Throughout this year I have been working with Wordsworth to complete my capstone. The community umbrella agency changes the lives of families and guarantees that they will have a safe and healthy life. Wordsworth has the ability to help children conquer different behavioral problems, emotional, physical abuse, homelessness, and more. They provide homes for children and a safe environment for parents to come to when they need to see their children. My capstone consists of me working side by side with one of the directors to host an event for children who are traveling from home to home and need the basic toiletries to carry with them (toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, etc.) I had hoped that I would be able to have the gift bags set up on a table and as the families came in for a visit I could hand them out. However, after having a meeting with my mentor I found out that I was unable to take pictures of the families and personally give them the gift bags due to restrictions around confidentiality. Therefore, I left them at the agency and throughout the course of the week case managers brought a gift bag to each of the children. After completing this capstone project I have given a deeper thought into “it’s the little things that matter” because after coming back to see how everything went the families were grateful and the children were happy to have something of their own. In the end that made me feel good because I was able to be a catalyst for change.

Bibliography:

• "Turning Points for Children Community Umbrella Agency Services | Philadelphia, PA, Child Abuse Prevention, Foster Care Services." Turning Points for Children Community Umbrella Agency Services | Philadelphia, PA, Child Abuse Prevention, Foster Care Services. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Feb. 2017.

I included this source because it directly relates to my capstone. I am working with this agency and giving the baskets filled with toiletries to the case managers. They will hand them out to the families during “supervision” which is the time that a parent has to spend time with their child. This agency finds placement for children and offers opportunities for children to live better lives. As we know, these children are experiencing lot’s of different changes that aren’t necessarily positive, but having the necessities they need will be helpful and make them feel more comfortable when going to a new place.

• Statement:

This statement explains how the Community Umbrella Agency is helpful and this event will be beneficial to the children. It also gives a brief overview of some positions people have at the job and how they support the children. I am working side by side with the director to grasp an understanding of how things work, what days will be good to host the event, etc. Also, this statement written by my outside menor gives some insight on how my capstone is personally useful and puts them at an advantage. I selected this source because I thought this was interesting a different type of source to include into my bibliography.

• "ACF Family Room Blog: New Data will Benefit Foster Children and Adoptive Families." Child Welfare Information Gateway. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Feb. 2017.

This source provides information about child welfare and foster care among children in America. I selected this source because it gives a better explanation of what the agency's purpose is and how my capstone can be applied. It explains the process and how things work within the organization. Lot’s of resources are incorporated into this source and it allows you to view the different types of data and statistics. This source is helpful if you are trying to understand the procedure. This source isn’t directly related to my project, but it gives some background of the overall point of this source.

• Article: CNN. Cable News Network, n.d. Web. 03 Feb. 2017.

This source provides information about how foster children have little to no support and resources in their lives. Often foster children are moved from home to home until they reach 18 and they aren’t given anything. My capstone provides small toiletries (soap bars, shampoo, toothpaste, etc.) so that they have some things to travel with. This will ensure that they are more comfortable and have some things for themselves. I found this source useful because children aren’t always comforted properly when going through these different changes in their lives so they need all the help that can be given to them.

• University, Princeton. "The Future of Children, Princeton - Brookings: Providing research and analysis to promote effective policies and programs for children."  - The Future of Children -. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Feb. 2017.

Children who are in foster care are more at risk when it comes to behavior problems and expressing their emotions. Often they travel from home to home and have nothing of their own. My capstone gives them a chance to have somethings with them and make their stay at different places more pleasant. This source also fits into my interests and life goals because I want to reach out to the community and be able to perform outstanding works of community service. I feel like I could improve the community service and this project would be a great way to get involved.

• "For reasons of poverty: a critical analysis of the public child welfare system in the United States." Choice Reviews Online 27.10 (1990): n. pag. Web.

This source is in a form of a book and it explains the safety permanency and well being of children in the Philadelphia county child welfare system. This book includes different fields pertaining to social work, psychology, sociology etc. I selected this source because it helps to clarify several different concepts related to my topic. Having sources that aren’t directly related, but still apply are important because they give an overview of everything. This will provide the audience with some evidence of the job description and how children are put into place for different things. Also, books give a deeper understanding of things and make you view things from a different perspective.

