Addtional Blog: Senior Project Overall

I thought we were done...

I wasn't aware we were going to write an additional blog because I thought "FINALLY WE'RE DONE!" I guess not huh? Anyways, it feels great to be done with Senior Project. I guess it was nice to keep me busy throughout the year but it's a huge weight lifted off of our shoulders. And I'm positive most of the senior class can agree with me. Although, I am thankful for the senior project because it had allowed me to grow closer to my mentor and become more involved with my goal to help save our planet. I do plan on supporting Planet Rehab as best as I can, by donating my time, abilities, and skills. I also know a lot more about the rainforest too. I was all about saving the ocean because I absolutely love the beach and I was going to have my topic on something on the ocean. I know more than I need to about the ocean and thought I could learn about another biome and what we may be losing there. That's what I did and I chose the rainforest.

Senior Project allowed me to learn more than just academics but how to apply myself in things that matter to me, in a better way. Thank you Ortega, Piggott, and Rivas. We understand it was tough adjusting but just about everyone pulled through. It's nice to have gone through all four years of I-Poly. It's been a great run.

Thank You!

Blog 23: Final Lesson Reflection

1) Positive Statement

I was most proud of the way I was speaking. It wasn't as nerve racking as I thought when I was speaking and it allowed for me to be more passionate and engaging to the audience. I was also really happy with being able to make my PowerPoint be more aesthetically pleasing.

2) Questions to Consider

A) I'd give myself  a P or an AP.

B) I'd give myself an AP.

3) What worked?

Mentorship was very easy for me. Meaning my mentor was very reliable. It allowed me to use him more and to be able to understand my topic in a better way.

4) What didn't work?

I'd go back and change my understanding on the research I was doing. I didn't quite understand what I was suppose to be looking for until the end of 1st semester. So it did effect me a little but I was still able to catch up. I also wish I would've gone into more depth in my presentation because I feel like I only scratched the surface when I could've expanded more.

5) Finding Values

Senior project has definitely set the bar, for projects, pretty high. So it allows for more confidence when facing projects that my be similar in the future. It also helps increase my comfortableness with public speaking. The research involved was an overload but that'll only make other homework seem like child's play. Senior project was all right and it did help.

Blog 21: Mentorship

Interpretive:

The most important thing I gained from my experiences at mentor ship was being able to retain all the information that was given to me by my mentor. I was also able to apply the things I learned in my life, such as becoming vegetarian. I am not completely vegetarian but I have stopped eating red meat in all. While in mentor ship I always asked questions to further my education on the rainforest. I always asked about possible solutions which allowed for me to consider several answers for my EQ.

Applied:

What I've learned from my mentor allowed me to have multiple answers for my EQ. The answers I have for my EQ now, I chose, after doing research and speaking with my mentor on how I can use this in my presentation and exactly how I'll be able to explain it.

Blog 20: Exit Interview

1) My EQ is "What is the best way to maintain equilibrium between man and nature in relation to the rainforest?" My answers to this EQ are: vegetarianism, responsible sourcing, and ecotourism. My best answer is ecotourism since it can be used to introduce the rest of my answers. Also the connections made with people and nature can sway people to be more open about what's actually going on in the rainforest.

2)  It took a lot of mentorship in order to find out about ecotourism, it also showed up on a lot of my research I did. So when I finally decided to look more into it, it turned out to be the best answer for my EQ.

3) I was confused about the research checks, I was only looking for general information on my topic and not information about my answers or on my EQ. I fixed this by realizing my mistake and quickly began looking for more information on my answers. I looked for blogs made by vegans or vegetarians because they are very passionate about their life style and they know exactly why and who they're doing it for. A lot of people did it for the animals as well as the environment. I learned tons on how wasteful meat is. When looking for responsible sourcing articles, I made sure I found out what particular items were causing more deforestation. When looking for research on ecotourism I purposely looked for

4) My mentor and my book Deep Jungle, by Fred Pearce. The both helped my find my answers and answer my EQ. My mentor Gary gave me suggestions on what my answers could be for my essential question. Deep Jungle helped me find ecotourism as my third answer. This book was very informative and also spoke about the people who lived in the rainforest. It helped me realize why they weren't always protecting the rainforest. The reason being was that the rainforest was their last hope in becoming successful economically. It was something that really convinced me that ecotourism needed to be my third answer.

