The Opioid Epidemic

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

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

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

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

Website (with bibliography): https://sites.google.com/scienceleadership.org/fortheloveofthrifting?usp=sharing

I created a website with a guide for thrifting in Philly, while educating viewers on the topic of thrifting and its benefits vs. alternative, more common methods of shopping. I made purchases at most of the stores I visited and used them to curate outfits and photographed them on myself and 3 other models. I knew I wanted to do something related to clothing and fashion, and when my first idea didn’t pan out due to funds I thought doing something based on thrifting, an affordable alternative which I am passionate about, would be a good idea. I learned a lot about what thrifting means to low income communities and how gentrification has poorly impacted them, yes in terms of affordable housing, but also affordable clothing. Thrifting has long been a method of acquiring affordable clothing in low income communities for the working class. It has since been noticed as a trend by middle class citizens who have hijacked the business model and blurred the line between thrifting and reselling more expensive or rarer items, sometimes for even higher prices. This new demand has caused many thrifts to appeal to these wealthier customers, thus taking away from those working class citizens. One of my greatest joys this year has been thrifting and putting together new looks and people have started to notice. Underclassmen have been coming up to me asking where I got pants or a jacket and I’m happy to tell them to come watch my capstone presentation to give them some sauce so they can expand their own closets with something unique and true to them.

The Car Maintenance Guide For First Time Car Owners was a guide designed to help new car owners. Not only was it made for first time car owners but it could be used by people who may have had more than one car and yet still don’t understand much about what certain parts of their cars do or are telling them.

In the beginning of my capstone I had originally planned to do an EMT course and demonstrate my skills and understanding from the course to help educate others at our school. In the end I didn’t get much support therefore I had to change my capstone to another passion I had. This passions prime focus was on cars.

I have always loved cars since I was a young kid, but what I loved more was taking things apart and putting them back together. I was a Lego kid, and one summer I got the chance to work on someone’s car and try and figure out what part of the car did what and how did it work? with all these questions I wanted to know more.

For my capstone I decided I would try and understand as much about certain car parts not just for myself but to also inform others so they can fix there car without having to pay someone a lot of money for a maintenance that they could do on their own. This became my capstone, which was to make a guide to help inform those who don’t know much about their own car.

For my senior capstone project, I created a K-pop dance club and then created a website where all of the memories taken through the months we’ve met at the K-pop club in it. One of my biggest challenges was staying consistent with my project. I knew I wanted to start a club where I would be able to meet new people and try out new things. My original plan was to start an Asian Community Club but then I realized that idea was way too broad and to start a stable club, I would need to be more specific about what kind of category I want it to fall into. Once I knew what I wanted to do, I went straight into advertising and even got two amazing dance instructors. We meet every Wednesday to enjoy ourselves, dance, and talk about K-pop!

Here is my website: https://sites.google.com/scienceleadership.org/kpop-dance-club-of-sla/about

Quick to Save is an app that I designed and developed to teach people in the moment how to perform CPR and rescue breaths. The app provides clear step by step instructions through videos and pictures. A feature unique to this app is its ability to track the user’s location and display it on the screen both by coordinates and an exact address. If a user is unaware of their location then this feature would help them relay this information to emergency services.

Most of my time was spent thoroughly researching CPR and how to make simple projects in Swift. In addition to my CPR research, I talked to two CPR certified people as well as a CPR instructor to make sure I had the most accurate and up to date information. From there my partner and I created six videos: three that were for each age group with water ingestion and three for regular CPR. Since both my partner and I were learning new coding languages we often leaned on each other for help a lot. In the end, I am proud of what I made but the process was not easy. It seemed that every step forward I took two steps backward. I quickly realized that taking breaks and having a positive outlook was going to allow me to have better progress. I also realized that getting stuck is progress too, it means that I’m learning how to do it as I go and that code may be more complex than the tutorials.

The Cricut Customization Workshop was a series of workshops designed to teach students how to create and craft using Cricut machines. Cricut is a brand that offers various materials, including vinyl, cardstock paper, fabric, and more, which can be customized for personal items or gifts. This idea inspired me to host a workshop focused on customization to expand creativity among students.

The initial capstone idea was to reopen SLA’s school store, as it provided a convenient source of food and snacks for students during their online school schedules. However, this idea faced several challenges, including funding, funding, and cleaning the store. The main issue was getting the adults from SLA and the HSA, who funded the school store, to communicate and agree on a plan.

