Capstone Project

My capstone research project focused on the differences between a school that is predominantly white and a school that is predominantly black. I researched McKinley Senior High School and Jackson High School. I worked with Jennifer Morgan, an administrator in the Canton City School District. Working with Jennifer, I have found that many of the behavioral differences stem from family upbringing and dynamics. Many of the students at McKinley come from divorced parents, absent parent(s), or foster care. The instability makes it hard for students to focus, work hard, or have a sense of responsibility. Compared to Jackson High School, many of our students come from a two parent household. Not only that but many of those parents are college educated with stable jobs. The differences in the schools are not limited to race. The economic background creates a gap within the student body. Coming from a school like Jackson, the differences in race and wealth bracket are often overlooked. My project was to research these differences and create a solution for students who are in the minority of race and/or race.

My service project was the Black Student Union Club at Jackson High School. The Black Student Union is a student-run club dedicated to creating an educational safe space for the black student population. Black Student Union was brought to Jackson during the 2022-2023 school year. Since the creation of the Black Student Union, we have had meetings, events, field trips, and activities to increase the racial representation at Jackson High School. I worked with Mrs. Smith to give the club more direction with a clear goal. We wanted the club to last even after the current officers graduated this year. I created a look book of every event, meeting, field trip, officer position, guest speaker contact information, and more. I wanted students to have something to refer to so that the club can continue to grow.