For my senior capstone I created an after school club that introduced students from various areas of the city to different topics pertaining to STEM. The purpose of this club was to expose students to the opportunities that the field of STEM has to offer and to introduce more female students to the field as a whole. I had initially begun my capstone by speaking with school officials from my middle school to confirm that I would be able to use it as the site for my club. While our first meeting had gone successfully, the school’s lack of keeping up with communication and inability to confirm a club dates after our first meeting caused me to go back to square one.  

When coming up with possible solutions that would fix the challenges I faced, I determined that it would be in my best interest to turn the club into something that was portable and relevant to a wide range of ages. This would allow me to be able to broaden the spectrum of people that I taught and it ensured that I would not have to rely on one specific group of people. Ultimately, this process taught me that every challenge, no matter how hard it may seem, has a feasible solution. It just takes some time and well thought out brainstorming to come up with the right idea.When reflecting on what I was able to accomplish, I was able to have thorough club meetings with students ranging from the grades of 1st to 12th grade, and I completed various activities with them that were inspired by activities I come across during my time as a student at SLA.

Bibliography

“10 Simple STEM Activities for Kids That Will Stimulate Young Minds.” Rasmussen College - Regionally Accredited College Online and on Campus. www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/education/blog/simple-stem-activities-for-kids/.

This website from Rasmussen College lists 10 STEM related activities that are meant to stimulate the minds of adolescents. I will use this list to choose and find the activities that I want the students to complete during my club. Using this list ensures that all of the activities are STEM-related and relevant to the topic I choose to teach the students every week. Overall, this source is relevant to my project because it allows me to plan out my club beforehand while also providing me with a list of materials that I need to fundraise for and obtain beforehand.

“36 Resources for STEM Project-Based Learning Activities.” Global Digital Citizen Foundation, Global Digital Citizen Foundation, 20 July 2018,

http://globaldigitalcitizen.org/36-stem-project-based-learning-activities

I will use this website from the Global Digital Citizen Foundation in conjunction with the list of activities that I obtained from my Rasmussen College source. I am utilizing both sources because I want to have a wide variety of activities to choose from and present to the students since I plan for them to be involved in the activity selection process. The activities in this source specifically are split up by categories such as engineering, mathematics, and general STEM. Each category has a variety of activities (that are split up by specific age groups) listed under them so that will be a useful element to use when catering activities to specific grades. Overall, this source will be used to help craft the lesson plans and activities necessary for my club/capstone.

Dispatch. “Is STEM Education Beneficial in the Elementary Classroom?” Center for Health Identity Behavior and Prevention Studies CHIBPS, 14 May 2018, https://wp.nyu.edu/dispatch/2018/01/30/is-stem-education-beneficial-in-the-elementary-classroom/

This website from the Center for Health Identity Behavior and Prevention Studies (CHIBPS) at New York University (NYU) debates whether or not STEM education is beneficial for students in elementary school. In their article on the topic, they begin by giving an overview of STEM, what it is, and it’s importance in society. They then explain their reasonings for why they think teaching STEM is extremely important in elementary schools, and they end their article by speaking about the need for gender diversity in the field. I will use this source to corroborate my justification behind my capstone impact.

“How to Write a Lesson Plan.” Homeschooling vs Public Schools: The Pros and Cons of Homeschooling, www.middleschool.net/write-lesson-plan.htm.

This website from Middleschool.net provides a detailed outline of how teachers should go about creating their lesson plans. On the site, it lists ten detailed steps to follow when creating a lesson plan, and it has a condensed list of other resources to use as a reference listed at the bottom of the page. I will utilize this source religiously when creating my lesson plans because it proves useful and beneficial advice. It will make this process much easier when it comes to creating my content. Overall, this source will be used to create the lesson plans for each week of my club.

“Importance of STEM Education in Elementary School | College of Education - FSU.” FSU College of Education, 10 Jan. 2019, https://education.fsu.edu/importance-stem-education-elementary-school

This website from the Florida State University College of Education provides their reasonings as to why they stress the importance of STEM education in elementary schools. In this source, they address how America has fallen behind other industrialized countries in terms of STEM-related fields and they make the case that a STEM-focused education not only opens students to new subjects but it also allows for different learning methodologies to be utilized. I will use this source to prove the benefit and long-lasting impact of my capstone. The skills the students will learn in the club are skills that will stick with them forever.

