For my Capstone, I created a video series to help people understand how to start an online business. I wanted to make something that felt clear and approachable, especially for other students at SLA who are creative and might want to turn their ideas into something real. The videos are organized into playlists that focus on different types of businesses, like selling physical products, digital products, or even just showcasing your work through a portfolio.

Throughout the process, I talked to real business owners, used my own experiences, and did a lot of research to figure out what beginners actually need to know. I spent time writing scripts, organizing ideas, and thinking about how to make the information helpful and easy to follow. My mentor gave me feedback along the way, and I made sure to stick to a schedule so I could stay on track and complete everything on time.

This project taught me how to take something big and break it down into pieces that make sense. I also learned how to communicate more clearly and plan long-term, which is something I know will help me in the future. Overall, my Capstone gave me a chance to do something meaningful while also helping others who might want to start their own business but aren’t sure where to begin.

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsoTYNaKs0Ft_Dmy857PnAuNCgzLdZdwl&si=2o6f58u2ih3LwcvO

My Capstone is a highlight reel of the 2025 SLA Ultimate Team, and it is meant to bring attention and excitement to SLA’s Ultimate Frisbee team. I had to plan out every shot, determine which days I would film, actually film the shots, and then compile them all together into one product. The video is meant to show what the kids on the team do and why the sport matters to them. Each catch, throw, and huddle brought this team closer together. The players’ team became a family because of this sport, and so I highlighted the best moments of our year. I learned how to edit better, match clips, do motion tracking, and film in various environments. I hope this capstone brings you as much joy as it did for us.

• Side Note: I was originally going to create 3 separate reels (Ultimate, LAX, Baseball), but there was an issue where 50% of the Capstone was deleted too close to the deadline. In the end, I chose to focus on Ultimate.

Final Product: https://youtu.be/_xnZB-bwhwA?si=Mozz3JlpYTHtAQ2u

My capstone addressed the imbalance of student enrollment between the Engineering and DigVid CTE courses at SLA, where DigVid has always experienced significantly lower interest. The primary cause was identified as the lack of an introductory experience for DigVid, unlike the Engineering program’s “Engineering 101”. This disparity led to students applying to DigVid without firsthand knowledge, relying solely on faith and often losing interest quickly. To remedy this, I created a DigVid Mini Course that was created to provide freshmen with foundational video production knowledge and practical experience. The minicourse was structured as an eight-week program covering camera basics, photography principles, video genres, and production stages, culminating in group projects to create short films. I recruited Upperclassmen mentors who were recruited for support, and Nikon DSLR cameras were used for hands-on training.

For my capstone, I spent the school year learning the ropes of Adobe Illustrator’s software and its different tools, created a set of example projects for future CTE students to recreate, and produced a set of video tutorials for these projects guiding viewers through learning the most fundamental basics of Adobe Illustrator.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1QUC-KzetWZkQZgsLd2HH99ws-zimoMnK?usp=sharing

For my capstone I created three promotional videos for SLA. They’re meant to educate and excite prospective students and families about what SLA has to offer. I planned, filmed, and edited each video. I filmed tons of candid B-roll of SLA students and conducted interviews with staff and students. Each video is meant to highlight a different aspect of the school. The first video is a general highlight reel that shows the school community and has a bunch of students discussing SLA spliced together. The second showcases the CTE programs, with students and teachers describing them. The third explains mini courses and the intended impact of them while showcasing the different options. There were so many different parts of SLA that I wanted to focus on through these videos. I ended up creating what I thought would be most important for prospective families to understand, and also what the administration thought would be most helpful. I learned so much through this process about collaborating with other people, editing, and camera techniques.

Here’s a link to the videos

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1DnaFapQ907BhNZvPOsD083OGFNJ9hjM2?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/drive/u/2/folders/10kH9JncQDO_romRQUy1wt9-_4o7UDfww

For my Capstone project, I created an eight week hygiene course plan for SLA’s health class to help educate students on how to properly care for their bodies. This idea came to me from my own experience in health class, where I felt that hygiene was not covered. I wanted to provide students, especially those who may not have learned about hygiene at home, with accessible, non embarrassing education on the subject. The process include alot of extensvie and independent research, and collaboration form students, the school nurse, Nurse Chris, and the health teacher Mr. Kelly. I designed engaging, easy to follow lessons on various different types of hygiene topics, ensuring they were age appropiate and relevant to students needs. One challenge that I had faced was the inability to fund and distribute hygiene kits, which were originally intended to support the lessons with practical resources. Despite this challange, I adapted by focusing on the digital aspect of the course planning. Throughout the project, I attended meetings, gathered feedback, and polished the course based on real concerns voiced by different students and teachers about hygiene in the school. I am ost proud of creating a safe and a supportive educational experience that aims to reduce shame and promote confidence. My Capstone reflects SLA’s core values by asking an important question, conducting research, collaborating with the communnity, and sharing a final product that can benefit future students at SLA. This project taught me how to turn personal expierences into meaningful action and how to build something that empowers others to take care of themselves with confidence.

