkYwJK1U3VBnKex9OuBBy8y6Cqivd/view?usp=sharing

My capstone project was to design and simulate a model rocket that used a dual-deploy parachute system. I decided to do this project because of my interest in model rockets and aerospace engineering. The rocket is 39 inches long and has about a 2-inch diameter. Dual deployment means that once it reaches its apogee, the highest point, a small parachute gets released, then a larger parachute gets released once it gets much closer to the ground. A normal parachute system just releases one large parachute at apogee. I researched different components of model rockets and model rocket kits. Then I designed a rocket in Fusion 360, a CAD software. I then took that design and created it in a simulation tool called Open Rocket. I adjusted the design to get the apogee over a thousand feet. Then I went to the CAD and added the changes I made in the simulation. The other data I’m collecting from the simulation are the drag coefficient and the horizontal distance traveled. The horizontal distance is important because the point of a dual-deploy parachute system is to decrease the distance a rocket travels after its parachute is deployed. Throughout this project, I have learned so much about how model rockets work, how to use Fusion 360, and how to use Open Rocket. All of these are skills that I plan on using in the future as an aerospace engineer.

Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZBTOZC78DLeTPDKGGQUDDRYAeXIkPatUDR6PWbz7qaM/edit?usp=sharing

For my capstone, I made a short stop motion film. The idea for this stemmed from the anxiety that I felt before my wisdom tooth surgery. The specific type of stop motion animation that I used was claymation and I made the sets from cardboard. As I was working, I thought deeply about how I could create something that reflects all of SLA’s core values as well as being something unique to me and what I wanted to create. My process had a lot of ups and downs, since I had never done claymation before. I ended up using animals as the characters instead of people because I could not figure out how to make a good looking clay human. I struggled a lot with my time management, but I ended up overcoming my obstacles and creating something that I am proud of. The end result is a short film that is supposed to show the audience that no matter what situation you are in, nothing is perfect and there will always be things to worry about, so make the most of your life.

Here is the link to my final video on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXqQYJKIjbs

Here is the link to my annotated bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TY9kAE1liH1-7pS-PsYyO-zRmrQ7VEvjLmd_UiSAcyk/edit

For my capstone project, I examined the COVID-19 pandemic and how it impacted the class of 2023 at Science Leadership Academy as well as teenagers across the country in regards to their mental health and overall high school experience. I explored a lot of online sources for a portion of my research. These provided an abundance of data and percentages that would draw attention to the pandemic’s detrimental effects on students’ mental health. In order to increase the relevance and reliability of the project, I restricted some of my analyses to the Philadelphia region. For other sources I searched for firsthand accounts from genuine teenagers. I made sure to include a lot of diversity within my research. It was crucial to consider factors such as a student’s income, ethnicity, language, or disability. The other half of my research came from interviews I conducted with my class of 2023 peers. In order to receive useful information about their mental health and experiences during the pandemic, I had to structure my questions carefully. I made sure to even question minor concerns such as routine changes and shifts in friendship dynamics. After completing the study, I utilized the knowledge I had obtained to develop a podcast on how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the mental health and overall high-school experience of SLA’s class of 2023 and other teenagers in America. Through this capstone project, I was able to learn about how other students responded to the pandemic and compare their experiences with my own.

Capstone Podcast: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/1gmxu5z5IfKsHXc24-kKuAr5_Dt3TvLC5

For my project, I have created both a written guide and a series of videos talking about ESports. Specifically, the topic of whether or not it is viable to pursue a career as a professional ESports player, or “athlete.” With ESports constantly rising in popularity, it’s a sport that’s been recently picked up by many schools, so there’s a good chance there’s many students at SLA who have at least thought about whether or not they’d like to create a career in ESports. What I have created is meant as a resource for them to look at as their introductory guide to all things related to the ESports industry, all laid out for them to read or watch. I put numerous hours into researching all different components of the industry in order to construct a lengthy, quality guide with the proper information for anyone interested in using it. The videos are there for anyone who does not want to read through the entire guide, as they are shorter but contain a lot of the important information, just not every single detail I went over. While creating this project, I have learned how much I loved expressing my strengths through writing, and I am proud of how I was able to create all of this by myself. Through my developed skills of researching and writing, I have created this project out of curiosity and love, and I hope someone can find use out of it.

