For my capstone project, I designed a Hidden Storage Bench. This bench can be used as a seating area and a storage place, with a large compartment hidden to store items like bats, plates, and baseballs. I created this capstone to showcase the skills and knowledge I gained over three years in the CTE Engineering Program, focusing on woodworking to challenge myself and improve my skills. I aimed to address a need in my baseball community, the Anderson Monarchs, and apply engineering skills to real-world applications. The project began with an inquiry into maximizing hidden storage while meeting space constraints. I researched designs, materials, and processes, created 3D CAD models, and sourced materials with the help of funding from Braskem. The construction involved precise measuring, cutting, and assembly, although I faced challenges such as warped wood and stability issues I overcame them with the help of peers and mentors. I documented my process and prepared a presentation to showcase my project. I learned valuable lessons in project management, problem-solving, and woodworking. This experience taught me the importance of perseverance and adaptability.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SewsaH8Vyh1TI5qGFbZARKm5JVVABMFmmeuva57qjsc/edit?usp=sharing

In One Flew Over the Cuckoo Nest, the ward represents a creation of society, with Nurse Ratched symbolizing the oppressive authority and control. McMurphy, A main character in this ward, is seen as the protagonist, challenging the authority and arguing with the patients to rebel against the structures forced upon them. In our lives, authority figures and mandatory structures can make us feel restricted or oppressed. In my own life, there have been moments where I have broken free from these constraints, which have led to personal growth.

In this novel, McMurphy’s character is defined by encouraging patients to rebel against the ward’s rules. McMurphy is often seen challenging the control of Nurse Rached and inspiring patients in this ward to follow his lead in asserting their independence. When McMurphy arrives at the ward, he challenges the rules and authority, questioning the strict routine and rules of the ward that could be seen as dehumanizing.

McMurphy shows a significant moment of rebellion when the patients vote to change the TV schedule to watch the World Series, while Nurse Ratched opposes this idea. A quote reads, “All twenty of them, raising not just for watching TV, but against the big nurse, against trying to send McMurphy to disturbed, against the way she’s acted and beat them down for years”(140). The narrator, Chief Bromden, describes this act of rebellion by McMurphy as one that makes Nurse Ratched question her power. The majority of men who voted on this can be inferred as an immense act of rebellion waiting to occur.

McMurphy foreshadows a personal rebellion evolving into a collective rebellion in which he is the “leader.” He often encourages other patients to join him in this battle against the authority. The actions that he creates inspire the people to stand up against the oppressive environment of the ward.

In my own life, I can relate to moments when I have felt the need to rebel against authority. There have been negative moments with significant people that I found myself around on a daily basis. I was in this rebellious state at a young age with my teachers, parents, and even coaches. I often thought they wouldn’t know better than me, so I would do what I wanted and often paid the price. Challenging simple rules like “Don’t talk while the teacher is talking” or “Stop playing video games and clean up your room” were moments where I felt the need to challenge rules because they were unjust. While I may not have faced the same extreme circumstances as the characters in the novel, these instances led me to question the oppression I faced from then until now.

This novel portrays the ward as a nature of society, with Nurse Ratched symbolizing oppressive authority and control and the character McMurphy, seen as a protagonist in this situation, challenging this authority. This theme of rebellion is seen to have resonated with real life as many people have experienced moments of trying to break free from constraints explicitly placed on them, which often leads to personal growth. The novel’s exploration of rebellion reflects humanity, highlighting the desire for freedom.

In The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, Offred and other handmaids express their need for love, hoping for love to come to fruition in their lives as a way of escaping their current role and situation in Gilead. “Falling in love, we said: I fell for him. We were falling women. We believed in it, this downward motion…”. This excerpt from the story captures Offred’s desire to love. What she considers love to be is love from god sharing how god loves his people showing the prominent religion that Offred ties close to.

In The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood says how important love is, especially for Offred and the other women in Gilead. They talk about “falling in love,” which shows how much they want love in their lives. Offred thinks about love in a religious way, like how God loves people. This connects to her strong religious beliefs. When I read this part of the story, I could see similarities between Offred’s beliefs about love and my own ideas about what love means.

Love is a big word with lots of meanings. It’s not just about romance. It can be about family, friends, or even things we really care about. When I think about love, the most important kind for me is the love I have for my family. This love is so strong and unbreakable because I know my family will always be there for me no matter what.

