Kane Burgos Senior Gasser Advisory Mentor: Gade

Capstone Abstract Some say they hope their capstone will leave behind a legacy. However I know my project will outlive my high school career by about 10 to 20 years. My work consists of two parts: a fully bio active vivarium and a detailed leopard gecko care guide. To be more specific, I am preparing the habitat and instructions for Miss Gade’s class pet! We have been working closely to ensure that the health of the animal is a priority. I have given this animal the best of the best. A fully bioactive vivarium. No paper towel or carpet substrate and no plastic plants. As well as a full set of instructions for Miss Gade and her students; in order to guarantee that, with care, the leopard gecko will be taken care of without having to navigate several care guides, cross reference, and verify in order to give them the best possible life. Below I have linked the other necessary documents.

CARE GUIDE https://docs.google.com/document/d/10rEpva_eFVAiw0AxdWeZW1LK2cS4YUEN1xflf5W_LsU/edit?usp=sharing

BIBLIOGRAPHY https://docs.google.com/document/d/11W00NHBTW4MSz698gFhjFWQAAxTfuKTizLwDIChQr-I/edit?usp=sharing

My Capstone project is based on a favorite quote of mine and how it applies to my community. This quote originated from the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu, “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”

My Capstone goal is to show how I can use Google’s free services to teach my immigrant Hispanic community to better access technology to balance their lives. I achieved this through weekly seminars with family members. My final product is a video that demonstrates the process of gathering data on the needs of my community, creating a weekly seminar, presenting it, and evaluating how it helped both them and me.

By showing others how to optimize Google’s services, I hope to reach a larger audience that wants to learn more about the power of the internet. Oftentimes we get frustrated when our family doesn’t pick up a concept that is simple to us, but we fail to understand that it wasn’t an option for them to learn. By the end of my capstone, I want the listeners to understand the value of teaching, patience, and reflection.

Final Product: https://youtu.be/Dry93jovn5s

Annotated Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cH5up_s3GFjE-5NPXe9n3IBLHIjdTld44K_Fs4Gjw2E/edit?usp=sharing

For my capstone, I explored whether or not schools are progressing or regressing and also whether or not students enjoy the content they are learning. I chose this because I have personally felt like schools do a poor job of preparing me for the future, and where I once found joy in learning, I now find boredom or hatred.

So there were two main goals in mind, one to look at ways how schooling has progressed and then how it has regressed as well. I then wanted to see if any of these had an impact on the way people view schools. That would all be done through my own research online. The next goal was to hear from some of the students how they felt. I know how I feel, but am I alone in this? I also found out that I needed to also hear from the teacher’s perspective as they can also become annoyed by the school and the people within it. With that in mind, I interviewed students and teachers about their feelings surrounding the school system. In the end, I made a slideshow to talk about what I found and came across and the ways that we can all work to improve these things. The slideshow not only addresses students’ concerns but teachers’ as well because oftentimes their emotions and feelings get pushed to the side and ignored. I truly hope that people listen close and well because this is our education and it is to my understanding that we are not learning nor catering to what people really need.

Most of my time was spent reading this book, Tinkering Towards Utopia. This book was provided to me by my mentor Mr. Clapper. This book essentially covered many of the major questions I had stepping into this project. What does reform look like? How does reform happen? Has there been any sort of progress since 1995 when the book was first published. This was my starting point. After that I started my interviews.

From left to right you can see Mr. Clapper, Ms. Gasser (the best advisor), and finally Profe Hernandez. Each of these wonderful teachers allowed me to interview them and gain insight into what makes them enjoy their job and what also makes school difficult for them. It is essential that I was able to speak to them seeing as they become just as affected by school life as us students.

We then have four SLA students that I also interviewed. From left to right you can see Isabel Boix, Cia Klot, Mikkel Watts, and Maya Robinson. The purpose of their interviews were to gain some of their insight within not only SLA but their middle schools as well. From their interviews I gathered that most of their opinions around school started to generally shift in middle school, and those opinions were only enhanced in high school.

