Senior Projects
08 The Senior Project is the culmination of a student’s learning experience at Ross School. Through execution of the Senior Project, students embody their passions through a process and product that integrates such Ross School principles as multiple intelligences, cultural/historical context, personal reflection, application of technology and pursuit of excellence. Its main components are the Process Folio, the Final Product and the Presentation. Acting as facilitator, teacher, advisor, editor, critic and advocate, the relationship between the student and the Senior Project mentor is critical to the evolution and realization of the project. At the conclusion of the Senior Project, students should have deeper insight into themselves as learners and producers.
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Reeve Andrew Custom Guitar Mentor: Diane Giardi Domain: Visual Arts Consultant: Allen Bennet For my senior project I designed and constructed my own original solid body electric guitar. I researched popular guitar models, wood, pickups, and other hardware, and discovered how each aspect affects the instrument. I studied the process and came up with a creative design to craft my desired sound and image. I have learned about the woods that I am using and how to wire a guitar, as well as how to properly apply the frets. My guitar will be displayed for people to see in addition to a recorded sample they can listen to. I will demonstrate the sounds the guitar can make and explain the process of building the design.
Isabella Bartoloni Isabella Emilia Mentor: Diane Giardi Domain: Visual Arts Consultant: Eric Messin For my senior project, I decided to study the art of jewelry design. I designed and created pieces with an organic, natural theme. I was primarily influenced by the natural world, as well as particular ancient cultures. I chose this project after I discovered my love for jewelry making last spring. I took a few classes with Eric Messin and got lost while I worked; time just slipped away. Since I enjoyed the class so much, I decided to continue and advance in jewelry making by designing my own creative pieces.
Chelsea Berger Whacked! Mentor: Kerry Sharkey-Miller Domain: Media Consultant: Detective Sharkey In the late 19th century, photography became an important part of murder investigation. Photographs could show every angle and detail that could be looked back at during the course of the investigation. However, it wasn't until the mid 20th century that forensic photography took off, especially in the world of journalism and tabloids. When looking at the works of WeeGee (Arthur Fellig) and news archives, I noticed a distinct artistic component to the strictly scientific photographs. In my project I wanted to blend the artistic and scientific genres, and try to walk the line between art and science. In order to achieve this, I staged murder scenes based on my interpretation of actual murders and used forensic procedures and techniques to document the murder in order to be as realistic as possible while still maintaining my artistic voice.
Leana Best A Deeper Understanding of Adoption Mentor: Jody Heneveld Domains: English/Wellness Consultant: Stu Cameron My Senior Project is a book on adoption. I chose to do this subject because I, like many children in the world am adopted. I am also writing a book because it is a tribute to the person and the organization that I was adopted through. Nancy Cameron founded Limiar (Thresholds) in 1981. She helped hundreds of children find homes and families to care for them. Nancy died in May of 2006, but her legacy lives on through the families that she impacted. A Deeper Understanding of Adoption is my way of honoring Nancy.
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Virginia Briggs Maori Inspired Art Mentor: Alexis Martino Domain: Media Consultant: Jon Snow My senior project was inspired by my M-term trip to New Zealand where we spent a week with six students our age from a Maori school. The Maori culture is extremely artistic and I was very inspired by it. For my project I created 15 pieces of original artwork that illustrate both cultural and personal views of the Maori. I used many different mediums and themes. At the end of the project I will be holding an art sale where of the proceeds will go directly to the school in New Zealand we visited.
Geoffrey Brodrick Beyond Eden – The Memoirs of a Space Pirate Mentor: Kimble Humiston Domain: English Consultant: Dr. Dave Morgan For my project I chose to write a science fiction novel with space pirates as the central theme. The project began as something I was doing on my own time for fun, and evolved into a full blown school writing project. On the outside, the novel is simple, about a heroic space pirate and an evil empire. But the novel runs deeper then that, dealing with biblical and mythological concepts, mainly the story of exile from the Garden of Eden, from which the book draws its title. The novel is told from the point of view of the main character, Captain Raikiendo Toranaga, a white hat pirate who is torn between his desire to lead a simple pirate's life and the necessity of transforming himself into a warrior. The writing of the book took place over a period of about three years, with the second half being written the past few months. I made the cover art and a series of small images, one for each chapter in order to involve my skill in art with the project, which would otherwise be solely writing. I also made a three-dimensional model of the Captain's ship, the Black Templar, for display purposes.
