*Kindly note that student names have been removed to preserve their confidentiality.
Independent Project: Creating Adaptive Furniture - Real World Application
Z designed a few products for an 15 month boy, Yehuda, born with microcephaly. After interviewing the family they agreed Yehuda’s store-bought highchair did not fit his needs. Using the design process Z built a number of different prototypes, learned to sew, 3-D modeled parts, and continued to share his creations with Yehuda’s family, making changes which better served them. He ultimately made a beautiful adaptation which the family is thrilled with. His next project was to make a spoon holder with a red light which Yehuda can track while being fed since he also has cortical visual impairment. Z continued his work by designing an adjustable toy stand. Zach learned how precise design needs to be and the difference between designing for a user versus just for himself.
Independent Project: Creating A Fashion Line
For K’s Senior Project he created a fashion line. He has been interested in fashion for many years and all three of his A-School internships have been involved in the fashion industry. It was at a fashion trade show that he felt inspired to attempt to make his own line. This was an amazing experience for K. He started with many ideas and a lot of excitement, and soon realized how challenging designing and making clothes can be. He wanted to push the envelope; one piece he created was an abbaya, a garment worn by Muslim women, but his was designed for men. This project was an exercise in overcoming setbacks and an attempt to try something from a new perspective. In many ways he did not walk away with something that can be mass produced or be sold online; however, the importance of following a process and perseverance was key. K’s presentation showed the evolution of his fashion line. He did an excellent job discussing the process and how he overcame setbacks. In addition, he had a couple of students try on the clothes that he made.
Independent Project: Documentary on Artifical Intelligence
N took on the ambitious task of creating a documentary on artificial intelligence. She was able to compile a tremendous amount of research and information on the topic and edit the video into a compelling film. The narration and editing of the film was exceptionally done. As well as researching the topic, N conducted many interviews with experts in the field. She was not able to use them in the movie due to time constraints. It is rare that a student has to cut time from their film. N did a fantastic job on the film. The documentary was able to speak for itself during N’s presentation. She also discussed the creative process involved. N fostered a passionate and thought provoking conversation after the film as well. Great job!
Internship: Westchester Supreme Court
For A's senior project she interned at the Westchester Supreme Court. This internship allowed A to observe several trials, edit decisions, organize evidence and update legal reference books. One of her most powerful experiences was observing a murder trial from start to finish. This process allowed her to understand how trials work, how lawyers bring in evidence and bring in witnesses. In addition, she learned legal language and concepts, and used it through the duration of this experience. For example, doctors, dentists and lawyers do not have to swear, they only need to affirm. It is clear that A is leaving this internship with a clearer understanding of how the law works and is applied. A's presentation was very informative and thorough. She clearly understood the terms and language that she learned in her internship. She went through the different types of cases that she observed, debriefing the case that sat through start to finish, particularly the role of hearsay. In addition, she was able to deconstruct the tools of the lawyers and judges in the court cases.
Internship: Legal Services of Hudson Valley
R was drawn to this internship by his interests in law and community service. This organization provides free legal services for low-income people involved in civil cases. In most of these cases, clients were fighting evictions, but the organization also dealt with cases about domestic violence, disabilities, elder law, and more. While some of R’s tasks were a bit repetitive, such as filing or making phone calls, he made the most of his opportunities by asking questions and reading paperwork. Even when his duties were less interesting, he felt good about making a contribution to an important organization. R developed a stronger understanding of the issues that low-income people face in Westchester County, particularly in areas such as housing due to the high cost of living. He fulfilled all of the aspects of Senior Project responsibly. I enjoyed our weekly meetings and reading his thorough, thoughtful journal. R faced some unusual challenges for his presentation, as confidentiality issues prevented him from taking many photographs to illustrate his talk. However, he did a great job of conveying a sense of the types of cases the Legal Services offices dealt with regularly. His stories about particular cases showed how complex people’s lives could become when dealing with issues such as unemployment, blended families, and eviction.
Internship: Returning to Auburn Jewelry
For K’s Senior Project, she decided to continue where she left off from her previous internship at Auburn Jewelry. Her goals were to become more familiar with Photoshop and become more comfortable talking with customers. Although K did not have prior training using Photoshop, she experimented with the program and learned from another intern who worked alongside her. As a result, K’s craft of editing pictures grew immensely, and she became more confident using certain features. When the pictures were approved, K posted them on Instagram to help promote the business. Between taking pictures at various locations and siphoning through hundreds of pictures to Photoshop the perfect image, K exercised her expertise and patience. Besides utilizing Photoshop, K organized the company’s documents to prepare for tax season. Although this task was tedious, K had other more enjoyable tasks such as making some jewelry. She also came up with designs that were tailored to themes of certain stores. To help get the jewelry into local stores, K also called local places to set up meetings with the owner. Towards the end of her experience, K promoted the company at a local “pop-up” event. Throughout her internship, K learned the inner workings of a small business. Given the amount of work the company demanded, K was surprised that the owner ran the business out of her home with no other employees. Yet, K’s work was highly valued and appreciated. In fact, K was offered to continue her work over the summer for compensation. K is diligent, responsible, and reliable. She takes every responsibility seriously, and even when duties are not as exciting, she is just as hardworking and positive.