The book shows that Offred’s idea of love is linked to her religious beliefs. She thinks about love like the way God cares for people. In the society she lives in, Gilead, religion is a huge part of everyone’s life. Offred hopes for a love that’s like the love of God – something strong, pure, and everywhere. It’s not just about romantic love for her. It’s about a deeper connection, a spiritual kind of love.

My own understanding of love is more tied to my family. The love I have for them gives me a feeling of safety and happiness. I know they’ll support me no matter what happens. It’s not about religion for me, but about this special bond that family brings. In the story, love is not just romantic. It’s about different kinds of relationships. Offred and the other handmaids have a deep need for love, connection, and freedom. They talk about “falling in love” as a kind of belief, a hope for something better. This shows that love is not just about being in a relationship with someone. It’s about the feeling of closeness and care that you share with people around you.

For me, love isn’t just about romance either. It’s also about the strong bond I share with my friends. We support each other, have fun together, and help each other through tough times. This kind of love isn’t romantic, but it’s so important in my life. The book made me think that love changes over time. As life goes on and we meet new people and experience new things, our feelings of love can also change. The love for something or someone might grow or become different. It’s like a flower that keeps on blooming, changing its colors and shape as time goes by.

The most important thing about love, according to the book and in my life, is that it’s always there, even if it changes. Offred’s hope for love, in a society where it’s restricted, is like a light in the darkness. It shows that love is a powerful force that can help us get through tough times, even if it’s just hope. Thinking about the similarities between Offred’s ideas about love and my own, I can see that love is a big part of everyone’s life. It’s not just about romance, but about the different connections we have with family, friends, or things we care deeply about. “The Handmaid’s Tale” is a reminder that love is a huge, complex thing. It’s not just one feeling, but a mix of feelings and connections. It’s about finding closeness and care with the people around us. Whether it’s the hope for something better, the bond with family, the connection with friends, or the passion for something we love, it all shows the different sides of love and how it affects our lives in many ways.

The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood, explores oppression, control, and the struggle for freedom in a society.

There is a specific connection between the novel and the conflict between Israel and Palestine, focusing on the treatment of women and the use of religion for oppression. Both Gilead and the Israeli government are seen as forces, exerting control over the lives of their populations. In Gilead, women are stripped of their rights and treated poorly, while in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Palestinians and Israelis are subjected to crimes against humanity.

In Chapter 6 of The Handmaid’s Tale, Offred and Ofglen are standing by the Wall, looking at the bodies of people whom Gilead has hung. At the end of the chapter, Aunt Lydia tells Offred that what may seem extraordinary now will eventually become ordinary. This highlights the theme of the ability of individuals to adjust to their circumstances, no matter how oppressive or unjust they may be.

Another significant quote from the novel is, “Better never means better for everyone…It always means worse, for some”. This quote emphasizes the inequality and injustice in Gilead’s society, where the privileges and benefits enjoyed by some come at the expense of others.

The Handmaid’s Tale also explores the concept of identity and the ways in which it can be manipulated and controlled. Offred reflects on the loss of her name, which has been replaced by her assigned role as a Handmaid. She realizes that her name holds more meaning than a simple telephone number, and its absence represents a loss of her individuality. The novel also goes into the theme of freedom, with Aunt Lydia stating, “There is more than one kind of freedom. Freedom to and freedom from. In the days of anarchy, it was freedom to. Now you are being given freedom from. Don’t underrate it”. This quote highlights the oppressive nature of Gilead’s regime, where individuals are stripped of their personal freedoms in the name of societal order and control.

In The Handmaid’s Tale, the regime of Gilead uses religion to justify its oppressive policies and control over women’s bodies. Similarly, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has deep religious roots, with both sides claiming historical and religious connections to their origin. This use of religion to justify violence and oppression is common in both narratives, highlighting the dangers of religious extremism.

Despite the situations, both the characters in The Handmaid’s Tale and the people living in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict find ways to resist and maintain hope. In Gilead, Offred’s secret acts of rebellion and her determination to survive serve as a symbol of resistance. Similarly the people of Israel and Palestine, through movements, international solidarity, and the pursuit of peace, demonstrate their resilience and desire for a better future.

The Handmaid’s Tale offers an exploration of power, oppression, and the struggle for freedom. By connecting the novel to the conflict between Israel and Palestine, we can gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of these issues and the importance of empathy, understanding, and the fight for justice in our own world.