Sarah Brown Speaking Without Words Mentor: Dale Scott Domain: Media Consultant: Lou Ann Walker My senior project was to help people become more aware of deaf culture by interviewing various deaf people about what it is like to be deaf. With each interview I took photographs of the interviewee doing something they love best as a way of expressing their personality. After the interviews were all finished I created a book containing the images and interviews, designed for young adults. My goal was to not only help people become more knowledgeable about deaf culture, but to make myself more aware and involved.
Carolina Casabal Untitled Mentor: Shelby Raebeck Domains: English Consultant: Lila Zemborain In his acceptance speech on receiving the Nobel Prize on December 10th,1950, Faulkner explained, “the young person writing today has forgotten the problems of the human heart in conflict with itself, which alone can make good writing because only that is worth writing about.” Faulkner explains the duty of a writer
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is to capture life, to capture what it means to have a soul, and in this way make it immortal. This will not make the writer immortal, but it will keep his or her very essence and ideas immortal. Writers and poets should not only write about history and facts because the beauty of being human is to be able to feel and to evoke such emotions and thoughts in other people. Influenced by the works of authors such as Faulkner, Ernest Hemingway, Lorrie Moore, Flannery O’Conner, Edger Allen Poe, and J.D. Salinger, I composed a series of short stories and essays for my senior project.
Rowenna Chaskey A Scene Laced in Vogue Mentor: Alexis Martino Domains: Media Consultant: Stephan Savola A captivating combination of glamour and sophistication, or a synthesis of simplicity and elegance, is what defines certain fashions as unforgettable. Characters appearing in films of the 1940's and 1950's, not only used this tool of fashion to their advantage, but they also had authentic personalities to accompany their looks. I focused on three films from this period and with that I created a series of photographs in this style of cinematic vogue. Each film that I focused on had a recurring theme of the importance of life, and the reasons behind the importance. My images portray the themes and stories of the films, but in a way which emphasizes the classic fashion aspects.
Nicholas Cinque FIVE: A Spotlight on Young Local Artists Mentor: John Messinger Domain: Media Consultant: John McWhinne For my senior project at the Ross School, I am creating an art book that spotlights the careers of 5 young (under 30 years of age) burgeoning local artists. The book will feature interviews with the artists, bios, and of course images of the artist’s work. I would like to open the book with some words of wisdom from the generation of established artists and art aficionados on the Eastern End of Long Island. The goal of these opening thoughts is meant to be individual forwards of a sort that help the reader to enter into the artwork of these featured artists.
Tucker Costello The Corner Pet Shop – Kate’s Arrival Mentor: Kerry Sharkey-Miller Domain: Media Consultant: Nickole Kerner-Bobley The Corner Pet Shop- Kate's Arrival is the first episode of a children's television program which I produced for my senior project. The show is animated using stop-motion, a technique which involves taking consecutive pictures in order to make something appear to be moving fluidly. The plot of the show revolves around thirteen animals that live in a pet shop together. In this episode the newest animal in the pet shop, Kate the snake, is kindly welcomed into the shop by Parker the hedgehog. Unfortunately for Kate, not all the other animals are quite so welcoming. In the end however, all is well, as Kate helps to save one of her fellow animals and the residents finally see her true and loving nature. I was able to make this story come to life by creating these animals out of clay and using the superior vocal acting skills of my fellow classmates. It is my hope that I can continue to create projects like this one and learn even more about animation in the process.
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Lucile Culver The Mob of Sages Circumventing Zeus Mentor: Kenneth Sacks Domain: Psychology Consultant: Monique Passicot For my senior project I decided to explore the philosophy of art, and how art is product of morality. I wanted to find a way to prove that art is not just made for pleasure, and that the idea behind art has the power to balance man's reason and passion, an act that many philosophers believe lead man to truth within the self. I wrote a paper attempting to find philosophical hope for art. I also explored the role of the artist conceptually by creating my own works of art. I used Friedrich Schiller, Plato, Marcuse, and Theodor Adorno as influences.