O'Malley, Oscar, et al. “The Benefits of STEM in Elementary.” STEAM Powered Family, 8 Oct. 2018, www.steampoweredfamily.com/education/stem-in-elementary/.

This website from is one out of three sources that I have relating to the impact/importance of my project. In this source, they explain that learning should be both influential and engaging. Saying that “If an education destroys a student’s love of learning, then it has failed.” This quote truly resonated with me because it couldn't be more true. Students should love what and how they’re learning. They should feel that it’s been catered to them with the intention of meeting their best interest. That’s the intention of my club, thus explaining why I am choosing to integrate this source into my capstone.

“Science Leadership Academy: What Will You Create Today?” NGLC, www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/science-leadership-academy-what-will-you-create-today.

This article from the Next Gen Learning Center is a deep dive into SLA and the uniqueness of our curriculum. It analyzes our core values, capstone projects, and ILPs while explaining the importance that they all have to our students and the school community as a whole. I will use this source to compare how the set up of our curriculum is emulated in the set up for my club in addition to using it as a resource for my students to become familiar with before the club begins. I want them to have adequate context on who I am (this will be a self-summary) and where I’m coming from (based on the article). This article will help me provide them with that information.

“Setting up Your Club.” Keys Steps for Setting up Your out of School Club | Out of School Alliance, www.outofschoolalliance.co.uk/setting-up-your-club.

This website from the Out of School Alliance provides a list of tips and tricks to use when creating an after-school club. It goes over the keys aspects necessary to have a productive and efficient club. Examples of these aspects are business structure, paperwork, and establishing the need. This source is essential when it comes to structuring my club because it will help me stay organized while also giving me experience in the field of business (which is what I will be majoring in in college).  I will use it in conjunction with my source about writing lesson plans. Overall, this is source will help me with the managerial and teacher like aspects of my Capstone.

“Start Your Child's Academic Adventure.” Archdiocese of Philadelphia Schools History Comments, www.aopcatholicschools.org/elementary-schools/curriculum/.

This website for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia lists all of the mandatory courses to be taught in Catholic Schools for every subject. The curriculum for each subject is divided into folders that are then split up into grades (such as Kindergarten and 8th Grade). I will use this source to analyze the curriculum that middle schoolers (5th-8th) are required to take, and I will then use it as the base for my capstone. I intend to build off of what the students already know while also teaching them new content, so the purpose of this source will be to make sure that I’m meeting those standards.

“Visitation BVM School.” Icon of Visitation Church, www.vizobvm.org/.

This website for the Visitation BVM School provides background information on and important notes about the school where I will be completing my Senior Capstone. My purpose for using this source is to compare the schools objective and educational priorities to that of my STEM club since I intend to combine the two equally. In addition to the comparison, this source will also give me a better look at the demographics of my club in terms of racial and gender diversity. This will be a critical piece in graphing and creating infographics for my club. Overall, I will use all of this information in conjunction with my source that pertains to the mandatory curriculum that is taught in all Archdiocesan schools in Philadelphia.

Creative Writing Piece: Haunted

Reading our old text messages brought me back to where it all started. The flirtatious conversations, the plans for our first date, our first phone call. It reminded me of a happier time, one that bore no resemblance to the trauma I’d end up facing. Looking back on it now, I wish I would have known that the first phone call would be a contract I unknowingly signed. He wanted all of my time, every second of it. If I said I was busy or that I wouldn’t be able to call that day, he’d guilt trip me by threatening to kill himself. He knew that was my weakness. That I cared about him enough that I couldn’t risk it happening.  I felt helpless. I couldn’t help myself because if I left and he ended up killing himself, it would be my fault. The guilt would have been harder to handle than dealing with him ever was. As time went on, I thought I’d been getting better with coping. I thought going to therapy was aiding my healing process. It was supposed to show me that his abuse was not my fault.

