Category: Uncategorized

Sustainability in the best city ever! (San Francisco) -Lily M. and Molly C.

On By lmaglienteIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

IMG_1377As students of Westtown, the word sustainability is constantly ingrained into our brains and lifestyles. Whether we take environmental justice, environmental science, or just walk into Westtown’s LEED certified science center, where facts of our sustainability promises are plastered everywhere, Westtown students are up to date and aware of sustainability. For Senior Projects, we wanted to challenge our own knowledge and experience to travel to San Francisco to have a closer, and more in depth understanding of a sustainable lifestyle. San Francisco is noted the second most sustainable city in the nation. They are known for the plastic bag ban, creating a carbon offset fund, the solar power program, and the local food movement. On this trip, we plan to delve into a deeper understanding of how sustainability can be implemented into our daily lives, and what steps we can take as seniors at Westtown to achieve that end.

In light of a hands on experience and education of sustainability, we will meet with a University of San Francisco professor to discuss his job teaching environmental studies at USF. I hope to learn why he believes teaching about the environment is paramount, and if living in San Francisco has anything to do with why he teaches what he teaches. We also hope he will be able to discuss how we can implement sustainability in a broader sense.

We have also contacted an alumna from Westtown. She excitedly offered for us to shadow Nature Bridge, which educates both students and adults alike in “fostering environmental literacy.” We are excited to spend the day with Westtown’s alumna and Nature Bridge interns to learn more about their mission, and hopefully we will bring back not only information about sustainability, but also bring back a new way of thinking in regards to sustainability at Westtown School.

I Hope My Bird Brain Doesn’t Make a Mistake

On By colinperkIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Hi everyone, I have a question for all of you. Do you like birds? Regardless of your answer, if you passed by a hurt bird on the side of the road or saw a baby bird stuck on the ground in your backyard, would you try to save it? Well, taking caring of injured birds is what Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research is all about.

My name is Colin Perkins-Taylor and for my Senior Project I will be doing volunteer work at Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research in Newark, Delaware. Tri-State Bird is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1976 with the intention of saving injured birds and nursing them back to full health so that they can be released back into the wild. Each year, thousands of birds are injured or killed by cars, power lines, and wind turbines, all of which are man-made. However, most people who see a hurt bird don’t try to save it. They leave its fate for nature to decide, which almost always results in death. What many don’t realize is that with proper veterinary care, these birds can not only become fully healthy again, but they can be released back into the wild and live a normal life. All of the birds that Tri-State takes in are birds that have been reported by pedestrians, and 95% of the birds that Tri-State takes care of get released back into the wild. Here is a picture of the facility bird-care facility:

Although I have already completed three volunteer training sessions and know my way around the facility, I am sitting here tonight scared for what tomorrow, the first official day of my project, holds. I’m terrified of not putting enough Vitahawk, a vitamin supplement, in the raptor’s food or forgetting to put a rock in the birds water dishes since they don’t have any depth perception. I just don’t want my forgetfulness or lack of knowledge to affect the birds I’m taking care of in any way. Hopefully everything turns out alright. Fingers crossed!

Please check out my blog over the next two weeks to learn about my experience and hopefully see some pictures of the birds I’m taking care of!

Beyond Beaches and Bikinis: Making Change in Rural Dominican Republic

On By CharlotteIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Today I took my last hot shower for the next three weeks. Tomorrow, I get up at 5:00am to fly to the Dominican Republic. From the Santiago airport, I’ll be headed out to Batey Libertad, a tiny town that mainly revolves around the nearby rice plantation and factory. My homestay in the batey (the Spanish word for a plantation town) will be quite a shift from the extremely privileged, comfortable life I live at an American boarding school. If you’re wondering why, here’s a picture of Batey Libertad:

Short Term Volunteer Arrival Packet (1)

Like many plantation towns, Batey Libertad is primarily populated with Haitian-Dominicans and Dominicans of more distant Haitian ancestry. But to many Dominicans, any person of Haitian descent–or maybe anyone who looks like they’re of Haitian descent because of their darker skin–is simply one of los haitianos. People of Haitian descent can face severe discrimination in the Dominican Republic. In some ways, they’re perceived much the same as many Mexican migrants are in the United States–as outsiders who don’t belong, who take advantage of the country, who steal jobs, who are immoral criminals: much of the same racist, xenophobic rhetoric is applied to Haitians in the DR. Under Trujillo, the dictator who ruled the country until the 1960s, thousands of Haitians were even massacred.

