For my capstone, I crocheted beanies and bonding squares for newborns and donated them to Mother’s Home, a women’s shelter in Upper Darby. This place provides shelter and support for pregnant women in crisis who choose to have their babies, helping them transition into motherhood. Items like bonding squares are especially important for babies in the NICU, where direct contact with their mothers may be limited. These squares are used in pairs, one is kept with the mother and the other with the baby, then they are swapped regularly so the baby can become familiar with the mother’s scent. This supports emotional bonding and healthy development. The beanies help newborns regulate their body temperature, which is something they often struggle with after birth. I started learning how to crochet as a sophomore in high school, so this project allowed me to combine a personal hobby with meaningful community service.

Bibliography

https://superheroprojectinc.org/preemie-hat-patterns/

This foundation works with other hospitals in the Philadelphia area with donations. On their website they have patterns for people to follow to make donations, I used their preemie hat pattern.

Bibliography

https://superheroprojectinc.org/preemie-hat-patterns/

This foundation works with other hospitals in the Philadelphia area with donations. On their website they have patterns for people to follow to make donations, I used their preemie hat pattern.

For my capstone, I created “Conscience” – a 4-minute animated story featuring 7 student voice actors. The animation also comes with an original storyboard and script, along with a soundtrack of 5 original songs. It was animated on Adobe Animate, edited on Kinemaster, and all music was composed on GarageBand. Roughly 4200 frames were created in total.

Through this project, I got the experience of scripting, storyboarding, composing, animating, working with a team in order to make a film.

Watch here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/119MPFMJs2BsCYQnRoMKW2vb91V-WUEi7/view?usp=sharing

For my capstone I wanted to create a website for incoming freshman so they can have an idea of what SLA is like before their first day. I know for me high school was a big transition as well as frightening so I wanted to try and make students in the future feel more comfortable. I know that one of the biggest transitions is from traditional learning to project based learning. I had a lot higher expectations for my capstone and planned for it to be a lot more than what it is. However I had some circumstances through senior year that made it difficult for me to reach my goal.

https://slablanc25.wixsite.com/entering-sla

For our senior capstone, my partner Trent Rodgers and I set out to recreate Spider-Man’s web shooters through a chemical lens. Inspired by a shared passion for Marvel and material science, we began by researching polymer structures capable of mimicking the fictional webs. Our initial experiments used a sodium alginate-based solution–our “First Generation” formula–developed during a summer program at The Franklin Institute. This laid the foundation for more advanced experimentation. Our research deepened when we studied a promising paper by Fiorenzo Omenetto at Tufts University. His work became the basis of our “Second Generation” solution. We collaborated with Omenetto and mentors like chemical engineer Bill Rodebaugh and engineering teacher John Kamal. After securing $650 in funding from Braskem, we acquired key materials, including chitosan, dopamine, and silk fibroin. However, delays in chemical delivery and insufficient quantities hampered our ability to perform comprehensive testing. Despite setbacks, we successfully tested multiple chemical combinations to create a durable, web-like polymer. Our most promising experiment revealed a critical reaction window when the solution turned white and foamy, though limited resources prevented us from fully capitalizing on it. This project demanded persistence, collaboration, and creative problem-solving. I learned how to navigate scientific research, develop experimental procedures, and manage real-world project constraints. While our final prototype fell short of full functionality, we took significant steps toward translating fiction into reality. With more time, materials, and focus, I believe this project could have achieved its ambitious goal. Below is a link to a drive of uncut lab recordings we took over the year.

For my capstone project I worked with the Jewish Youth Climate Movement (JYCM) to create a chapter (also called a kvutzah) of their organization here in Philly, specifically at my synagogue. JYCM is a primarily youth-led organization taking climate action across the country, especially through the values of Judaism and the Jewish identity. I was able to start a kvutzah by teaching for three 45 minute sessions at one of my synagogue’s teen programs called Teen Tuesday, which is made up of 7th-9th graders. There were usually 11-14 of them there, and I taught about how the environment is connected to Judaism, how to take climate action, and more that can be viewed in my lesson plans which are in the google drive link below. This took a lot of planning which includes the virtual Kvutzah Leaders Fellowship, the JYCM Northeast Retreat, and meeting with one of the teen programmers at my synagogue, as well as my mentor (one of the JYCM adult organizers). The fellowship connected me with other teens who were aiming to create a kvutzah in their communities, and gave me training for how to actually start my own kvutzah, and was the main thing that helped to prepare me. One of the biggest lessons I learned from this is how much teachers and students learn from each other, because that is exactly what I experienced, and it brought me a lot of insight. (Please read the lesson plans before anything else in the google drive folder).

For my Capstone,I made 40 baby hats to donate to the Tiny Miracles Foundation, along with that, I will be donating things I have received.I like giving back to the community in many ways, such as donations, community service, etc. After consideration, I decided that I wanted to crochet something of use.I wanted to do something that had some sort of creativity aspect as well as a meaningful contribution to the community. Many families with infants in the NICU experience emotional and financial stress during this challenging time. My handmade items can provide comfort and warmth, helping to create a more nurturing environment for these vulnerable little ones. When researching, I came across crocheting articles and found that making baby hats for premature babies was something that was common and was something that was encouraged for people to do if they could. Crocheting for babies and donating the items is not just about the physical items being created. It embodies the spirit of community, compassion, and creativity, making a significant difference in the lives of vulnerable infants and their families while also enriching the lives of the crafters.

My Capstone was focusing on building a college helper and assistant tool where you can have the ability to see and compare different universities. Also communicating with other students for help and support.On top of that one special feature is where you could connect with students thought linkedin by specific majors. I choose to do this project because I wanted to be able to help students who want to be able to branch out and diversifying their portfolios to reach their highest potential.In the summer I worked for this startup company called open which is a college application mentorship. I was able to work on this and build something for my high schools. I worked with some of my colleges from the summer to help me with this product.THis process involved a lot of planning,a lot of research on different college information ,and a lot of website building into finding something which is unique. Also working with my mentors and listening to their advice on building this helped me a lot. I learnt a lot on that you have to be able to adapt and not everything will go your way.

https://lighthearted-cupcake-3427b8.netlify.app/

By the end of my freshman year, I had already decided what my capstone was going to be. I participated in a running event put on by another member of Students Run Philly Style, dubbed the “SLA Anyway 5k” which he did as his capstone project, inspired by another iteration of the 5k before him. Since I had always participated in running races, I was struck by curiosity about what it is like to be a race director. How do the elements that make a good race come together? From my capstone, I learned a valuable lesson in event planning that I hope to apply moving forward. Always account for the unexpected. There were many elements to this project that I did not even consider beforehand, such as venue troubles and T-shirt designs. The process involved selecting a location and date, advertising, redesigning the race website, purchasing and selling T-shirts, and setting up snacks and drinks, among other things. My work culminated in the SLA Anyway 5k on May 10th in FDR Park. Around 60 participants ran around the park loop, with snacks, hot dogs, and beverages awaiting them at the finish line. Medals were given out to finishers along with shirts for $15. From this, we raised $500 for SLA, with huge support from the Philly Slow Girl Run Club, who helped volunteer and contribute. I was able to connect with the running community through this event, and (hopefully) fostered a fun Saturday morning for everyone involved.

Use this link to view photos from race day! https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iYQh8-6nCZLbl1Gn11WM4N1oXkqR05dH?