Senior Project Reflection

1. I think I deserve at least a P because I met all of the requirements, the new content talking time, and everyone liked my activities.

2. I am most proud of my activities that I put together. They were all fun and engaging, yet very informative and interesting at the same time. Edmond came up to me and told me he really really liked them, of course not the part about hurt animals, but the whole concept of it.

3. I think I did very well on my exit interview, creative expression, and I-Search. These were the three most difficult, well maybe not the creative expression so much, but I ended up receiving high grades on them. I think I could have worked harder on my Science Fair and Research Checks because that is where I got most of my APs from. If I would have brought in more research and concentrated on margin noting instead of looking at my phone or talking I would have done better.

4. What is the most effective way to take a stand against animal cruelty? My best answer is to fight for the strong passage of anti-cruelty laws and prosecution.

5. All of the project components we had to work on during the past month did not change any of my answers whatsoever. In fact looking over all of my research for my I-Search and figuring out what I was going to say during my Exit helped me realized how much I know about my topic and what I can say that I know backs up all of my answers.

6. Maybe not pack so much stuff into the last month of school all at once (even though it was very do-able).

7. I believe I deserve at least a P+ or AE-. My grade as of now without the 2 hour or product presentation is at a P+ and I am almost positive if I did slightly ok on my 2 hour and pretty well at my product then I should be fine.

Service Learning

Literal

Log: Between the months of September and December I competed 35.5 hours, going twice a month on saturdays from roughly around 11 or 12 to 3 or 4. In the beginning of January ending in March I volunteered every week Monday thru Thursday usually between 2 and 5. My overall hours add up to over 80 hours.

Description of duties: I served as a shelter host, cat and dog companion (walked, exercise, played with the animals), showed the animals to families interested in adoption, took animals in for checkups and vaccinations, helped the animal control officers with new arrivals by helping them with weighing, vaccinations, pictures, and finding a place in the shelter for them to live until they are adopted. I also helped with taking pictures and videos of the dogs to post onto Youtube and Facebook.

Contact Name and Number:

 Romy Reid (she has my specific log sheet of the dates and times I went to the shelter; every month she takes our time sheets and puts in a new one)

Email: Rreid@animalcare.lacounty.gov

Phone: 562-256-1364

Lance Hunter (animal control manager)

Email: lhunter@animalcare.lacounty.gov

Phone: 626-430-2364

Interpretive

The most important thing I gained from this experience is learning the proper care and treatment of animals and working with the animal care attendants and animal control officers. If it weren't for these people I would not know what I know today about my senior project. I am able to talk about my topic, EQ, and answers not only through what I have researched but from personal experiences. All of my answers to my EQ can be supported through my experience at the shelter.

Applied

My experience at the shelter witnessing different cases of abuse, working with animal rescues, interviewing the animal care attendants and control officers, working with the animals and helping them find a home helped me answer my EQ. I felt volunteering there was a wonderful experience and a great way to help animals so I decided one of my best answers would be to volunteer at a local animal shelter or work with an animal related organization. The employees at the shelter, specifically the sergeant and the officers, helped me realize the importance of prosecuting an animal abuser; this helped me with my best answer to my EQ.

2 Hour Presentation Draft

Sponge Activity: I plan on showing a clip of different pictures of animals that are suffering while the students walk into the classroom or once they are all seated. Afterwards I plan on asking them if they have any pets of their own and to share with the class.

Introduction:
What is the most effective way to take a stand against animal cruelty?

• effective: successful in producing a desired result to accomplish a purpose in order to make a striking impression
• take a stand: to take action; to stand up for others as well as yourself; to adopt a firm belief or position regarding an issue.
• animal cruelty: an animal that is intentionally put through harm, pain, and suffering at the expense of human beings other than self-defense; they are used for food, entertainment, clothing, profit, etc.

     I chose this topic because throughout the years I have always had a strong passion for animals. Through my elementary and middle school years I changed my profession from Pocahontas (lol because she had animals and lived with them in the forest), to a veterinarian, to a zoo keeper, lawyer, back to veterinarian, and it just kept going on and on. I was what one would call an Animal Planet kid. I watched, as I still do today, that channel all the time. I know almost everything about animals because of it. When I decided to volunteer at the Baldwin Park Animal Shelter to finish up my hours from junior year an to work with animals I realized what I wanted to work on my senior year. Seeing animals come in hurt and in pain, talking to the animal control officers about different cases, and personal experiences in all lead me to try to find the bet ways people can help animals.

