Part 1: What I Need To Know?

My essential question for my Capstone Project is: How can I make a difference in the Gwinnett County School System and influence students to pursue the field of Engineering?  When I was a little girl, my dream was to be the first human to land on the planet Mars.  As I’ve aged, I’ve noticed my desire to physically travel to Mars has significantly gone down; however, my love for math and the thought that I could still be apart of a Mission to Mars has never left.  I want nothing more than to leave my mark on the world and being apart of such an important historical event would completely satisfy my life’s desire.  Making a difference in the world starts with making a difference in your community.  If I can prove to myself that I can make a difference in the Gwinnett County School System, I will be one step closer to proving to myself that I can make a difference in this world.  I know that I will come across problems that I can’t solve and frustration in my future endeavors; however, I am hopeful that I will one day be able to look back at my experience in the Honors Mentorship Program and encourage myself that I can make a difference and push through.  

 

Part 2: What I Know or Assume?

When I was in Elementary School, I always loved when student teachers would come into my class.  I remember in Fourth Grade I was in the Math Gifted Program and my teacher had a student teacher named Miss Michelle.  She had been accepted into Georgia Tech (my dream school) and was majoring in some sort of Engineering.  I always looked up to her as an example of how I wanted to be, and I know that she influenced me to pursue mathematics.  Eight years later, I am now the student teacher of Engineering Classes and I work hard everyday to try to live up to my old student teacher’s expectations.  I want to make a difference in students’ lives and help influence them to pursue the field of engineering because with this world becoming more and more technological dependent the demand for engineers has significantly increased.  Engineering, although sometimes tough, is worth it because there is beauty created when building, designing, and renovating.  I am hoping and assuming that if I can give everything I have to devoting my energy and patience to these Engineering classes, students will desire to study more and deeper into the Field of Engineering.  

 

Part 3: Your  Search.  

In order to answer my essential question, I began my research on how certain historic individuals made a difference in the educational system.  Two of my favorite people were Sally Ride and Susan B. Anthony.  What I learned about these two individuals completely changed my perspective on how I could make a difference in the Gwinnett County School System.  Sally Ride was an American physicist and astronaut.  She joined NASA in 1978 and became the first American woman in space in 1983.  One of Sally Ride’s most memorable quotes that helped me answer my essential question was, “I would like to be remembered as someone who was not afraid to do what she wanted to do, and as someone who took risks along the way in order to achieve her goals.”  Although Sally Ride was a major feminist, this quote can definitely pertain to both the boys and girls I work with at both Ivy Creek Elementary and White Oak Elementary.  Engineering plays a major role in this world and will continue to grow as we move along into the future.  While most of my students think the stuff we do is “cool,” some are intimidated by the rigor and responsibility that comes with the subject.  Everyday I work hard to help my students with grasping the content and allowing them to pursue the unlimited possibilities that come with designing and building; in hopes that, I am making a difference and influencing them to pursue the field of engineering.  Susan B. Anthony was another influential figure I came across while researching for my Capstone Project.  She was a teacher and then eventually became a leading figure in the abolitionist and voting rights movement.  Susan B. Anthony was not only an influence within the classroom but she was influential to this country.  The fact that her students could look up to her and see the difference she was making gave many of them hope that they could make a difference.  Although, I do not desire to teach students as a career, my time as a teacher has been amazing and as I strive to be more like Susan B. Anthony, I hope that my students will strive to make a difference as well.  

    When I interviewed Miss Sharp, I learned a lot about her and the decisions she made along the way in order to achieve her dream job.  I learned that more was demanded of her than I thought and I got some advice on how I could make a difference in the Gwinnett County school system, based on what she had done to make her difference.  Nevertheless, I learned that no matter what you are trying to achieve, whether it is becoming a Media Center Specialist or Engineer for NASA, you are going to struggle at some point with something.  Miss Sharp has been an amazing mentor in showing me that it is okay to ask questions and not fully understand what is going on.  One day I hope to be a mentor to college students looking to work as an engineer and I hope I can remember the qualities Miss Sharp displayed and be more like her when working with the 21st century “children.”  

    After combining all three of my annotated bibliographies together, I know I have all the information to answer my essential question.  In my first annotated bibliography I talked about how distance learning engineering students thrive in Case Studies and Practical Workshops.  I used the information I learned in this source and applied it to the Engineering Classes I student teach in, in hopes that it will benefit my students and their desire to pursue the field of engineering.  In my second annotated bibliography, I talked about the benefits of bringing Engineering into Elementary Schools.  I compared my experience in Elementary School to the current Elementary School students and talked about the advantages they will have, being that they are exposed to such technical material at such a young age.  In my third annotated bibliography, I talked about the advantages that come when instituting more technology to be put into Elementary School libraries.  Stating statistics on how it increases standardized test scores and graduation rate is definitely a valid reason to transform libraries into Media Centers.  After following through with my research, I know that by the end of this Program, I will have made a difference in the Gwinnett County School System and influenced students to pursue the field of engineering.  

 

Part 4: What I Discovered?

    After much research and following through with ideas, I have discovered how to make a difference in the Gwinnett County School system, and I believe I have done what it takes to do so.  Before I conducted my research, I assumed that if I became more like my favorite teacher or student teacher from my past, I would be able to make a difference and influence students to pursue the field of engineering.  What I discovered was so much more than pretending to be somebody that I am not.  I have discovered that I am my own person, influence, and difference to the community and Gwinnett County Public School System.  A couple weeks ago, one of my students came up to me and completely melted my heart when she said word for word, “Miss Mariah I am going to miss you when you graduate and I want to be an engineer now because of you.”  I felt as if I died and went to heaven.  Being my own person and doing things based off of my judgements and research has given me the answer to my essential question.  In order to make a difference in the Gwinnett County School System, I have to be 100% into my mentorship, prioritize my projects, and put in my input and opinion on the way the Media Center is being run.  In order to influence students to pursue the Field of Engineering, I need to make the subject fun,  encourage students to never give up on the unlimited possibilities this world has to offer, and constantly remind them of the difference they can make no matter what they choose to pursue.  

    After conducting my research and following through with findings, I have discovered more about myself than I ever had.  Working in an Elementary School, although my sound easy, was definitely not.  Working with technology in and in of itself can be frustrating; however, working with students could be even more frustrating at times.  I have learned to bottle my emotions and always come out with a positive attitude whether or not the situation permits it.  I have discovered a loving side of myself and being around children brought that out of me.  Most importantly, I confirmed to myself that I can do anything I want to do and after completing the Honors Mentorship Program, I will enter Engineering School confidently knowing that I can do anything I set my mind to because I have already done so throughout this school year.