I hadn’t noticed that my heart had been racing until now. My posture was stiff and my breath was coming in and out in nervous, short intervals. Just seeing his name brought back all the terrible memories. It reminded me that he still followed me everywhere. His harsh words were forever embedded into my being, and whether I liked it or not, he still had me under his control. I could never get away. He knew exactly what to say in order to make me stay. “You can’t leave me, Claire,” “I’ll kill myself if you do!” he’d say. His mental health history and the things he’d confided in me during that first phone call let me know that the threat was real. I was convinced that the fate of his life was in my hands. It was too late now. There was no turning back. I wish I would’ve known that there’d be one moment in time where the rest of my time would never be mine.

Author’s Note:
When writing my reconstruction of memory, I was inspired to emulate Margeret Atwood’s narration tactic of putting more emphasis on how the moment she’s writing about makes her character’s feel rather than spending too much time contextualizing the moment itself. I felt that putting an emphasis on the emotion would aid in the characterization of the narrator of my memory and would make it easier for the reader to see that her memory was a reflection of her experience. Similarly to Chief Bromden in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey, the narrator of my piece solely speaks about her experience with her antagonist in order to show the effect he’s had on her. It was an intentional choice on my part to make the narrator of my story focus on the actions of all of the other characters but themselves because I didn't want the reader's perspective to be skewed. As for the topic, I felt that writing about emotional abuse in the manner that I did would allow people to see how it’s an internal battle that many people can not see.

Introduction:

My essay details how race is used a form of literacy in our society. Specifically, in situations where it is used as a first impression or form of perception. My goals for the paper itself were to detail the experiences I’ve had as a racially ambiguous person, and to detail how that’s affected my integration into certain societal events. As for areas of improvement, I could have expanded on my sense of memory by adding more dialogue. Overall, I am very happy with my essay and feel that it addresses literacy in a unique and interesting way.

Final Essay:

Being racially ambiguous is the human equivalent of being a chameleon. It’s a shapeshifting superpower that I use to my advantage whenever I see fit. Whether it’s when applying for a job or partaking in an interview, I modify my mannerisms and the way I look in order to fit into what seems to be the idea of perfection. In most cases, looking like a white woman saves me from facing the repercussions of being a minority in a majority ruled society. While I am not ashamed of my culture, it’s clear to see that being Hispanic is seen as a hindrance rather than a positive asset to many employers whom I’ve crossed paths with.  It’s the sad but true reality of my life, a clear depiction of the prejudices in place in our society.

When I was younger, I had never expected race to play as big of a role in my life as it does now. Race is nothing but a man-made system that’s sole purpose is to ensure that people are separated from each other, and it has managed to be an integral factor in determining my success. In more cases than one, looking like a white woman has saved me from the repercussions of being a minority in a majority ruled society.

A prime example of this was when I applied for a summer program at a distinguished university in Philadelphia. As I walked into the room for my interview, I could tell that the prompter was immediately confused. Her eyes darted towards the paper in front of her and then back at me. It was clear that I was not the applicant that she was expecting.

“Hi, are you Christina?” she asked cautiously, tension taut in her shoulders.

“Yes.”  I assured her.

“Great, take a seat.” she responded slightly confused.

As she took a better look at me her expression softened, while her shoulders eased back into a comfortable position. It was in that moment that I knew that she must’ve thought I was white. One of her own kind.

Day by day I relive the story of my life or as Jose Baca once called it in his book A Place to Stand  “the fable of my life,”  disappointed by the fact that sometimes I submit myself to society, by using looking white as a security blanket. I don’t embrace my Hispanic culture in those moments, but rather hide it in order to ensure my success. In our society, people like myself are forced to suppress their identities because they realize that we live in a white world.  Students of color come to the realization that they are at a disadvantage, and are forced to develop a kill or be killed mentality. This is not meant to be taken in a literal sense, but rather to signify that there is a need for minorities to develop thicker skin as a way to protect ourselves from the discrimination, judgement, and repercussions we face as a consequence of being marginalized.

Race is used and perceived as a first impression. In most cases, fair skin is seen as ideal and associated with being white, where are darker complexions are seen as odd and feared by many people. With that being said, people use their judgements to set lower expectations on people of color. Low expectations lead people of color to think little of themselves. They feel self-conscious and try to match their mannerisms to that of their white counterparts in order to fit in. The color of their skin causes their body language to change, analyzed in a way that will exaggerate any flaw. In my case, people assume my race and then refuse to believe me when I tell them they’re wrong. While it doesn't have much impact on them, I proceed to correct them. It's something I have to do in order to remain me, and remain true to my character.

