1.

The goal of this reflection is to ask you to examine your work over the
course of this year. Start by going back to your original two proposals for
a Capstone project. Consider the decisions you made along the way,
beginning with the choice of one project over the other, and what
influenced those decisions.
Rereadingmyproposalsishumorous.Firstofall,myinitialproposalswerequitedifferentfrom
eachother.Myveryfirstproposalsfocusedoneitherballetorthehomeless.Fortheprojectthat
wouldfocusonballet,Iwantedtoshowtheschoolthatballetispertinenttoeveryoneslifeand
thatitshouldnolongerbedeemedwithsomanynegativeconnotations.Myprojectaboutthe
homelesswasimmediatelyrevised.Firstly,theteachersandIdecidedthatitwouldberather
difficulttointerviewandunsafekeeptrackofafewhomelesspeople.Aftermanydiscussions,I
revisedmyproposals.Oneofmyfinalproposalsstillfocusedonshowingpeoplethatballet
mattersandmynewlycreatedproposalwasgearedtowardgeneratingacookbookthat
encompassedrecipesthatIwouldcollectfromstudentsatBLS.Thiswouldnotbejustany
cookbook,however.Iplannedonemphasizingthatthecookbookwouldbehighlightingthe
differentculturesthatexistamongthestudentsatBLS.Eventually,Idecidedtoselecttheproject
aboutballet.IwaseagertoshedlightonthedanceworldandshowtheBLScommunitythat
balletisasimportantasanysport.Ithinkselectingthecookbookideawouldhavebeenalot
easierlookingbackonthewholeprocess.IsaythatbecausetheprojectthatIselected,which
actuallymorphedslightly,dependedonsomanypeople,dependedonpeoplesschedules,
peoplescooperation,studentsabilitiestogetpaperssigned,etc.

2. In virtually all of your cases, your projects expanded and/or contracted

throughout the year. What you saw as possible in October became less
likely come winter. Other factors affected the viability of your project: the
snow days, of course, as well as logistics, copyright, privacy rights, etc.
Identify what hurdles/impediments/obstacles/etc. shaped your work and
how you overcame, adjusted and/or avoided them through modifications to
your project and its scope.
TheprojectthatIselectedinOctober,whichwasbasicallytoprovethatballetmatters,morphed.
AftertalkingtomyCapstonepeers,Irealizedthattryingtoconvincetoschoolthatballetmatters
wouldbedifficult.Why?Well,Iwouldbemissingakeypointinthatdiscussion.Manystudents
havehadandstillhavelittletonoexposuretodance.Thus,tryingtoconvincethemthatthisone
particularstyleofdanceisimportantwouldnotreallytakeholdiftheydonotrealizethat
benefitsthatdanceingeneralcanhave.Sowithunfortunatelytoomuchdelay,Ifinallyrealized
thefocusofmyproject.IwasgoingtoshowtheBLScommunitythebenefitsofdanceandwhy
danceshouldfinallybecomepartoftheBLSeducationalcurriculum.FinallyrealizingwhatI
wasgoingtofocusonwasonemajorhurdle,butthenIneededtotakeactiontomakethisvision
cometrue.How?Well,Iwroteaproposal,averylengthyandtimeconsumingproposal.Bythe