Additional Blog: Planet Rehab in Wonderland

Mentorship: Planet Rehab (on Earth Day)

 

 

We used Alice in Wonderland as a way to show people and educate them on how destructive we are being. We created a play for those that joined us on our event April 18th. The people were educated by walking with the many Alices showing them what hardship different biomes and ecosystems went through. Overall it was a successful event that we plan on doing again next year.

Blog 19: Independent Component 2 Blog

Literal:

(A) I, Nick Herrera, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work.
(B) My mentor Gary C. Mitchell introduced me into becoming vegetarian. He said that it would help the environment, mostly the rainforest and that it's also very good for my health too.
(C) I become vegetarian for 30 days, I recorded the meals I had for dinner in order to prove that I was following through with my plan. Since the thirty days that I become vegetarian I have completely stopped eating meat (because I ate a burger a couple days afterwards and got very sick).

Interpretive:

The significance of my component was to show that becoming a vegetarian, in order to save the rainforest, is a very easy change. You get to try a variety of foods that are substitutions of meat, but taste exactly the same or better. It can help convince people that if we cut down about half the meat we eat each week, it will lower the demand for it in a major way. This will reduce the amount of rainforest cut down in order to make space for the cattle to be raised and fed.

Applied:

This component helped me answer my EQ because it showed me how easy becoming vegetarian could be, just by giving it a chance. Many people are skeptical about changing their diet because they think it'll be hard or they don't know where else they can get their protein from. Changing to a plant based diet doesn't mean you wont get the right proteins, you actually get A LOT more. I didn't eat meat for a month and now, my body has become more accustomed to that change. I tried to each a burger just the other day and I ended up feeling sick afterward. So I stopped eating red meat. By becoming vegetarian I am doing my part in saving the rainforest, and anyone can do this. It's easy and a lot healthier for you and the environment.

This is Morning Star Ribs. This, out of all the meals I ate for dinner, was my favorite. It was very easy to make and tasted exactly the same, it is 100% meat free.

Additional Blog Post: Getting Ready for Earth Day Festival!

These are some things Planet Rehab(place of mentorship) for our annual Earth Day Festival. This year's theme is Alice in Wonderland! We plan on educating our guest about the environment by using the childhood movie Alice in Wonderland. We will also have a lot of food, a petting zoo, and live performances from a band as well. The mushrooms on the bottom are what the volunteers and I have been creating for the past month and we've made various shapes and sizes. To the top right is our flyer for out event and to the top left is one of our many Alices.

Blog 18: Fourth Interview Preparation

My 20 interview questions:

1. How can becoming vegetarian raise awareness?
2. Becoming vegetarian can best help the rainforest how?
3. What do you know about becoming vegetarian, in relation to one's health and the environment?
4. How can becoming vegetarian benefit the public?
5. What, do you think, is the hardest part about convincing people that meat is bad, for their health and the environment?
6. What companies use the most meat products?
7. What's the best way to educate people but also help the to retain the information?
8. What's the easiest way for stores/companies to practice responsible sources?
9. Can responsible sourcing be an easy way for the public to practice?
10. How do you think responsible sourcing can help benefit the rainforest?
11. What do you think is the best way convince people that eat foods that are traditional to their culture, that have meat in them?
12. Responsible Sourcing can best help the rainforest how?
13. Which companies do not practice responsible sourcing?
14. What products/resources are being taken from the rainforest unsustainably?
15. How can these products/resources be taken from the rainforest in a sustainable way?
16. Can people, as individuals, practice responsible sourcing?
17. Will getting huge companies to practice responsible sourcing, be hard? What's the best/easiest way?
18. Is becoming vegan more efficient rather than becoming vegetarian?
19. Does one have to become vegetarian to help the rainforest? What if the amount of meat consumed is cut in half?
20. How does responsible sourcing help the rainforest the most efficiently?

