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Claire Byrnes Capstone

Posted by Claire Byrnes in Capstone · Giorgio/Shagin · Wed on

For my Capstone, I wanted to create a resource for teens interested in museums, a place to hear about other volunteers' experiences and learn about volunteering opportunities. To complete my CTE Digital Video requirement, I interviewed students sharing stories and their passion for museums. Since it was difficult to get in touch with a variety of teen volunteers, I decided to expand my research. My final product is a collection of information about museums around the city, organized into a website.

My website housing all of my videos and information is here below:


Annotated Bibliography


Bay, Ann. “Museum Programs for Young People: Case Studies.” eric.ed.gov/?id=ED090116.

This is a set of 14 case studies of young people in twenty-four American museums. Since it’s case studies, their source provides more specific information about these programs. The author writes about programs for young children and high school students, allowing me to understand a variety of programs. I found this source useful because it has information about the museums’ exhibits, staff, funding, and its coordination with schools. This source will be difficult to utilize though because it is a long document (almost 300 words) and since it was originally published in a book, not online, the font is difficult to read.


Bormann, Sarah Beth. “Teen programs : engaging adolescents in the museum setting.” San

Francisco State University Digital Repository, 2016, hdl.handle.net/10211.3/172971.

This source focuses on how and why museums interact with teenagers specifically. This source includes four case studies of museums in America with long-term teen programs and the themes that connect them. While this source is very long, there is a Table of Contents that will allow me to read the specific parts that I know will be helpful. This source will be very helpful in not only understanding long-term teen museum programs, but also their impact on the museum itself. This source also has interview questions that I can adapt to use when interviewing the teens involved in museums.


Dahl, Mette Irene. “Finding a new voice: lifelong learning experiences in museum

volunteering.” International Journal of Lifelong Education, 10 Jan. 2018, pp. 1–13., doi:10.1080/02601370.2017.1406546.

This article focuses on the aftermath of a volunteer’s time at a museum. These volunteers aren’t teenagers so it may not be applicable to my own Capstone, but this source provides me with information about how volunteering at a museum may affect their identity. By describing the experiences of different volunteers, this source is able to analyze their effect on the museum as a whole. I will use this source to better understand a volunteer’s impact on a museum which will develop into a conclusion for my Capstone. This source is an article by an independent researcher and has many references and data to reference.


Hoven, Kristy Van, and Loni Wellman. Recruiting and managing volunteers in museums a

handbook for volunteer management. Rowman & Littlefield, 2016, books.google.com/books?id=GQQsCwAAQBAJ&dq=teenage museum volunteers&lr=&source=gbs_navlinks_s.

This is a digital copy of a book written by museum studies alumni of Johns Hopkins University, an institution known for their research opportunities. This book, published recently in 2016, focuses on the process of volunteer recruitment, communication, and retention. Focused on non-profit volunteers, I will use this source to understand the culture behind volunteering through a business lens. Since this is just a preview of the book, which costs $16.50 and is not available at a free library, I can’t access all of its pages which will limit its usefulness. There is a Table of Contents which will allow me to pick and choose the sections to read.


Janes, Jennifer Elizabeth. “High school volunteerism, student docents, and the Sacramento

History Museum.” 14 Feb. 2012, hdl.handle.net/10211.9/1468.

This is a project exploring high school volunteer programs in history museums. This will be helpful because its focus mirrors mine - high school students and history museums. This source analyzes the best way to institute a high school volunteer program in a museum by using the Student Docent Program at the Sacramento History Museum as a case study. By using this project’s information backed up by the case study, I can agree with it that high school volunteer programs in museums focused on history are worthwhile and the museum’s staff should put forth time and energy towards developing these types of volunteer programs.


March, Kristina Marie. “Igniting the spark : the use of teenage volunteers in museums.” San

Francisco State University Digital Repository, 2013, sfsu-dspace.calstate.edu/handle/10211.3/130200.

This thesis examples the idea that teenagers can increase the value of a museum’s volunteer program. This source has case studies at 3 different science-based museums in the San Francisco Bay area and an informal survey of teenage volunteers. This source will be helpful to me because I will interview high school students at a few science focused museums and may adopt the survey questions to use in the interviews. The main reason this source will be helpful is its conclusion. This source ends with a set of guidelines for developing a successful volunteer program for teenagers in a museum.


Musick, Marc A., and John Wilson. Volunteers: A Social Profile. Indiana University Press,

2008, books.google.com/books?id=u8Tabf5HcRcC&source=gbs_navlinks_s.

This book is about volunteers themselves. By using information about volunteers at various museums (their race, gender, class, relationships, etc.) gained through a survey, this source will help me understand volunteers’ motivation for volunteering at museums. Since this is just a preview of the book, which costs $15.52, I can’t access all of its pages which will limit the amount of information I can access. There is a Table of Contents and a strong introduction which will introduce me to the book and allow me to pick and choose the exact sections I know will be useful for my Capstone.


Schwartz, Deborah F. “Dude, Where's My Museum? Inviting Teens to Transform Museums .”

www.mercermuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Dude-Wheres-My-Museum..pdf.

This is an article written by the president of the Brooklyn Historical Society and is reliable because of the author’s experience with museums and her use of footnotes and a bibliography. The author references many well-known museums in her article (the Museum of Modern Art, the Andy Warhol Museum, the Brooklyn Museum…) showing her expertise. This source is an opinionated piece, giving me the opportunity to understand someone’s actual opinion, rather than just information to cite. This article concludes with a set of guidelines for the museum community to engage teenagers. I can also use this source for its bibliography, to have more resources about youth programs in museums.


Szekely, Ilona. “Multiple Perspectives on Teen-Centric Art Museum Programs.” The

International Journal of the Inclusive Museum, vol. 5, no. 4, 2013, pp. 25–36., doi:10.18848/1835-2014/cgp/v05i04/44412.

This source focuses on how the involvement of teenagers in art museums has transformed their connection to the public. By exploring the historical context of teenagers’ relationship with museums, I will be able to understand the museums’ shift of focus from children to teenagers. This paper also discusses the implementation of technology in art museums which attracts teenagers to then stay and volunteer. This work is in the series “The Inclusive Museum” and was written by a professor at Eastern Kentucky University, a comprehensive institution. The author helped to establish several community arts organizations so I know she is experienced with the art community.


Verbanszky, Stephanie J. “Winning Over Tweens: Museum Programming for the Middle School

Audience.” 18 July 2006, pp. 1–111., library2.jfku.edu/Museum_Studies/Winning_Over_Tweens.pdf.

Divided into 13 sections, this study contains data from 8 focus groups of tweens to discover how their needs can be met in museums. This project’s research focuses on museums in California and uses psychology and neuroscience to understand tweens’ needs. The purpose of this study is to inform museum educators how to address the needs of tweens. The article’s main point is that through effective programming for tweens, museums can engage a large audience that will benefit the museums in the end. This project ends with an analysis of the important parts of successful tween programs and recommendations for museum educators.

Tajnia Hussain Capstone

Posted by Tajnia Hussain in Capstone · Giorgio/Shagin · Wed on

​For my capstone, my very first idea was that I wanted to give back to my community. I wasn’t aware of what this was yet until the end of my junior year. When I gained knowledge about the global refugee crisis and what was going on in Syria, Yemen, and Myanmar, I wanted to make a greater impact. I reached out to a refugee resettlement program here in Philly, HIAS Pennsylvania. I contacted the director and set up various meetings with the education coordinator to set up my capstone project. Over the course of nine months, I spent over 90 hours preparing and completing this project. I worked one-on-one with a group of young refugee children between the ages of 5-13 at Gilbert Spruance Elementary. Throughout this time, I got to know each and every one of them, built bonds and relationships, was a mentor and helped build their English and homework skills. I learned about their journey here to America and their difficulties back home. 

