Senior Project Reflection

(1) Positive Statement

Out of my entire senior project I have say that I am most proud of my Two-Hour Presentation, because I was not entirely sure I could do it. When it was finally over, I was ecstatic. Just knowing that I could do it felt great. I also was surprised at the decoration of the classroom; I had not expected for them to work out so well.

(2) Questions to Consider

a.     What assessment would you give yourself on your 2-Hour Presentation (self-assessment)? Why?

For my 2-Hour-Presentation I feel like I deserve an AE. It was full of useful content and the activities were easy to relate to both the answers and the students. Though some of the activities were personal, people were still willing to do them.

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

I think that my overall senior project should be a P, because I have done mostly P work throughout the year. I have had my ups and downs, but overall it should balance out into a P.

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

Being able to chose the topic that I wanted to research so that I could easily relate to it was really helpful. 

(4) What didn’t work for you in your senior project?

Having all of first semester be about Model Assembly, because I felt like I lost a lot of time doing that. I also felt like there should have been more time in between big assignments.

(5) Finding Value

PTSD may be a very specific disorder that effects only a fraction of the population, but the treatments for it can be applied to everyone's daily life. Everyone has some level of distortion in their perspective in which Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy could be useful. Everyone is exposed to stress and should know how to respond to it in a positive way. Learning about these methods and how they work has allowed me to take a look into my everyday life and ask myself whether or not I am going about it in the best way possible. Though I know that I am not, I also know of how I can change that. Learning about PTSD has given me the ability to be more critical about sensitive situations. This has given me more confidence about my ability to go become a psychiatrist in the future.

2-Hour Presentation

Click here for my template.

Service Learning

Literal ·
This is my Log
Mrs. Ortega was my supervisor.
I was in charge of making PowerPoints and presenting them along with Griselda S. We also created a video with the help of Liam R. and the juniors, Priscilla W. and Dominic Z.
Interpretive
The most important thing I gained from this experience was the ability to problem solve by being able to separate myself from a situation. By being able to see how the problem looks through an observers point-of-view it is easier to break it down and find what is working and what simply needs to change. I also found that the knowledge I accumulated from it allowed me to understand the importance of cognitive-behavioral therapy.
Applied
Because this service learning allowed me to expand my knowledge of problem solving and peer mediation, I was.able to use that knowledge to find something that could work best, even with the variety of people that we're talking about.
Mrs. Ortega was my supervisor.

Independent Component 2

 Click here for my log.
Literal
I, Jo, confirm that I have completed my Independent Component which represents 30 hours of work.
I have learned, as well as been an advocate for Denim Day. Through this I have been able to see how often traumatic events can occur. I have acquired knowledge that I can pass down to my friends and family to keep them aware of what is truly going on.
Interpretive
By teaching people about sexual abuse, we have been able to make it less shameful for those who have experienced it. Most of the stigmas are created by ignorance. The idea that all victims are male, or that victims are to blame in any way is simply absurd, but are disturbingly common. I spent a great deal of time talking to my mother about the subject. She was raised in a small town in Mexico where many parents would disown, or even go as far as selling, their daughters if their virginity were ever in question. She still feels as though victims are to be held responsible for sexual assaults, though she knows it's not right, it's the idea that was implanted in her mind when she was just a child. This is exactly what we are combating, and it wasn't until I started getting involved that I realized it was going on in my own home.
By becoming an advocate, I found that I needed to learn more. Do more research on what we think is true, and what actually is true. Sometimes, you won't believe what you'll find. For example, the statistics that show that 84% of those raped knew their attacker, and 57% of the rapes happened on dates seem extreme, made-up even, but they aren't. That's why people need to be made aware. For more facts and myths click here.
Applied
Overall, this helped me answer my EQ by allowing me to take time to research sexual abuse stories, and how the legal system works with victims. This gave me a better idea of what to expect with someone who has been through that process. It has also help me get an idea of how preventing PTSD should be.

Helping 2013

Interviewee: Priscilla West
April 24, 2012 1:50PM


 What ideas do you have for your senior project and why?