• Kortenkamp, Katherine, and Jennifer Ehrle Macomber. "The Well-Being of Children Involved with the Child Welfare System: A National Overview." Katherine Kortenkamp. The Urban Institute, n.d. Web. 03 Feb. 2017.

I selected this source because the children experience a lot of trials and tribulations throughout their life. They are forced to leave their homes and move from place to place without any of their belongings sometimes. Having my capstone at this place will help the children to feel more secure and like they have something of their own. Children in the welfare system don’t usually feel at home and experience a lot of emotional issues. Creating baskets filled with toiletries and taking time to focus on them individually will mean a lot and be very useful. These children should be put first.

• "Minority Children and the Child Welfare System: An ..." N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Feb. 2017.

Even when children are put into the system they aren’t always treated the best. If they have some type of support then they can feel like they can depend on someone. I selected this source because it has some statistics, research studies, and more. It provides information about foster children in general and how the process works and what happens. My senior capstone is for all children and on this website it talks about discrimination that occurs between the children and other negative things. This article makes good points about children in the welfare system and examines many different things.       

• Robertson, Marjorie J. "Homeless Youth: Research, Intervention, and Policy." N.p., n.d. Web.

Children who are apart of the system have experienced some type of abandonment and have to learn to cope with that. These children experience different types of abuse, go through intellectual problems, and more. Although my capstone won’t fix these issues it will assist them when it comes to needing something and having that feeling of knowing someone cares. This policy that I read talks about mental health, different studies, and homelessness among children. This isn’t exactly a source that would usually be used for my topic, but it does have a few points that talk about problems, changes, history, etc.

• "Homeless Children and Youth." Google Books. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Feb. 2017.

I selected this source because unlike the source above it is in a form of a book so it’s more personal. It identifies the youth; struggle and more. Many people overlook the type of baskets I’m going to prepare for the children, but in reality they are much needed. The agency I’m working with is open and focused on the well being of children and making sure they are first. The agency is involved with the families and interacts with them often so that everyone that comes in feels like they have a place. Working side by side with this agency is beneficial to them and also helps me.

Coming to Terms with Change:

High school was always a goal for me growing up and I always looked forward to reaching that point in my life. I imagined it being just like the television shows with cliques, nerds, jocks, popular basketball, cheer-leading, and football teams, prom king and queen, etc. I fantasized about how I would be in high and school and where I would stand. I hoped I would fit in. I wanted it to be a time to remember.

When I reached the eighth grade I began applying to all of my high schools. I hand wrote essays, went to open houses, and had interviews. Once I came to Science Leadership Academy I wanted to join all the clubs and sports to be active and involved. Everything seemed so overwhelming, but still exciting. I quickly migrated towards a group of friends who are still with me today.

“Take a deep breath and remember what we practiced. You’re going to do great Yas!” I took a deep breath and shuffled through my papers looking over everything. I could feel the butterflies in my stomach as I was waiting to go upstairs. I remember I wore black pants and a white button down so that I was dressed professionally. I also, remember the principal saying “All students who are interviewing today can now head upstairs to the room number on their paper.” I stood up feeling alert and anxious and the next thing you know I was quickly walking with the crowd clenching my folder in my hands looking around the school and for my classroom. It was finally time for me to show off the project I was so passionate about. They had all the students sitting down and choosing one of the prompts to write about until we were called for our interview. I remember interviewing with one student and a teacher.

When I entered the room the whole setup was different. Instead of having individual desk there were tables that seated four people. The teacher’s desk were planted into the floor and some had sinks built into them. There were labs and other interesting things around the room. Lockers were also on every floor and there were only two lunch periods. As you can see, I had some adjusting to do. I had to become accustomed to the new environment similar to O’Brien in “The Things They Carried”. Instead of working with his father everyday and having shifts, he was fighting in wars. One of my first new experiences was not having school uniform. I’ve always been at a school where uniform was required so it was different for me to see students dressed in all different types of ways. Another new experience was carrying my book bag around to every class instead of carrying my books in my hand. I was use to going to my locker only in the morning and after lunch. Something I had to become accustomed to was traveling places by myself. I was use to a ride in the morning and a short walk in the afternoon, but I quickly grasped how public transportation operated and it became simple for me to travel around.