Franco Cuttica Invisible Identity Mentor: John Messinger Domain: Media Consultants: Connie Fox In order to have our own life today, we choose differences between people so that we have our own identity. The denial we have of what we are not is arbitrary. In my project I want to show that we are all the same, but different at the same time. To show this, I superimposed my face, through projection, onto three other peoples' faces, revealing a third invisible face. The third face is the relation between the two people. My three final images are framed in large light boxes to show that invisibility is more visible than reality.
Jeremy Dennis Mankind’s Last Hope Mentor: Urban Reininger Domain: Technology Consultant: Thor Jensen I’ve created a flash with animations and games within it. It is 400x300 pixels and is made in action script 2.0. The story is based on the Earth being destroyed by a meteor and scientists on the moon going back in time and save it from destruction in the past. The type of games in this flash are: top down strollers, a defense game, and a platform game.
Gloria Dios The Muffin Top Mentor: Kerry Sharkey-Miller Domain: Media Consultant: Mitchell Kriegman The Muffin Top is a short film I produced for my senior project. I used stopmotion animation and live action film to illustrate my original screenplay. It is a story of two beings unaware of each other's existence who are able to interact within their dreams. I focused on the symbolism of dreams and how they can influence our daily lives. I learned a lot about the process of producing, editing, and writing a short film while overcoming many obstacles related to producing a film and managing a cast. I plan on entering my film in local and international festivals.
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Roger Elliot Unforgettable: A Fiction Film by Roger Elliot Mentor: Marie Maciak Domain: Media Consultant: Molly O’Brian Can loss be forgotten, or will past memories ruin new relationships? Joe, the main character of Roger Elliott's film, drowns in nostalgia while living with memories of his past girlfriend. When he encounters a newcomer to town, Amanda, her sensitivity triggers a sense of healing and the hope of moving on. This cleverly shot and uniquely styled film takes place on the East Coast. Roger has been interested in cinematography and the filmmaking process all throughout high school. He chose this project to further challenge himself and to synthesizing his skills.
Alexandra Fairweather Playing Around the Corners: A Documentary Trailer by Alexandra Fairweather Mentor: Marie Maciak Domain: Media Consultant: Don Lenzer Playing Around the Corners offers glimpses into the dynamic life of Hal McKusick as a legendary musician, teacher, woods craftsman, pilot and a jazz griot, whose stories embody the atmosphere of 20th century jazz. Hal McKusick is a world renowned musician who has worked with the big bands of Les Brown, Woody Herman, Boyd Raeburn, Alvion Rey, Buddy Rich, and Claude Thornhill. Hal has also made musical contributions as a studio musician, recording as a leader for Jubilee, Bethlehem, Victor, Coral, New Jazz, Prestige, and Decca. Through Hal's story, the film casts light on how novel technology resulted in the demise of the big band era. To complete this project I studied the Jazz era, documentary writing and production techniques. This trailer will be developed into a complete documentary that will premiere at the Chamberlain/Fairweather Scholarship event which I will co-curate.
Shola Farber Abstract and Concrete Mentor: Carrie Clark Domains: Cultural History/Visual Arts Consultant: Michael Ruddy I have always been a voracious learner, and history has always been my subject choice. For my senior project, I knew I wanted to investigate historical subject matter in the context of contemporary society. I also enjoy the writing process and knew I wanted to write. It was important to me to create something physical as well. I wanted to challenge myself and learn a new skill. I combined these personal requirements with an idea that emerged from an otherwise common conversation about modern society and contemporary politics. I decided to explore the concept of walls as structures that humans have been building since we first settled in agricultural villages and, though they are rather anachronistic in modern times, are still building today. I studied both physical and metaphorical walls. I wrote a series of essays about walls in history, psychology, art, literature, music, and culture in general. I also built a wall, out of stone and cement, as an installation art piece.
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Michael Fierro Angel Mentor: Urban Reininger Domain: Technology Consultant: Scott Slavik For my project, I am making an animated music video using ToonBoom. The video itself represents despair, then having the strength and will to rise from it. I got the idea while riding the hour long bus ride home, listening to my Ipod. The song "Angel" by Judas Priest came up on the shuffle, and as I listened to the lyrics I envisioned this video scene by scene as if it was already made. At first I thought nothing of it, but as the time to pick a senior project came I was still clueless. It would have been simple and fun enough to just write stories, but I wanted to leave the Ross School accomplishing something I’ve never done before (like making an animated music video). So, I decided to make my image a reality, taking up a field of work I never done before to make the music video.
