Senior Project Reflection

(1) Positive Statement

What are you most proud of in your Block Presentation and/or your senior project? Why?

• Honestly, I'm really proud of the fact that if I were given the chance of having two hours to present, I would've made time for it. I honestly am not one who likes to present or necessarily speak for a long period of time. So, I felt that was a huge personal accomplishment. 
• When I was getting feedback from my audience, they complimented me on my presentation organization, and I was also given the comment that it seemed like I was really passionate about my topic and truly engaged myself into it.

(2) Questions to Consider

a.     What assessment would you give yourself on your Block Presentation (self-assessment)?

AE       P         AP       CR       NC

b.     What assessment would you give yourself on your overall senior project (self-assessment)?

AE       P          AP       CR       NC

(3) What worked for you in your senior project?

• What really helped me throughout my senior project was my mentorship for the mere fact that I'm getting the experience for myself and living through my answers in person. My first two answers came from my mentorship.

 (4) (What didn't work) If you had a time machine, what would have you done differently to improve your senior project if you could go back in time?

• If I were given a time machine and rewinded time, I believe I would've liked to get started on my mentorship a lot earlier. Towards the end, I was straggling on getting my hours. Fortunately for me, the Pasadena Humane Society was kindly willing enough to take my help and allowed me to be an intern.

(5) Finding Value

How has the senior project been helpful to you in your future endeavors?   Be specific and use examples.

•  The senior project has actually been very helpful. It's allowed me to adventure and explore in a topic I'm really passionate about. Every research check, I was learning new things that I had no clue about before. This has made me realize that if you're really passionate about something, and you start doing research and acting upon it,  you can go so far with it. In the future, I aspire to be a part of the film industry and aim at becoming a director of photography. Doing this project has inspired me to want to actually go out there and start working towards my goal. With that, I'll be interning in Georgia as I was interning at the Pasadena Humane Society.

Mentorship

Content:

 Literal

• Pasadena Humane Society 
• Mary Ann Nation-Greenwall, Vice President of Volunteer Services
• Milena Warns, Special Events Coordinator 

Interpretive

     The most important thing I gained from this experience was learning how much work it is to actually run an event. For both my mentorship during the summer and throughout the year, I worked with people who were in charge of promoting and educating people about the shelter. During the summer, a workshop for kids was hosted to educate them about current animal welfare issues.  They were given the privilege to meet a beagle who was rescued from an animal testing laboratory. When I was working with the development department, I helped them prepare for their most famous events. It was a ton of work that I didn't expect.  

Applied

     This has helped answer my essential question because it's allowed me to gain the actual experience of my best answer, along with my first answer. Had I not have the mentorship, I wouldn't have a slight clue of how much work is put into creating a successful adoption event that's both fun and helpful. It's helpful because people get to meet some of the shelter animals at the events. It encourages them to either want to adopt or donate to help the shelter out. With that, these events could also be used to promote responsibility amongst their visitors and to also educate others around them.

Exit Interview

Content:

1. What is your essential question and answers?  What is your best answer and why?
   • My essential question is: How can the Pasadena Humane Society best help citizens become responsible pet owners? To answer that question, I compiled three answers which follow as:
     
     • Host summer Workshops aimed at teaching children animal welfare issues
     • Host events that promote shelter adoptions
     • Humane society should lobby for legislation that improves animal rights
       
   • Out of those three answers, my best answer would have to be host events that promote shelter adoptions. Coming towards the end of my project and mentorship, the Pasadena Humane Society was in the process of actually hosting an event themselves. This really opened up my eyes and showed how much effort and hard work is put into the events they host. They really want to get the word out of adopting their shelter animals and sending in donations. I think that's what really inspired me and got me going. They have a certain goal in mind and a target audience. In the process of my iSearch paper, this was the longest portion of it. I had so much to say about hosting these events. One critical detail I focused on was the fact that the people who choose to attend these shelter / rescue events are there for a reason. With that, getting a certain message across is very possible. This ties back into my essential question because the Pasadena Humane Society can let folks know how to become better and more responsible pet owners.
     
     
2. What process did you take to arrive at this answer?
   • In order to arrive to any answer, really, was through loads of research. In the beginning, I thought I would have no issues with finding my answers. But I was wrong.
      
   • For my first answer, I pulled it through my summer mentorship. I helped my first mentor run a summer workshop for kids and taught them about current issues going on with shelter animals.
     