While reading “The Things They Carried” the author list all the things that the soldiers carried with them. Specifically, O’Brien carried a picture of the girl he was in love with, Martha. I carried a baby picture of myself with my dad in the front pocket of my book bag everyday. O’Brien kept that picture with him and always thought about Martha.  I held onto that picture keeping my dad in my mind and with me all the time. It makes you feel closer to the person and it also makes you feel some sort of connection with them even though they are not there in the flesh.

Tim mentions a quote in the book relating to stories and the impact it has on a people. “Stories are for joining the past to the future.” This book is designed in a way that all of the soldiers have a certain background that they bring with them as there moving on in life. I also, have a background that I carry with me and add on to as I do more things in life. Just to be clear when I say background I mean past life,experience, struggles, lessons, and more.  

Once I was well into high school, around January, I began to lose interest in a lot of my classes. I would find myself thinking about other things and not focusing on my work as much. In the novel, Tim continuously day dreamed about Martha. “He had loved Martha more than his men, and as a consequence Lavender was now dead, and this was something he would have to carry like a stone in his stomach for the rest of the war.” When the time came to take a test or do a project I would have to face the consequences by being lost and regretful. Instead of Tim putting all his attention first towards his men and their needs he was more focused on someone who wasn’t even present in his life and he suffered consequences because of it.

A few months later, I got my letter in an envelope. I skimmed the list looking for SLA and finally I saw it at the bottom of the paper saying that I was accepted. I was thrilled! Immediately, I called my mom screaming and saying “I got accepted”. She was so proud of me and said we would celebrate later that night. Afterwards, I called my brother and stepdad to share the news with them as I was on my way to lunch with my best friend.

So, as you can see O’Brien and I have very different stories, but there are still some similarities between the two. We both experience lot’s of change and learn new things. Also, we both display some emotions that can relate to one another.

She is from strength and beauty

She is from Brooklyn, New York

She traveled to start her own life in Philadelphia

She is from balancing her first born and still going to school

She is the child of Ruth and Robert Watson

She is from wise people

Who believe in Christian Faith and know that god is forgiving and we are thankful

She is from the projects where you had to be aware of your surroundings

She has traveled many places and faced many hardships

To now be a mother of two and married with a PhD

She is from power, love, care, dedication, and intelligence

There are women of all different races and sizes across the world, and none of them are identical. The images in the media only represent a small slice of the diversity in the world. Images of popular women that appear in the media and in magazines have an effect on the women who are viewing these images. Many people follow what they see when it’s a new trend or is popular for the moment, but some women are easily influenced and change not for themselves, but for spouses, the media, etc. As a result, women do not always acknowledge their own body types as beautiful.

It seems that women are heavily influenced by what they see in life, what they want, and to what other people seem most attracted. In this case having a specific body type is important to most women. Studies at a colleges like Stanford University and the University of Massachusetts show that 70% of women look down on themselves after looking at the images and seeing the readings of women in magazines. “People see the same images over and over and start to believe it’s a version of reality,” says Deborah Schooler, one of the researchers. “If those bodies are real and that’s possible, but you can’t attain it, how can you not feel bad about your own body?” When thinner women are broadcasted all over they are disguised in make-up, their body is altered by the computer, and more. This is all to make it seem like these women are perfect and naturally beautiful. But perceptions of perfection are subjective. This then causes other women to want what they see for themselves because they feel it’s a better look. Their body is no longer looked upon as good enough. This shows how women pay attention to how popular women are being displayed and they then want that for themselves.

Models are very popular and they are shown many times on television, in magazines, and social media networks every day and it has a big impact on women. When they see certain women being projected as a particular image that is deemed beautiful, they are influenced into thinking that’s how they are supposed to look. However, some women have low self esteem and others just believe that skinny and tall is better. When reading an article a woman said “Being thin and/or muscular has become associated with being “hard-working, successful, popular, beautiful, strong, and self-disciplined.” This explains how women feel like they won’t succeed if they don’t look this way. This most likely has an effect on their work performance.

