Blog 26: Senior Project Reflection

(1) Positive Statement

What are you most proud of in your 2-Hour Presentation and/or your senior project? Why?

 

I am most proud of the fact that I was able to get everything ready on time. This includes the decorations, the prizes, the activities, and the powerpoint. It was a lot of work on top of the San Dimas Relay for Life event that I attended just last weekend. I was also proud that I had 10 people give me their emails at the end because they were inspired and wanted to join the Relay for Life. This showed me that I can inspire people to become involved in the cancer community and can educate people about the importance of support in a survivor's life. I am also proud of the fact that I had good volume when speaking throughout my presentation because that is a weakness I've always had.

(2) Questions to Consider

a.     What assessment would you give yourself on your 2-Hour 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?

 

My mentorship worked for me because I was able to learn more about my answers and experience them first hand. I also acquired leadership skills in my mentorship and have successfully raised funds as a team captain for the Relay for Life.

 

(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 could go back in time, I would've made quality powerpoint slides weeks before my presentation. I started my powerpoint weeks before, but I found out that the slides lacked quality, asthetics, and that "attention grabbing" factor. The slides I made weeks prior to my presentation were more like rough draft worthy. I would've worked harder on my slides beforehand and made sure they were worthy of my 2 hour. It would've saved me a lot of time the week of my presentation.

 

(5) Finding Value

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

The Relay for Life is definitely something that I will be doing even after senior year. I will continue to be a team captain and will attend team captain meetings as well as committee meetings. I will also continue to fundraise for the Relay year round and may even start a cancer awareness club at Cal State LA, which is where I will be attending college. Next year I'm going to an event called Paint the Town Purple which is basically just plastering posters of Relay in a specific city. I will also continue to ask for donations and will keep doing restaurant fundraising nights. On July 12, I will be going to a debrief session with all the team captains of the Relay for Life and my mentor, Roxanne Bickham. I will also be planning to attend the Pomona Relay for Life which will be from June 22nd-23rd. It is something that I see myself being involved in for years to come. I'm glad that my senior project opened that door for me.

Activity 1 Websites

1) Cognitive Disabilities: http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsideeffects/physicalsideeffects/chemotherapyeffects/chemo-brain

2) Cancer Recurrence:  

http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/cid/documents/webcontent/002014-pdf.pdf

3) Feeling Neglected :

 http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsideeffects/emotionalsideeffects/distressinpeoplewithcancer/distress-in-people-with-cancer-coping-tips

4) Relationship Problems:

http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsideeffects/emotionalsideeffects/copingwithcancerineverydaylife/a-message-of-hope-for-spouses-families-friends

5) Physical Setbacks: http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsideeffects/palliativecare/supportive-care

6) Self esteem problem:

http://www.cancer.net/coping/emotional-and-physical-matters/self-image-and-cancer

7) Financial Problems:

http://www.cancer.org/treatment/findingandpayingfortreatment/managinginsuranceissues/healthinsuranceandfinancialassistanceforthecancerpatient/health-insurance-and-financial-assistance-outside-sources

Mentorship

    Literal
·       Click Here for Mentorship Log
·     Ana Marie, 1-805-813-7212
Roxanne Bickham, 909-917-6857
   

Interpretive
    I began mentorship with Roxanne Bickham who has been involved in the Relay for Life for 10 years. She started inviting me to team captain meetings to receive advice from them and to just get me started on developing my own team. I successfully put together my own team. My team name is "The Curesaders" named after the cluster of battles that took place in the medieval times. I named my team this because cancer survivors go through several battles themselves. She took me to a Relay for Life in Claremont and showed me how it was like and all the support that cancer survivors, families, and cancer patients receive. I learned the importance of promoting involvement in the cancer community by doing this myself. I advocated the Relay for Life to my parent’s co-workers, families, and friends using different methods. I also practiced different offsite fundraising techniques that Roxanne Bickham taught me in order to raise more money. 

Applied
Promoting involvement in the cancer community is my third and best answer because of what Roxanne Bickham has taught me. She opened my eyes to the importance of involvement and how much support survivors obtain from it. With "promoting involvement in the cancer community" being my best answer, my experiences with Roxanne and Relay for Life helped me to find my best answer and practice it at the same time. I called family and friends to join my team in order to involve them. I organized a fundraising lunch and dinner event at a local restaurant, Jojo's Pizza to raise more funds offsite in my community. I made Luminarias in honor of or in memory of those that I have known who have been affected by cancer. I put so much time and effort into the San Dimas Relay for Life and have learned so many methods in order to put my best answer into action as a team captain. Roxanne Bickham was my very first stepping stone in the process of learning more about my best answer and implementing it into my life.

Exit Interview Questions

(1) What is your essential question?  What is the best answer to your question and why?

My essential question is "What best defines a successful program for support of cancer survivors?" My best answer is "promoting involvement in the cancer community" because it brings people into the cancer community to offer the support that fellow cancer survivors need and to those still going through cancer treatment. Once a survivor becomes involved in the cancer community again, he or she will feel a sense of closure and gratitude toward their cancer experience.

(2) What process did you take to arrive at this answer?

I began mentorship with Roxanne Bickham who has been involved in the Relay for Life for 10 years. She started inviting me to team captain meetings to receive advice from them and to just get me started on developing my own team. She took me to a Relay for Life in Claremont and showed me how it was like and all the support that cancer survivors, families, and cancer patients receive. I learned the importance of promoting involvement in the cancer community by witnessing all of the support that goes on during the event. There is a Luminaria ceremony that honors survivors and patients. There are pledges to fight cancer and studies that people can sign up for to end cancer. From what Roxanne Bickham has told me, involvement in the cancer community is a big step for survivors and makes them feel like their cancer experience was worth it because it resulted in helping others who are going through the same thing.