Christopher Golden Ways of Being Mentor: Alexis Martino Domain: Media Consultant: Jennifer Gorman Environments change, as do the people who live in them from generation to generation. I have photographed a small group of people whose lives are intertwined with the landscape of the east end, in particular the ocean and farmland. As inhabitants of Long Island their professions define their home. My photo essay addresses the connection between the environment and people. It is a portrait of a way of life that looks at the relationship between the past, present and future and what defines our community in this age of globalization and changing environments.
Julia Greenberg Life, As I Know It Mentor: Alexis Martino Domains: Media/Performing Arts Consultant: Gordon Grody I created a multimedia presentation consisting of songs and illustrations. The illustrations are comprised of digital images. These images and songs work together to tell a cohesive story. The themes that I am working with are transition, hope and love. My final product is four pieces in the genre of photo essays and songs. I wanted to emulate the story-like music videos of James Blunt and Jewel, incorporating those ideas with a far more conceptual approach to my personal themes. I used both photography and music as an expression of personal story. I want to successfully raise awareness as well as money for breast cancer research by performing my pieces in front of an audience, where all of the proceeds will be donated to a chosen organization.
Tabor Halsted Expectations Mentor: Alexis Martino Domain: Media Consultant: Patan Miller “Expectations” is a series of images which explore “coming of age” and the eternal expectation of finding oneself. I created small narratives that use universal icons to translate common themes in adolescence. I used visual metaphors and self portraiture to describe my own journey. In creating this body of work I touched upon my own vulnerability and challenges in wanting to become “the ideal” young woman.
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Cedric Hubert The Illumination of Music Mentor: Kimble Humiston Domains: Performing Arts/Visual Arts Consultant: Dan Welch My project is a representation of advancements through both music and art history exercising several senses including sight and hearing. I have composed a musical piece of three movements, each portraying a different era of music, from baroque to romantic to contemporary. For each movement I have made a linoleum/woodcut (25�x40�) to depict the movements in a visual sense. I have printed a total of 48 images (16 of each cut). I have printed 36 on mylar sheets and am hanging them from a wooden frame, 3 on plexi-glass, 3 embossments, 3 on paper, and will be hanging the original linoleum/woodcuts themselves. I see this as a major accomplishment in contrast to any piece of art or music I have composed in the past, depicting the evolution of my artistic personality. I plan to use the methods in which I applied myself in this project in order to propel in college and eventually life.
Tucker Hurley Politicide and the Revolution Mentor: Carrie Clark Domain: Cultural History Consultant: Jack McArthur As America stumbles into the twenty-first century with an unpopular war it must deal with, it continues to descend into an age of uncertainty and fear. I have chosen to analyze political and historical aspects of America that must be avoided and/or changed if this nation is to survive. While people, governments and nations make mistakes, mistakes only exist for us to acknowledge and become stronger by correcting. My project is an analysis of controversial actions by the U.S., and a reminder of America's much needed reform. Both a caveat, ultimatum, and a plea, let this serve as an attempt to open the eyes of Americans to the wrongs that must be righted.
Julian Kohl Conservation of Fish Stock Mentor: Patty Lein Domain: Science Consultant: Timothy Dykman My final product is a brochure that is meant to inform the average day consumer on what over fishing is, why it happens and what can be done about it. The brochure is a tri-fold, 6 section piece which focuses on over fishing on one side and information about three species on the other; tuna which is very endangered, shrimp, which might be the most eco unfriendly to fish, and swordfish, which have had a great recovery after over fishing ceased. Overall, the brochure is there to provide information to the average consumer who does not know about this global issue.
Tyler Levitsky East End Musicians Mentor: Shelby Raebeck Domains: English/Technology Consultant: For my senior project, I made a series of six podcasts, each featuring a different local musician. Each podcast features an interview, a narrative about the interview experience, and some music clips and full songs from the artist. The creation of these podcasts was relatively easy. The only difficult part was actually scheduling
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the interviews, and then recording the podcasts themselves. The podcasts are available off of either iTunes or the school homepage.
Claire Lucido Winter Pictures Mentor: Therese Lichtenstein Domain: Visual Arts Consultant: Eugenio Cuttica For my Senior Project I did a series of oil paintings, drawings, and short stories. My artwork and stories are a sort of map or timeline of the evolution of my thoughts, though this was not my intention in beginning my project. I only began to truly understand what my product was about in the last few weeks of my project. During my project I closely studied the work of Gerhard Richter, Ingmar Bergman and Flannery O’Connor. Dr. Lichtenstein, Ms. Cross and Mr. Frankel helped me immensely in my project.