• Priscila: I was thinking of doing film, but specifically documentaries. If not, I could do cheer because I'm going to be in cheer throughout senior year. I was in cheer for nine years and I love it so it wouldn't be a problem. If I do documentaries, I would like to focus on social issues like the California Public School System, or rather the state of it. 
• Me: You already know how you're getting your hours?
• Priscilla: Yes, for cheer I know a place and I could volunteer to get my rates deducted. 
• Me: How about for film?
• Pris:  I don't know how I would get hours for film, but I want to get into sociology so it would help me. I could take a film class, but I'm in ROP this year, so I wouldn't be able to do that.
• Me: You could take a class at Cal Poly.
• Pris: Yes, but I don't know if I can get one for both semesters. 
• Me: Make sure to look into before you give up on it. 

 What do you plan to do to complete the 10 hours of service learning (working with an expert) which is due prior to senior year starting?  

• Pris: I have two hours for cheer already. I have a private lesson for it. For film, I have a friend that knows the director, and I've met him before so I can call him up and see if I can help out on the set or do anything. It needs to be with a professional right?
• Me: Service learning needs to be done with a pro, but if you really, for film, you can make your own as your independent component. If you met with a professional to get feedback on your work you could document it and present it as evidence of work. 

 What do you hope to see or expect to see when watching the class of 2012 present their two hour presentations?

• Pris: I hope to see things I can learn from, whether it is about their topic or how to present. I hope that it's hands on and we don't just sit there for an hour and a half doing nothing. 
• Me: I like that you want it to be hands on, because some people don't want to do anything. Please, encourage your classmates to bring the required materials. I would cry if I was expecting people to bring something and they showed up empty handed. Also, come on time for everyone's sake because it looks bad on you, and it distracts the presenter. 

Do you have any other questions?

• Pris: How many different components are there?
• Me: It's hard to count them because there are components that go on through out the whole year. Basically there are Independent Components 1 and 2, four interviews, science fair, and research is counted as a components. 
• Pris: How crazy is the work schedule?
• Me: Personally, I have been on a really crazy work schedule because everything just snow balled. You look at the schedule and you think "Oh, this isn't due until next month," and you focus on what's due at the moment. The problem is that these projects take weeks and you end up waiting until the last minute. If I could redo this whole year, I would have sat down and planned out how and when I was going to finish each thing. It's really up to you if you want to take this advice, but I really wish someone would have warned ma about how easy it is to get caught up in the daily work and forget that you need to do 30 hours worth of work for independent components or how busy your interviewee's schedule may be, or even that finding reliable research material can take a while unless you can buy a book. Try to never underestimate how long something will take. Ask the current seniors how long it took them to do these things to get an idea of the average time. Prepare yourself!

Answer 3: Relaxation Therapy

My essential question is: What is the most effective way to treat PTSD?

Thesis:  When a person with PTSD is taught to respond to stessors by using the techniques they use in relaxation therapy, they are able to continue with their daily lives.

•  PTSD is primarily an anxiety disorder that is triggered by stressors. They way that the brain stores a traumatic memory is different than a regular one, which is why the memory is remembered in bits and pieces. When those bits and pieces come back in a flashback, the person having the flashback begins to show signs of a panic attack. (www.medicinenet.com)
• Even once a person has gone through therapy, the flashbacks can reoccur, and there are no medications on the market that specifically combat flashbacks. ( The PTSD Breakthrough by Frank Lawlis) This means that although there are some SSRI's that help people combat anxiety, there aren't any that help combat the flashbacks themselves. If a person does not know they have the power to stop them, they will continue having them. 
• Relaxation therapy teaches people to stop intrusive thoughts, and control their minds using their body (Dr. Shahin). When a person is panics, it is normal for them to stop breathing. When this happens, their body furthers the extent of the anxiety by sending off fight-or-flight signals. This can lead to a very scary reexperience, which can leave a patient weak and feeling unsafe. 

Independent Component 1

I, Jo, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work.
I completed thirty hours worth of research on PTSD. This means treatments, stories, the military's effort to combat it, and traumatic narratives.

My independent component allowed me to take a deeper look into the mind of a person with PTSD with both sympathy and scrutiny. The various sources I collected during this time helped me acquire a wider range of perspectives and approaches. I have learned how to be sympathetic and still be able to search for key words that demonstrate the presence of a symptom. I had to make sure I was taking the most thorough notes possible because my sources were mostly library materials.

The vast amount of research I studied help me get a better grasp of symptoms and treatments for PTSD. This research changed my perspective of the disorder so far as to convince me that pharmaceutical approaches were necessary. Before taking a deeper look into PTSD, I truly believed that it should be up to the person. With the survival stories I have encountered throughout my research I now know the importance of approaching the disorder with every resource available.