Silver Chips Online

Silver Chips Online

Assignment/Activity Title— Managing editor of Silver Chips Online 

Year— Junior

Skill— Group Dynamics, Writing, Media

Portfolio Category— Advanced Exhibition

            In the spring of my junior year, the Silver Chips Online staff chose me (along with one other person) to become a managing editor of the publication. This is a position that doesn't exist in Silver Chips print, and basically what it means is that along with continuing to write stories – one every cycle – I also edit almost every story that gets published on the site. Managing editors receive the stories after they send them to the section editors and before they get sent to the Editors-in-Chief (EiCs), and we're also a part of the administrative team. Apart from editing and writing stories, the managing editors are also in charge of checking in on staff morale and helping the junior writers with any questions or concerns they have. Over the course of just a few months as acting managing editor, I've not only begun to establish a personal leadership style but also learn some things about myself – all the while keeping the publication running smoothly.

Takoma Park Rangers

Takoma Park Rangers

Assignment/Activity Title— Captain of the Takoma Park Rangers

Year— Senior

Skill— Group Dynamics                    

Portfolio Category— Advanced Exhibition

            I've been playing with the same National Capital Soccer League (NCSL) club soccer team since the summer before fifth grade. Unlike most teams in the league, we're not a big club. The Takoma Park Rangers don't have an A team and a B team, and we've never cut a player trying out in the history of the club. When you join our team, you have two options – either you commit and put in the work, or you leave.

 

This Is Your Country On Drugs

This is Your Country on Drugs

 

 

Assignment/Activity Title— Racism Essay

Year— Junior Year

Skill— Writing, research

Portfolio Category— Critical Reasoning

 

            For this assignment, we were instructed to critically examine racism in today's society. But not just racism in general, we had to focus in on a specific expression of racism and propose a solution. I decided to focus on incarceration rates and drug laws that unfairly target minorities, since that's one of the most prevalent ways racism is expressed in society – through the legal system. I proposed reform in the way we classify marijuana as a drug, legalizing the substance, and cutting federal grants to local law enforcement.

AP World History Chapter Presentation

Chapter 31 Part II Presentation



 

Assignment/Activity Title— AP World History Presentation (Ch. 32 part II)

Year— Junior

Skill— Media, research, group dynamics

Portfolio Category— Media & Communications

            For this project, we had to present chapters of the AP World History book in groups of four. There were some requirements, such as an external document and a formative activity, but for the most part it was a fairly straightforward assignment. Amalia, Susanna, Olivia and I split up our chapter – the second part of 32 – into four parts. I ended up doing the 'essential questions,' which was basically a summary of the entire presentation and emphasis on important components. I was also in charge of creating a formative activity.

Flower Week

Assignment/Activity Title— Flower Week essays  

Year— Junior Year

Skill— Writing, creative, literature  
Portfolio Category— Critical Reasoning

            During Flower Week, we had 120 minutes to write three essays – one that focused on synthesizing sources into a cohesive argument, one that formed an argument based on a prompt, and another that analyzed an argument. This was in preparation for the AP Language and Composition exam, on which we'll have to do roughly the amount of writing in the same time frame.

Digital Downtime

Digital Downtime Logging Reflection

Assignment/Activity Title— Digital Downtime

Year— Junior

Skill— Media

Portfolio Category— Social Awareness

Essentially, digital downtime forced us to limit our use of digital technology for a week. According to my personal contract, I could still use my laptop for homework and work related activities – but all Netflix, TV, movies, and iPod use were prohibited.
 

Women's Week Presentation

Women's Sports

 
Assignment/Activity Title— Women's Sports

Year— Junior

Skill— Media, Research

Portfolio Category— Social Awareness  

          Women's week was a class-driven examination of modern gender relations, with a focus on the feminist movement. Among ourselves, we divided up research and presentations by specific topic, and created a schedule to follow (although that ultimately got thrown off by AP testing). A couple classmates even brought in a speaker to talk about the feminist movement and women's advocacy with us. Over the course of the roughly two and a half week unit, we held our own debates, presentations, and discussions. The final step of the project was to create a list of seven 'principles to live by,' or seven rules regarding feminism that the entire class would have to agree upon.