These lovely four people are some of my friends from CAPA and my cousin. From left to right, we have Leah, Charlie, Lily, and Cinnamon on the bottom. Seeing as I had the perspective from teachers at SLA and students at SLA, I knew I needed to know what people thought about school outside of SLA. The overall opinion for them is that school needs to be reworked. There are things that work and things that don’t. Lily, goes to school in the suburbs so it was a key part that I get the perspective from outside of the city.

From conducting my own interviews and reading, Tinkering Towards Utopia, I have learned that majority of the problems that were once present in 1995, we don’t see as much. There are others that have stood the test of time, such as standardized testing. To learn more about what the teachers and students have to say you can see the slideshow I put together here.

Annotated Bibliography

Dickinson, Kevin. 2020. “7 subjects that should be taught in U.S. schools.” Big Think. https://bigthink.com/the-present/subjects-taught-school/. This source brings up a really good point as to why we need these classes taught in our school. However I disagree with religion being its own separate class, I think that it should be taught in a world history class setting as a unit. Only because of the multiple ways religion can be connected to the atrocities throughout history. Religion connects to the world’s development and that’s why it should be taught in a World History setting.

Douglas, Nick. 2018. “You Shouldn’t Have to Read These Books in High School.” Lifehacker. https://lifehacker.com/you-shouldn-t-have-to-read-these-books-in-high-school-1828549376. Ok I completely agree with this for the most part. I don’t like the Great Gatsby. It is completely overrated and being asked to break it apart and interpret it makes no sense after how many times it has been interpreted. Books in general at school have a way of telling one single narrative to teach a different lesson but ultimately nothing is different. During my time at SLA I have only read 3 books written by women all of the rest have been written by men, mainly white men. This is where I am telling you that there is only one narrative, there is hardly any diversity. Most books, I, at least haven’t been able to to connect with or enjoy reading.

“Filing Taxes Should Never Be Taught In School.” 2017. Integrated Social Studies. https://integratedsocialstudies.com/2017/10/29/filing-taxes-should-never-be-taught-in-school/. The problem with the source is that they think there isn’t time to learn these things, or that children simply would not be interested in learning how to prevent themselves for being thrown in jail for tax evasion. It’s not that we don’t have the basic skills of reading and writing, it’s the fact that when it comes time to pay the government we have no idea how much we could possibly owe to the government. This is not on teachers to know because even if they don’t, teachers should be teaching students the basics to taxes, how much they should hold back incase of a situation where their job didn’t take enough money. They can also talk about the different forms of taxes so people can understand what they are being taxed on and why it is important.

Fischler, Jacob. 2021. “Understanding Charter Schools vs. Public Schools | K-12 Schools | US News.” USNews.com. https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/articles/understanding-charter-schools-vs-public-schools. This source provides information on the differences between a public school and a charter school. It allows one to gain insight into what the benefits are, the amount of control the schools have by themselves, and what class size and course work.

Lynch, Matthew. n.d. “18 Reasons the U.S. Education System is Failing.” The Edvocate. Accessed January 28, 2022. https://www.theedadvocate.org/10-reasons-the-u-s-education-system-is-failing/. Although this lists some reasons as to why the school system is failing us it does not always apply to every single school in the private curriculum. However it is nice to know that there are other ways people see the school system is failing students.

Pierce, Emily. 2021. “Private School vs. Public School | K-12 Schools | US News.” USNews.com. https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/articles/private-school-vs-public-school. Similar to the first source, this one compares Public Schools to Private Schools. All of this information can help me compare and contrast the differences for all three to help make a distinction between all of them and how each one suffers in its own way.

Porter, Sara. 2019. “Reader suggestions: Books we should teach in schools.” MPR News. https://www.mprnews.org/story/2019/02/08/custom-required-reading-list-for-high-schoolers. Books taught in school should be something that kids can identify with to some level and relate to the world they are in. Especially if they are going to be required to write an analytical essay. Granted yes, there will be those who don’t connect with the material, however I do believe that more students would enjoy and connect more with a book that relates to the world they are in or experiencing rather than the books that were taught to our teachers, and their teachers, and their teachers.

