Q:

Whatdidyoulearnabouttheresearchprocess?

A:WhenIresearchededucationformyPridePaper,Iwasabletounderstandhowmuchwork
goesintowritingandformattingaresearchpaper.Findinggoodresearchwasprobablythe
hardestaspectofthepaperandadequatelyusingthatinformationprovedtobejustasdifficult.I
did,however,findtheresearchtobeextremelyhelpfulandreliedonmysourcesheavily
throughoutthepaperandwhendecidingwhattodoformyproject.

Q:Howdidwhatyouresearchedforthepaperhelpyouwithyourhoursandhowwasthe
researchrelatedtoyourprojecthours.?
A:Ichosethebroadtopicofeducationtowritemypaperonbecausethereissomanydifferent
aspectsofeducationthatIwasinterestedin.OneofthethingsIwroteaboutandresearchedfor
mypaperwaseducationadministration.Withmypreviousknowledgeofeducation
administrationandwhatIfoundwhenresearching,IdecidedthatIwantedtotakethatapproach
withmyproduct.Afterresearching,Ihadabetterunderstandingofthejobdescriptionofa
principalandusedthateffectivelytochooseaproduct.

Q:Summarizetheprojecthoursthatyoucompleted.
A:Onthefirstdayofmymentorhours,Isatdownandhadalengthydiscussionwithmymentor,
Mr.Scholl.WediscussedwhatmygoalswerewiththeprojectandwhatIhadhopedtolearn
duringmytimewithhim.Weagreedthatitwouldbeextremelybeneficialandagreatlearning
processtoredothecurriculumguideandmakeanewmasterscheduleforthe20152016school
year.ThenexttimewemetwetalkedaboutthedaytodayoperationsforaprincipalatPine
Lake.AlargepartofMr.Schollsdayconsistsofmeetingswithstudents,parents,andteachers,
emails,andtheoversightofPineLake.However,everydayisdifferentforanadministrator.
Duringourthirdmeeting,weworkedonthecurriculumguidemakingitlookmoreappealing,
andupdatingalloftheinformation.Duringourfourthmeeting,westartedlayingthegroundwork
forthefinalschedule.Ourlastmeetingconsistedofthefinaltouchestothescheduleandwe
madesureeverythinglookedtheexactwaywewanteditto.

Q:Howdidcreatingaproductandcompletingthehourschallengeyouprofessionallyand
personallyandhowdidtheentireprocessstretchyouasalearner,aprofessional,andasan
individual?
A:CreatingmyproductandcompletingthehourschallengedmepersonallybecauseIhadto
maketimetodobothofthosethings.Iwasextremelyfortunatebecausemymentorwantedto
helpmealotintheprocessofcreatingtheproductandhelpedguideme.Makingtimetodo
somethingthatisduemonthsoutisaveryhardthingwhenyouareusedtoprocrastinatingand
puttingthingsoffuntilthelastminute.Timewasmygreatestchallengewiththeproductandthe
hoursbecausemymentorwasreadilyavailablemostdaysandIhadtopushmyselftoseekhim
outandaskforhelp.Professionally,theproductandmentorhoursstretchedmebecauseIhave

neverdoneaprojectasextensiveandimportantasthisone.Thinkingaboutthefactthatthis
projectisthemostimportantassignmentIhaveeverdoneinmyentireacademiccareeris
excitingandstressfulatthesametime.Thepaperandtheproducthavebothpreparedmefor
futureassignmentsIwillreceiveincollegeandIknowIwillbereadytohandlethemafterdoing
themforPineLake.

Q:Howdidworkingwithyourmentoraffectyourunderstandingofthetopicandyour
developmentofaproduct?
A:Workingwithmymentorreallyjustmademeunderstandhowvariedthejobcanbe.There
aresomanydifferentaspectsthatgointothejobdescriptionofanadministratoranditisalways
changing.Mymentorhelpedmeunderstandoneofthemajorresponsibilitiesthathehasevery
schoolyear,makinganewmasterschedule.Itwasaverytimeconsumingandfrustrating
endeavorbutIwasabletoseealloftheworkandthoughtthatgoingintoitonafirsthandbasis.