   • As for my second and best answer, I obtained that through various interview (third and fourth). During my third interview, I interviewed a woman named Lorna, who's an all time rescue activist. She emphasized on really getting the word out to those who care and tugging at their hearts. Show them how passionate she is about helping these animals. She's ran various rescue groups, which include a Chihuahua one and transporting them to the east coast, and Save the Beagles project. During my fourth interview with Tom, a volunteer who's been there for 8 years, he too emphasized on getting the word out. An event he mentioned was the Wiggle Waggle Walk, which is an event held around the Rose Bowl. People are welcomed to come walk 3.3 miles with their fellow companion and also meet the dogs PHS decided to bring and welcome.
     
   • Answer number three was tricky. I wasn't able to come up with it on my own completely. I believe I had some kind of idea, but didn't know how to structure it so that it would work with my essential question. My advisory teacher (Mrs. Pittman) directed me through and she helped me compromise this answer.
   
   
3. What problems did you face?  How did you resolve them?
   
   • A major problem that I encountered and what really put me off set was failing my first answer presentation. I hit 30 minutes, no problem. However, my talking time wasn't enough. There was a minimum of 10 minutes required, and I didn't pull through. I was even attempting to stress out the time and continue stalling with research. But it wasn't enough. To resolve this, during an advisory meeting, I was asked to change my essential question completely to the one I have now. I've done well over enough research, with using both the internet, mentorship, and interviews in the hopes of executing my final presentation with enough time.
   
   
4. What are the two most significant sources you used to answer your essential question and why?
   • The two most significant sources I used to answer my essential question, again, were my interviews and mentorship. Of course, there was the help of going in depth with my answers and finding more research on the little details that go along with it, but the real life experience were truly the backbones of them all.

Independent Component 2

LITERAL 

• I, Devanna Terry, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work. 
• To complete my independent component, my main source would be my (ex) mentor, Elana Blum, who actually gave me the idea of hosting a towel drive in the first place. 
• During my 30+ hours of mentorship (and still going), I achieved in going out of my comfort zone and speaking out to strangers and my iPoly peers about something very significant to me. Before going out and announcing the towel drive, I worked with a senior teacher to put together a committee. With that, I acquired all of their emails and asked them if they wouldn't mind helping me out. Fortunately, no one said no. Later along the way, a few other people actually came to me and asked if they could help. Whenever I was given the chance, I would ask a senior teacher if I may go around and announce to each classroom about my towel drive and if they could please begin donating.

INTERPRETIVE 
As I stated above, I and other iPoly students went around the school to announce the Towel Drive. During our meeting, I told them what it was about and covered the 5 w's. They then reported to the rest of the students and said that if they had any questions, they could just ask me. Some classes were a little unresponsive, but it happens. Aside from just iPoly, after school and mostly during spring break, I visited a neighborhood, elementary school, and beach to collect donated towels and explain what it was for. One of the days, there was a bonfire at the beach, and for the people who were invited, they were asked to bring at least one towel. Other days (a normal day for me), I spent the entire day at the beach, from my morning yoga until sunset and kindly went about and talked to a couple of strangers about my project and if they might have a towel on them they were willing to donate. Surprisingly, a couple of people were so interested and intrigued by my project that they wanted to help me go around and ask other people for their towels. As far as going through a neighborhood, my mom's boss's neighborhood is very family oriented and pet friendly. She and I went around and knocking on doors asking for towels. (I brought my mom's boss around since her neighbors know her). That was another huge success.

Beach Bonfire

Collecting towels from local neighborhood

(way more pictures to come)

APPLIED
This component very well helped me answer a part of my essential question, when we're looking at both my second and best answer. That answer solely focuses on hosting events that promote shelter adoptions, in this case, I was trying to get donations from people. It isn't as easy as saying, "Hey. Do you have any towels you don't want anymore?" There were different methods that had to be used to persuade the iPoly kids especially to help donate towels. A guilt trip and explanation behind the project was the big picture.

Third Answer

Content:

 

Essential Question: How can the Pasadena Humane Society best help citizens become responsible pet owners?

 

Answer #3: To best help citizens in general become responsible pet owners, humane laws to protect animals should be established.

 

3 details to support the answer:

• There are a variety of different pet laws, whether it's as drastic as involving violence, or as simple as picking up after your dog. Each city / county have their own set of rules.
• The most effective law is having your dog on a leash, due to the (statistical) number of people involved in a dog bite attack.
• Such laws promote animal and public health, safety and welfare. promote animal and public health, safety and welfare.

The research source (s) to support your details and answer:

• 1st Interview *
• http://www.sddac.com/laws.asp
• http://www.lowcountrydog.com/story/sections/leash-laws-and-why-we-love-them-131509
• http://www.americanhumane.org/animals/stop-animal-abuse/fact-sheets/dog-bites.html

Concluding Sentence: Establishing pet laws protects both you and your pet.