As I gained all this knowledge, I decided to create a documentary but after many technical difficulties, the content I collected was not of good quality so I decided to take another route and take excerpts of their stories and include it in my awareness presentation. Along with the volunteering I completed, I was apart of the Braskem Accelerator program and pitched to the company so I could get funding to give back supplies to the refugees at Spruance Elementary. I was among three individuals who received full funding and additional funding. I ordered books of all ages, basketballs, soccer balls, and jump ropes, to send home to the kids. I filled book caddies of various books to each family so they could build a mini-library of their own. The last component of my project was to raise awareness about the global refugee crisis so I created a 30-minute presentation on Prezi breaking down the various crisis’, the resettlement process, and the interviews I had of the refugees. I presented to all grades and also recruited students to volunteer at HIAS Pennsylvania next year for their ILPs/capstones. Overall, I am very proud of how my capstone turned out and educating others about what is happening around the world that need to be addressed. 


Global Refugee Crisis Presentation: 
The book caddies that I put together for the refugee children.
The book caddies that I put together for the refugee children.
Some of the refugee children I worked with.
Some of the refugee children I worked with.
Some of the refugees exploring their mini-libraries.
Some of the refugees exploring their mini-libraries.
Seraj, a refugee from Syria, playing with the soccer balls I provided to HIAS.
Seraj, a refugee from Syria, playing with the soccer balls I provided to HIAS.
Presenting about the global refugee crisis to a group of sophomores.
Presenting about the global refugee crisis to a group of sophomores.
Presenting about the global refugee crisis to a group of seniors.
Presenting about the global refugee crisis to a group of seniors.
Presenting to freshmans and juniors.
Presenting to freshmans and juniors.

Nadya Negron Capstone

Posted by Nadya Negron in Capstone · Giorgio/Shagin · Wed on

​Throughout my time at SLA I felt my peers and I lacked school spirit; there was something missing from our high school experience. That’s what moved me to take it upon myself to bring more school spirit to SLA. Due to the upcoming move to Ben Franklin high school in 2019, the student body has become divided. I felt that it was my obligation to remind everyone why we chose SLA and that we are more than just a building.
First I had to form a spirit committee. After that, we got straight to work. We decided to plan SLA’s first-ever haunted house, which turned out to be a success. Unfortunately, we didn’t make as much as we spent on it, but it was ultimately a good learning experience for our next event. Next, we planned the first of two-spirit weeks. Usually at SLA spirit week isn’t that popular however this year we surprisingly had a nice amount of students to participate. My goal for the end of the year was to have a pep rally but unfortunately, we couldn’t find the facilities to do so. In order to compensate for that, we decided to have the second installment of spirit week with a twist, each day had a different lunch event rather it be wild 'n out or a international luncheon. Throughout this process, I learned that in order for our community to evolve there has to be unity throughout the student body.
 
                                                 Annotated Bibliography

Berkeley. “Steps to Building an Effective Team.” Steps to Building an Effective Team | Human Resources, Berkeley University of California, hr.berkeley.edu/hr-network/central-guide-managing-hr/managing-hr/interaction/team-building/steps.

Annotation: I selected this source because it provides me information on how I can strengthen my spirit committee. It starts with a fully detailed list on ways to improve the structure team and produce the most effective outcome. It also touches on the leadership aspect of team building. If you are not a good leader you can not have a good team. In order to build an effective team you must first begin with yourself. That’s the information I found most useful in this article. Other information that I found just as useful is establishing team goals. If we all set one clear goal then we all know what to work for. This also goes into assigning jobs, when there is a common goal you can delegate which person of your team could be best fit for each job. Using this source has helped me understand how to build the confidence and effectiveness of my spirit committee so we can be able to produce more detailed and planned events. 


Deb, Samar. Unified thought on management. Kalpaz Publications, 2004.

Annotation: The source provides information on building morale and the importance of it in management settings. It references Napoleon and his philosophy on the necessity of morale to win a battle. In my case it would be a common goal. It also refers to the “Platonic Theory of State” which is said to detail the three elements of the human soul - reason, spirit and appetite. These elements in Plato’s Theory leads man to wisdom, courage and hunger, thirst and love. All of these aspects are essential in human morale building. With this new knowledge I’ve gained it has helped me develop a new understanding on how I can build the enthusiasm and school spirit at SLA. Not only at SLA but as well as in my spirit committee. I selected this source because it not only has historical evidence of the importance of morale but it also analyzes that historical evidence.    


Greguska, Emma, and Rhonda Olson. “ASU study finds school environment can affect student behavior.” ASU Now: Access, Excellence, Impact, ASU News, 24 Jan. 2017, asunow.asu.edu/20161215-solutions-asu-study-finds-school-environment-can-affect-student-behavior.

Annotation: This source provided information about how a toxic environment in school can affect student behavior. It explores the physical and also emotional aspects of a healthy school environment.  It helped me analyze how can I develop a different way I can approach spirit week and planning new events. It also provided the importance of having a healthy working environment for students. It can help improve test score and even the school spirit. It inspired to not only work on the psychological aspect of school spirit but the physical as well.  Developing new places for students to hang out as well as being able to start building bridges to create healthy workspace. 


Klesse, Edward J. Student Activities in Today's Schools: Essential Learning for All Youth.

Annotation: I selected this source because it provided me information on how building school spirit also builds respect. It also refers to careful planning of activities and making sure they relate to the overall school values and the community. It made me understand school spirit is not at all about the school but about the promotion of community. You have to be able to understand the students and teachers in order to create a productive community. It also provided me with a detailed list of different activities we can do in order to boost the self esteem in the community as well as the promotion of teamwork in all aspects of the spirit committee.  

Northern Michigan University. “Running An Effective Meeting.” NMU Student Organizations, www.nmu.edu/organizations/running-effective-meeting.

Annotation: This source provided me information about how to run effective meetings. Recently, that has been one of the things I have struggled with when it comes to spirit committee meetings. They’re usually not as structured as they could be. This source gave me steps on what a good meeting should look like. I’m going to use these tools to run more effective spirit committee meetings so we can have more planned out events. This source also gave me different ways to approach group members on how to improve their work. It is sometimes difficult learning how to approach people who aren’t as active and this source provided me with a detailed list on how to do this.



“Importance of School Spirit becomes increasingly important.” School Themes, School Spirit, Official Yearbook Ideas & School Homecoming Themes, www.schoolthemes.org/importance-of-school-spirit.html.

Annotation: This source helped me understand the importance of spirit committee in schools. Recently, spirit committee and myself have felt as if we were underappreciated and not needed in SLA. But after researching this I’ve actually realized how needed we actually are. There is so much going on with the move and benchmarks I think the SLA student body needs us. So this source helped me uplift the spirits within my spirit committee so we can work to produce better events.  It also provided me with a clear definition of what is school spirit. This will help me measure the school spirit at SLA and what I can do to improve it.