Q:Whatareyoufeelingabouttheimpendingpresentationthatyouareplanning?
A:Iamincrediblynervousforthepresentation,however,throughmypublicspeakingand
englishclassIfeelreallyprepared.Idontliketopublicspeakandnotgettingoverlynervousis
somethingImgoingtohavetotryandkeepundercontrol.

Q:Whatexperiencedoyouhavewithpresentationsorspeakinginfrontofothers?
A:IhavetakenacouplepublicspeakingclassespreviouslyandIvedonetheoccasional
presentationinfrontoftheclass.Idontmindspeakinginfrontoftheclassinanonpresentation
settingbutIgetextremelynervouswhenalleyesarefocusedonme.

Q:Whatareyoudoingtoprepareforthepresentationtoensureyoursuccessfulcompletion?
A:Mostofmypreparationistakingplaceinmypublicspeakingclasswherewearemakingthe
presentation,presentingthepresentation,revisingthepresentationwiththehelpofour
classmates,andthenpresentingthepresentationoncemore.Iamsureafterwedothosethings
wewillbeextremelycomfortablewithourpresentationsforthefinallyshowingonFebruary
27th.

Q:Ifyouhadtogobackanddopartsoftheprojectagain,whatwouldyoudodifferently?
A:IfIhadtogobackanddopartsoftheprojectagain,Iwouldhavedecidedtostartsooner,and
sentoutstudentsurveysonwhattheywantedtoseeasfarasclassesgointhe20152016school
year.Iwouldhavehadthestudentsplayamoremajorroleintheschedulemakingprocessso
theycouldensuretheygotthescheduletheydesire.MymotivationfordoingwhatIdecidedto
wasmyfrustrationwhenchoosingmyclassesformysenioryear.AlotoftheAPclasseswereat
thesametimewhichconflictedwiththerequiredpublicspeaking/ethicscoursesandEnglishIV
orAPEnglishLiterature.OnethingIamextremelyproudofmyselfforisarrangingtheclasses

insuchawaythatstudentscantakemoreofthoseAPclassesandpushthemselvesfurther
becauseofthewayIsetupthescheduleandplacedtheclasses.

Q:Howdidyousurpriseyourselfwhenyouencounteredobstacles?
A:IsurprisedmyselfwhenencounteringobstaclesbecauseIjustkeptmoving.Oneofmy
greatestobstacleswasatthebeginningwhenmyfirstmentortoldmeshecouldnolongerhelp
meandIhadtofindanotherveryquickly.Ifoundagreatmentorandmanagedtogetittogether
andcompletemyproject.TimewasanothergreatobstaclebecauseIwork,cheer,andgoto
schoolbutIwasabletolearnhowtomanagemytimeeffectivelyandfinishmyprojectwhile
doingthoseotherthings.IsurprisedmyselfbecauseofhowhardIpushedandtheamountof
nightsthatIstayedupwellpastbedtimetoworkonPrideProjectstuff.Ibelievethatobstacles
aretheretopushyouandmakeyouworkhardersoyoucanfeelagreaterbenefitandbemore
proudofwhatyouhavedoneandaccomplished.ThePrideProjectmostcertainlydidthatforme.

Q:Howwilltheskillsyoulearnedandmasteredduringtheprojectandthementorhourshelp
youinlife?
A:OneofthegreatestskillsIlearnedthroughoutthePrideProjectprocessishowtomanage
timeeffectively.Ihaveneverdoneaprojectthatisastimeconsumingandinvolvedasthisone
andmakingthetimetositdownandworkontheprojectwasdefinitelyachallenge.Another
skillIlearnedwiththePrideProjectprocessishowtobeorganized.WhenIstartedthepapermy
junioryear,Irealizedhowimperativeorganizationskillswere.Overthelasttwoyears,Ihave
kepttrackofallofthecomponentsIneededformyportfolioandwhenIstartedmyprojectIhad
tokeeptrackofthatstuffaswell.ThegreatestskillIlearnedwiththePrideProjectishowto
managemystress.WorkingonaprojectthatdeterminesifIgraduate,isextremelystressfuland
unnerving.Iwasabletomanagemystressbycompletingthingsbytheirdeadlinesandmaking
listsforthestuffIneededtogetdone.