Magic For Dogs

Enjoy!

Fourth Interview Questions

Content: 

1. How can the Pasadena Humane Society best help citizens become responsible pet owners?
   
2.  Are there any ideas that were put out there, but didn't pull through?
   
3. What's the most common mistake pet owners make and how could that be fixed?
   
4. True or false: The idea of getting people to adopt from their local shelter is already a start to being a responsible pet owner.
   
5. How more could we get the word out of adopting or rescuing rather than buying a pet?
   
6. I understand that there are summer workshops for kids at the shelter. What exactly do they consist of?
   
7. What makes those workshops so successful and engaging to the kids? What keeps them wanting to come back every summer?
   
8. How could we enforce that same effect and outcome on the rest of the Pasadena residents?
   
9. Aside from specifically just the Pasadena Humane Society, what could the general public do to help people in their city become more responsible pet owners?
   
10.  Is it possible for me to run some kind of workshop?
    
11. What's considered a responsible pet owner?
    
12. Is there some kind of education center for potential pet owners / adopters?
    
13. What distinguishes PHS from all the other shelters? What makes it different /stand out? 
    
14. How long have you been a volunteer? What got you interested?
    
15.  Since you've been here, have you seen any changes?
    
16.  If you were given the chance to work in the adoption center, what would you look for in the potential pet owner in order to decide whether they were ready or not?
    
17.  Would fundraising / hosting events help in any way?
    
18. When hosting the different workshops already placed here, what's invested / how does the shelter get the money to host such things?
    
19. Do you guys host events outside of the shelter or associate traditionally with?
    
20. How could I myself help people become more responsible pet owners?

Advisory Meeting #2

Essential Question: How can a potential pet owner best prepare for a shelter adoption? 

 

Answer #2: To best prepare for any sort of adoption, whether it be from a rescue group or shelter, a potential pet owner must acquire a lot of patience.  

 

3 details to support the answer (a detail is a fact and an example):

• The only thing that is consistent is that they will need lots of patience, understanding, love, and probably most importantly, unconditional acceptance of what they are and what their limitations may be. 
• Because shelter dogs may have a background of unfavorable treatment from a previous owner, and they may be beyond “prime training age”, you must always use patience with any animal shelter dog you adopt. (with the exception of puppies)
• Some of these dogs are going to take right to a new owner with no problems. It is the dogs with a history of abusive treatment we especially need to use love and patience with. It will take time for the dog to learn you are not going to hurt them.
• Have patience with your new dog’s behavior, level of training, and the time it takes to establish a bond with you. Give your new dog time and space to adjust. Commit time the first few days to get to know your dog’s habits and personality. Establish a routine for the dog and balance interaction and down-time. This is a period of trust-building, so don’t scare or yell at the dog or try to force close contact. Watch your dog’s postures and expressions. Learn to read him. It may take even up to several months for you to get to know your dog’s true nature. And don’t forget, your new dog is trying to do the same with you!

The research source (s) to support your details and answer:

• 3rd Interview *
• http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/adopting-puppy-mill-dog
• http://dogingtonpost.com/be-patient-with-rescueadopted-dogs/#.Uw6SeYXosuE
• http://www.arlboston.org/welcoming-your-adopted-dog-into-your-home/
• http://www.retrieversandfriends.com/resources-adopting-kennel-dog.asp

Concluding SentenceLove is definitely needed in large amounts, but so is patience; the damage done during the years in the kennel usually can be overcome, but it takes time and dedication.

Independent Component 2 Approval

Content

1.  Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.

• For my 30 hours, I plan on hosting a towel drive, with the help of another iPoly student. The towel drive was suggested to me by my first mentor, Elana Blum. It's, as the name says, a way to get towels (used or new) from people from iPoly and outside for the animals at the Pasadena Humane Society. Aside from towels, I may ask for blankets as well, since the cats and dogs don't have beds. It's our goal to make the environment as comfortable as possible for them, since being caged up in a strange place is stressful as it is.
  

2.  Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.

• To meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence, as mentioned above, I will be collecting towels (and blankets) from people by going around during the week and making announcements. This may only be twice a week (Mondays & Wednesdays), and on Fridays, I'll make my rounds to collect them. I believe I'll make a chart (independent 2 log) and log in how many towels I get per week.