The look that women usually see attract the most attention are tall and thin. According to magazines, tv broadcastings, etc.  they have a beautiful body and they are supposed to represent the ideal for all women. Another article I researched about mentions how “Very few women possess the genetics to naturally produce the ultra-long, thin body type.” With this being said, it is challenging for other women who constantly see this projected in different places like New York Times magazine and know they can’t have that body for themselves. If the media showed more of women who are in shape, but maybe heavy set then it would make more women feel comfortable with themselves. Instead they only display this one particular image of women. Women who don’t fit this criteria are rarely spoken about in a positive way.

It would benefit society as whole if mainstream media created a situation where women could feel comfortable with their bodies. It would be ideal if women were not constantly exposed to unattainable media images. The things that appear in the media are designed to look perfect. Therefore, women can take that into consideration and adjust their bodies if necessary to them, but it shouldn’t be dependent on other things. The popular women that are shown aren’t always reliable enough to base a personal body image off of their portrayal.

Works Cited:

1. "Body Image." Web. 8 Oct. 2015. <http://www.brown.edu/Student_Services/Health_Services/Health_Education/nutrition_&_eating_concerns/body_image.php>.

2. Women's Ideal Body Types Throughout History. (n.d.). Retrieved October 8, 2015.

During this course we focused on climate change it's issues with our environment and animals. We watched videos, read articles, and did warm-ups to get a better understanding. My monologues are made up, but include factual things. My goals for this project were to catch the readers attention, give them some insight as to how serious climate change is, and do whatever they can to help us. These three monologues show exactly what climate change has done and what’s going to happen if we don't all take part in helping resolve this problem.

We Have a Purpose-First Monologue:

I am a large white bear. I live in Antarctica in the wild and in order to survive I need ice and food. Lately, it’s been hard for my babies and we've been struggling. There’s not enough ice for us it’s constantly melting, less and less food is becoming available. We know were perceived as dangerous, but really we just need all the help we can get. My family is dying and soon will be extinct.

Think of us as people in a way. Maybe we can be able to help you if you help us in some way. I know we're animals, but we also have a purpose in life. We need to be here as much as humans need to be here. We also strive to protect our loved ones we swim long distances, hunt for places to live, find prey and store for when its needed, etc. Were really dependent on our ice like humans are really dependent on each other and their jobs in order to survive.

Our lifespan shouldn't be cut short just because people won’t help us. We don’t affect anyone or harm anyone unless we’re threatened. Were actually quite interesting animals. We have strong legs and are white fur blends in with the ice. Underneath my skin is the color black which only appears on my nose. The paws on us help us to walk on the ice so that we don’t break it slip and fall. We have a bulky layer of fat that keeps in the heat it’s used mainly for swimming. Look at all the good qualities you're robbing from us.

Right now the ice is melting from underneath of me and there isn't anything I can do. We need the people or will be gone for good.

Our Animals-Second Monologue:

Hi guys, my name is Malika Johnson and I’m making this public service announcement for the entire community hoping one day someone will notice and take action on this situation we call “Climate Change.” I've been living near the rainforest since I was a little girl with my father and I've raised my family close to here thinking this would be the best place, but things have changed since my childhood. MAJOR THINGS- Our house is surrounded by trees and lots of land. Construction workers are now chopping down trees including the ones that surround our house. The rainforest is falling apart and we can’t take much more of these oil companies drilling into it. They are turning the space for animals into new neighborhoods. The government has a lot of control over preserving places like the rainforest and more. On top of that we have people who are currently hunting for the animals that live in the rainforest. The rainforest is being destroyed at an alarming rate. It’s affecting our eco-system. There are several species becoming extinct like toucans, parrots, golden lion tamarind monkeys, gorillas, orangutans, etc. because of the destruction of the rainforest. The rainforest is also necessary for the survival of us, our people. Golden lion tamarind monkeys are the most endangered animal species in the rainforest. Workers are using the monkeys fur to get money on the black market that can get up to 20,000 dollars. All of these species are threatened and we aren't doing enough if any at all. We can’t just be bystanders we have to help.

School Paper-Third Monologue:

Hi my name is Nicole Whitaker and I’m writing this paper to prove how climate change is affecting us (humans, the environment, and animals.)