Today, especially in bateyes, los haitianos are denied civil and human rights (like citizenship and the right to freedom of movement) and can be deported to Haiti even if their families have lived in the Dominican Republic for generations. Many bateyes have limited access to clean water, health care, and education. Fortunately, some organizations have stepped forward to improve life in bateyes, and this spring I have the privilege of working with Yspaniola, an organization that has helped bring improved sanitation and clean water to Batey Libertad. I’ll get the opportunity to work with Haitian-Dominican kids to improve literacy in Yspaniola’s Learning Center, learn about the plight of Haitians in the Dominican Republic alongside students from Yale, and learn about Dominican life from my host family. I’m nervous, but excited, and armed with a few choice Spanish-language picture books.

I know in the Dominican Republic I’m going to get sunburned. I know I’m gonna miss the conveniences that come with my cushy American life and that I’m going to have awkward language mishaps with my muddled, poorly conjugated Spanish. I know that I am going to face uncomfortable truths and realities I have never before had to confront, of poverty, racism, and discrimination. But I am going to do to what I learned at Westtown and lean into my discomfort rather than shy away from it, and I know I will come back to school having made deep connections across cultural barriers. I hope I will also return more humble, more grateful, and ready to continue on my journey to make change. This is just how I take my first step.

Saludos,

Charlotte

Icelandic Adventure

On By sammiepavIn Uncategorized1 Comment

How many people do you know have been to Iceland? Probably not more than you can count on one hand. With its beautiful volcanoes, glaciers, and natural springs, many deem Iceland as one of their “bucket list destinations.”

My name is Sammie and I will be traveling with my roommate, Dagny, to her native country of Iceland for my Senior Project. I will be staying with her family in the small town of Hveragerdi, just 15 miles east of Reykjavik, the country’s capital.

Besides seeing the marvelous sights of Iceland and fully immersing myself in Icelandic cultural, I will be studying gender equality. Data collected by the World Economic Forum in 2014 placed Iceland at the TOP of the list in the Global Gender Gap Index. The United States is ranked 28th on that very same list. Through multiple interviews with women ranked in the Top 100 powerful women in Iceland and other students my age, I will attempt to discover how a country the size of Kentucky and the population of Pittsburgh (roughly 320,000) can attain the equality our country has long strived for.

Feel free to check back to my blog throughout the next two weeks for pictures and updates!

-Sammie

Preparing For Next Week

On By wpfluegerIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Hey everyone, my name is William and I will be going to West Chester where I will be a computer science intern for two weeks. I will be working at an engineering firm IONX, a small company headquartered in West Chester, PA. IONX is about asset management, where they track the locations and conditions of train cars and their cargo. They make physical sensors that go on tanker cars, box cars, and locomotives. They also develop the software that goes with the hardware. I have worked there previously as an intern for six weeks over the summer. I had a great and informative time there, so I will be going back there again to continue my passion for computer science. I will be working on a special project that they have arranged for me to complete in the two weeks that I am there.

For next week I will be using some old skills that I have and need to brush-up on, mainly my computer coding skills. I will working on building web applications that involve a multitude of languages. Last time I was there I used C#, SQL, and R-script. While there I learned a couple of new languages that I needed to work on the applications. I also learned about machine learning and the possibilities of the uses of it. I was tasked to see what kinds of applications could benefit from adding machine learning. As I was learning about machine learning I learned how Microsoft’s cloud-computing system, Microsoft Azure, works and what it can do. I can’t wait to see what they have in-store for me this time!

Let’s Talk About Robots

On By Lili BurgerLentzIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

I love robots. Ever since I did Lego robotics back in 4th grade I’ve loved everything about them. Sadly, I’m not all that great at building or programming. Believe me, I’ve tried. Still, I love robots and I’ve been involved with FIRST Robotics since 9th grade. I’ve been on the business, communications, and outreach team and served as a team leader for the past two years. This year FIRST is celebrating its 25th game season and I wanted to do something to honor that through my senior project.