W.E.B Dubois’ idea of double consciousness describes the feeling of having more than one social identity. Therefore, finding it difficult to develop a sense of self. This is a brief, but accurate description of the situation I am in. Although I maintain a high sense of pride for my culture, I wish that it wasn’t so hard to change people's immediate view of me. Correcting people feels like the only sense of dominance I have over my identity, and the feeling I experience is described wonderfully in the book Other People's Children when Delpit emphasizes that “you can only beat your head against a brick wall for so long until you draw blood.” In Delpit’s case she elaborates on how she feels that white teachers can not accommodate how black children needed to learn because they didn't understand how they feel on a emotional level. When comparing this to my situation, I clearly see her point because I face the same frustration in my everyday life, the feeling on being misunderstood.

In Dubious’  In The Soul of Black Folk, he argues that double consciousness is “this sense of always looking at one’s self through the eyes of others, of measuring one’s soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity.” This is a feeling that is a common occurrence in many minorities because so long as white people remain the majority race and minorities will always be looked at as a second priority. As this internalized and unspoken language remains to exist in our society, the expectations will only continue to grow, crushing minorities in their midst.

Works Cited

Baca, Jimmy Santiago. A Place to Stand: the Making of a Poet. Grove Press, 2001.

Delpit, Lisa D. Other People's Children: Cultural Conflict in the Classroom. New York: New Press, 2006. Print.

Doe, R. John.  Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh, 1998. Print.

“Double Consciousness.” Double Consciousness [DuBoisopedia ], 18 Dec. 2013, scua.library.umass.edu/duboisopedia/doku.php?id=about%3Adouble_consciousness.

Introduction:

The goal of my paper is to demonstrate my struggle with anxiety, and to elaborate on how I was able to embrace it. I see the topic of my essay as something that could be relatable for a lot of people, and I can imagine it having an impact on many. I also wanted to reflect on my experiences throughout my writing and depict how they affected me on a larger scale. Throughout my essay, I used an immense amount of literary devices as a way to make broader connections to the emotions I was feeling and the images that I was seeing. With that being said, I am proud of how I was able to convey my point across nicey, and how I developed some analogies that may have a bigger impact on people. In the future, I think it would benefit me to increase the amount of dialogue that I use throughout my essay. I see this as a benefit because it may give the reader a closer look at the overall context of my descriptive scenes.

Advanced Essay #1:

Anxiety engulfs me from top to bottom, like when all you wanted to do was take a dip in the ocean, but you end up drowning instead. It would always occur before something important, no matter what the event, it was a given that I would been shaking uncontrollably only moments before. I blamed it on my fear of messing up, a trait that correlated well with my Type A personality. It had caused me to remind myself of any bad possibility that could happen, and to compare myself to others as well. It was physically and mentally draining, dealing with the constant shaking, jittery memory, cold sweats.

It’s crazy to think about how one moment can wash your body over with anxiety in an instant. Taking the happiness you once had and replacing it with self doubt. Grasping any inkling of self esteem that you had left and tossing it out the window. It was a feeling I wouldn’t wish on many, but I was something that I had definitely felt. I was at my last Cross Country competition before State Championships on a chilly fall day. Tension was ripe in the air as students from different Catholic and Public schools prepared to fight to the death for those precious spots to States. The stakes were high, especially for me. I would’ve had to run a personal record for myself in order to make it, but despite the circumstances, I was determined. It was finally time for me to run. I tried to prepare myself, but my body was numb. My feet were planted on the ground, hands clenched tightly into fists, and blood rushing with adrenaline. As the starting signal went off, my surroundings became a blur. I ran as fast as I could throughout the whole course, leaving no room for error. If this was my last shot to make it, I was gonna make it count. The sound of my heart pounding was so loud that it gave me a headache, and I breathed heavily as my lungs grasped for any ounce of air. As I crossed the finish line, I laid my hands on my knees and let out a large sigh. The deed was done, it was all up to fate now. Moments like this happened to me often. I’d be put into a new situation and immediately get uncomfortable or I have to do something to achieve a goal that was extremely important to me. Every time, my reaction was the same.