     My plan for the day is to talk about my 3 answers along with activities that correspond with them. I will conclude with my best answer, important sources, and my product of my project.

Foundation: I plan on talking about the history behind animal rights and cruelty.

Body:
Answer 1: Fight for the strong passage of anti-cruelty laws and prosecution
Activity: I plan on putting together a mock trial with an actual animal cruelty case

Answer 2: Know how to recognize animal cruelty and how to report it
Activity: I may or may not have an activity for this answer. If i do have an activity I would at first have the class work together on one problem and then afterwards in pairs on a worksheet with various situations. I want them to figure out what type of cruelty is occurring and depending on the severity of the situation who they should call if they are witnesses to it.

Answer 3: Join or form an organization/ volunteer at a local animal shelter or animal rescue
Activity: Put the class into different groups to put together an advertisement campaign for adoption or animal cruelty awareness.

Conclusion:

• My best answer is fight for the strong passage of anti-cruelty laws and prosecution. These laws ensure animals their safety and respect as well as regulate how people treat them. 
• My three most important sources have to be "Animal Rights: A Beginner's Guide", "Animal Cruelty Prosecution", and the professionals I interviewed at my service learning center; Sergeant Villegas and Isha Willits. These sources helped me learn the importance and severity of animal cruelty, the basis of animal rights and different standpoints, the process of prosecuting an abuser and the sources you need in order to win and speak on behalf of an animal, and has allowed me to have my own personal experiences with animals that have been hurt and put through suffering and how to help and care for them.
• After continuous research and volunteering at the animal care center I have decided to go into law school after I receive my bachelor's in business administration and accounting. There are a few law schools in the U.S. that cover animal law so once I receive my degree and pass the bar exam I would like to work for not only people but animals too.

     I plan on covering all of the walls and posting up pictures or posters of animals that have been abused and maybe some campaign posters, for example like PETA.

     All I need for my two hour presentation is my powerpoint with all of my information, the materials I need for my activities, and the posters I need for my room decor.

Independent Study Component 2

1. Log: During the month of February and a bit of March Monday -Wednesday, sometimes Thursday, for about 2-3 hours.

2. Evidence: Mandatory Volunteer T-Shirt and Leash

3a. I, Sarah Sartori, affirm that i completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work.

3b. I completed 30 more hours at my  service learning at the Baldwin Park Animal Shelter.  I helped with adoptions, taking care of the animals, bringing in animals brought by the animal control officers and helping with their pictures, weigh in, shots, paperwork, etc. 

4. I completed 30 hours of worked because I signed in, assisted the animal control officers and care attendants, and signed out. During the month of February i had already completed over 30 hours according to my log sheet in the managers office.

5. Volunteering at an animal shelter is actually one of my answers to my essential question. So my service learning as well as this component are an example of that.

Independent Component 2 Update

1. What are you doing to fulfill the 30 hour requirement for this component?
     I am volunteering 30 hours at my service learning center.
2. What are you currently working on? How many hours have you completed?
     I have already completed my hours at the shelter by being a dog/cat care taker as well as shelter host.
3. So far, how is it helping you with your essential question?
     My service learning plus these extra hours help back up one of my answers to my EQ: "join/form and organization/ volunteer at a local animal care center (animal shelter/rescue).

Creative Expression

1. What type of art could you study to help improve your understanding of your senior project topic?
     I think studying the work of organizations like PETA will help me a lot not only with  my senior project but especially with my creative expression presentation. I plan to study their various campaigns against animal cruelty like their "Bare Skin" ads etc.
2. Ideas.
     I am not sure yet but I am thinking of doing something digital photography wise or perhaps a painting or drawings because those are my strongest points.

The Product

As of March, what is your product and why?
     Through my nearly 100 hours of service learning and extensive research of laws and cases pertaining to animal cruelty I have decided to not only pursue my BA in business administration and accounting but another 2 to 3 years in law school to get my degree so that I can use that to help people AND animals as well. I have realized how much animals need are help in the legal area and have decided that my passion would be to help them in any way I can.