Blog 24: Last Presentation Reflection

(1) Positive Statement

What are you most proud of in your block presentation and/or your senior project? Why?

I would have to say what I am most proud of is completing the whole senior project. Everything from the research checks to all 3 presentations. I am really proud because in the beginning of the project, I couldn't see the other side . And now that I'm at the other side, It's unbelievable to think that I'm here now and graduating.


(2) Questions to Consider

a. What assessment would you give yourself on your block presentation? Use the component contract to defend that assessment.

"P" , I would most definitely give myself a "P" because I met all the criteria and hit every category , I wouldn't give myself any higher than  P though because I didn't really go above and beyond in anything.

b. What assessment would you give yourself on your overall senior project? Use the component contract to defend that assessment.

"P" I would give myself a P because unlike many of my peers, I actually kept up to date with everything through out the whole year and turned everything in.

(3) What worked for you in your senior project?

What worked for me in my senior project was finding mentors to mentor. Because at first It was hard to find a mentor under my topic and I though I was going to have to change my topic but I luckily found two mentors over the year.

(4) (What didn't work) If you had a time machine, what would you have done differently to improve your senior project?
Nothiog more but improve on my overall presentation (block), because I felt like my topic allowed me to have a fun presentation but I didn't have one because i Procrastinated a tad bit. So just improve on my presentation so it would have been more engaging for my audience. 

(5) Finding Value

How has the senior project been helpful to you in your future endeavors? Be specific and use examples.

Senior Project has been on my Passion so it definitely made me realize how much I love this sport and why I'm involved. This project also made me realize that this is something I would definitely love making a career out of.

Exit Interview

(1) What is your essential question, and what are your answers? What is your best answer and why?

My essential question is "How can an amatuer skater best transition to being a professional skateboarder?" My three answers are Video footage, Fashion , Contest. I believe my best answer if video footage because it is the most engaging answer and I see how I can use it to catch my audiences attention during the presentation.

(2) What process did you take to arrive at this answer?

Going through interviews and weeks and weeks of research checks.

(3) What problems did you face? How did you resolve them?

Problems i faced were when my mentor got to busy to handle the hours so I had to get a new one. I looked at many skateparks for sponsored skaters to help me with my project.

(4) What are the two most significant sources you used to answer your essential question and why?
Be prepared with evidence and specific examples to support any response. It is also significant to cite sources as you explain.
A source that was very valuable to my research was "How Nike swooshed into Skateboarding", and article I found online.

Another source that was very helpful was Tampa Ann's web page with information on how their contest is ran

Blog 22- Independent Component 2

LITERAL
“I, Edward Hernandez, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 31 hours of work.”
(b) My mentor Olivier Lucero has to take all the credit for this one because if it wasn't for him helping me and motivating me to push my project further, I wouldn't have accomplished what I did.
(d) I made a Logo and surveyed skaters from Local skate parks like West Covina, Montclair, Claremont, Pomona, and Ontario to see if they would wear clothing with this logo on it. I simply explained what the logo meant to each and every skater and told them what the purpose was for. This logo was intended to be something that would be popular through out the skateboarding world. 
(e) All my work was documented and My mentor emailed my house teacher confirming time spent on project.
(f) My essential question is "How can an amatuer skate best transition to being a professional skateboarder?" My answer two is through fashion trends because people usually catch on and start following people who start new trends. So I made a logo that stood for the happiness brought by skateboarding and to see if it was something that people would be interested in and hopefully start a new trend through my piece of clothing. 

Interview 4 Questoins

1. Who do you plan to interview? What is this person's area of expertise?

My mentor and i are still working on somebody for me to interview, we are looking for somebody who is sponsored and has a name in the skateboarding industry.

2. Post 20 open-ended questions you want to ask an expert in the field concerning your senior project. Your focus should be finding answers to your EQ.

1)How can i best answer my EQ?

2) Who did you have to talk to , to get on the team?

3)What are you trying to do best to pursue a skateboarding career?

4)What advice do you have for somebody trying to do the same?

5) Who do you recommend i talk to?

6) In your opinion, what do should be my best answer?

