Hello, and thank you for joining me in the conversation. My name is Julianna Banfe, and for my Capstone project, I wanted to dig deeper into a topic I had always been interested in, but never had the chance to explore. That topic was the internet and how it has affected us personally and as a collective. I am one of the millions of adolescents part of Generation Z, more commonly known as 'Gen Z.' One of the defining characteristics of my generation is that we are the first group of people that only know a world with the internet. For this project, I wanted to look back on my childhood and adolescence to analyze how the internet has actually affected me and others my age. Through my research, I learned that the internet is not something that can be easily defined as 'good' or 'bad,' and that an open dialogue about this topic, now more than ever, is needed.

Since I wanted my project to spark conversation, I structured my interviews as such and asked questions based on the individual's answers to my survey. Since there were many data points that surprised me, I wanted to uncover more in-depth opinions on the statements I provided. I was able to meet with five MFS students to have interviews relating to their personal views on the internet. The links to each edited interview can be found below. I was given consent by all of the interviewees to use these clips as a part of my website and documentary. In addition to students, I was able to interview psychologist Vanessa Parry Zoog in order to gain insight into this topic from a psychological perspective. Vanessa Parry Zoog has a master’s degree in social work from the University of Pennsylvania, is a licensed clinical social worker, and has had years of experience working with children through older adults. Unfortunately, I was unable to meet with Vanessa Parry Zoog directly, but I did recieve answers to the interview questions I asked her in print, which can be found below. 

My final product, a thirty-minute documentary compiling all of my research, reading, and interviews, can be found by clicking the link on the right. A fourteen-page script can also be found on the right; feel free to follow along with it while watching!

To Ms. Lyons, for being my advisor and mentor for my capstone project. To Mr. Rachlin, Ms. Weber, Ms. Day, and Ms. Thomson for this opportunity and for their guidance. To all of my interviewees and students at MFS and beyond who filled out my survey. Lastly, to you, the viewer, for being a part of the conversation.

If you would like to know more about my capstone project or process, feel free to email me at banfejulianna@gmail.com!