In my last post, I talked about one of the biggest problems in Philadelphia right now which is gun violence. I talked about how much it affects our communities and the people that live in it. I gave numbers and graphs that showed the yearly increase in homicides, a map that showed what areas are being affected most by gun violence, and charts that showed victims of gun violence with and without paralysis.

As research continues for my project, Mayor Jim Kenney and congressmen plan to use next year’s stimulus money as funding for anti-violence efforts. Even though this isn’t major, it’s a step in the right direction for combating gun violence. Also, social media is spreading news about gun violence through platforms On twitter, Gun violence was trending just last week. This helped to continue to raise awareness to the issue and gain attention to the people in power. I am very happy that these tactics were set in stone. I think it’s a perfect mix of combining media and views from the mayor and congressman as a way to combat gun violence.

On the topic of social media, I decided to make a twitter page that specifically covers gun violence in Philadelphia. I wanted this page to consist of news, charts, videos, posters and more. Here’s one of the tweets I did, I dedicated this tweet to how gun violence has increased due to the pandemic. I talked about things like unemployment, health care, and housing that have been hard to find during the pandemic, ultimately factoring into an increase of homicides.

News outlets I followed on my twitter page

My twitter page where I talked about gun violence in Philadelphia

My main drive for doing this cause for my Agent of Change project was seeing thousands of people lose their lives to guns, especially in the surrounding areas and communities I live in. It’s truly saddening to know that some of my friends’ communities have to deal with gunshots every day and hearing another person die down the street from your house. Going into this cause I had no experience with gunshots and gun violence in the streets of my neighborhood. Even though I had little experience, I knew my impact on this issue could be just as good as some with more experience with gun violence. Creating a social media page was my way of making a change. I’m glad I chose this route because I know a lot of kids my age are exposed to social media and can gain traction from social media consumers about causes like this.

Going into the project I wasn’t that confident. I thought the change that I would take decades to do wouldn’t have enough impact and would be something that is forgotten quickly. After delivering a social media page gaining traction and attention this would be a project that I will always remember one thing, I made a better situation then me and my city were in. What I learned about myself was being a news reporter would be a job I would be interested in as a future job. I think I’m good at gathering information and publicizing it. One thing I wish I did better was gaining followers. I put out a good amount of tweets but I wasn’t gaining a following which I think would’ve created more publicity. If there’s one thing I remember its change is continuous, it never stops until their is no change to be made.

Annotated Bibliography

This graph shows yearly homicides that date back to 1960

Sources say the main cause of increase in gun violence is the pandemic. Numbers of homicides and shootings in Philly have skyrocketed since the start of the pandemic, causing one of the most violent years in history. Experts say the pandemic likely drove much of last year’s spike in shootings and murders. They suspect that trend will continue for much of 2021, even as cities slowly inoculate residents against COVID-19, as they only see gun violence rising as the city goes into lockdowns. “The Philadelphia Police Department recorded 50 homicides in January, a 32% increase over last year, the deadliest in three decades.”, just goes to show how much the pandemic is effecting gun violence.

Researchers found that after Philadelphia closed non-essential businesses, there has been an increase in gun violence. Unemployment and distress in poor neighborhoods is what’s causing more violence throughout the city. Researchers say, “The pandemic, and its economic and social fallout, have highlighted many longstanding systemic issues, including inequities in employment, health care and housing”. Governor Tom Wolf and senators have proposed a new idea to make communities safer. For example, one of these idea were a senate bill that would report lost or stolen guns to authorities, but if there is not a change soon gun violence due to this pandemic will put a serious dent in our communities in Philadelphia.

This map shows the neighborhoods being affected by gun violence

These shootings are proven to have long term effects on people including paralysis. Dozens of people are affected from paralysis each year, and the number doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Experts say, “For each gun homicide, there were four survivors who sustained gun injuries. These injuries can cause significant long-term health effects, including paralysis”. Not only does this affect neighborhoods and the city of Philadelphia, it leaves people with disabilities making it harder to provide for their families.

This graph shows percentages of shooting victims with a gun related hospital visit

Community activists want to see change happening soon due to the increase of gun violence in Philadelphia. Activist feel like there is no sense of urgency, and hey thing some of the main causes of this crisis are narcotics, no food, and sexual abuse.