Nat Hilton Capstone

Posted by Nathaniel Hilton in Capstone · Giorgio/Shagin · Wed on

​I have been writing and producing music since my freshman year of high school, using all accessible instruments, software, and influences at my direct disposal. Throughout my endeavors, I found I have developed an obsession with the final product. I want my music to be concise, clear, and represent professionalism in an exciting way. 
For my capstone, I decided to start a musical group that would record and release an EP, play a successful release show, and create an accompanying music video. I decided to collaborate with a fellow senior, Lyle Seitz, and junior, Sofian Zapf, to create five professionally recorded songs and release them online. 
I studied home recording and worked with my out-of-school capstone mentor, Donato Pignetti (a junior recording studies major at the University of the Arts), to create the EP. We produced the EP with his help at the University of the Arts recording studio. 
Once the EP was completed, we then spent several months planning a release show. We spoke with popular Philadelphia based bands and several venues. Through extensive planning, we managed to have the release at a popular venue named The Sound Hole on January 6th. We managed to have the band Joy Again play with us that night, a band with millions of supporters in and outside of Philadelphia. The release show had over two hundred people in attendance and allowed the EP to gain large amounts of attraction in the Philadelphia musical community. After this event, our songs were played on WXPN. We also obtained a featured review on Post Trash, one of the largest websites for independent music reviews. 
After this, I then spent several months working on a music video for the EP. I chose the first track off the release, ¨Drug Store Romeo¨, to make the film for. The music video included many hand-drawn animations and featured me as the world’s worst dancer. Once the video was completed, the final product was accomplished and so was my capstone. 

Link: https://earthboypa.bandcamp.com/

Bibliography:

“Planning Your Album, Ranch Studios,” Accessed May 10, 2018.
https://www.ranchstudio.com/otherstuff/PlanningYourAlbum.pdf
This source speaks about how to explore a narrative or concept in a musical release. The EP we released attempted to tackle the concept of relationships and the specific traits of individuals. This source showed that you must extensively plan before recording, making lyrics and the meaning behind those lyrics the forefront of the concept. I attempted this with the songs I wrote by looking at individuals in my life and writing character studies throughout the lyrics. It also spoke on how to balance poetic language and realism and how subjective that can be. We chose to write lyrics that hid the meaning of the songs, making the audience delve deeper into the words that were being sung. This source was extremely helpful in understanding how to create a piece of music that fits and flows together more interestingly than a series of standard songs. 

The Small Venue Survivalist. Accessed May 10, 2018. http://smallvenuesurvivalist.com/electric-guitar-mic-or-di-and-why/.
This source is important because it helps with home production. We are producing the entire release in a home and want the most professional sound possible. This article speaks on how to record guitar well. In home recording, you can either record an instrument directly into a computer or record an amp with a microphone, which then leads into a computer. This article reveals that for guitar it is best to record with an amp, whereas other instruments it matters less. This was an important source because it helped with the process of recording the creating the final product.

Hirschberg, Lynn. "The Music Man." The New York Times. September 02, 2007. Accessed May 10, 2018. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/02/magazine/02rubin.t.html.
This source is an interview with Rick Rubin, one of the biggest producers in the world. He created Def Jam records and helped create releases for some of the biggest modern stars of this era. This source helped me gain an understanding of how important production itself is in creating a release.

"Home Recording Tips for DIY Musicians." Ditto Music Promotion. Accessed May 10, 2018. https://www.dittomusic.com/blog/home-recording-tips-for-diy-musicians.
This source is similar to the microphone recording source above, it gives information on home recording. A lot of the demos created for the EP were recorded in my home and I needed to figure out how to make the songs sound cohesive and professional with very limited resources. A lot of these tricks had to do with recording drums and micing amplification systems, which was extremely helpful for my process and furthering education on recording itself. It speaks on phantom power, which is a necessity when recording vocals through a condenser microphone. I wanted the vocals to sound close and quiet, but also clear, which a condenser microphone can accomplish very easily. This source was extremely helpful and important.

Kipp, Marianne. "How to Design an Album Cover: The Ultimate Guide." 99designs. March 10, 2018. Accessed May 10, 2018. https://99designs.com/blog/design-other/how-to-design-album-cover/.
This source spoke about how to create good album art. Alongside music, I have been making visual art from a very young age and I wanted the art of the cover to reflect the music itself. The source spoke on using the meaning of the music to derive visuals for the cover. I took this in a different direction and used a recurring image that we found over the course of the recording process. The image was of two animal figures, one with a hand for a head which corresponds to a song named Sun Daze. This image was frequently talked about during recording and had a lot of meaning to us and the music. This source allowed me to finalize decisions more quickly with art and to understand depth is important to both the audience and the musicians creating the music.

Kusek, Dave, Chris Robley, Brad, Joel Andrew, and Brian Hazard. "How to Create an Image for Your Band." DIY Musician Blog. July 07, 2016. Accessed May 10, 2018. https://diymusician.cdbaby.com/musician-tips/artists-think-image-issue/.
This source speaks on how to create a band aesthetic that challenges the norm. Many modern music projects have very similar looks and feel, copying and reusing has become a strong motif throughout modern music culture. I wanted to find a way to add uniqueness to the project without straying too far from the genuinity of the music itself. I found this source to be very helpful with that. It spoke about how using traits and feelings of your songs to derive an image. If your songs are darker follow that feeling, if they are more lively follow that. We found that our music was very positive and fun, so we decided using bright colors and to make a fun music video would create the aesthetic we were searching for. This source was very imperative to us, and was a huge reason our release show was such a success.

Letang, Shaun. "How To Make A Music Video For Beginners 2018." Music Industry How To. March 10, 2018. Accessed May 10, 2018. https://www.musicindustryhowto.com/how-to-make-a-music-video-for-beginners/.
This source spoke on how to create a music video. I wanted to create a video to add a professional feeling to the release, but I did not want to bog it down with pretension or overly artistic intent. I found that a simple idea with me dancing and having fun would capture the essence of the song and EP as a whole. The source spoke on how to use beats of the song or breaks in structure to dictate the plot of the video. I found that we did this by using location to reveal the change in section, we also created animated characters that added something more interesting on screen. This source was extremely helpful in understanding how to create a music video that interests the audience, flows with the music, and fits with the mood you are attempting to capture.

"Recording Drums: A Primer on Recording Drums at Home." Tape Op - the Creative Music Recording Magazine. Accessed May 10, 2018. https://tapeop.com/tutorials/31/recording-drums/.
This source speaks on recording drums at home, which is similar to the above sources on home recording. Recording drums was a huge issue for us, we found that a lot of the time they sounded spacy or distant. But this source gave us information on microphone placement and post-recording mastering and mixing. Those two factors allowed the drums to sound clearer and crisper, something that we had been searching for since the beginning of the recording process. Drums are the backbone of the song, and this source allowed that aspect of the music to be prominent and clear. That is why this source is extremely important.

"Recording Drums: A Primer on Recording Drums at Home." Tape Op - the Creative Music Recording Magazine. Accessed May 10, 2018. https://tapeop.com/tutorials/31/recording-drums/.
This source speaks on recording drums at home, which is similar to the above sources on home recording. Recording drums was a huge issue for us, we found that a lot of the time they sounded spacy or distant. But this source gave us information on microphone placement and post recording mastering and mixing. Those two factors allowed the drums to sound clearer and crisper, something that we had been searching for since the beginning of the recording process. Drums are the backbone to the song, and this source allowed that aspect of the music to be prominent and clear. That is why this source is extremely important.