It was the start of a new beginning. I was finally bursting out of my super glue sealed bubble, and taking the bus home for the first time. While this might’ve seemed like a simple task to many, it was a hardship to the petrified adolescent that I was at the time. I had lived a very sheltered life for most of my childhood, with not being able to cross the street alone till I was 9 years old and only being able to ride my bike past a certain house being prime examples. These normalities in my life caused me to get extremely anxious very easily when I was put into new situations. This was definitely one of those moments. It was finally a gift a freedom, but it was one I was questioning being given. The route seemed simple enough, but it was going to be a long journey back to my suburban home in the Northeast. A trolley, a train, a bus, and a 10 minute walk all needing to be ridden before the sun went down. I didn’t even want to fathom what the consequences would be if I got home later. Hundreds of thought’s were running through my mind. What if I got kidnapped? I’m tiny, someone could easily take me. What if I get on the wrong bus? Will people look at me like I’m lost? The possibilities I came up with were as dark as onyx, and they definitely didn't help ease my nerves. As I sat on the bus, I tapped my foot on the ground and stared out the window, adamant about avoiding any glances from the people around me. My hands shook as I prepared myself to pull the line that would signal that my stop had arrived. Finally, I was here. All that was left was my walk, although, it actually ended up becoming a run. My target was in sight and I was ready to reach it, and when I finally did, the relief that I felt when I knocked on my front door was better than the feeling of being given an ice pop on a hot day.

Getting anxious before important events in my life was a feeling that I had gotten accustomed to. Reminding myself of every wrong scenario that could happen, only increasing my nerves even more. Although, the bright side was that the feeling let me know what significant moments in my life were, and the severity of it would be an even bigger sign of its impact. I was scared of losing grasp on things that were important to me, and the anxiety was sign of that.

Christina Santana

Miss Pahomov

English 2

31 March 2017

The Victor and The Victim

Innocence. A state so simplistic in its nature, but yet so intimidating and complex to others. It seems baffling, seeing as how innocence is seen as such a positive trait in children, but viewed as a weakness in adults. The complexity of this trait confuses people and makes them doubt themselves, causing them to direct their anger towards their counterparts that radiate innocence. When outbursts of conflict arise, innocent people get killed because the malice and ignorance of their counterparts overpowers their limited ability to protect themselves. In many cases, the people who are affected by these outbursts of violence are bystanders to the madness, victims who were harmed for no reason other than being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Although they could have also been attacked due to their killer’s disdain for them, using their innocence as a dehumanization technique, and counting them as no more than targets who won't fight back. Things like bias and pre-existing prejudices act as a catalyst in the underlying fear that causes people to go after things they don’t understand. In a world where dominance can always overpower innocence, nice guys finish last.

In the novel Lord of The Flies, by William Golding, a group of boys get stranded on a deserted island due to the dawn of a new world war. As conflict arises and order deteriorates, it is up to them to create a makeshift civilization that will protect them from any problems they may face in the future. After having his glasses stolen by the savages, Piggy goes on a conquest to retrieve them. The savages, a group of bloodthirsty adolescent boys, have no empathy for Piggy and no intention to give him his glasses back. As Piggy continues to plead for his glasses, one the savages releases a boulder that crushes him to pieces, killing him in an instant. While the savages were unbothered by his death, Piggy’s friend Ralph was distraught. "Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man's heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy,” (202) the narrator says. This quote shows us that Piggy’s death was a shock to Ralph, and the end of a support system. Especially because Piggy was the smartest and most innocent person on the island. He wouldn’t have hurt a fly. The savages’ self-loathing attributes and their want for power overrules their once keen senses that prevented them from hurting others. They see the innocent being as the easiest target to take down on their mission to rise to power. They have no worry that there would be a backlash of attack. This situation is comparable to the Syrian War where innocent people are being killed due to the ignorance and malice of others. They’re lives are taken out of account as they become another number on a death toll, meaning nothing to their murders. Just like the savages, the fighters in Syrian War care more about themselves than the people they are effecting. They take the lives of others with the intention of making an impact for their cause, but instead they take the lives of innocent people. People who did nothing but try to stay out of trouble.