The idea for this project came from my coach, Steve Compton. I had a few requirements,

  1. I had to stay in the area (as I am in the middle of a black belt test)
  2. It had to be relatively cheap
  3. It had to be related to robotics
  4. I had to be able to do it without too much skill training

In the end, we decided to create a quilt honoring the 25 years of FIRST, especially this year’s game: FIRST STRONGHOLD

first-stronghold-thumb

I will be living at home and commuting for the first week of the project, then doing the rest at home through spring break.  More updates to come as I set up my work space.

Kittens and Mittens

On By roseanndearIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

All my life, I have loved animals. My best friend and companion, Shadow, died recently this year. He was the love of my life, even though he was a cat. For my Senior Project, I wanted to spend time doing something low key with animals. Cats to be more specific. I chose to volunteer at the Chester SPCA. I did my orientation and learned the dos and don’ts and realized that this was the place for me.

I visited the shelter recently to remember what I learned. I was a little nervous and shaky, but nothing bad happened. One older woman challenged me as an oriented volunteer, even though I was wearing my volunteer shirt and badge. She brought me down and continued to scold me during my hour-long visit. My hope was raised when a cat was adopted by a mother and child. The joy that filled the room spread to every person, even the people who were not adopting.  

That was the moment I knew it was the place more me. I was not there for the people; I was there for the cats. I am very excited to work with the felines and spend time giving back creatures smaller than me.

Until next time,

Rosie

Hawaii Bound!

On By mgroberts547In UncategorizedLeave a comment

February 28th, 2016

T-minus 5 days until I am on a 12 hour flight taking me to “One of the most beautiful places on Earth.” Of course its beauty was only one of the things drawing me to the middle of the Pacific Ocean, specifically the island of Oahu. Aside from that, I was captured by the leaps and bounds Hawaii is making in the renewable energy field. On June 8th, 2015 (about one year ago) the Governor of Hawaii signed four energy bills, one of which holds Hawaii to their goal of generating 100% of their electricity from renewable energy by the year 2045. They are the first U.S. state to set such a goal, and an aggressive one at that! By not having to spend $5 billion on imported oil a year, Hawaii will be able to invest more money into their economy. I will be visiting Makai Ocean Engineering to learn more about their current research and technologies being developed right now.

Along with learning about the business of renewable energies, I will be immersing myself in Hawaii’s unique culture by preparing cultural food and building paddles that the natives used when discovering the islands.

I am a very excited senior interested in our Earth, engineering, traveling, and what Oahu holds for us and our future. Keep coming back if you share any of these interests!

-Maddie

 

 

Live Music, Live Passion

On By acovaleskiIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Hello! My name is Amanda and I will be going to the South by Southwest (SXSW) music festival in Austin, TX for Senior Projects. I write for a music blog, When the Gramophone Rings, in my spare time (my posts can be found here) and I even dedicated a semester-long independent course to my blogging. In the fall, I did an Independent Seminar in English where I music blogged and researched what makes effective blog posts.

I love music and how it forces emotions upon listeners. In my opinion it’s the only art form that elicits specific emotions from audiences. One of my favorite quotations is, “[Music] has the power to command people how to feel. Imagery, words, they’re very suggestive, whereas music can command somebody how to feel on an emotional level, uncontrollably,” said by Matty Healy of The 1975. I decided to pursue SXSW because I love live music more than any other form of music. It’s much more personal than listening to music digitally, which is what we do on a day to day basis. Live music gives a space for musicians, their music, and their fans so that everyone can feel the same emotions and feel attached.

My personal goal for this project is to soak up as much music and fully live the experience since SXSW is such a unique festival. Other major music festivals like Coachella in California, Bonnaroo in Tennessee, and Glastonbury in England, are held in big open fields with multiple stages where artists play at all times of day. SXSW is different because it happens right in the heart of Austin in the hundreds of music venues that already exist in the city. These venues host showcases, which are basically like any normal concert but with about 4-5 bands playing in a night. During the day, companies and record labels host “unofficial parties” which allow companies to push their product while providing entertainment through the bands that are in Austin for the festival. Since SXSW is so different from other festivals, I want to take advantage of its set up and see as many artists as possible.

My more professional goal is to go see artists that I wouldn’t normally see and to push myself out of my comfort zone with music. I usually review similar songs (usually ambient/dark indie rock or beachy indie pop) for When the Gramophone Rings, so seizing this opportunity to really discover music will be an interesting and challenging change for me. My assignment from my editor at the site is to write something along the lines of a ‘Best Discoveries at SXSW’ piece. I think that works well with my personal goal and it will allow me to see artists I wouldn’t necessarily see if I was going to SXSW on my own, without an assignment from the blog.