"Release Preparation: The Musician's Guide to Marketing Plans Part 1." Cyber PR Music. May 04, 2018. Accessed May 10, 2018. http://cyberprmusic.com/album-release-preparation-the-musicians-guide-to-marketing-plans-part-1/.
This source speaks on how to market music. I found this the most difficult, I just wanted to produce music and art for myself, and the business behind it was never something that interested me. However, the source speaks on how marketing oneself and creating a business around you art is a huge step in reaching listeners. This source allowed me to become more comfortable with sharing the music I made and placing it on the internet, I also created several social media pages to gain listeners. I then put the EP on Spotify, making my music more accessible to the public. This source was extremely helpful in my understanding of music business and how to confidently represent yourself alongside your art.

Nicholas Shaw Capstone

Posted by Nicholas Shaw in Capstone · Giorgio/Shagin · Wed on



For my Senior Capstone Project, I decided to create a wind tunnel to assist Mr. Kamal with teaching future classes about the laws of aerodynamics. A wind tunnel is something used to test model planes to see how they can fly and to test the forces on them. It creates consistency between the two campuses throughout the years, and also gives future engineering classes something different that my class never had. I chose to create this wind tunnel because it was a unique challenge. Originally, I had no idea what tools and materials I would need to use, and I didn’t know how I would the process design it. All I knew was that I have a good background in engineering, and if I worked hard enough I could succeed. I’m hoping that for future engineering classes, my project can make a small but meaningful impact on how they learn about aerodynamics.

My mentor, Mr. Kamal, helped a lot with it along with the Mr. Pilla, SLA Beeber’s engineering teacher and Mr. Kamal a colleague of Kamal’s. I also had several students help with the construction and printing aspects, including Asher, Yafang, and Boubou.

The biggest challenge of creating the process was actually brainstorming on what I wanted to do. That easily took a month of just brainstorming and meshing ideas together with Kamal. Through this process, I’ve been reminded that communication is key. Hardship arose if Mr. Kamal and I weren’t on the same page when it came to dimensions, specifications, etc. Keeping it consistent with SLA Beeber’s wind tunnel was difficult as well. I would have had better communication with Mr. Pilla from Beeber, as well as started the fabrication process much earlier in the year.

I’m proud of the fact I created a wind tunnel with no pre-existing knowledge of how it worked, what went into it, etc. Aesthetically it could use some work, but it hits the data right on the nose perfectly.



Basic Design of Flying Wing Models, www.mh-aerotools.de/airfoils/flywing1.htm.


Like some of the other sources, this one gives me the basis of the making a model plane that can be designed in the most aerodynamic way possible, so it has the best way of gliding through the wind in the wind tunnel. It gave me information on the longevity and the stability of their own example as well. It’s reliable because it’s from a Deutsch (German) University, which is known for their own aerodynamic engineering. It also gave me equations that I can use to find and calculate the wing area of the planes. It also provided me with the basics on how to create the graph on how long the plane flies for.


“Chegg.com.” Solved: A Laminar Flow Wind Tunnel Has a Test Section That Is 4... | Chegg.com, www.chegg.com/homework-help/laminar-flow-wind-tunnel-test-section-40-cm-diameter-60-cm-l-chapter-10-problem-95p-solution-9780077295462-exc.

This is the core piece of my project. After the wind tunnel is made, calculating how the sophomore and junior planes run is essential. I would have to calculate the drag, the weight, the lift, and the thrust. I’ll use this textbook to find the equations and help me calculate all of these, especially the thrust. I’ll also use this to determine which factor is the most important in the design of the plane that the sophomore and juniors create. It’s reliable because it was submitted into a textbook, and has multiple sources itself. It shows that laminar flow is the best way of flying the plane as well.


Goalieguy, and Instructables. “Cardboard Wind Tunnel.” Instructables.com, Instructables, 1 Nov. 2017, www.instructables.com/id/Cardboard-Wind-Tunnel/.


For the instructable above, I used it to gain inspiration and start my project. This is the one that Kamal had used to create his wind tunnel. He discusses the need for laminar flow, which is essential for a wind tunnel and measuring data. It shows the materials needed for a smaller scale model, one that uses materials that Kamal had used. It’s reliable because this is the exact design that Kamal had used himself to create a reliable wind tunnel that he has himself.  I’ll use this exact design but not the direct materials that this person uses, making it more sturdy and permanent rather than flimsy and unreliable.


jamesabt007, and Instructables. “How to Make a Wind Tunnel.” Instructables.com, Instructables, 22 Oct. 2017, www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-wind-tunnel/.


This source is reliable again because this is one of the sources used by Kamal when he had created his wind tunnel, which worked for the seniors when he had taught aerodynamic engineering. He based his off of the one he had seen at Temple University, which has its own professional grade wind tunnel. I found it through Mr. Kamal, who sent me this and the other instructable as the instructions he had followed himself. I’m going to change the design a bit to gather the data more smoothly, and have a way implemented into the box to gather it.



“Laminar Flow.” Couette Cell for Demonstrating Laminar Flow - Apparatus or Plans Available for Purchase | Flintbox, University of New Mexico, 6 Mar. 2007, www.flintbox.com/public/project/6027/.


This is showing and explaining what Laminar Flow is, and how it’s used in real life applications. In this link, from the University of New Mexico, they display Laminar Flow

catwebster. It’s a reliable source because it’s from an educational program, the University of New Mexico. It provides me with the reasoning behind why there were straws in the instructable designs above, and how it helps with the plane’s flying and replicates reality. I found this source through a youtube video that was from the college, demonstrating how the airflow would look. It’ll help my capstone by providing a realistic view and demonstration inside of the wind tunnel, so the plane flies in conditions it would in real life.



NASA, NASA, www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/airplane/tunnozd.html.


NASA is obviously a reliable source, but for this I used this source to determine were to gather the data for the planes. It showed me that the best place to gather the data is right next to the direct flow from the laminar flow. It also gave me labels for each individual piece of the wind tunnel, so that in the process paper I can be more direct with the naming of each individual piece. The piece also shows that having a smaller “throat” of the tunnel would increase the wind speed of the tunnel, so making it better conditions to test the plane.



“Plane Statistics.” Plane Statistics -, www.cpalms.org/Public/PreviewResourceLesson/Preview/128898.


This article is useful because it will give me the best way to present the data I gather from the wind tunnel. It gave me how I should present the data through a presentation. The article’s domain is reliable because it’s known for giving educators good lesson plans and documenting the best way of presenting this data. It also provided me with a way of presenting the idea to the sophomores and juniors when they have to gather their own data. The best way of presenting this data through my final presentation is via graphs and infographics.


UIUC Airfoil Data Site, m-selig.ae.illinois.edu/ads.html.

The source I chose was part of the University of Illinois, the Department of Aerospace engineering which is perfect for my capstone. It’s filled with useful links and information on airfoils, which will come in handy when I’m testing the prototype and the final product. It’s incredibly reliable, because it’s not only from a University but it’s also from the department of aerospace engineering from a prestigious university. This will be the site were I gather the majority of my plans and ideas for the perfect model plane design. This will give me more information and open my mind to the best planes to use.


“What is the best design for a small flying wing with special flight envelope?” Aerodynamics - What is the best design for a small flying wing with special flight envelope? - Aviation Stack Exchange, aviation.stackexchange.com/questions/30034/what-is-the-best-design-for-a-small-flying-wing-with-special-flight-envelope.