In an article listed on BBC, they referenced The Syrian War as the “Deadliest Year For Children Yet”.  According to UNICEF, about 8.4 million - 80% of Syria’s child population - have been affected by this war. Which leads to the question, how could these innocent children be expected to defend themselves when their enemies attack in packs, using weapons and explosives to kill thousands at a time? Fear. The fear of not accomplishing their goals, the fear of the consequences they will face it they go against their leader, the fear of losing. Leading them to go after targets who they know they could win against. Targets who are too young to defend themselves or petrified enough to render them defenseless. After being so fearful to others, attackers being to get scared of themselves. They create facades to hide them from reality, and use them as a way to become a new person. During a roam around the island, the boys discover paint. Jack, the hunter of the group, became enthralled with this new discovery and decided to use the paint to create a mask for himself.  As the narrator says, "The mask was a thing of its own, behind which Jack hid, liberated from shame and self-consciousness" (34). By looking at this quote, the reader can see that the mask is what Jack uses to “become” a savage.. It acts as a trademark of his savagery, representing the liberation he receives from forgetting the morals he once valued so deeply.

Statistics show that Syrian children are showing symptoms of psychological strain from the traumas of witnessing war. From observing the mannerisms of the characters in Lord of The Flies, we can see that multiple characters have been affected by the constant threat of violence that surrounds the island. They even show symptoms of anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder. The traits of their disorders are especially shown after one of the boys gets scared by something they saw in the woods. Leaving a outburst of fear on the island, due to the impending predator that they call now call  “The Beastie”.  In order to calm down the panicked and fearful children Jack says, "Fear can't hurt you any more than a dream. There aren't any beasts to be afraid of on this island. Serve you right if something did get you, you useless lot of cry-babies!" (79) As displayed in the quote, Jack is clearly insensitive towards the feelings of his companions. He dismisses their fear and quickly devises a way to ignore their persistent cries for help. This is a common occurrence, not only in Lord of The Flies, but also throughout our society today. Specifically in the Syrian War where the Syrian government ignores the their civilians attempt to gain help from the enemy. This relates back to innocence because people in positions of power take innocence as a sign of weakness. They view it as something that makes people inferior to them. Something that makes them easy to take down. Innocence is looked at as something to be taken, a prize to be won, a medal to be displayed to represent the impact of the action at hand.

What begins as a peaceful uprising ends as a mourning for loss. Leaving the once confident and innocent being harmed by the actions of its predator. It’s common occurrence in our everyday society, causing people to be fearful of their competitors, and causing them to be fearful of the unknown harm they could face. Because of the fear of the unknown, people hole up and allow others to trample over them. Thus fulfilling the statement nice guys finish last. The sad truth is that the ones who are dominant often understand their dominance, which allows them to take over the ones who are considered “nice”.

Works Cited

"Children of Syria By the Numbers." PBS. Public Broadcasting Service, n.d. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/children-of-syria-by-the-numbers/>.

Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. New York: Penguin, 2006.

Moore, Jack. "Syria war death toll hits 321,000 with 145,000 more missing: Monitor." Newsweek. N.p., 18 Mar. 2017. <http://www.newsweek.com/sixth-anniversary-syrian-conflict-looms-war-monitor-says-465000-killed-or-567181>.

Pruitt, Sarah. "New Book Sheds Light on the Murder of Emmett Till." History.com A&E Television Networks, 03 Feb. 2017. <http://www.history.com/news/new-book-sheds-light-on-the-murder-of-emmett-till-the-civil-rights-movement>.

"Syria war: 2016 deadliest year yet for children, says Unicef." BBC News. BBC, 13 Mar. 2017. <http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-39252307>.

Una oda a Emiliano Zapata

Fuerte, compasivo y revolucionario

Cuando lo ves creo que en color. Veo la belleza del mundo

Hacer servicio a la comunidad en su memoria

Ubicado en: 1422 Callowhill Street, Philadelphia, PA

3 cosas que este mural revela sobre la comunidad:

• The community supports women to standing up for themselves

• They want girls to reach their full potential in life

• Encourages them to strive to be in higher positions of power

2 objetos, imágenes, frases o palabras encontrados en el mural:

• “We reach for the stars, for they hold our dreams”

• Various women are depicted receiving awards and medal

• There is a large image of a girl scout in the middle of the mural

1 razón que es significativo para este comunidad:

This mural is significant to the community because it encourages girls to be want they want to be, and it also influences them to make a difference in their community. Furthermore, it displays what great organizations like The Girl Scouts of America have been able to do through the years they have been running , and it highlights their accomplishments. Therefore, setting a good example for all the girls in this community.