3.  And explain how what you will be doing will help you explore your topic in more depth.

• What I'm doing will help me get the word out of what's going on in the shelter, and how because of our economy plus the overpopulation of shelter animals, we aren't able to provide even the simplest things for these animals. Sure, the shelter's focused solely on the more important things (vaccinations, medicines, etc.), but what about the rest? Chew toys? Food? A bed to sleep on? The slightest way our peers can help is by donations. Or even better? Adopting. Which all ties into my essential question of how a potential pet owner can best prepare for a shelter adoption. Definitely being up to date and knowledgeable about what's going on is a start.
  

4.  Post a log on the right hand side of your blog near your other logs and call it the independent component 2 log.

• Done.

Independent Component 1

• LITERAL
  (a) I, Devanna Terry, affirm that I completed my independent component, which represents 30 hours of work.
  (b) Anthony Thomson, the owner of the dog, was my main source to go to whenever I had a question about Blue.
  (c) Working on this.(d) Since the beginning of the year, my aunt and I have been fostering a pitbull named Blue. Since she works from 8 am - 6 pm, I'm in charge of watching over the little guy. The routine was the same for the most part: Feed, play, brush, walk. As if he were my own.

• INTERPRETIVE I guess the most significant parts of this component is learning how to train him to have a completely more relaxed personality. Instead of aggressively playing or taking a dog treat out of my hand, I would say "Gentle, gentle.." and he would take things gently.
  

• APPLIED
  This refers back to my essential question because in order to be a responsible pet owner, you must prepare yourself for dogs who don't always have that perfect personality. Which refers back to my first answer of identifying your needs and recognizing the commitment.

Lesson 2 Reflection

Content:

1. Positive Statement: What are you most proud of in your Lesson 2 Presentation and why?I think I like the fact that my activity suited my first answer perfectly. Although I myself didn't present my answer well, the activity surely did it for me.




2. Questions to Consider
       a.     What assessment would you give yourself on your Lesson 2 Presentation (self-assessment)?

       AE       P          AP       CR       NC

       b.     Explain why you deserve that grade using evidence from the Lesson 2 component contract.               Unfortunately, I didn't make time. That's already an error and a letter grade down.

3. What worked for you in your Lesson 2?
Again, I think my activity better explained my answer.

4.  (What didn't work) If you had a time machine, what would you have done differently to improve your Lesson 2?Oh, how much I wish I had rehearsed. I was completely unprepared and nervous, hence why I was short on time.

5. Finding Value: What do you think your answer #2 is going to be? 
I'm honestly not sure. I would think something along the lines of preparing yourself and your home or asking the shelter questions about the pet because it's important to know their story.

Blog 12: Third Interview Questions

Content

10 Open Ended Question:

• How can a potential pet owner best prepare for a shelter adoption? 
• What are the most important aspects to being a "responsible"owner?
• What distinguishes a "poor" owner versus a "good" one?
• Is it possible that even the homeless folks with very little money are better pet owners than some? In my experience, I once saw a man asking a money so that he could feed his dog.
• How can we as people in general take action and help these animals out, along with informing others about this sort of information? 
• Say, there's a dog that has special needs. This is your first pet and you just absolutely fell in love with the little dude. Should you get extra training and acquire further research?
• There's an option to adopt online from animal rescue groups out of state. How do those potential pet owners get a background check? Isn't better to have an interview in person? 
• To those already set pet owners who have shy animals of their own, is there anyway the shelter animal they want to adopt be introduced to their pet to see how the two act? This seems very important.
• Is there ever a certain vibe or persona a good pet owner has? I don't know. I think usually on first impressions, you're able to tell.
• What kind of attitude should someone come in with when they're looking to adopt?

Blog 11: Mentorship 10 Hours Check

Content:

1.   Where are you doing your mentorship?
I'm currently doing my mentorship at the Pasadena Humane Society. I will remain doing so, with the exception of a few outer events. 
 
2.   Who is your contact?
 My contact is Elana Blum, also known as the humane educator and pet therapy coordinator at the Pasadena Humane Society. 
 
3.   How many total hours have you done (total hours should be reflected in your mentorship log located on the right hand side of your blog like your WB)?   
Total, so far, I have 41 hours and 45 minutes in.

4.   Summarize the 10 hours of service you did.
I split my 10 hours into two days. Both days consisted of putting together the packages for the kids, as I mentioned in my last blog post. The packages that we mailed out included animal stickers and pencils and stamps and just little goodies for the kids. In between working, my mentor actually let me take this adorable red haired pitbull out for a stroll in the park. We didn't have a name decided for her. But she has a pink and green collar, which I said reminded me of strawberries. And with that, we named her Shortcake! See, her fur is red with a white chest, as a strawberry shortcake would be.
♡




 5.   Email your house teacher the name of your contact and their phone number confirming who they should call to verify it.
Done.