For my capstone, I created a 30-minute podcast exploring Philadelphia’s stray cat population, examining the problem’s scope, impact, and potential solutions through expert interviews and research. My project began from personal concern when learning about cat dissections in class. I gathered essential questions about community cats and their management, which guided my research. Through a combination of personal stories, expert interviews, and statistical data, the film aims to shed light on this often-overlooked urban challenge. This podcast aims to raise awareness about Philadelphia’s stray cat population, encourage community engagement, and explore humane solutions to a complex urban issue. Stray and feral cats are ubiquitous throughout Philadelphia, with particularly high concentrations in areas with abandoned buildings, industrial zones, and neighborhoods with limited resources for animal control. These cats typically form colonies around reliable food sources, often provided by community members. According to estimates from local animal welfare organizations, Philadelphia may be home to over 400,000 stray and feral cats, with the population showing seasonal fluctuations related to breeding cycles (Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society, 2023). The cats’ presence is particularly noticeable along major corridors such as Columbus Boulevard and in the city’s extensive network of alleys, where they find shelter and access to food sources including discarded food waste. Over 80+ hours, I researched academic literature, designed interview protocols, conducted and transcribed interviews, and developed audio editing skills. When my original documentary vision proved impossible, I pivoted to creating a podcast format. This project taught me persistence, adaptability, and independent problem-solving. I learned to build trust with hesitant interviewees and create coherent narratives from disparate sources. Most importantly, I discovered that meaningful learning often happens when plans fail and we must reimagine our path forward. Creating something outside my comfort zone, a podcast I’d typically avoid listening to, became a source of pride and personal growth.

Podcast: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZoNJ_Xhy4Ad91ZxPAeLZF1aCjqm2eXIT/view?usp=sharing

Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yr5ta16QwoAChCm2-XiTHUx7R6ZgF_RvnnlC01nEYrc/edit?usp=sharing

For my Capstone project, I chose to create a short documentary about Open Hearts Cafe, a nonprofit organization operating out of the Church of the Holy Trinity in Rittenhouse Square. They provide free food and clothing twice a week to visitors from around the city, and occasionally offer other vital services like haircuts, legal support, and library books. I had known about this program for a few years, as my parents work at the church where Open Hearts operates, but I wanted to learn more so that I could share their story with the world. I also included about 30 seconds of animation throughout the video, as hand-drawn animation is a skill I have been wanting to learn since I was in middle school and I felt it would enhance the visual style of the final documentary.

This Capstone serves as an introduction for the organization to newcomers and those who are unaware of the program. It bridges the gap between the church and the wider community, telling the story of Open Hearts and emphasizing the importance of volunteering, especially in vulnerable populations. Completing this project helped me to become more confident as an individual filmmaker, and it gave me a chance to participate in a wonderful community.

Video HERE:

Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GHTtIRZ83j2r-V66JXvVrsHUS8jRRhqYseCwWQnAMj4/edit?usp=sharing

For my Capstone, I helped lead Rocketfest 2025, a student-run film and photo festival showcasing work from Philadelphia public school students. The festival aims to amplify student voices and allow public school students (who often have fewer resources and opportunities to create films) to have their work appreciated. I worked with Olivia Gavin and Noah Callender, and we each took on specific roles: Olivia led communication, Noah handled presentation, and I directed marketing.

Starting in October, we held weekly meetings with our mentor where we created a timeline and organized the various logistics of running the festival. As the head of marketing, I created Rocketfest’s branding, designed promotional materials, and ran our social media.

The event took place on May 7th at the Parkway Central Free Library and included an intro speech from the three of us, a screening of 15 student films, a slideshow of selected photographs, and an awards ceremony. The awards ceremony was a new aspect that our team added to Rocketfest as a chance to give filmmakers and photographers even more recognition for their wonderful work. We had a great turnout, with SLA DigVid and CAPA students, teachers, judges, and families and friends in attendance.

Rocketfest taught me the importance of organization and teamwork in a major project, and showed me how rewarding it is to create an event that brings people together.

Attached are images of our festival and the bibliography I created to guide my work as head of marketing.