7)What did you eat for dinner?

8)Hows the kids?

9)Is music a big part of a video in your eyes, does it engage the audience?

10) Or is it the tricks and stunts performed in the video?

11)What are the best connections to make in the skateboarding business?

12) Does social media play an important role in the way a company views you?

13) Is it true Boo Johnson got kicked off the mountain dew team due to social media shots on his profile?

14)How do you incorporate your profile with your skateboarding career?

15)How does endorsements work and sponsors when you get sponsored?

Answer three

EQ 

How can an amateur skateboarder best transition into a professional skater?

Answer #3 (Write in a complete sentence like a thesis statement)*

One of the best ways to transition into a professional skateboarder is through Competitions.

3 details to support the answer'

• The biggest skateboarders in modern day skateboarding are known outside the skateboarding world only because competition.
• Bigger money opportunities to make a sustainable live off of.
• Bigger endorsements through competitions.

The research source(s) to support your details and answer

http://streetleague.com/#sm.0001silsnrlc9dtjsoj1kcqe2rmz3

http://skateparkoftampa.com/events 

Concluding Sentence

Competition is the most beneficial factor towards a skateboarders career.

Blog 18- Answer two

1.  What is your EQ?
How can an amatuer skater best transition to being a professional skater.

2.  What is your first answer? (In complete thesis statement format)
The best was a skater can best transition to being a professional is video footage because it is the best way to get yourself know in the skatebording world.

 3.  What is your second answer? (In complete thesis statement format)
The best way to transition to being a professional skateboarder is through fashion because its appealing to your audience.

4.  List three reasons your answer is true with a real-world application for each.
It is true because companies want a person for their company that the people listen to. If your fashion game is on point, you are more likely to catch an audience.

5.  What printed source best supports your answer?
To be continued...
To be continued...
To be continued...

6.  What other source supports your answer?
To be continued...

7.  Tie this together with a  concluding thought
My second answer for my essential question and what i will be basing my independant component two off of is fashion tied in with skateboarding.

Interview 3 Reflection

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7OwE1u4xzCRQkM5YUlyZmxjODA/view?usp=sharing

1. What is the most important thing I learned from the interview?
The most important thing i learned from this interview is how corporations work and what they want from the people they sponsor. I think thats an essential to my main question for senior project.

 
2. How has your approach to interviewing changed over the course of your senior project?

My approach towards interviewing did not change much . I try to ask them open ended questions to keep an engaging conversation going. Maybe less shy to talk and record at the same time.

Independent Component 2 Approval

1. Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.

Another answer i'm leaning towards is the fashion aspect of skateboarding. Maybe for my Independent Component 2 i can make clothing of my own that relate to skateboarding.

2. Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.
I will show my pieces and take photographs of my work. Maybe have my mentor confirm as well

3. Explain how this component will help you explore your topic in more depth.

It will help me understand another answer to my essential question for my senior project. Making clothing of my own will help me understand what people are interested in .

4. Post a log in your Senior Project Hours link and label it "Independent Component 2" log.

 Done

Independent Component 1

LITERAL
(a) Write: “I, Edward Hernandez , affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30+ hours of work.”

(b) Cite your source regarding who or what article or book helped you complete the independent component.

There wasn't really no article that helped me with this project. I would Have to say my mentor Olivier Lucero helped me out the most with the project. He guided me through it and explained to me how eventually my video parts will get better. I couldn't expect much. 

(c) Update your hours in your Senior Project Hours link. Make sure it is clearly labeled with hours for individual sessions as well as total hours.

done.

(d) Explain what you completed. 

I completed skateboarding video.  
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJg8qt1-e_g 

INTERPRETIVE
Defend your work and explain its significance to your project and how it demonstrates 30 hours of work. Provide evidence (photos, transcript, art work, videos, etc) of the 30 hours of work.  

My project consist of different many little video clips so i thing ill be good with evidence. Anyways, my answer one for my EQ is video parts and that is what i have made for my independent component 1.

APPLIED
How did the component help you understand the foundation of your topic better? Please include specific examples to illustrate this. 