Srinivasan, LaVerne E. 2021. “What Changes to the US Education System Are Needed to Support Long-Term Success for All Americans? | Future of Learning & Work.” Carnegie Corporation of New York. https://www.carnegie.org/topics/topic-articles/future-learning-work/what-changes-us-education-system-are-needed-support-long-term-success-all-americans/. This source is beneficial for me to start taking already processed ideas of how to change the school curriculum and adding it to my own. It also touches on the effects that the pandemic had on students and their education, and how many people noticed the flaws in the curriculum.

“The Times Have Changed—Our Schools Haven’t | What Isn | Oregon’s Challenge.” n.d. Oregon Learns. Accessed January 28, 2022. https://oregonlearns.org/oregons-challenge/what-isnt-working/. So this one takes all thoughts I already have about the school system and organizes them perfectly. The entire school system is completely ridiculous with the things that are taught. Most schools are extremely competitive and look for you to not make mistakes. When in the real world you need to be able to work with people and not only make mistakes but learn from them. Not be reprimanded for them. Also school itself is just straight forward if that makes sense. Like we sit all day, have to ask permission to use the bathroom, we’re only supposed to speak when spoken to and just no no no no.

“Why School doesn’t Prepare us for Life?” 2022. The Black Sheep Community. https://www.theblacksheep.community/school-doesnt-prepare-us-for-life/. This is gold yes ma’am! It speaks on the ways the school system itself has not prepared students for the world. They talk about the lessons we are taught in school and how they are useful to those who are going into specific fields that require these kinds of things. But they also go into the lessons that aren’t taught to us, the ones that we have to figure out by ourselves; and some do figure them out, but others need guidance and help and never get that help!

For my capstone project, I created posters and a website to help low-income families find the resources they need and to also get people to take action and give back to the Philadelphia community. The posters are meant to attract people to my website in the case that a student at SLA finds themselves needing these resources. I chose to focus my topic on low-income families because it affects many families and students in Philadelphia. Some families may not want to ask for help or may not know who to ask. My goal was to do research on resources that would be helpful for low-income families or SLA students. For example, bill assistance, food drives, affordable child care, how to apply for FAFSA, and ways we, as members of the SLA community and Philadelphia citizens, could help.

Link to website: https://heretohelp.squarespace.com/

Annotated Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w0Ej1Ly6Geu5FlXXQOqsG0nClOItxILU5nCZAFtN_Y4/edit

How do we effectively analyze film, and why is it important to do so? What is the impact and relevance of film throughout history, especially in regards to techniques, themes, and the way film has been used over time? Film has a very powerful influence over society, both in the past and present. However, studying and examining film can be inaccessible to the common audience. Oftentimes, people are not equipped with the tools to dissect movies and visual media, which can then mold their ways of considering major issues, people, the world, and reality as a whole.

For my capstone project, I designed and printed a film journal. Developing this capstone involved thorough research, designing and writing. I also fundraised to print it, so as to ensure the publication would be free and accessible to a wider audience. Through the publication, I want to introduce people, especially high school students, to film analysis, theory, and history, with an emphasis on foreign and independent cinema. I want to illustrate the power of movies, and how to think critically about the media we consume. The article subjects vary widely, focusing on elements like the use of color in film to auteur theory to negative representation. Ultimately, I want to teach and encourage both media literacy and a passion for cinema.

It was critical for me that my magazines were free, so as to increase accessibility and exposure. This, in turn, meant I could not fund the prints by selling my work. In order to finance my capstone, I explored several different avenues. I reached out to a number of different sponsors, using market research I had conducted to justify a partnership. Results from a couple of the polls I held are pictured above.

I also held several bake sales with Sasha Mannino, another senior, as a dual effort to fund the printing of our magazines. Pictured above is one of the posters used to advertise the bake sale. For each bake sale, I baked upwards of 90 cookies and 20 brownies. Thanks to the supportive SLA community, we managed to raise enough to print our work.