I made a google site that has information on getting healthy and fit. It includes suggestions on losing weight and gaining weight. It also has information on working out. It also gives you ideas on what foods to eat to reach your goals. I did this project because when I started the gym I wanted there to be some type of website that gave me all the information about working out and dieting in one place. The website I created is simple and easy. I will give you a summary basically on what to do and what to eat. Without having to look up multiple things and without reading pages of nonsense to get to the answer you are looking for. I also wanted to make it to help people start getting healthy and turning their life around and reaching their goals in fitness. https://sites.google.com/scienceleadership.org/getfit/home

Hard work always pays off, one way or another. Putting the time and effort into doing something, and seeing that be rewarded is a feeling everyone deserves to have. My capstone is a combination of the time I spent in Digital Video perfecting my camera skills, and learning how to use Premiere, along with the subtleties of interviewing people, and mixing it with the love for a sport that I never thought I’d be playing. Frisbee was the first sport at SLA that convinced kids to wake up at 5 AM to grind and work harder than anyone else. This is something that I sense is becoming lost amongst the next generation of SLA students, as more people are complaining about the early practices, or opting out because of them. I created this project to shed some more light on a community that is a core piece of SLA. I made the Ultimate Frisbee Reel to encourage others to give Frisbee a try, regardless of any initial judgments passed upon it. Because if everyone can apply a hard-working mindset to something like Frisbee, SLA will become a better place. There will be challenges and setbacks. There were challenges and setbacks in my capstone, as I struggled with the interviewing process, and finding Braskem funding. However, it will all be worth it in the end. Everything at SLA always is.

For my capstone, I taught a coding mini course here at SLA for the third quarter every Wednesday from 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM, with a total of ten classes ranging from February 15,2023 to April 19,2023. In this mini course,students learned how to code in the programming language C sharp, by learning the process of coding, as well as the importance of technology, and programming in our everyday lives. As students progressed through this course, we focused on the question of what role does technology play in our everyday lives? By teaching this mini course, I hoped to introduce students to the field of Computer Science. I also hope to teach this course as a source of Career Exploration.

Andre Doyle ~ Capstone Finished Product Link

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1S3-48aJpODge-rfhHkjsq4PRA5819JnwIB4PGX4Qmj8/edit?usp=sharing

For my senior project I wanted to do something with interior design as a way for me to see if it’s something I would pursue in the future. I wanted to do something for the school as well. My project was to clean and organize the DigVid closet and make the space cleaner and better for students and teachers that utilize it. It always felt so cluttered and I never understood how people were able to function with a space that didn’t feel right. I did research to figure out what it was I wanted to do and how I could accomplish it. I also spoke to an interior designer to understand more about the job. While it was a difficult process and I experienced a few road bumps the overall outcome was what I always wanted. Several students who are in the DigVid program told me the space felt less cluttered and bigger than before. Throughout the whole process I learned a lot about what it takes to be able to balance several different things at one given time. My main struggle was prioritizing everything and staying on top of my work, it was something I have never really had to worry about before. Throughout this whole process I have a new appreciation for calendars and other tools for staying organized that I never used before. My overall goal of this project was to leave the school with something I did and to do something that would help people.

Annotated Bibliography https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VPZU7oO84T6MZMx9YcFIIjB-MGhha3DynTgi7kDYdKU/edit?usp=sharing

For my capstone I created a website that can be used by students of SLA and other Philadelphia schools to help find internship and volunteering opportunities across the city. My website has 30 different internships, a section explaining the importance of internships and a place where you can submit any other internship you have interest in doing. To complete this I used Wix to create the website and conducted my own research on why internships are important. In addition to researching why internships are important I also researched where to find internships in the Philadelphia area. I decided to do this for my capstone because I never got a chance to have an internship in my time at SLA and I think that they can be really beneficial for a student’s growth into a working person. I enjoyed this challenge because I got to apply information that I learned through SLA while also learning a new thing like website building.

Link to Website: https://ohyland23.wixsite.com/slainternships

Link to Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1StFCD-ijbm1PnXGe0mavbF7ZtM4Al_7P1X-ljiTeiK8/edit?usp=sharing

For my capstone, I decided to build a desk where I can be able to practice doing nails. What inspired me to build a desk for nails was my passion for it. I have always loved getting my nails done and still do so now. Everytime I would get my nails done, I would watch closely to see what all they were doing because I was so fascinated and curious about it. In addition to what inspired me to build a desk for nails was that it will help me in college. A way to be known in a big college like Penn State, be able to make new friends, and make it my side job just to keep me busy.

Annotated Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aywKPetK7AmOuaPg6cgjowuSBqXTUUJzJcr7dlKf6uk/edit?usp=sharing