endofafewsleeplessnights(oneofthemanyhurdlesofCapstone),Icompletedmyproposal.
Afterdoingthat,IbegantomeetwithteachersandadministrationatBostonLatinSchooland
BostonBalletSchool.ThefirstpersonItalkedtowasMs.Webb.Shestronglysupportedtheidea
ofbringingdanceoratleastexposingstudentstotheideaofdance.Thenextproblemthatarose
howeverwasmyexpectationofbeingabletoessentiallyuseasmanytheaterandphysical
educationclassesasIwantedtotestthetrialdanceclasses.Myinitialplanwastousethreeclass
periodsineachsettingdedicatedjusttodanceinstruction.Thiswouldhaveessentiallytaken
aboutthreetofourweeks.Thegymteacherswerenotpleasedwiththeideaofhandingoverone
oftheirphysicaleducationsectionsforaperiodofthreeweeks.Theyhaverequirementsto
completeasteachersintermsofthematerialtheyteachandtheyalreadyhavelittletimetosee
theirclasses.RealizingthatIwouldnotbeabletorelyonthephysicaleducationclassesforas
muchclasstimeasIwashoping,Ichangedmyprojectslightly,forthelasttime.IdecidedthatI
wouldshowwhyandhowdanceisbeneficialandshouldbeincorporatedintotheBLS
curriculumwhilecomparingwhichenvironmentwouldbebestsuitableforincorporatingdance
eitherthephysicaleducationdepartmentortheartsdepartment.Aftermyprojectslastandfinal
mutation,Ihadmoremeetingstoschedule.Bytheendofthisprocess,ImetwithMr.Pitts,Mr.
Butler,Mr.Holland,Mr.McDonough,Ms.Jamal,Dr.MooneyTeta,Ms.Webb,KaraFili,Grant
Jacoby,Mr.Cassell,Ms.Thomas,Mr.GelsandMs.McKennaaswellasvisitingtheCurley
SchoolandMildredAve.Theremayhavebeenmorepeople,butitishardtokeeptrackof.
BeforeIwasabletogettostartrunningtrialclasses,thegymteachersrejectedthewholeideaof
allowingmetotestatrialclass.Eventually,Mr.Mikalaitishadtoconvincetwooftheteachersto
givemejustoneclassperiodtorunmytest,andeventhatseemedalittlemuchforthem.Even
disregardingtheirdecisiontonotreallycooperate,theenvironmentthatsometeacherscreated
wasveryunwelcoming.Theotherhurdlewastryingtofindteacherstohelpinstructtheclass.
TherewereonlythreeclassesthatweretobetaughtandIhadreachedouttoBostonBallets
EducationandOutreachdepartment.ItwasnotuntilIwasabletoensurethattherewouldbea
compensationfortheteacherswhohelpedmewasIabletosecurethenamesofteacherswho
wouldhelp.Itwasabitdisappointingbutmoneymakestheworldspin,Iguess.Otherthan
dealingwithpeopleandtheiroccasionalinflexibilityand,oraggression,IamprettysureI
developeddepression.Thiswholeyearwasverystressfulfrombalancingschool,6dayschedule
ofintenseballettraining,APclasses,collegeapplications,interviews,andfamilyissues,
Capstonejustmadeitthatmuchharder.Manynights,probablythreetofourofthesevendaysin
aweek,Ihadmentalbreakdownsandcried.Itwasnotfun.Thementalstresswasahugeand
almostdetrimentalhurdlethatIwillneverbeabletogetridof.
3. In the course of the research process, you went through various stages.
What parts of the research process do you feel most confident about, now
that you have completed the course? What aspects of research do you feel
you need to improve? Some of you suggested that you needed more
statistics skills. Is that true for many of you? What additional skills do you
feel you needed to make your projects better?
Ihonestlydonotfeelthatconfidentabouttheresearchprocess.Wespentonedayinalibrary
lookingforbooksandwereforcedtogatheralmostfiftysourcesofinformation.Afterwritinga

veryrushedbibliography,wewereneveraskedanythingaboutsourcesorresearch.Iunderstand
thathavingresearchtobackupyourprojectandshowthatstudieshavebeenshownisakeyand
fundamentalprocessinaresearchproject,butwhenitisasrushedasitwasinthiscase,itwas
notbeneficialnordoIfeelconfidentaboutwhatIfound.Ifwehadmoretimetospendinthe
libraryandthesourcesneededdidnotdependonquantitybutratherquality,Iwouldfeelmore
confidentaboutthatwholeprocess.Insteadofgoingtoslaughterhousesandwatchingthemovies
aboutdevelopingandprovinganargument,wecouldhavebeenworkingonourownprojects
andwecouldhavegonetothelibraryinstead.Itseemsthatduringthiswholeyear,wewere
givenaminisculeexposureofsometopicoressentialpartofourprojectsandthenexpectedto
havelearnedfromthatexperienceandcreateabibliographywithallthesourcesfullyreadand
understoodafteroneweekorweekend.Therewasnotenoughtimeforstudentstoreallylearn
aboutthesources,whichhinderedthestudentsfromactuallyusingandreferringtotheir
research.Studentsneedtoreallylearnhowtodissectandfindtheimportantpartsoftheir
sourcesthatarepertinenttotheirproject,notjustthrownintotheprocessoffindingsources;they
shouldhavesomeoneorsomepeople,whoareprofessionalsinfindingandreferringtoresearch
intheirprojects(i.e.scientistsorliterarycritics)comeinanddescribewhattheydotoefficiently
usesources.Toimprovetheskills,Iwouldsaygivestudentsmoretimetofind,read,and
analyzetheirsources;lowertherequirementsofsourcesbecausequantityshouldnottrump
quality;teachstudentswhatisagoodsourceandwhatisabadsources;finally,checkinwiththe
studentstoseeiftheyarereferringtothesourcesintheirprojects.SinceIdidnotreallyreferto
mysources,Ifeltlikethissectionoftheyearwasnothelpful.Iwouldfeelmoreconfidentinmy
sourcesifIrealizedandunderstoodwhenIneededthemandwhatwasmostimportanttorefer
to.