(3) What problems did you face?  How did you resolve them?

I faced problems with trying to promote people to be involved. I found that not many people were excited about the event as I was. I decided to make flyers with information about the event, where it will be, the date and time, and steps on how to sign up. I also started wearing a pin that said "Ask me about Relay". I made an event on Facebook and invited everyone to come. I organized a fundraising event at Jojo's Pizza in Chino Hills so that those who didn't want to be a part of my team could still donate money somehow. I read through the Team Captain handbook carefully to figure out the best ways to promote involvement.  

 (4) What are the two most significant sources you used to answer your essential question and why?

My mentor Roxanne Bickham and "The Cancer Survivor's Guide" by Dr. Feuerstein and Patricia Findley.

(5) What is your product and why?

My product is the San Dimas Relay for Life. I became a team captain for my own team "The Curesaders" and also helped the Relay committee as well. With "promoting involvement in the cancer community" being my best answer, I implemented it into my product. I called family and friends to join my team in order to involve them. I organized a fundraising lunch and dinner event at a local restaurant, Jojo's Pizza to raise more funds offsite in my community. I have made so many commitments with the San Dimas Relay involving offsite, onsite, and post fundraising activities that I will participate in. I made Luminarias in honor of or in memory of those that I have known who have been affected by cancer. I put so much time and effort into the San Dimas Relay for Life and have learned information involving all three of my answers during the process. The Relay for Life is a great example of how much support survivors receive from the cancer community.

Blog 23: 2014 Interview

1. Who did you interview and what house are they in?

Arianna Castellanos, South

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

I’m thinking books because I like to read and also art because it’s interesting.

3.  What do you plan to do for your summer 10- hour mentorship experience?

Planning to go to the library or an art gallery to volunteer.

4.  What do you hope to see or expect to see in watching the 2013 2-hour presentations?

Ways to present and just different methods I can use. I hope to see things that I will be doing next year so that I know what to expect.

5.  What questions do you have that I can answer about senior year or senior project (or what additional information did you tell them about senior year or senior project)?

Arianna: Is the process stressful? What can I do to minimize stress?

Me: Meet the deadlines on time and try not to procrastinate so much. Also, try to find possible interviewees this summer because you will have to do a total of four interviews. I know that really helped me with my project in terms of minimizing stress. Also, work on your slides throughout the year so that you won’t do it last minute because that can be very stressful.

Updated 3 Column Chart

Click Here for 3 Column Chart

Independent Component 2

LITERAL
(a) “I, Darlene Dela Rosa, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work.”

(b) Roxanne Bickham
Email: roxanne_bickham@us.aflac.com

(c)
Independent Component 2 LOG

(d) See digital log.  


 INTERPRETIVE


 Pictures 1-4 were taken of my Cardiovascular Cancer poster that will be on display for the Relay for Life. Each team captain must ensure that their team is spreading awareness about a certain type of cancer. Cardiovascular Cancer is rare but 10,000 people are diagnosed annually. It can happen to anyone. Also, the type of cancer that you choose must relate back to anything that your team is selling in your booth. In order to raise awareness, my team and I will be selling heart shaped confections, jewelry, and hennas. I also researched all of the information on this tri-fold and made a know and need to know from my research. (See blog entitled "Ind. Comp 2-Know & Need to Know: Cardiovascular Cancer")

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 Pictures 5-12 display the Luminarias I made for the Relay for Life as well as the concept drawing I did before I made each one. The Relay for Life has a Luminaria ceremony. It is the most solemn time of the event to honor those who lost the battle to cancer and those who survived. I made these in honor of loved ones of mine that have survived cancer and I also made some upon request of some of my friends and family members who knew someone with cancer. These Luminarias will be illuminated and lined up around the track during this special ceremony which will take place around dusk.

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 Picture 13 shows my Team Captain Kit that was given to me by my mentor, Roxanne Bickham. It includes fundraising techniques and a checklist to do before the Relay for Life. It also includes information about what you should bring the day of Relay and how you can recruit more people to join your team. It also talks about the different types of awards given to those who fundraise a certain amount of money. It also came with posters, brochures, and donation envelopes.

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 Picture 14-16 displays the Childhod Cancer Survivors seminar that was held at City of Hope. Here, I learned about Cardiovascular Cancer and health, which I will be educating and spreading awareness about at the Relay for Life event. The top causes of cancer were also displayed as well as ways to prevent certain cancers.

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APPLIED
How did the component help you answer your EQ or support one or more of your answers.  Please include specific examples to illustrate how it helped. 

This component helped me answer my EQ, "What best defines a successful program for support of cancer survivors?" because I worked closely with the Relay for Life, which is an event that supports cancer patients and survivors within communities. Relay for Life is run by the American Cancer Society, which is a successful cancer support organization that raises millions of dollars for cancer research and programs each year. Since the Relay for Life has its very own Survivor Lap and Luminaria ceremony that honors cancer survivors, it promotes cancer survivor involvement in the cancer community which is my third answer. Alongside this, the Relay for Life efficiently distributes their funds because all of the funds go toward cancer research and programs. Team Captains, such as myself, must put up a booth the day of the event to raise money. The money used to create things to sell at the booth comes out of the team captain's pocket. Therefore, 100% of all money raised at the booth goes directly toward the Relay for Life for cancer research and programs. The Relay for Life depends on volunteers to raise money. This allows a majority of the funds to go toward cancer and not salaries, like the Susan B. Komen Foundation. This component helped me realize how important promoting involvement in the cancer community is, which is my third and best answer. Without the involvement of team captains, people in the community, and those in the cancer community, the Relay for Life, a successful program for support of cancer survivors, would not be possible.