William Madison East End Eats Mentor: Chef de Cuisine, Liz Dobbs Domains: English/Media/Wellness Consultant: Lauren Chattman Cooking and food have been passions of mine since I was a child. This infatuation led me to choose this project. I wrote a cookbook in which I concentrated on local ingredients to guide the recipes. I developed my own recipes as well as gathered recipes from pertinent local sources; these people are the definition of the local food scene. Each recipe is accompanied by an explanation as to why it was locally relevant. Along with writing and collecting these recipes, I tested each one with the help of my mentor, chef de cuisine Liz Dobbs. For the final part of my project, I am presenting several of my recipes for tasting at the Senior Project exhibition night.
Adrian Madlener Global Green Furniture Mentor: Jennifer Cross Domain: Visual Arts Consultant: Sara Stracey For my senior project I wanted to explore two interests of mine that I had not looked into before. I decided to design and build a chair that used green material. I began with the design process and then built a prototype. I also built three maquettes of the three final chair designs I choose from using material with similar properties. I was faced with a lot of challenges along the way but learned from each of them. I based my design on ergonomic standards, but also focused on adding whimsical details. My main goal was to be original and to complete something that I had never done before. The biggest lesson I learned was to consider material before designing a piece of furniture, as this was the reason for having to change my design a couple weeks away from completion. This has been one of the most rewardingly tangible projects in my life.
Tucker Marder Wild Life Film (The Importance of Biodiversity): A Documentary by Tucker Marder Mentor: Marie Maciak Domain: Media Consultant: Hillary Haman Using the conventions of nature cinematography, I structured an experimental, intimate journey into the unique biodiversity of the Hamptons. The film begins with a "forceful" emersion into the beauty of wild life. It then questions its own
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artificial structure by revealing the controlled aspects of filmmaking and the encroachment of human presence. I chose to make this film in order to explore the power of visual storytelling as well as its intrusive nature as I have always been an active participant in nature.
Luke McCarron Release: A Fiction Film by Luke McCarron Mentor: Marie Maciak Domain: Media Consultant: John Benson I wrote and developed an original script which I subsequently produced, directed, shot and edited. The story follows two frustrated teens, John and Mark, played by Raphael Shapiro and Christian Scheider. They encounter each other at a desolate park that draws an amalgam of eccentric characters. In their self-absorption, the two cause damage to those around them. I chose this project in order to gain more experience in all aspects of digital video production, especially working with trained actors.
Paul Montemarano Rise of Don: Creation and Development of a Fashion Line Mentor: Robert Eldi Domain: Business Consultant: Ingrid Lemme In my Senior Project, I track and publish the creation and development of my fashion line, Don. Fashions from a mere ambitious idea to a fully functioning and profitable line in a book which also reflects my graphic design abilities. It is a look at how I balanced learning the fashion industry solely through experience and self education and then applying it to my business. I project the invaluable lessons I learned which are applicable to all businesses and the connections I have made which will last a lifetime. I also reflect the progress I have made through the countless press clippings and coverage, to events and fashion shows, to the progression into a successful money making venture.
Alexander Morris Developing an Architectural Style Mentor: Jennifer Cross Domain: Visual Arts Consultant: Laura Auerbach Last summer I took an architecture program at NJIT. I really enjoyed the program and it helped me choose to do an architecture based project. For my project I constructed a model of the Chrysler Building and designed my own skyscraper in Shanghai, China. I learned important skills in model making and also in the field of architecture as a whole. I chose to place my building in Shanghai because currently Asia is in a large skyscraper boom, and Shanghai is one of the major cities in Asia. I created my model based on regulations set by my outside consultant and by the city of Shanghai. This project gave me much-needed experience in the field of architecture.