The images above provide a few examples of the spreads and material within my publication. They illustrate the diversity of my work, and demonstrate elements like film theory, history, and foreign cinema. The full digitized version of The Parenthetical can be found here. I learned a lot through my capstone project. Not only did I gain experience with film review, writing, printing, and networking, but I also learned to have the courage to put myself out there. I discovered new sides to film and my love of it. I discovered new movies and favorites, like Touki Bouki. Ultimately, in my efforts to educate and introduce others to the magic of cinema, I learned a lot about it myself.

Annotated Bibliography

Akerman, Chantal. Chantal Akerman. Edited by Jaap Guldemond and Marente Bloemheuvel, Eye Filmmuseum, 2020.

This book provides a detailed examination of Chantal Akerman, a director I intend to include in my publication. It gives an overview of her work, her life, and related essays. It not only allows me to once again develop a more comprehensive idea of writing about film, but also to develop a deeper understanding of her as a person and a director. This would enable me to write a better, fuller piece of her work. In addition, this book, by analyzing her work, teaches me to apply such skills across different films, genres, and directors. It gives me the tools necessary to truly dissect cinema and analyze it.

Barsam, Richard. Looking at Movies : An Introduction to Film. Second ed., W. W. Nortion, 2006.

This book not only provides information and teaches readers about film analysis, but it also provides guidance as to how to teach film to others. From the textbook, I am able to explore how to teach and inform my own readers about cinematic elements and techniques. I can see which examples to use to illustrate my points, and how to incorporate them into my work. It also serves as inspiration for topics and films I might address in my own magazine. The textbook also examines the theoretical and cultural aspects of film, which are points I would like to emphasize throughout my magazine.

“Color.” Movie Jawn, vol. 4, no. 1, 2021.

This magazine does a clear and effective job of capturing the fun and engagement in reviewing film, while still recognizing the limits, mistakes, and other issues movies might have. The publication includes a diverse selection of analyses and pieces based on cinema, demonstrating the scope and potential my own magazine can have. All the reviews are interesting and immersive, yet still honest. The magazine does not refrain from criticizing movies, nor does it hide any problematic issues within the films or work. These negative reviews are still critical to the magazine, and just as fascinating and enjoyable to read. They allow the reader to get a full grasp of the consequences of film. As a result, I selected this magazine as it demonstrates how to write negative reviews, the importance of doing so, and the different formats writing about movies can take. The magazine also features a theme, color, which can be inspiring for me in devising my own themes.

Cook, David A., et al. “History of Film | Summary, Industry, History, & Facts.” Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/art/history-of-the-motion-picture. Accessed 26 January 2022.

I chose this source because it gives a detailed description of the history of film. In order to design a full film magazine, complete with analyses and an examination of the influence of cinema across time, I need to have a comprehensive understanding of cinema history. In this way, I can properly and comprehensively approach film and provide more thorough and intentional reviews, as well as represent the full scope of their context and impact. This source not only gives me the information to do this, but also features a diverse range of history. Not only does it speak to major periods, like American film and the French New Wave, but it also contextualizes Taiwanese, Tunisian, and Mexican film. Therefore, using this source, I can really delve into the history and influence of movies.

“Film Analysis – The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.” UNC Writing Center, https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/film-analysis/. Accessed 26 January 2022.

This article showcases a thorough explanation of how to approach, study, and analyze film. I need this, not only to learn how to more professionally review movies myself, so that I may write about them, but also to teach my readers how to analyze film themselves. The goal of the magazine is to review movies in addition to educating and equipping the audience with the tools to do so themselves, in order to apply this knowledge throughout their lives. Therefore, this guide is critical because it clearly explains the intellectual and professional process behind examining cinema, which I intend to apply to the publication.

Keung, Laura. “Magazine Cover Design in InDesign | FREE COURSE.” YouTube, 9 June 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZmtlvKnhMc. Accessed 26 January 2022.