So, there was a massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in the year 2010. It was the worst oil spill in history. The government has tried to have some control over the oil traveling to the beaches and other places, but they haven’t had much success. This spill has a major impact on communities, marine life, etc. It is now 2014 and oil still exists in the Gulf of Mexico.

The oil spill has gotten all over things like rocks, sands, plants, etc. and it makes it unsuitable for people to be there. Once the oil settles in the water it starts to contaminate the water and kill the fish and other creatures living in the sea. Sea birds are at risk the most because they have to go into the water to get there food which causes them to get covered in the oil that is deadly. It affects their ability to fly and they can die if they swallow the water. This has also affected bald eagles and shore birds. Sea turtles lay their eggs near shore and if they're infected by the oil then it’s a strong possibility they won't develop properly.

There are different amounts of oil in different areas and some are heavier than others. An oil spill is dangerous and harmful no matter the amount,kind, etc. So, if you would like to help please lend a hand, tell others, purchase dawn soap dish detergent to help the clean the birds covered in oil, and lots more. We all can help make this a better place.

Yasmeen Collins

2-6-14

Blue Stream

E1 U4 Proyecto- MI encanta mi escuela

!Hola! Mi nombre es Yasmeen Collins. Tengo catorce años. Soy estudiante de Science Leadership Academy. Esta en veinte y dos y Arch en Filadelfia. Esta en cerca de siete y once. Es pequeño y divertido. Hay cuatrocientos veinticinco estudiantes, aproximadamente veinte y cinco, professores, y cinco pisos. Tenemos diferente clubes tal como porristas, baloncesto, pista, etc. Participó en porristas porque es divertido y interesante.

Mi clases en SLA son inglés, español, historia, matemáticas, bioquímica, ingeniería, y almuerzo. Mi favorita clase es inglés porque interesante, divertido, y chevere! Detesto es matemáticas porque es muy difícil y aburrida. Para inglés necesitamos el libro y la computadora. Para matemáticas necesitamos hoja de papel y un lápiz. Es importante prestar atención y estar preparad. En inglés tenemos leemos, hablamos, y actuamos. En matemáticas tenemos trabajar duro y aprender. Para tener éxito en esta clase ser puntual, hablar inglés y participar activamente.

La Señor Jonas enseña historia afroamericana. Ella me gusta yogurt y yo, también! Ella es casado ella no tiene niños. Su clase es facil. A veces su clase es interesante, pero ella es a bueno professor. La Srta. Manuel enseña espanol. Ella es cómico y diferente. También, ella es inteligente. Srta. es muy interactivo. Señorita no me gusta nada inglés en clase. Srta. Manuel se burla de clase.

SLA es una magnífica escuela. Que tienen mucho que ofrecer. Lo que más me gusta de SLA es clubes. No me gusta nada matemáticas. Clase de matemáticas es casi siempre estresante, pero importante. SLA es fantástica, aceptar, también chévere. Además los estudiantes aquí extraña y amable.

Link To Powtoon:

 http://www.powtoon.com/p/dq1BK7uWF7P/

Yasmeen Collins

Blue Stream

12-3-13

Script for Dance

To start off with  I made a professional dancers picture as my background along with her quote about dance. That quote in particular in my opinion is very unique and significant because I can relate to it. The picture is also of that same professional dancer named Martha Graham. My title is “Dance Is Me” I chose that title because I believe it expresses who I am and one my major interests. A part of my picture bled off my page which was an element of design on the website called Presentation Zen. Another element of design that I used was empty space. Just as it said in the example you don’t have to fill everything in and make it look cluttered.

In technology class so far I've learned a lot although like Ms. Hull says she sets us up to fail which at the beginning really bothered me. Some changes I made to my slide were choosing between my title and my quote and I chose to keep the quote.This time I have the words from the quote  following the dancer. Since I have black as my background I changed the quote from being highlighted and put it as a lighter color so it wasn't fading into the background. In the quote I lined up the beginning of the letters so it went along with the dancer in the picture. Something I learned from the class discussion about my project is that I needed to change the picture up a little bit so that it’s not pixilated.