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Jessica Olinkiewicz Rescue Me: Horses Rescued from Slaughter Mentor: Annemarie Costello Domain: Media Consultant: Christine Barrett-Distefano For my Senior Project, I wrote a book containing stories and photographs of horses rescued from slaughter. Over the summer I went over to Amaryllis Farm Equine Rescue and did some dirty work while I was learning more about horses. When I was at Amaryllis I learned something new that even horse people like me don't know about; horses were being slaughtered. The realization that this was happening to horses hit me hard and I immediately wanted to help raise awareness. My book will provide information about the horse slaughter industry and what people can do to stop the slaughter of horses, through the telling of the horses' stories that were rescued from slaughter.
Erica Phillips From East to West Cookbook: Traditional Shinnecock and Navajo Recipes Mentor: Matthew Aldredge Domain: Cultural History Consultant: Cathy Creedon For my senior project, I decided to write a cookbook. I chose to do this because cooking has been a passion of mine ever since I was little. I have been able to intern in restaurants which helped expand my knowledge in culinary arts. This cookbook contains traditional recipes from the Navajo and Shinnecock tribes, as well as a section of gaming recipes. These recipes are collected and passed down through my family to me. Throughout the book are stories/memories of my life, including photos.
Caroline Potter Experimental Stories for the Modern Child Mentor: Mark Foard Domain: English Consultant: Emily Wilson For my project I wrote and illustrated a series of children’s stories exploring the themes of isolation, adventure and difficulty. I believe that the stories we read as children stay with us for the rest of our lives, and that the messages communicated through those stories influence the people that we become. Although I dealt with familiar themes, I explored them in an unconventional manner. I wrote and illustrated two stories, and illustrated three songs. I studied experimental children’s literature and the genre in general.
Peter Reale Ancient Rhythms, Future Grooves: Application of Traditional Styles in Contemporary Music Mentor: Kenneth Sacks Domain: Performing Arts Consultant: Sophia Kobalakis For my senior project I designed a course for High School musicians to understand different concepts of rhythm from different African cultures and their possible application to contemporary composition and improvisation. The cultures focused on are the Akan of Ghana and the Shona of Zimbabwe. I used the concepts of course design written by Grant Wiggins to create a course in which students answer essential questions. It is designed to teach students rhythm in a way that suits the music. Traditional western notation does not suit the use of poly-rhythm; therefore the course teaches students to use a kind of notation that is simpler and more adaptable to different forms of music called
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T.U.B.S. or Time Unit Box System. The course also teaches the social context and a brief history of the people and the rhythm.
Christian Scheider Plato, Dewey and the Philosophies of Education Mentor: Kenneth Sacks Domain: Philosophy Consultant: Janet Stork This project is an essay analyzing classical education philosophies, specifically those of Plato and Dewey. Utilizing principles from The Meno, The Republic, and the Protagoras as well as The Child and the Curriculum, Democracy and Education as Experience and Education, I evaluated my own educational experiences. My inquiry revealed that many of the shortcomings in educational practices are attributable to the Reification of Curriculum.
Taylor Schiffman What Doesn’t Break Me Makes Me…It Made Me Mentor: Hailey London Domain: Performing Arts Consultant: John Mascali For my senior project I composed a demo consisting of two original songs. I have always found music to be inspiring and therapeutic and I wanted others to feel the same way by listening to my music. My songs are directed towards inspiration, and to know that life will always be alright even when it seems like it’s the end. In addition, I wrote a paper which consists of background information on the effects music has on the mind of humans. I researched aspects of music therapy then took 10 lyrics by different artists and examined them to find the meaning and inspiration within each song. In my paper I explain how these lyrics inflict happiness, and what they do to the listener.
Lindsey Schwartz Working with Agrobacterium Tumefaciens: A Transformative Experience Mentor: Hugh McGuiness Domain: Science Consultant: Dr. Ann Aguanno Through extensive experimentation and observation, I worked to find the most effective usage of Beta Carotene in order to eliminate the terminating effects of Agrobacterium Tumefaciens. My experiment involved multiple situations, in which a plant was treated with Beta Carotene after being inoculated with Crown Gall cancer. Agrobacterium Tumefaciens, the plant pathogen which causes crown gall cancer in plants, is the cause of billions of dollars in crop loss per year. I chose to do this as my senior project because of my interest in the medical field.
Raphael Shapiro The Many Lives of the Tomato Baby Mentor: Mark Foard Domains: English/Performing Arts Consultant: Kathy Russo People have always told stories. Civilization is grounded firmly in oral tradition. In my project I assumed the role of the storyteller. After studying the art of the monologue, especially focusing on the works of Spalding Gray, I wrote my own short pieces. Some were personal, some fictional, but all employed a degree of sad comedy, a study of the humor and irony of daily minutiae. I also made a few short video sketches to be incorporated into the performance of the monologues, to serve as brief interludes of visual poetry, and to aid the narrative of the experience as a whole.