When the deadline approached, I saw unused Cricut machines in the art room and decided to host workshops using them. I brought up the idea to my mentor, who approved the idea immediately. When drafting the capstone proposal, I had to rethink how this was going to fit in with SLA’s core values and incorporate the business aspect of my previous capstone idea into this workshop.

My research focused on different types of materials that Cricut machines can cut, how it is used, and which material works best for specific crafts. Additionally, I gained knowledge on businesses and how to incorporate entrepreneurship into the workshop.

In conclusion, the Cricut Customization Workshop was a successful capstone idea that allowed students to express their creativity using Cricut machines and explore the potential of entrepreneurship. The workshop provided valuable insights into the use of Cricut machines in various industries and helped students develop skills in entrepreneurship.

For my Capstone project, I embarked on a 40-day social media detox during Lent to observe the effects on my mental health as a teenager. This practical experience was complemented by journaling my daily routine, volunteering to help the homeless, providing security at church events, and collaborating with my church community in Kensington. Additionally, I conducted research by listening to podcasts focused on mental health and the impact of social media usage.

The primary challenge was overcoming the initial withdrawal from social media and balancing the project with school and work responsibilities. However, through commitment and effective time management, I persevered.

This project allowed me to gain valuable insights into the impact of social media on mental well-being, develop self-discipline, and appreciate the power of community engagement. I learned the importance of mindfulness and finding a healthy balance in our digital lives.

If given the opportunity to undertake this project again, I would incorporate a more structured research plan, potentially including surveys or interviews, and extend the duration of the social media detox to observe long-term effects more thoroughly. Furthermore, I would explore the potential benefits of incorporating mindfulness practices, such as meditation or yoga, to enhance the overall experience and promote a holistic approach to mental well-being. Additionally, I would seek to collaborate with mental health professionals or experts in the field to gain deeper insights and validate my findings.

I just want to say again I am super passionate about doing this and what I was able to do with my mentality. Thanks SLA and other helpers along the way of my capstone.

Just a nice picture I captured of a rainy night on Kensington & Somerset, when me and some friends from church served coffee to the homeless.

Slides with Final Product

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1x2tsZvZ13qj3HbFwy3VGgJ1uLLvI_NQBFBf_yvUN1TE/edit?usp=sharing

Annotated Bibliography All Pages

https://docs.google.com/document/d/12eGFlwxcxDrlA0RPzTDcUa4-6CCG2nDt1-UPiEaZkyQ/edit?usp=sharing

Process Paper

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UOH7c7eKLizA3OpORYB_QHVj2peh02oDQTNYYVWI_SU/edit?usp=sharing

For my senior capstone project, I painted a mural on the SLA rooftop terrace. I collaborated with various members of the community including students, teachers, Braskem, and Mural Arts. Over this year, I have worked to make something that I would be proud to be a part of, an aspect of that was going on a personal journey. Creating this art was an experience with the community as well as an experience with myself and my artistic talent. I started by creating various sketches of the mural, by hand and also digitally. In my art design, I chose to feature many endangered marine animals, such as the blue whale, green sea turtle, hammerhead shark, and coral. I did not only want to make art that was inspirational, but also important. Once I had my plan for my art, I started to research materials. I collaborated with various artists who advised me on my art and helped me find supplies. I did extensive research on the proper materials for the wall. Once I got my materials, I got my design approved and started painting. As I painted, students were encouraged to help paint. Since the art was for the community, it made sense for the community to be able to come out and work on it. My biggest challenge throughout this process was creating the artwork itself, but I am proud of the work I have done.

Link to Annotated Bibliography

Anyone, coaches, players, or managers, will know how difficult and confusing navigating Arbiter Live and Maxpreps is, especially if you don’t know what you’re doing. There is often so much information on so many different schools that pops up when you only want to see yours. Additionally, there is not a lot of information on anything besides scores and final results. I wanted the SLA community to know what happened at games they couldn’t watch in person. Due to our location, almost every single sport plays home games up to half an hour by car away and not easily accessible by SEPTA. Most students can’t go to watch games even if they wanted to. From all of these shortcomings, my capstone project emerged. As a response to all of these issues I founded a weekly sports newsletter. I named it the “Rocket Recap” and I released an edition every Monday recapping the previous week of sports news. The Recap would include summaries of games, scores, individuals’ stats, player interviews, teacher trivia, and so much more.

Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/11TX0MzMomAC8OjIE4tBlFyd_1mupLY8OjILvUzymZgM/edit?usp=sharing