Additional Blog: Upcoming Event (Earth Day Festival)

For the past four years, Planet Rehab has hosted an Earth Day Festival event. This year we plan on doing another but in a more entertaining way. He made a them for this years Earth Day and the theme is Alice in Wonderland. Earth Day is a day in which we acknowledge what has been going on in our planet. It raises awareness about the negative things we've done and are still doing. We plan on education everyone on what's going on and HOW to stop it.

As of now we are getting ready and making props for this event. We have started to make paper mache mushrooms which will be six feet tall and many other sizes as well. We are making huge flowers out of paper which we will place around the back yard for the guest to see. We also have set up tables in many different way to see which would look the best. We will also have a new member to Planet Rehab, Helen. He is known to be one of the largest tortoises in the United States, weighing over 250lbs. We have high hopes for this event and are extremely excited to show others what we are all about.

 

These are pictures of what we've been making on our craft nights. So far things are looking pretty cool.

Blog 16: Answer 2

1. What is the best way to maintain equilibrium between man and nature in relation to the rainforest?

2. The best way to maintain equilibrium between man and nature in relation to the rainforest is by becoming vegetarian.

3. The best way to maintain equilibrium between man and nature in relation to the rainforest is responsible sourcing.

4.  My three reasons

1. We, as individuals, can practice this by avoiding products that have been taken from the rainforest unsustainably.
2. Indigenous people can work with the rainforest in order to make a profit, instead of destroying it.
3.  Huge corporations and companies have practiced responsible sourcing because their customers were able to pressure them into doing so.

5. I found an article by "Rainforest Alliance" that shows corporations how to become part of the solution by practicing responsible sourcing. While looking for article/information on responsible sourcing I found information about companies like Walmart, Target, and Trader Joe's becoming part of the solution for the rainforest as well.

6. My mentor Gary C. Mitchell has brought this answer to my attention on several occasions when explaining that becoming vegetarian was also a way to help the rainforest.

Blog 15: Independent Component 2 Approval

1. For my Independent Component 2, I will become a vegetarian. I will be logging what I eat for dinner everyday. I will update my hours log every night about the things I eat and what substitutions I will have to use in order to avoid using meat.

2. Since I will be a vegetarian until the end of Independent component, I'll be doing more than my 30 hours. So I'll be showing my hours through the dinners I eat with a vegetarian touch to them. I'll record what I eat everyday onto my hours log.

3. By becoming vegetarian it will allow me to have experience and be able to have a self example for my first answer. I can explain how easy/hard it was, what it was like, and if I will continue my vegetarian diet.

Blog 14: Independent Component 1

• Literal

(a) I, Nick Herrera, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 35 hours of work.

(b) My mentor Gary C. Mitchel and with the help of his partner, Carlo Rios, both helped me understand what is at stake as of what is going on now in the environment. Moreover; the rainforest.

(c) Mentorship Hours

(d) Gary and I were able to pin point what were key things that are important about the rainforest, how it affects us, and how it's going to ruin us when its gone. We also spoke about how educating people can also make a huge difference. The things Gary and I know, should be common knowledge. Together we determined what my second and possibly third answer to my EQ should be.

• Interpretive

On Tuesday nights Gary and several of other senior volunteers come together to discuss upcoming events for Planet Rehab. We also discuss things going on in the environment. It varies from the ocean to the deserts. We also make crafts for the events we have so we can make some extra money to throw in our fund for the "Rainforest Initiative." We sell these items at fair prices. Before craft night, I usually come an hour earlier to have some one on one with Gary in order to get more incite on how the rainforest is doing. We speak about the major issues for the rainforest, solutions for these issues, and how to prevent them. Within our findings I have been able to set my foot on a couple of answers for my EQ. I have some photos of my mentorship at with Gary/Planet Rehab.