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Tara Thesing Meditation Mentor: John Messinger Domain: Media Consultant: Kerry Swank By definition, meditation is “continued or extended thought; reflection; contemplation�. Mediation is a series of images that contemplate death, identity, and growth. The photos are inspired by personal experiences, using metaphors and symbols to convey struggles in my personal journey.
Adrian Trunzo Dynamic Modeling with Java Mentor: Urban Reininger Domain: Technology Consultant: Jeff Tarr The goal of this project was to gain more knowledge and experience in the field of computer science through the conception, design, and implementation a small program. I managed to integrate my interest in biology to make the final product be a scientific application to aid in the process of dynamic modeling. My only starting point was a foundation in the Java programming language, thus I had to research many aspects of software creation, including Object Oriented Analysis and Design and the Unified Modeling Language. Using these processes, I was able to adequately plan, code, and revise the distinct features of the program, which include mathematical graphing, mathematical parsing, data visualization, and a graphical user interface. Dynamic modeling is the process of mathematically representing the state of a system (e.g. a population) over time and is of increasing importance in understanding complex issues across many fields. For my model I chose to study and adapt a known insect population model to the data of population that I researched.
Emily Volinski Reminiscing Times Past Mentor: John Messinger Domain: Media Consultant: Diane Whiteby For my Senior Project I decided to work with Veterans. The Veterans who I worked with served in World War II and Vietnam. Each of them had a different story to tell about their experiences before, during, and after the war. I interviewed each of the Veterans with relevant questions according to what war they served in, then photographed each person in their own personal living space. I found it interesting to hear their stories first hand, from people who have watched this country change dramatically over the decades.
Grace Walsh 2-Part Bach Inventions Transcribed for Saxophone Mentor: Hal McKusick Domain: Performing Arts Consultant: Chris Glennon For my project I recorded and made a CD of 2-part Bach Inventions on the alto and tenor saxophone. I recorded the inventions in Hal McKusicks studio at his house. I recorded the tenor lines first, then the alto lines. Hal then put the two lines together on a CD. I also wrote a paper on Bach describing his life and music as well as his influence on other musicians.
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Jeremy Whelan The Wave Mentor: Patty Lein Domain: Science Consultant: Tripoli Patterson For my senior project I have chosen to write about the mathematical equations and the science behind waves. Many people know what a wave is, and may even know how it is formed. But that is just the tip of the iceberg. There is so much information that is to be known about them, and after all, we do live right next to them. I decided to write a research paper about waves and create a large wave tank. My dad and I built a three foot by six foot wave tank and created interchangeable “reefs� that can be put in wave tank to create different waves. Since I am an avid surfer, I have always been interested in ocean waves, so I took this opportunity to further explore my infatuation with the waves.
Jasper Wilson The Plight of the Honeybee Mentor: Annemarie Costello Domain: Science Consultant: Mary Woltz For my senior project I researched the demise of the honeybees in North America, as well as the rest of the world. I wrote a paper on the issue and gave a presentation on Colony Collapse Disorder to the high school during Community Meeting. The paper explored the life cycle of the honeybee, identified the different species of honeybee, and then went into the problems caused by the mass dieoffs of honeybee colonies. I composed a list possible causes for the die-offs and went through the list explaining each possibility.
Sean Yunker Gimme Shelter: Exhibition of Art and Media Works by Chimpanzees Mentor: Hailey London Domain: Wellness Consultant: Audra Allen For my senior project I raised awareness for the work Environmental Conservationist and Primatologist Audra Allen does. She teaches chimpanzees that often live in less than desirable situations how to paint, take photographs, and use video cameras. These neglected Chimpanzees have nothing to do in captivity which leads to mental stress and poor mental health. By teaching them how to paint, use cameras, and truly understand how the hand held devices work, she gives them something to do and look forward to in an otherwise pointless existence. Her art therapy helps alleviate the mental stress the Chimpanzees undergo in captivity. My finished product was an art exhibition at the Ross School art gallery that displayed the works and photographs of these chimpanzees.
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