This source is a video that teaches how to professionally design magazine-specific elements on Adobe InDesign. This video is especially useful to me as it not only covers the basics of InDesign, but also speaks to particulars of it that are relevant to my own project, unlike other sources. Furthermore, the video was crafted by an actual graphic designer, with a very in-depth, experienced resume. The advice listed in the source are not simply technical, but important to design and aesthetic as well. As such, I will heavily rely on this source as a foundation for my skills and techniques in using Adobe InDesign.

Monaco, James, and David Lindroth. How to Read a Film: The World of Movies, Media, and Multimedia : Language, History, Theory. Third ed., Oxford University Press, 2000.

This textbook provides an in-depth analysis of the history of cinema as a whole. It speaks to politics in film, and the ways in which movies were used politically, as well as film movements, eras, and innovations. In order to approach my magazine, in which I hope to write about the history of film and the evolution of the purposes of cinema. As such, I require a thorough understanding, which I can obtain through the textbook. The book provides me with the tools necessary to dissect film, film theory, and film history, so that I can, in turn, inform readers about these same topics.

Perhiniak, Shumi. Anatomy of a Magazine Layout. 2020. Yes I’m a Designer, https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1hhs7rBg278bSfNhtZ-7_wCHX0zFwN66e.

As an amateur in magazine design, there is much I do not know about the creation of such publications. This source features a variety of educational components, which I can use in conjunction with one another. There is a video, which I can use simultaneously as I design my magazine. There is also a written explanation, in addition to a diagram. These give me a clear understanding of the material. The visuals also help to contextualize words or concepts I do not understand. This source covers the foundation of magazine design, which I require to put together my final product, as well as certain magazine elements and rules I did not even know existed, or I did not properly understand.

“Resources.” Fireball Printing, https://fireballprinting.com/resources/. Accessed 25 January 2022.

The Fireball Printing website, especially the resources page, is incredibly informative in regards to the process of publishing the magazines. It provides insight as to the papers utilized, and the meaning behind the different styles and types. It also describes the printing process, the layout process, and the binding process. In addition, the website details prices and options. From this resource, I am able to learn more about the actual act of designing the magazine and getting it printed. I am also able to begin to piece together my overall plans, particularly in terms of pricing, fundraising, and page count.

Sharman, Russell. Moving Pictures. University of Arkansas, 2020. University of Arkansas, https://uark.pressbooks.pub/movingpictures/. Accessed 25 January 2022.

This textbook describes the history of film and film review. The author also speaks to techniques and cinematic elements that developed over time. Therefore, the book will enable me to properly and intellectually approach film. It will ensure my reviews and analyses are professional and coherent. Additionally, the history and context shown throughout the text allows me consider the film as a whole, rather than regard it from a single, unnuanced perspective. Using it, my final product can be truly relied on as being unbiased and informative. It will also give me the means to fully comprehend how to teach such a skillset, so that I can impart it on my audience through my magazine.

“Silence Is Golden.” Whalebone, vol. 7, no. 6, 2021.

This source represents a successful film magazine, complete with detailed articles, reviews, advertisements, and other innovative pieces. I selected it as a way of studying magazine design, especially as a publication on a similar topic to mine. In this way, I can examine the features I find effective, those I do not, as well as the ways in which I can transform the material to be more engaging, informative, and varied rather than just a compilation of film reviews. The source also has a very particular style to it, which in turn, enables me to beign developing ideas of my own style, and how to thoroughly communicate it through my work.

Stewart, Al. “How to Sell Magazine Advertising.” Azcentral, https://yourbusiness.azcentral.com/sell-magazine-advertising-9838.html. Accessed 25 January 2022.

This article provides a detailed description of how to approach selling advertisement space within magazines, especially small, low-traffic magazines. It lists out steps, including how to manage the financial aspect, how to craft a proposal, and how to make your pitch attractive. It also describes how to select companies that might be willing to buy advertising space from you. This is very helpful as it gives me the tools I need to start planning how I will finance this magazine. It gives me an oversight of the process of selling ad space, which thus helps to inform my decision of whether or not I think it will be feasible for me to do. It also teaches me how to sell ad space.