This article helps just because if I want to design the best possible wind tunnel, you need to design the best possible small model plane design as well. The article lists how the best wing design has wings that are not double decker; but slick and long in design. The article also gives several examples of perfect model plane designs, with real life examples being Boeing Scaneagle. The source is reliable because it has multiple degrees of verification to make sure the poster has some degree of expertise. The source is a comment chain on how a model plane has a good wing span.



Madison Harris Capstone

Posted by Madison Harris in Capstone · Giorgio/Shagin · Wed on

For my Capstone, I wanted to find a way to have an outside event for students to interact and have fun with, but also raise money for the SLA Girls Basketball Team to put money towards them getting new apparel. I believe that this will make the team confident and bring unity to their apparel. I came up with the idea of running a basketball tournament and raise money by charging students from the school to play.

The final decision I made to do for my Capstone was to have my basketball tournament at Taney on April 30th, 2018. I did not charge students to play, but leading up to the tournament I ran a bake sale to draw attention for students to buy items, but I also had a sign up for the tournament at the bake sale. This raised money, but I also had a sense of what students were going to play. I advertised the tournament often on social media which had to word spread fast.

The day of the tournament I prepared by having a speaker so people watching would be entertained as long as the players. I wanted the tournament to be chill and for the students to have fun so it was very light on the rules, but it was on a time constraint so everything could flow and I did not run into the games being too long or short.

I believe that the tournament was fun for the students because it was just a day to have fun with peers outside of school. One piece I wish I could have done better was not overwhelming myself at once, but do one thing at a time in a spaced out amount of time. I am happy that I have completed my Capstone it has taught me so much about to overcome challenges and yet still benefits others.





This is a collage of the day of my tournament along with one of the flyers I created. I had three games. Freshman vs. Sophomores and winner faces the Upperclassmen. The Sophomores are Winners. Congrats Class of 2020!!
This is a collage of the day of my tournament along with one of the flyers I created. I had three games. Freshman vs. Sophomores and winner faces the Upperclassmen. The Sophomores are Winners. Congrats Class of 2020!!




Annotated Bibliography

Running a Tournament & Playing High School Event


“How To... Organize a Basketball Tournament.” Basketball Manitoba, 2018, 22 Jan. 2018 <www.basketballmanitoba.ca/2006/07/how-to-organize-basketball-tournament.html.>

I found this website/blog helpful for my capstone because it is talks specifically about how to organize a basketball tournament and making sure to be on top of the planning without leaving anything out and just having a flawless event per say. This is important for me and to have a successful capstone because it helps me have an idea/ plan of making sure I have everything and stay on track with my capstone without having spaces between the process and being upfront with the plan. The successful for the tournament will be having a plan prior to the big day. By following the checklist and the tips will help be a reference from start to finish from my capstone.  


McGroarty, Kent Page. “Benefits of Teamwork in Sports.” Healthy Living, EDGE Publications , 22 Jan. 2018. <https://healthyliving.azcentral.com/benefits-teamwork-sports-1119.html .>  

I researched the importance of sports and the importance it brings to teamwork and having the ability to work with others. This ties into my capstone because there has to be teamwork and collaboration in order for this tournament to be exciting and bring enjoyment to the players. It also teaches a life lesson of showing how if you are trying to get anywhere in life collaboration and understanding others is important to become successful in life. It also helps with the interactions between others and understanding everyone’s strengths and weaknesses and how it will  make the team successful and fun.


Frei, Terry. March 1939: before the Madness: the Story of the First NCAA Basketball Tournament Champions. Lyons Press, 2016. 23 Jan. 2018

This book is about how a team prepared before the March Madness tournament and the bonding they had before the big day. This made me think about how my teams may prepare before they enter the tournament. I wonder how the teams will prepare and how this will make the tournament engaging and entertaining for the players. I know that the collaboration will be successful and I hope their preparation is a well because that is what makes any team successful and the importance of it. It is better than teams who just comes out there without having any chemistry and limited collaboration.


“The Complete Event Planning Guide.” Membership Software - Wild Apricot, 23 Jan. 2018. <www.wildapricot.com/articles/how-to-plan-an-event.>  

Talks about the major qualities of event planning and how it will make your event successful. Without a plan there is no event. It only cause confusion, chaos, and stress to make an event work at the last minute. That would also produce a crappy event that looks rushed and unorganized. Others will notice this to and it create confusion and chaos with the crowd. Planning ahead can make anyone successful and on top of the game no matter what.  Since I know I am not an event planner this website gave me the instructions of what to do to be successful along with my event.


Long, Kimberly. “4 Ways to Get Students Interested in Extracurricular Clubs.” Education Week Teacher, Editorial Projects in Education, 29 Apr. 2016, 24 Jan. 2018. <www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2015/02/17/4-ways-to-get-students-interested-in.html.>

Because I want my tournament to be engaging and having the SLA community involved, this website touches on how extracurricular and events are important in schools because it can build on having new school traditions, leadership within different students, and how it defines the student body. It shows me how important it is for SLA to keep thriving and make school fun outside of school per say. This helped me identify my purpose for my capstone to make sure that it is strong enough and hopefully involving a great amount of the student body. Also involving the core values that pertain to the project and the even within itself.


Elizabeth Mulvahill on August 24, 2016 .contest-social .share-links svg, .share-links svg { top: 50%; left: 0px; } #atftbx p:first-of-type { display: none; } .entry-content .addthis_toolbox, .entry-. “50 Tips, Tricks, and Ideas for Building School Spirit.” WeAreTeachers, 4 July 2017, 24 Jan. 2018. <www.weareteachers.com/50-surefire-ways-to-build-school-spirit/.>

This website explained how to keep School Spirit going and the ideas to do so. This produces excitement and engagement from the student body along with something for them to look forward to. School can be seen as boring or routined to different students, but bringing something new to the environment which causes them to research and explore what it is about. School spirit is very important because it causes hype around the school and how to explore outside of school but pertaining to the school. Everything needs something new once and a while and bringing the spirit to school will change the view of basic and casual understanding but newness and excitement.


Meier, Kelly. “How to Prepare to Be an Event Planner in High School.” How to Prepare to Be an Event Planner in High School | Education - Seattle PI, Hearst Seattle Media , 25 Jan. 2018. <http://education.seattlepi.com/prepare-event-planner-high-school-2863.html .>

Since I am in High School and I don’t plan events , this blog has helped me understand how to do so on my level. Being an event planner you have to have great communication skills with talking on the phone and with having interactions with others.Having great communication skills show your professionalism and confidence in what you are trying to portray and the importance of it. Being involved in clubs and sports is a way that event planner can be exposed because it shows how your involvement is there. It shows that being involved in one area can help you to create your own by seeing the positives and negatives in another.


Smeds, Mia. “School Events Are Important for Community Spirit.” Justice Through Education, 12 Sept. 2016, 25 Jan. 2018.< www.justed.org/school-events-are-important-for-community-spirit/.>

This talks about the importance of school events and how they reflect upon the school. It shows that having school events makes the school unified between all grades along with teachers and students. The community spirit is something that is stress relievers for kids so everything is not all about work projects, etc, but we can have fun and still within the school environment. It also shows how the school works together and brings collaboration within each and every aspect of the school and how everything is connected into one system and the everyone's goal is the same with bringing engagement to the school body.


Glick , Sarah. “Success Stories: Brilliant Event Planning.” I Do PR, Jan. 2014, 26 Jan. 2018.