It helped me understand that its a lot harder than it looks to make a video look cool .  It was real frustrating and skateboarding isn't fun when it becomes a job. Definitely makes me reconsider where i want to go with this sport. Trying to make the video cool requires cool footage, and that makes the pressure real and it gets stressful and you don't end up getting what you want. Thats what i have learned from this experience. 

Lesson 2 Reflection

1) What are you most proud of in your Lesson 2 presentation and why?
       I'm most proud of my presentation/powerpoint I would have to say because I was really nervous  that my powerpoint wasn't long enough and I wouldn't hit the ten minute mark for talking time. Four slides into my presentation, I looked at the clock and realized I was having too much fun with my audience and needed to hurry it up actually.  I'm proud of that because that made my presentation experience so much better.

2)What assessment would you give yourself on your Lesson 2 Presentation (self-assessment)?
"P"

b. Explain why you deserve that grade using evidence from the Lesson 2 component contract.
Time use effectively, Appropriate body language, Powerpoint designed and used appropriately.

3. What worked for you in your Lesson 2?
What worked for me in my presentation two was my hook because i felt that the audience was really engaged and enjoyed the Jason Parks friendship video part for Thrasher Magazine.

4. What didn't work? If you had a time machine, what would you have done differently to improve your Lesson 2?
I probably would've planned a better activity for my audience because my activity wasn't to fun in my eyes. 

5. What do you think your answer #2 is going to be?

I think my answer two is probably going to be somewhere in the competition field. Competitions are global and spread recognition for competitors quickly. That would be a great answer for my essential question. 

Blog 14- Interview Three preparation

1) Who do you plan to interview ? What is this persons expertise in this area?
The person I plan to interview is Holbert Homes. He is a local skater from my town of Pomona who is currently riding for Kings board shop and has many sponsors . On his way to being a professional soon.

2.  Verify that you have called your interviewee to schedule an interview.  What is the date and time of the interview? Still working on verification. Hopefully some time next week .

3.  Phrase an open-ended question that will help you find research resources that would help to answer the EQ. What has skateboarding done for you and what have you done with what it has given you?

4.  Phrase an open-ended question that will help you think about other useful activities you might do to help you answer the EQ (IC2, possible experts to talk to, etc).
Does your social skills have a impact on your career as a skater?

5.  Phrase two open-ended questions that help you to understand your interviewee's perspective on an aspect of your EQ. 
How do you maintain your status as skater?
How important are Video parts to you?

Blog 13: 10 Hour Mentorship Check-in

1.   Where are you doing your mentorship? 
I was doing my mentor ship with a current professional skateboarder Boo Johnson but due to lack of an open schedule , i will be switching my mentor over to a semi-professional skateboarder (still waiting on conformation from individual). 


2.   Who is your contact?  What makes this person an expert?
The semi-professional skateboarder I have plans on mentoring is named Oliver Lucero who has sponsors that he makes a living off of. Oliver is an expert in this field because he has the skill and popularity that i am looking for to help me answer my essential question. 

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 did around 12-15 hours with Boo not counting my summer hours. I haven't talked to Boo about the 10 hour check in call due to his Busy Schedule (reasons why i'm switching mentors). Will have him call in for the 10 hours when i do get a hold on him. 

4.   Succinctly summarize what you did, how well you and your mentor worked together, and how you plan to complete the remaining hours. Boo showed me a lot on how he maintains his status and fame as a pro and that really helped me with what i needed, i'm hoping Oliver will be able to help me the same way as Boo has been. I plan on completing the rest of my hours with Oliver.

Blog 12- Holiday Project Update

1.)  It is important to consistently work on your senior project, whether it is break or we are in school.  What did you do over the break with your senior project? i didn't really get the chance to meet with mentor over break, however i did get to work on my independent component a lot through my break.

2.) What was the most important thing you learned from what you did, and why?  What was the source of what you learned? Hmm i guess i would have to say i learned dedication because i did not expect the video to be this hard.

3.)Your third interview will be a 10 question interview related to possible answers for your EQ. Who do you plan to talk to and why? Either a professional skateboarder or a skateboarder on their way there because they're the only ones who could help me really answer me EQ.