(Does the sign of the cross)

In the name of The Father, of The Son, and of The Holy Spirit.

(Proceeds to pray as her hands are in prayer position)

Oh Lord, I ask that you watch over my family and friends. That you guide us in the right direction and help keep us from harm. I pray my grandpa is watching over me from Heaven, but can I ask? Ask why you would take him away from me. Why you would take someone who had so much faith in you away from their family?

(Remove hands from prayer position and intensifies tone of voice)

Haven't you seen what I’ve been through? Don’t you remember how much faith I have in you or had I should say. I … I just can’t do this anymore. I’m done believing.

You’ve failed me. After everything I’ve done! After everything I’ve been through, all you do is put me through more pain. You said that Jesus died for us. That he died to prevent us from the pain he went through when he was nailed to the cross, but if that's true then why did you leave my grandpa helpless in a hospital bed dying from cancer!

(Runs her hands through her hair and starts to pace/walk around the room as she talks)

I’d spent an integral part of my adolescence in a hospital. Fox Chase Cancer Center to be exact, and even though it wasn't me who was sick, I would have prefered that compared to the actuality of the situation. My best friend was in the hospital with stage four cancer.

He was such a happy person. Not even being diagnosed with cancer could dull his sparkle, but the chemotherapy did. It made him weak. Tired. I could see how the pain affected him whenever I’d visit.

(Pause and look up)

He was the matriarch of our family. Yet the chemotherapy made him weak when we needed him most.

(Look like you’re about to cry)

All we wanted was for him to be okay! We’d be excited when they’d tell us that he could come home, but we’d be distressed and depressed when we’d have to bring him to the emergency room no more than 3 weeks later.

(Look like you’ve had a train of thought and then smile)

I visited my grandpa everyday after school hoping he would get better. It put a smile on my face to see how his eyes lit up when I walked into the room. “Hola Ava” he would say. “Hola Abuelo” I would reply as I walked towards him to give him a hug.

For the rest of the afternoon, we would watch tv with our family, and tell corny jokes until it was time for us to go home. “I love you Abuelo” I'd tell him before I left.  “I love you too” he’d say with a cheesy smile on his face. It made me happy to see that he was happy. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

(Look towards the ceiling)

God, during his treatment I stopped believing. Believing that you would help the situation, that you would make everything better. As he continued to get worse I continued to wonder why you would do this to me, to my family, to our family. I was on constant alert fearing that one day you would take him away from me.

(Short Pause)

Every time I saw him the last sentence I would say to him was I love you. I said I love you because was I so scared that I would lose him at any moment.

(Intensify the urgency as this sentence is said)

Do you know how emotionally unstable that makes a child? To know that her grandpa, her best friend, could die from esophageal cancer at any minute.

(Pause)

And then it happened. On an early afternoon in August he died. My dad hadn't told me until we got home, but I could sense that something was wrong before then. I tried to prepare myself, but I wasn’t ready to hear the news. I don’t think anyone else was either. His death affected me deeper than I could even fathom.

(Start speaking in a slight whisper)

It made me lose faith. Faith in you, your religion, and I’m sorry.  Saying all of this has helped me realized that it isn’t your fault. My feelings of anger and betrayal were out of distress, despair. I was trying to find someone to blame the situation on, and you just happened to be the target.

You were the only person I thought could help him and seeing how he hadn’t gotten any better I took that as you failing, but (Sigh) I was wrong to blame you. I mean you did help him live four and half years longer than the doctors said he would. In fact they called his survival a miracle.

(Slowly does the sign of the cross)

And with that being said, I’m sorry.

(Slight Pause)

Amen. (She says as she bows her head)

Soy Christina

Me encanta cantar

No me gusta hace la tarea

Soy baja, linda, fiel, y poderosa

Cuando tengo tiempo libre soy escuchar música

Me cupleaños es el diez de mayo

A veces, soy bastante  tímida

Tengo catorce años

Me fascina música

Yo soy…

¡YO!