<www.idopr.com/wedding/success-stories-brilliant-event-planning/ .>

This helped me understand what makes an event successful and reading the different stories. They all had in common that they prepared before the event which was important. It also made me realize that everyone is not perfect so there is always going to be a flaw in the event ,but finding ways to overcome it is the way because those flaws can be unseen and no one would even know. Events can be successful or completely off and it is all about how much time and effort you put into the event is what will be produced and seen by others.



 Carlton, Duane. “Divided by Diversity Documentary.” YouTube, Vermont PBS, 4 July 2016, 26 Jan. 2018. <www.youtu.be/fqGRZ7KrbSI .>

The documentary was about how basketball use to be divided based upon race and not talent. This made me wonder what can I question about my own project and establishing my main purpose for the project. What is the cause of having the game? How will shift the players mind on what their goal is and the importance of having teamwork and collaboration while playing. I want everyone to have fun, but take something from and apply a life lesson to it because we do everything for a purpose and not just because. Everything has a meaning and worth recognition of fighting for if it is worth it.










Kimberly Barnes Capstone

Posted by Kimberly Barnes in Capstone · Giorgio/Shagin · Wed on

Topic Summary: The goal of this project was to teach children how to handle conflict in the right ways, learn the different ways in which children learn and interact, and to tutor children struggling with homework and other challenging school subjects.

My capstone was tutoring and mentoring children in grades k-8th through the Free Library of Philadelphia: Kingsessing Branch (my local library)’s LEAP After school walk-in program. I worked with students of all grade levels, assisting and tutoring  them with any homework assignment and subject they were struggling in. The initial inspiration for this project came from my aspiration to pursue a career in Education and my love for children, and  passion and dedication to see them learn and succeed in challenges faced with both learning and with school material.

Although, I already had much experience through my involvement  in various activities and programs that required and allowed for me to be able to work, interact, and teach children, this was the first time that I would be thinking outside of the box for ways as to which I as an individual could help to make a change in my community.

It was also  my desire to see my community come together in unity, and learn to work together as team, that also inspired this capstone. To see children, from all different backgrounds, walks of life, and circumstance learn to rise above their obstacles whether in their homes (inside and outside of school) and come to know, learn, and realize that they are not their circumstance or their struggle but they are better than it and are able to overcome it with the right resources, determination, and even support.


As a result of this project, I created, planned, and started my own Conflict Resolution Program at the Library for children ages 5+, which taught and showed them the importance of handling and resolving conflict in the right ways, and learning how to channel their anger in ways that are not harmful or hurtful. My goal, being to teach children the importance of keeping the peace and not allowing a conflict or situation to determine who they are, or even who they become.




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Kingsessing Branch LEAP Program

Contesta , Nicole. “Friends of the Kingsessing Library Bring More Programs to the Community .” Friends of the Kingsessing Library Work to Bring More Programs to the Community, University City Review , 30 Sept. 2015, ucreview.com/friends-of-the-kingsessing-library-work-to-bring-more-programs-to

-the-commu-p5962-1.htm.


This source proved to be very reliable. Not only does it provide insight into why the Kingsessing Friends Library created the LEAP program, along with the other programs, but gave a description as to what the programs are about and what the mission and goals of each are. Before providing a description of each program, this article talked about the need for more programs and how the closing down of the library resulting in the call to attention for more community involvement.  This source also provided information on the impact LEAP and each program would make and is CURRENTLY making on the community. It helped me to see why LEAP is such an asset to my community and why it should be offered in the best ways possible. This article also showed me how even the smallest action can have and make such a large impact in a community, specifically mines. The LEAP program was created through the threat of the libraries being shut down. It was made for the sole purpose of serving as an asset to people of ages and meeting their needs. What started as an idea, has become a program adopted by all Free Libraries in Philadelphia and other regions! LEAP is changing lives.




How to Effectively Start A Program

“Starting a Program.” Starting a Program Youth.gov , Youth.GOV,

https://youth.gov/youth-topics/mentoring/considerations-starting-mentoring-program


This source gave me so many great ideas and tips needed to start a mentoring program. It gave me a chronological list order of what is needed to be kept in mind when starting and creating the program and even upon the program being in progress. It gave me great tips on what a good program looks like and even advice things such as financial policies and program procedures to follow. I learned a lot more about what starting a program actually looks and what you will need to ensure that it remains in effect and successful.  It is also helped me to prepare certain steps for which I will need to apply when officially introducing and putting the program into play. Because, it is a new program it will need to have much base and structure. This source taught me exactly how to have these two things which are going to be very helpful and determining how the program is going to be facilitated. We are looking to start up the conflict resolution program very soon, and in order for it to be successful and last long, it has to be effective. This source showed me how to exactly make this happen.


Leap Program: Background Information, Mission, and Explanation

“LEAP After-School Program.” Free Library of Philadelphia, Free Library of Philadelphia ,

https://libwww.freelibrary.org/programs/leap/


Upon first reading this source, I felt that it was not very reliable, it was short and brief and didn’t seem as though it would give me much information. However, upon reading it I realized that not only is the source reliable but it explains the LEAP program and its mission in a way that is simple but clear. This source gave me a much deeper insight as to what I would specifically doing as an intern of the LEAP program. It gave me background on the program and its mission and even what it stands for. It also gave me an idea of where else the LEAP program is being provided at and I can use this for further research for my capstone to see what other communities are being positively impacted by the LEAP program.

When figuring out the time, I would spend per week for my capstone, this source was very handy. It helped me to structure the time in which I spent committing too and doing my capstone. It also gave me an idea of what to expect while interning for the program, and what types of skills needed to work with the children. I used this source to begin to research good communication skills and interactive skills so that I would know how to work alongside those who chose to participate in the program. Although it is a shorter source, it provides a brief introduction as to what my job is as a LEAP intern and the main things that I will be doing upon participating.

 Video Interview with Ms. Kelley! (Mentor)

2018, 14 January, LEAP Program, Leitz Kelley, LEAP Program Director


This video interview with Ms. Kelley was my top source, and it is most certainly reliable. In the video, Ms. Kelley is explaining what exactly the LEAP program is, what makes it unique, and how it has served to be a positive impact in the community. She also talks about why she decided to participate in the LEAP program and how the way the program was created really impacts the amount of students that come in and are benefited from it. She also explains why the program is needed and even some of the struggles and conflicts that sometimes come with directing a program that helps children of all different age groups and backgrounds. She also talks about some of  her favorite memories when working with the children that come into the program. All of this information received in the interview was not only reliable because I could stand witness to the impact the program was having and even agree with some of Ms. Kelley’s opinions on the program and was even present for some of those best moments and challenges she mentioned, but it was also inspiring. It made me even more passionate about my capstone, and more passionate to see a student learn and grow their knowledge. It made me feel good during every tutor session that I patiently sat with a student as they learned how to add and subtract correctly or even pronounce a word. It made me feel good, like everything I did was helping to make an impact in someone’s life.


Andrew Miller’s Mentoring Students and Young People handbook

   Miller , Andrew. “Mentoring Students and Young People.” Google Books, Taylor and Francis E-Library , Mar. 2002,

https://books.google.com/books?id=3smPAgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false


This source was amazing and did an excellent job of explaining the history of mentoring, and the different types of mentoring. As both a LEAP tutor and mentor, I did not want to begin serving as a mentor without having a clue as to what is needed or entailed. I also wanted to have a history of mentoring, where it started from, and where the idea was originally created. To be a mentor, is a very important job. This source helped me to see why it was important to prepare for it and how to make it enjoyable. it also broke down the different forms of mentoring and what is required for each. This was helpful in helping me to see the type of mentoring I would be doing and what kind of mentoring related to me most and the steps I would need to take in order to become a good one. Not only did this source explain the basics of what mentoring is and what it requires, Miller dedicated sections of his book to help the reader better understand mentoring, provided a series of case studies to show how effective mentoring is and why it is needed, and even the roles of a mentor and how being a mentor can open you up to so many other doors of opportunities, in both the educational field and even in the real world.


