My capstone project focuses on the importance of Islam and what it means to be a Muslim. Three juniors (Sa’d, Ramlah, and Jabriel) and I came together to begin an organization named MSA, which stands for Muslim Student Association. This was one of the best things we could have added to the SLA Beeber community because the Islamic community is growing everyday and more students are converting more and more each day. On Wednesdays, we teach our students new lessons and give homework after so that the knowledge doesn’t leave their brains. For example, our first lesson was teaching the students the Arabic alphabet and what the basics of Islam. After that, we moved onto the importance of covering and obeying Allah. As the MSA increased, the leaders decided that it’ll be a great idea to host an Iftar at school and welcome all muslim and non muslims who don’t attend SLA Beeber as well. This event took place on April 12,2023 and over 100 people attended. Each MSA member spoke and we also had a guest speaker, Mufti Muhammad (Imam at Masjid in New York). This entire process was stressful but we all worked together so that it wouldn’t take a toll on one of us instead of all. After all of the fundraisers, and lessons. We all enjoyed our time at the Iftar and gave lots of knowledge on Islam. The lesson I learned from my project is to never judge a book by its cover. This goes for religious and non religious people. A common mistake others tend to do is, put people inside categories without knowing them internally.

My capstone project is a book club targeted at 2nd–8th graders. I targeted, younger kids because I wanted them to develop better reading habits. My first meeting was very cool and subtle; we introduced ourselves and did icebreakers. Then they filled a survey out with books they are interested in and the genres they are interested in. I did the club at the middle school I attended, and the principal helped tremendously. She helped pay for books and helped get students into my club. I learned that younger kids are really difficult to try to help. It was definitely a fun experience, but I would have done a couple things differently if I were to do it again.

This capstone focuses on paying kindness forward both within and outside of the Science Leadership Academy @Beeber community while passing out bracelets and pursuing an Instagram account for the project as well. To both Khayla and I this was more a movement and it was also seen as an escape making the bracelets as this part of the overall process was the most therapeutic and completely free for peers and members of various communities to support. Our main focus was getting people in our community to tell us what kindness meant to them. The best part of this entire experience definitely has to be brightening the days of those who have been gifted a bracelet to show our kindness as well as pay it forward with empathy and various acts of selflessness, not to mention this was a completely non-profit organization. As the end of the 2023 school year ends for seniors such as myself, I have understood on a more personal level the importance of kindness and simply paying it forward. The concept of paying kindness forward gained popularity through the phrase “pay it forward,” which was popularized by Catherine Ryan Hyde’s novel and subsequent film adaptation, both titled “Pay It Forward.” The idea behind it is to promote altruism, empathy, and compassion in society by encouraging individuals to perform acts of kindness without expecting anything in return, with the hope that the recipients will continue the cycle by helping others. By paying kindness forward, you contribute to a positive ripple effect, spreading acts of goodwill throughout the community. It emphasizes the power of small gestures and highlights the potential to make a difference in someone else’s life.

For my Senior Capstone Project, I worked with Harmony Smith to create a student news Instagram account. At the end of our junior year, we were inspired to create a project involving student news. Despite many obstacles we’ve faced throughout the school year trying to complete this project, we enjoyed the experience of creating it.

Our guiding question was “How can the SLA Beeber community connect?”. When planning and executing the project we made sure to be not only thoughtful but intentional in what we did.

I was presented with the opportunity to help children learn the skills of public speaking in a school environment. I’ve learned through experience that striving for perfection isn’t always possible and that occasionally accepting flaws can result in the best results. I feel blessed when I assist young children in improving their communication abilities and see how they change and gain confidence. Through this process, I have come to understand the need of changing instruction to each student’s requirements, stimulating creativity, and creating an environment where each kid may express themselves uniquely.

You may see one of the projects a student created below that she used to try to persuade us to listen to a certain musician. Based on the television program Shark Tank, the project. The children were instructed to persuade me of anything. It’s Jordyn McGriff-Laduna who attends Science Leadership Academy @Beeber!

For my Capstone I made a mini-course along with Justyn Griffin, David Bolling, and Bernard Hogue. We called it Money Makers and taught the 9th graders in it about financial literacy. Every Wednesday we would introduce a new topic about financial literacy and go from there. We would teach them about that and also ways to make money. We gave them projects and such while also teaching and building bonds with them in class I think we did a service to the community by not only helping the future generation with how to make money but also helping to make the money and such to do so.

For my capstone project, I embarked on a journey to establish and document the progression of our school’s media lab while exploring the art of podcasting. The project involved several key components, including setting up the media lab with the necessary equipment, conducting faux podcast episodes as experimentation, and starting production of my how to podcast series (the first episode will be published on June 10th). Throughout the process, I learned valuable skills and gained insights into the world of podcasting. Setting up the media lab required careful planning, research, and collaboration with community leader Zoe S. (Thinktink CEO) to ensure we had the right tools and resources. There was a lot of trial and error with getting the room to a desirable space in which we could all use it for our digital creation, but I feel like it is in a state that will make it a room that will stick around as long as the community stands by it. This all provided valuable learning opportunities, teaching me the importance of technical proficiency, effective communication, and the ability to collaborate with others while doing something you love. Ultimately, this capstone project allowed me to witness the growth and transformation of our media lab while honing my podcasting skills. It provided me with a deeper understanding of the power of audio storytelling and the technical aspects of podcast production while opening the door for the people at my school to have a place with all the equipment they need for digital creativity

Starting a clothing line can be an exciting and fulfilling endeavor, but it is also a challenging and potentially risky venture. Before diving into the process of launching a clothing line, it is important to carefully consider and plan for various aspects of the business, including the target market, design aesthetic, production and distribution, and financial management. With careful planning and a strong commitment to hard work, it is possible to turn a passion for fashion into a successful and sustainable clothing line.

I wanted to support young business owners in their efforts to launch a clothing line with my Capstone Project. As the quarters passed, I was able to create various things that add to what someone else could accomplish given the same amount of time. I compiled a list of various wholesalers and designers where you might purchase shirts and design’s from. Everything I’ve done has been for the purpose of developing my brand, and to help anyone just starting out could do it on their own with enough time and resources. I noticed that many more people started something of their own and can develop something that will follow them for the rest of their lives if they work with their brands, I believe my work has significantly influenced Science Leadership Academy Beeber in particular for students.

The mini course, Bask In Your Beauty (BIYB), targeted girls in grades 7-9, aiming to impart knowledge about self-love, positivity, and personal growth. Throughout the course, the journey was not always easy, but the girls were consistently engaged in enjoyable and valuable activities that encouraged interaction and sisterhood. The experience provided profound insights into the diverse experiences faced by each girl, which broadened my perspective. Understanding the unique struggles and triumphs of these young girls highlighted the importance of empathy. Furthermore, the course led to a profound personal transformation, allowing me to learn more about leadership skills and a deep passion for helping others. By guiding and empowering the girls through self-discovery, I discovered my own potential for leadership and witnessed the transformative power of instilling self-love and positivity in others. The BIYB mini course emerged as a testament to the significance of encouraging a safe space for young girls to explore their inner strengths, embrace diversity, and develop a foundation of self-acceptance that will shape their future endeavors.