 

 

• Applied

This component helped me find my second, possible, answer to my EQ. The second answer I am considering is Education. If EVERYONE knew what was happening to our rainforest. They would be definitely be an automatic response to it. Unfortunately not everyone knows what's happening to the rainforest. According to the book "Deep Jungle" the Earth's land was fourteen percent rainforest. Today its at a staggering six percent. That's more than half of what we use to have. I feel that if every nation and it people knew this, it would definitely save us. As of now there is very little hope for humans to survive another two hundred and some years. As long as everyone is uneducated, nothing will change.  

 

Additional Blog: What I get to see while at mentorship

Monarch Caterpillars

Kiki the Sun Conure

Mandarin Ducks

Russel Crow

Parakeets

Blog 13: Lesson 2 Reflection

What am I most proud of in my lesson and why?

I was glad to be able to give people the chance to prove why being vegetarian is a great choice and allowing them to see for themselves by trying a vegetarian meal. The reaction of surprise when I told them that everything was a meat substitution was great. It was nice overall to show them that they can save the rain forest by the way they eat.

Self-assessment.

I think I deserved, at the very least, an AP. I believe I deserved an AP because overall I felt like my lesson was interesting and I was able to keep my audiences attention. I felt like I did a good job in explaining why the rain forest were very important. I cited my sources by showing my book and sort of giving them a lay out of what it was about. I did my job of informing them about what is happening to our environment that SHOULD be common knowledge.

As of right now I'm not sure what my second answer should be. I need to speak with my mentor and see what my second best answer should and could be.

Blog 12: Mentorship 10 Hours Check

 1.   Where are you doing your mentorship?

I am working with an organization called Planet Rehab. We educate people on environmental issues through the volunteers we receive on Saturday mornings. We also use our events as opportunities to educate people, as well as raising money in order to feed the animals we hold.

 2.   Who is your contact?

My contact is Gary C. Mitchel. He is the founder of Planet Rehab and my mentor. I chose him because he is very educated on the environment. Planet Rehab has a huge goal that we call the "Rainforest Initiative," which would allow us to purchase part of the rainforest in order to protect it from human expansion.

 3.   How many  hours have you done during the school year? (Summer Mentorship Hours and Mentorship Hours should be reflected separately in your Senior Project Hours log located on the right hand side of your blog).

I have done thirty hours throughout the school year. I usually go to Planet Rehab early before our meetings to do my mentorship hours.

 4.   Summarize the 10 hours of service you did.

I do my mentorship hours on Tuesday nights when we have our craft nights. I tend to go earlier to get more one-on-one with Gary. We usually speak to each other about new statistics on rainforest destruction as well as what has been going on worldwide. He informs me on what California is doing to try and help out environment. Gary has also spoken to me about our plan to sponsor tours to Costa Rica, where we could gain lots of publicity as well as profit for the organization. This will also us to be able to get a step closer to our Rainforest Initiative.

Blog 11: Holiday Project Update

Over break I only went to Planet Rehab twice. I went on Tuesday nights, like I usually do, to help out for craft night. Gary was able to catch me up on some of our progress on our Rainforest Initiative. He also told me that we are taking a huge step by sponsoring tours to Costa Rica! I was also able to help plan a couple of our events which are upcoming pretty soon.

I learned that our hardest goal with our Rainforest Initiative is the money we need to raise. We have set many events to raise enough money to at least purchase a couple of acres by 2016. It's a huge project in progress but we are slowly making our way to our goal.

In a ten question interview I'd speak with Gary. He is my best source because we are suppose to make my senior project come to life. What I mean by that is my project is based on our Rainforest Initiative. I'd ask many questions on HOW were are going to be able to sustain such a huge portion of land. I'd also like to know how Gary would go about managing life in the bush and in the city.