“Tips for Tutors: How to Ensure That the First Lesson Goes Really Well.” Tutorhub Blog, TutorHub Blog , 9 Mar. 2014, Tips for Tutors: how to ensure that the first lesson goes ... - Tutorhub Blog


This source was reliable in helping me be a great tutor to the children in the LEAP program. I used this source my first day of interning. It really worked! I had to prepare and set the environment. Not only does this source provide steps but breaks down how to effectively do them. Because it wasa blog, upon first reading and observation I felt that it would be bias. However, there was a lot of "If you", which let me know that I could choose to follow the tips if I wanted too. It wasn't really a bias experience but instead helpful suggestions. I also enjoyed reading this source because it provided actual real scenarios that could possibly occur as a tutor in a program or at a school, which was really helpful especially if I found myself in a situation similar to what was provided in each scenario given in the blog.



Auerbach , Yehudith, et al. “From Conflict Resolution to Reconciliation.” Google Books, Oxford University Press , 2004,

https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=wOo8PiX8PWMC&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq=conflict+resolution+techniques&ots=-cK1XGYAjV&sig=mdydEwZ22N_xDnqWD5eg1xGvyP8#v=onepage&q=conflict%20resolution%20techniques&f=false


This source showed me the importance of not only resolving conflict but of finding reconciliation within the conflict. Often times when we think conflict has been resolved it isn't, which sometimes causes for further build ups and frustrations. Thus, nothing is ever solved. This source helped me to see more into my planning for my conflict resolution program and even helped me to shape and structure the rules and guidelines of my program. This source also showed me why reconciliation goes hand in hand with conflict just as much as resolving it, because it builds mutual trust between those involved in it. I used this source to plan out exactly what the goals of my program are. Upon first observation of this book, I felt as if it would be a lot to read before I would come to find what I was looking for. However, immediately from the beginning the book provided an explanation that corresponded to its title and even some history about conflict resolution which helped me to further see why it was an important part of growth and maturity as a person.

Because there were so many different contributors to this source I was able to get many different perspectives about conflict resolution and the different ways to go about it. I am excited to try each suggestion to see how each one fits with the program’s missions and goals.




“9 Tips on Conducting Great Interviews .” Forbes, Forbes Magazine , 14 Apr. 2012, www.forbes.com/sites/shelisrael/2012/04/14/8-tips-on-conducting-great-interviews/#10de0a3656f1.


This source helped me to structure and formulate my interview with both Ms. Kelley and the LEAP children. I was able to structure my question in a way that would make the interview comfortable and provided questions that gave the interviewees time to speak and to answer each question. I also used this source because as one of the most popular business websites and magazines, Forbes is reliable enough because they are always interviewing someone new for the magazine or the website about their latest achievement in business or what makes it unique. This content was most certainly relatable for Ms. Kelley as she talked about the LEAP program. Although she didn't start the program, she is still in charge of it as it changes and impacts lives in positive way. The questions I asked her allowed for her to summarize and break down what LEAP was about in clear and concise ways. I was not looking to have a basic interview with Ms. Kelley but was instead trying to come up with questions that would make the interview unique and interesting for the viewers. I also wanted them to be able to take something from it about the LEAP program that wasn’t just in my capstone description or what I had provided. The interview tips this source provided allowed me to do just that and I learned more about the LEAP program than I had thought I would or knew.



Forhan , Christy. “Middle School Event Ideas.” PTO Today, PTO Today , 2 Mar. 2018, www.ptotoday.com/pto-today-articles/article/1141-tips-and-ideas-for-middle-school-events.

This source gave me a variety of creative ideas to do for the LEAP program. As an intern, my job is not just to tutor but to plan and create events and activities for the children to participate in that brings the community together. Because the program is from grades K-8th with middle schoolers usually always coming in, planning events and activities for that age range was something I realized I needed to do. This website helped me get an idea of how to correctly plan an event ,and consider the individual while doing this. I now know how to setup the perfect environment for an event, advertise it, and even host it. As a program specifically targeted children, they are going to want to do fun things, and consistently ask about doing activities. This gave me the idea of event planning, This source helped me to also figure out the financial aspect of planning out an event and even how to prepare for it.


Kawthar Hasan Capstone

Posted by Kawthar Hasan in Capstone · Giorgio/Shagin · Wed on

My original Capstone Project was making SLA’s school store more profitable through initiatives like cutting costs. It was to provide profits for the school to use. However, the Home & School Association could not provide enough volunteers. So, the store was closed much of the year.

This required me to create a new Capstone. I decided to help children improve academics at one of my elementary schools, the Al-Aqsa Islamic Academy. My mentor approved my change of project. I attended the Al-Aqsa Islamic Academy from Pre-K to 1st grade when it was one of the best Muslim schools in Philadelphia. Currently, it is struggling academically. Parents have given it low ratings. Student enrollment is down.

The declining performance of the school gave me an opportunity to make a difference. I wanted to help younger children succeed. I also hoped to give teachers some relief. The main obstacle I faced was learning to be patient with the students. Sometimes students did not want to work. They would play instead of focusing. I tried to be firm yet positive with those who acted out. I hoped my coaching would transfer to their behavior in class.

Eventually, as I helped teachers grade student work, I saw improvement. Specifically, improvements occurred with presentations, tests, classwork and homework. In-class participation, engagement, and listening also improved.

The Capstone process was beneficial for me. I acquired significant knowledge. I only wish I had switched projects sooner. I am glad I was able to complete my Capstone and graduate.


The school store
The school store
Al-Aqsa Islamic Academy students I tutored.
Al-Aqsa Islamic Academy students I tutored.

Annotated Bibliography

Managing and Financing the School Store



https://smallbiztrends.com/2016/05/make-your-small-business-more-profitable.html


Emerson, Melinda. “5 Tips to Make Your Small Business More Profitable.” Small Business Trends, 23 May 2016,

This article suggests how to  manage the money at the school store. This is important to me because I wanted to make sure the store knows how to properly make a good profit to give towards the school and to buy more snacks without going over a budget.


https://succeedasyourownboss.com/seven-ways-profitable-small-business/


Emerson, Melinda, et al. “Seven Ways to Be More Profitable in Your Small Business » Succeed As Your Own Boss.” Succeed As Your Own Boss, 16 Mar. 2015,

This article helped me figure out some great ways to make better profit to help benefit the school store especially by creating some referrals/surveys for the customers. It is important to alway get feedback from others to help improve the choice of items in the store.


https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/232272


Kittaneh, Firas. “4 Ways a Small Business Can Scale to Profitability.” Entrepreneur, 18 Mar. 2014,

If I had followed the steps that are on this website, then by the end of the year I would have a good presentation showing how much time and effort I put towards the school store. This is a good source to rely on to try to take proper notes to keep on track in case of any issues we may face with money at the school store. This site offered a few high level tips for small business owners such as defining your value for the market, taking sensible risks, having a good cash flow strategy and making a real effort to appreciate employees.