One major obstacle that has come up already is that a large amount of venues for showcases and unofficial parties are 21+. I’ve had to narrow down which artists I can see since only some of them are playing venues I can get into. I thought that would limit me a lot, but after looking at the line ups for venues I can go to a little more closely, it looks like there’s a great range of smaller, unheard of bands. I don’t think any other obstacles as big as this will come my way but we shall see…

Going to SXSW is the main part of my project, but I will also be writing for the blog for the first week of Senior Projects before I go to SXSW. Since March 8th is International Women’s Day, When the Gramophone Rings will be doing a women-only week from March 7—March 13. All the female writers will be covering female artists for the whole week, no men allowed. I’m really excited to be writing for that week since I think it’s a great showcase of women in music. That will keep me busy for the first week then I’ll be off to Austin.

I’m really excited to start my project. I think that it will be a great opportunity for me to discover new music in a way that really interests me as well as a way for me to connect with artists and write about what I enjoyed at the festival. The women’s week will be really neat to watch unfold since there’s a ton of women getting involved, both writers and musicians. Writing for this Westtown blog will also help me process what I’m seeing and give me a way to reflect on what I see and do. T minus 16 days to Austin!

-Amanda

Peru so far..

On By edenrothackerIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Let me begin by saying that Peru maybe the most beautiful country on the planet. It has something geographically for everyone; beautiful coast to the west, the valleys and mountains of the Andes, and not to mention 60% of Peru is actually a part of the Amazon Jungle. I have spent the last two days in the Sacred Valley and it’s surrounding area. Narrow, winding, roads led us to Chincherro, Maras, and Urubamba, but it was a train yesterday that took us to Machu Picchu. Our guide Marco told us to look out the window at a certain part of the train ride where the landscape literally transforms from mountainous/alpine-y type forestry to jungle at the base of these massive mountains. I have taken about 250 photos since I have arrived to Peru, so here we go with some new landscape style photography.

 

We visited Chincherro on Sunday, and this is a scene of the local leaders (only the men) of the town doing their Sunday service. The women pictured to the right are their wives who listen in on the service.

This ancient Huaca was used as a ceremonial space, and it is commonly thought that if the people were to wish for good crops, soil, etc. they would gather in this space, face the land, and pray for it’s fertility. In general, Huacas are used to get in touch with the spirits of the earth such as the sun, wind, stars, etc.

This church was built in the 16th century by the Spanish when they conquered Peru. They very kindly built literally on top of the Incan infrastructures which is why there is an inconsistent divide between the white Spanish pavement and Incan masonry.

This is a street made of steps in Chincherro which proved to be very exhausting on our lungs at 10,000 ft. elevation.

This local woman (from whom we asked permission before we photographed) sold us that backpack in the local market of Chincherro (only open on Sundays)  where the merchants like to bargain with the customers. It is kind of like the Italian Market because they sell absolutely everything from food, fabrics, toys, etc. We learned some new words in the local language, Quechua, to help with the bargaining.

The next town we visited was Maras, which owns this salt mine. There are about 4,000 ponds in this area that uses water that has been running since 450 AD (and has never stopped since then) as a means to fill these ponds. Then in the dry season, when the water evaporates these ponds are left with crystal white residue which we know as table salt. Farmers will often carry 100 kilos of salt back to their town to sell. One more interesting fact is that if a man wants to marry a girl from the town, the family will give him a pond to take care of and depending how  well he maintains it, they will give him their permission to marry her.

This Incan ruin was used for farming different crops such as corn, potatoes, and flowers. They were able to make the circles look so perfect by having a man stand in the center, attached to another man by rope who would then walk in the circles to mark them (like a human compass).

This, of course, is the famous Machu Picchu citadel ruins being overlooked by the Wyana Picchu mountain. It was discovered by some American explorers in 1911, and had only been accessible through the Inca Trail for a very long time. In more recent days, they send buses of about 60-80 people up and down every few minutes. The three major parts of Machu Picchu are known to be the worship area, agricultural area, and urban area.

We have one more (hopefully less rainy) day in Machu Picchu, but tonight we take the train back to Urubamba where we will depart for Cusco, the last visit of my Senior Project.

~ Eden