4. All of your efforts led to a final project, in a series of products that you
turned in. Are you proud of the final project? Was there more (or less) that
you wanted to do?
Iamsatisfiedwithmyfinalproject.Ithinkthatitshowcasesthedifferentaspectsofmyproject
wellandshowsthemainideaofmyproject.Iwantedtosharewithpeoplewhydanceis
importantandshouldbeincorporatedinhighschooleducation.Bydescribingtheproject,the
process,showingthesurveys,showingthevideosoftheclasses,andinterviewsofstudentswho
actuallyparticipated,IfeelthatIprovedmypointinapositiveandhopefulmanner.IfIhad
moretime,Iwouldhaveappliedforagrantandaddedmoreinformationtomysitesuchasthe
visitsImadetothemiddleschoolsinBoston.Butoverall,Iamhappywithwhatisuponthe
websiteandIonlyhopethatpeoplehavetheurgetostartdiscussionaboutdanceandbringingit
toBLS.

5. If you remember, we asked at the start of the project: So what? Aka: Why
is this project worth doing? What makes it important/meaningful beyond
your own personal curiosity about the topic? So.now that your project is

complete, please reconsider the question. What is the projects relevance

beyond your own passion for it? What makes it important? What have you
contributed to the bigger/wider world of knowledge? Tell us about that.
ThisprojectisimportantbecauseitaffectseverystudentatBLS.NotonlyamIadvocating
bringingdancetotheschool,butIamalsotryingtoshowtheadultpopulation,theteachersand
administrators,thatstudentsreallyshouldhavesomeabilitytosaywhattheywanttodo.By
addingdanceasanelectivetotheschoolscurriculum,theschoolisfosteringgenerationsof
studentswhoareencouragedtofightforwhattheywant.Inmypresentationandmyproject,I
explicitlystatethatstudentsperformmuchbetterinclasseswhentheyareeagerandengagedin
thetopic.Havingdanceasanelective,theschoolisencouragingdanceandtheartsaswellas
developingastudentbodythatiseageraboutwhattheyarelearningratherthanastudentbody
thatisforcedtolearntraditionaltopicsoftheeducationsystem.Byadvocatingforanew
elective,Iamalsoencouragingpeopletothinkabouttheideasthatinterestthem.Studentswill
hopefullyonedayadvocatinglearningaboutfinance,psychology,journalism,photographyand
thesemayonedayallbeofferedatBLS.Insummation,myprojectisadvocatingaboutdance.
Dancehasprovenbenefitsbothphysicallyandmentally;Ialsopointoutthehypocrisyinthe
highschoolsystemaboutbalancingstresslevelsandacademicperformance;myprojectwill
inspirestudentstofightfortheirideas;andmostimportantly,andwhatIthinkeducation
departmentsdonotseemtorealize,Iamencouragingstudentstobecomeengaged,involved,and
interestedintheirstudies.

6. Concurrently you were asked to do a series of presentations (that grew

incrementally longer) over the course of the year. You should have all the
videos of all of these on your Weebly website. Stand and Deliver helped to
shape the nature of those presentations, as did our examination of various
TED talks. What challenges did these presentations pose? What feedback
and support helped you to overcome these challenges and help you grow
as a presenter? How do you feel about your own presentation skills now?
Are you more or less confident of doing these in the future?
Inthebeginning,justspeakinginfrontofpeoplewasahugechallenge.Ihavecometorealize
thatIneedtoprepandpracticebeforeIpresent.Thedaystandanddelivercameandaskedusto
present,Ifeltliketoimprovisemywholespielandconsequentlyitfeltuncomfortableand
forced.AstheyearprogressedandwehadtodotheminiTedTalks,Ipreparedmoreandmore
foreachpresentation.Still,bythetimeitwastimetopresent,IrealizedthatIhadnotprepared
enoughtofeelcomfortableaboutmyramp,buckets,andconclusion.Thefeedbackfromthe
teacherswashelpfulbecauseitgavemeadifferentperspectiveaboutmypresentation.Ialso
thinkthatreflectionsofeachpresentationwerehelpful.Iwasforcedtoreallylookback,listen
andreflectwhatIdidwellandwhatwasreallyhorribleaboutmypresentation.Doingthat,Isaw
atrendItalktomyselfwhenIamnervousandIamhorribleatimprovising.Afterdoingthe