My research has given me evidence and important information that I can use when fighting against gun violence in Philadelphia. I wonder what city leaders will do in the future to compact gun violence and how soon will it be until it happens. I question the origin of gun violence and I look forward to learning more about it

My annotated bibliography is here

Mi familia es enérgica, nos encanta contar chistes y jugar juegos de mesa familiares. Tengo dos hermanos, un hermano y una hermana. Tengo cuatro tías, un tío y primos. Vivo con mi mamá, mi papá y mi hermanos. Mi hermana se llama Morghan, tiene el pelo negro. Su cabello es corto y rizado. Ella tiene ojos marrones claros. Mi hermana es alta, tiene 5 ‘9. Ella es gordita y trabaja para perder peso. Morghan es tonta, ella se ríe de muchas cosas. Ella está molesta y le gusta mucho ponerme de los nervios. Ella no es extrovertida y puede ser tímida. Mi hermano Jacob tiene cabello castaño claro. Es corto y rizado. Él tiene ojos verdes. Jacob es joven entonces él es bajo, pero alto para su edad. Jacob es juguetón. Le gusta jugar con juguetes. Es muy atlético. Juega béisbol y baloncesto y es un dios corriendo. No es tímido y asustado de las cosas Tengo el pelo negro. Es largo y rizado. Tengo ojos marrones oscuros. Soy alto a las 5 ‘10. Soy muy divertido. Me encanta contar chistes y hacer reír a la gente. Soy muy inteligente en tecnología. Me encanta usar la tecnología y soy bueno solucionando problemas con las computadora Mi hermano y yo somos atléticos. Los dos practicamos deportes pequeños y nos gusta practicar juntos. Ambos no somos tímidos, y somos habladores y extrovertidos. Aunque mi personalidad es la más cercana a la de mi hermano, mi familia es muy deportiva. Mi padre jugaba béisbol, mi madre jugaba tenis y mi hermana jugaba a nadar. Nosotros somos una familia afroamericana. Amo a mi familia más que a nada.

A connection that influenced me is how connected he is to his city Johannesburg. It interests me how much he learned from living there and the details about Johannesburg that he put in his writing that made it sound so special. It influenced me to tell a story where I can go into detail about what it’s like to live where I was born, West Philadelphia. Not only did it influence me to do that but it also made me want to tell a story about the identity and culture that I’ve come to learn that was built by my community, and for Noah, this was Johannesburg. Trevor explores his identity through events that happened in his life. One event that resonated with me is when he took a second thought on whether he should sell a camera that was stolen. The thought that he had was there’s someone that is being affected by all the photos and memories connected to the camera and if it’s sold then those photos and memories are erased. Trevor said, “ We live in a world where we don’t see the ramification of what we do to others, because”. This showed Treavor’s unselfishness by putting other people’s emotions and feelings over the money that he would receive. The way Noah used dialogue in his writing resonated with me. I love the way he incorporated dialogue in his writing to make readers want to read more. This was something that I wanted to incorporate in my writing because I want to interest readers and make them want a sequel to the story, just as Trevor did in his writing. The way Trevor’s story is told, there’s a clear idea of what’s going on from the rising action to the falling action in that chapter. I wanted to create a vivid image for readers with my storytelling from beginning to end of the vignette that compares to his storytelling. I did not choose to use humor in my writing. Sometimes I like to use humor and I consider myself pretty funny, but for this vignette, I wanted to leave out the humor because sometimes I feel like it takes away some ideas in the stories that I want readers to see. I broke down what this culture looks like to provide images for an outsider audience so they could imagine what this culture would look like. My vignette addresses the essential question of what it looks like to be a part of a community and most importantly a culture.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ggYMNqRcRIgkk1LJxvHB9uLIWr0AJyJiyWz-rC1Kq5U/edit?usp=sharing

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1su4tvN9q_mzopxpBMayaofZ_sO08uBiZaWYmttBlpxI/edit?usp=sharing

This year has been a year of ups and downs, but the things that have separated this year from previous years is climate change, a topic that is thrown around and put aside. Climate change, a change in global or regional climate patterns, has struck our world with the worst of it. To forest fires, water rising, up rise in heat, ice glaciers melting, it affects our everyday lives and that was just a few. I believe if we take steps In the right direction we can solve this crisis. You might be reading this and asking, what steps can we take? Well to answer that question there’s a vast amount of little things we can do. It starts by using energy wisely, reuse items, turn off lights when not using them, little things like that goes a long way to providing a safe environment for yourself, your community, and most importantly the world. No matter your age, you can make a difference and it starts now!