https://www.score.org/blog/5-innovative-ways-run-more-efficient-small-business


Miller, Derek- June 22, 2017. “5 Innovative Ways to Run a More Efficient Small Business.” SCORE, SCORE, 22 June 2017,

This was similar to the link I have above. This site motivated me to improve any strategies I have for representing this capstone. This site described five high-level considerations for new small business leaders. They include delegation, automation, consolidation and simplification of work, as well as embracing change and innovation and embracing technology to improve IT performance.


https://www.entrepreneur.com/slideshow/306752#1


Rapetskaya, Maria. “5 Things Not to Do Running a Small Business.” Entrepreneur, 12 Jan. 2016

The Entrepreneur site provided me with ways to make sure that I had stayed on the right path by avoiding some of the mistakes of managing a small business at the store store. I know that in order for you to succeed you must fail and learn from that failure, but I did not want to cause a major money issue for the school store. It also focused on helpful, high-level tips for people who are starting a new company. This spoke to important issues such as choosing the right business associates,  patience, delegation, perseverance and renewal (including continually adapting the business meet market demands).


https://www.thebalance.com/steps-to-increase-small-business-profits-1200720


York, Mitchell. “6 Simple Ways to Increase Profits For Your Small Business.” The Balance,

This was another site that explains ways to raise a profit/fundraiser. I wanted to make sure I had the proper suggestions for the store to make sure that they could fundraise for the school  without having the store go into debt. It also focused on six ideas for how to increase the profits of a small business. The ideas range from changing operating procedures and stabilizing cash flow to trimming management costs and increasing marketing and sales productivity.


https://www.thebalance.com/starting-a-small-business-101-the-essential-steps-2951446

Zahorsky, Darrell. “What Are the Essential Steps in Starting a Small Business.” The Balance,

The website  was a planner/checklist for me to look back at to make sure I stayed on point with this project. I know that there were capstone timeline/checklist assignments to keep me on track but I did not want to rely on just those assignments. That was why I chose to use this  site that showed different aspects of setting up and running a small business. The site focuses on subjects such as defining a strong value proposition and business plan, choosing a business structure, and obtaining permits. It was interesting because the site also comments on specific details like naming the company and selecting a location.


http://smallbusiness.findlaw.com/starting-a-business/tips-for-a-successful-small-business.html


“Tips for a Successful Small Business.” Findlaw,

This site offers me a  way of making sure I developed the proper skills of financing the school store, such as taking good notes to keep a record of the money coming in and out of the store. It also offered tips to small business leaders in over 10 areas ranging from high-level requirements (e.g. have a good business plan, maintain competitive advantage) to tactical considerations (e.g. use written contracts, buy insurance, hire well, pay expenses and taxes on time). This site has a clear focus on key legal issues required to run a small business.

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/run-successful-small-business-3183.html


“How to Run a Successful Small Business.” Chron.com,

This was a good site  because it guided me to understand how to run the school store with managing and fundraising. This also focused on four basic areas where small business leaders must focus: financial literacy, financing, legal issues and work-life balance.


https://quickbooks.intuit.com/r/trends/the-10-hardest-things-about-running-a-business/


“The 10 Hardest Things About Running a Business.” QuickBooks, 14 Dec. 2016,

This was a helpful link for me because it showed the hardest things that I would have to deal with when running a business and allowed me to make sure I would not make any major mistakes. It also offers a view of 10 significant challenges faced by many entrepreneurs and small business leaders as they try to balance short-term business imperatives and more strategic considerations.

Annotated Bibliography

Tutoring Elementary School Students


http://www.readingrockets.org/article/tutoring-strategies-primary-grades

“Tutoring Strategies for the Primary Grades.” Reading Rockets, 7 Nov. 2013,

This website  explains how children from 1st to 3rd grade usually read and comprehend. It briefly explains how to read with the kids, helping students grasp strategies, better comprehension, and even work their way up  to become great writers.


https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/partnering-with-childs-school/instructional-strategies/6-strategies-teachers-use-to-help-kids-with-learning-and-attention-issues

Team, Understood. “6 Strategies Teachers Use to Help Kids With Learning and Attention Issues.” Understood.org,

This site demonstrated how to professionally deal with children when teaching/tutoring them. It also included how to help those who have Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia, ADHD, executive functioning issues, and slow processing speed. This was very important for me to take into consideration because I might have to face some students with  learning disorders. Therefore, I wanted to have the capability to help them out.


https://www.edutopia.org/blog/what-makes-a-successful-tutor-seth-linden

“What Makes a Successful Tutor?” Edutopia,

This source described more about how to build a good relationship with the students I tutored. It is always good for children  to be comfortable expressing themselves through their work as they learn. So a tutor must be able to understand their personality  in order for them to achieve and succeed through their work.


http://www.readingrockets.org/article/tips-reading-tutors

“Tips for Reading Tutors.” Reading Rockets, 24 Aug. 2017,

This is similar to the first site above but it is more of a checklist than an elaboration on how to help elementary students read on the required level. It also includes how the tutor should manage herself when trying to help the kids since it takes a lot of respect and patience.


https://www.firsttutors.com/canada/tips-for-tutors.php

“Tips For New Tutors.” First Tutors, First Tutors  44 843 289 9165,

This website offers suggestions on how to increase student participation and engagement while while helping with  school work. This was one of the most reliable sources that I used because I had faced a lot of reluctance and acting out with the kids. Thankfully, I was able to use and create my own strategies while being professional and patient with them.


http://hechingerreport.org/elementary-school-teachers-struggle-with-common-core-math-standards/

“Elementary School Teachers Struggle with Common Core Math Standards.” The Hechinger Report, 16 June 2016,

This article talked about how  elementary teachers struggle with teaching their students math. At Al-Aqsa one of the academic subjects that students struggle with is math. This site allowed me to find and figure out better strategies to not only offer the kids but the teachers to improve their math skills.


https://www.care.com/c/stories/5383/how-to-become-a-successful-tutor/

Jayme. “How to Become a Successful Tutor.” Care.com, Care.com, 29 Mar. 2018,

This provided ways for me to be a good  tutor for elementary children since I had to be able to guide them on their level rather than on a middle or high school level. That way I could be able to build a beneficial relationship with them so that we could understand one another during our tutoring sessions.


http://education.seattlepi.com/tips-tutor-elementary-school-children-6003.html

Miller, Ashley. “Tips to Help Tutor Elementary School Children.” Why Is It Important to Have a Social Life in College? | Education - Seattle PI, 29 Sept. 2016,

This source was similar to the one above. I especially used the section that was titled, “Make Learning Fun” which is one of the best skills any tutor can have when dealing with children. The goal is that they should  never be bored or procrastinate. This did happen but as I continued to tutor I figured out ways, using this site and my creative strategies, to keep them engaged in their work which allowed them to use those same skills in their classroom.


http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/admin/admin425.shtml

“Kids Tutor Kids to Big Gains.” Creating a Safe Classroom Environment | Education World,

What I took from this article in particular was the section about, “Big gains over short time” because that was my goal for not only the students and staff, but for the entire school. I wanted to be able to bring that lift and make a positive change to the Muslim community.


https://www.edutopia.org/blog/ways-help-students-understand-math-matthew-beyranevand

“6 Ways to Help Students Understand Math.” Edutopia,

This was another site that briefly describes how to help properly help students with math. This was useful for me to use because it offer skills that I could build off of such as; creating an effective class opener, topic representations, showing application, and communicating with reasoning.


CAP-040

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2017-18

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