actualTedTalkinfrontofmembersoftheschool,Ifeelwaymoreconfidentaboutmy
presentationskillsthanIhaveeverfeltaboutthemwhileatBLS.Before,Ifeltlikeitwasabit
shamefulthatIneededtoprepare(reallyprepare)mytalkssoItriedtoimproviseasIpresented.
Somanypeersseemedtobenaturalsatimprovisingtheirmaterial.IfeltlikeIwasalittle
inferiortothosewhohadthatskill.However,afterpracticingmultipledaysandmultipletimes
forthefinalTedTalkandhearingpositivefeedbackaboutmypresentation,Inolongerfeel
ashamedtopracticemytalk.IrealizedthateveryonehastheirownwayofpresentingandIam
oneofthosepeoplewhoneedstopreparehersubjectmatter.Thereisnoshameinthat.Theother
importantaspectaboutpresentingthatIlearnedishowtobeconvincing.WhenIwaspreparing
myfinalTedTalk,Iwasslanderingtheschoolandallitshypocrisy.Mydadtoldmethatnoone
wouldreallylisteningtomyargumentbecausetheywouldbetooinfuriatedaboutmydiatribes
toconsidermyideas.Thebestwaytoconvincesomeoneoragroupistolightlymentionthe
problemsbutemphasizethesolutionsandhowyoursolutionsbenefitthegreaterpopulation.
Also,oneofmyteachers,wholistenedtomytalk,congratulatedmeonaverythoughtout
presentation.Havingastructurethatclearlyshowsproblems,solutions,data/evidence,and
reasoningismoreguaranteedtoconvincetheaudiencethananimprovisedmess.
7. Finally, we would like to know how you feel the experience of doing a
Senior Capstone project prepared you for college and future professional
life. Tell us what you think the ultimate value of taking Senior Capstone
was for you on a personal and educational level.
SeniorCapstonehasbeenoneofthecraziestclassesofmylife.Firstofall,IneverthoughtI
wouldseealivepigbeslaughtered.Therearenotmanystudentswhocansaythattheysawthat
kindofordealduringtheirhighschoolcareers.Butmoreseriously,Capstonehastaughtmealot
ofthings.One,youmustreallybepassionateaboutwhatyouarestudyingbecauseifyouarenot,
theworkwillbehalfheartedandintheendyouwontfeelthatyouhaveaccomplishedwhat
yourfullpotentialiscapableof.Second,Ihavelearnedtheimportanceofstandingupfor
yourselfandprotectingyourground.Alotofthetime,studentsheadingintocollegeare
concernedabouttalkingtotheirprofessorsandinteractingwiththem.Idonotreallyhavethis
fear.IwasreallypassionateaboutmyprojectandtheworkthatIputintoit.Whenevermy
gradesdidnotshowwhatIthoughtmyworkwasworth,Icalledittheteachersattentions.I
wantedtounderstandwhataboutmyworkwasinsufficientandattimesIfoughttogetthegrade
thatItrulybelievemyworkearned.Neverbeafraidtoaskquestionsandfightforwhatyou
believein.Third,Irealizedtheunfortunatetruthandlifeskillofrelyingonpeople.Myproject
wassochallengingmostlybecauseamajorityofthetime,Iwassettingmeetings,sendingout
emails,developingproposalsonotherpeoplestime.Capstonetaughtmehowmuchgoesintoto
developingaprojectaswellashowimportantitistoconsideryourowntimebutalsothetimeof
otherswhowillimpactyourproject.ThevalueofcompletingaCapstoneprojectisessentially
invaluable.IfeelmorepreparedforcollegeprojectsbecauseIhadthisexperienceofcompleting
averyindepthprojectalready.Bycompletingaseniorcapstone,Ihaveexperiencedallthe
hurdles,Iknowwhatrequiresmoretime,Iknowhowtodividemytimebetter,Ihavelearned
whatisthemostimportantaspectstofocuson,andIhavelearnedhowtocommunicateand
interactwithadults,peers,andfocusgroups.Onapersonallevel,thisclasswasveryhardto

handle.Ihadmanybadweekswhereamajorityofthetime,Ididnotsleepenough,Iwasalot
moresadthanhappy,Icriedalot.IamprettysureIhaddepression.Balancingeverythingelse
thatIhadbeforeplusCapstoneandcollegeapplicationswasalittlebittoomuchtohandle,
especiallysincethiswastheinauguralyear.Wewereprettymuchtheoverlytaskedguineapigs.
Onaneducationallevel,however,thisclassrequiredmorededicationbutwasmorerewarding
thananyotherclassIhavetaken.