Blog 11-Lesson 1 Reflection

1. What are you most proud of in your lesson, and why? 
During my presentation, i felt like it was a bit more engaging to my audience than others were. So my presentation being engaging to the classroom is probably what i'm most proud about.
2. What assessment would you give yourself on your lesson? Explain why you earned that grade using evidence from the component contract. 
I met all the requirements except for one which was referring to one published article that you have read, so i would have gave myself an 'AP' because i didn't meat everything.
3. If you could go back, what would you change about your lesson?  How can you use that knowledge to give a better Lesson 2? 
I would definitely have prepared just a little bit more. Maybe rehearsed all the way through my presentatoin instead of just half ways.  

Blog 10- Interview 2 Reflection.

1. Please explain how you are spending your mentorship time (Is it at a workplace or somewhere else?  Are you shadowing?  Are you able to do tasks that are meaningfully related to the topic?  If so, what?  Are there other people who are experts in the location?  Etc...) Boo has been showing me how he sets his reputation with the public which is basically his audience. So he is demonstrating how he markets himself and explains his profession to public. Other experts in this field are other professionals in the sport of skateboarding as well. 

2.  How did you find your mentor?  How did you convince this person to help you?  

I found out of Boo because he is currently dating my cousin. So i just asked him if he had the time and he said sure but i am currently looking for another mentor who wouldn't be on tour as much as Boo.

3. How would you rate your comfort level with your mentor at this point in your relationship?  How does this relate to the time you've spent so far at mentorship/with this person . I would rate my level of comfort with my mentor pretty decent.  It doesnt show no correlation to the amount of time i have spent with Boo. But i am pretty comfertable with him.

4. What went well in this interview?  Why do you think so?  What do you still need to improve?  How do you know?  How will you go about it? I unfortunately did not get to do this interview becaue my mentor was on tour, but as soon as he returns i will complete this task. 

Blog 9- House Advisory Prep 3

1. State whether or not you currently have a mentor, and what the status of your interview is with that person (I have completed the interview, I have scheduled the interview, I have not scheduled the interview, etc).
I have a mentor right now, and i have a scheduled interview with that person.

2. At this point, your research is probably guiding your studies toward more specific areas within your topic.  Name the area or two you find most promising and explain your reasons.  
 Two areas that they have directed me towards are clothing lines and video parts 

3. What kinds of sources do you think will help you in the next month to gain more research depth?  Where will you go to get them?
I think articles will help me because they're the most recent, and i will look online for them .

4. Write down a possible EQ.  Please don't worry about wording other than ensuring that it provides the option for multiple correct answers.  At this point, the senior team is most interested in understanding your thought process.
"What is the most successful way a professional skateboarder can market himself?"

Independent Camponent 1 Proposal

 1) Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.
 For my independent component I plan on making a skateboarding video and taking the time it takes to make the video and the time it takes to edit it to reach the 30 hour mark.

2) Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.
In order to reach the 30 hour mark, I will spend about a total of 20+ plus hours making the video and try to make the rest of the time with editing. I will record my hours with video footage as proof for how long it took to take it.

3) Explain how what you will be doing will help you explore your topic in more depth.
My topic is how professinal skateboarders market themselfes in the skateboarding world, and thier video part is a big way they put themselfes out there. So making an video is getting as close as possible to knowing what its like to market yourself.

4) Update your senior Blog.
Ok,

Blog 7- Second Interview Preparation

1)  Who is your mentor and where do they work?  If their workplace does not reflect their expertise, what makes them an expert? My mentor is Boo Johnson and he works for DGK. His workplace really does reflect his expertise because all he does for work is skate. Thats why it's being reflected all the time when he is at work. 

2)  What five questions will you ask them about their background? 
1. What influenced you to get where you are now?
2. Did you see anything in the past that got in your way to get where you are today?
3. How did you get to the position your in now? (Video footage?)
4. Was the skate scene big where you grew up at? 
5. How are you enjoying life now?

Blog 6- Advisoy Prep

1) What has worked well for you concerning senior project this year? What has made it a positive experience for you? Getting a bit of history on my topic has worked really well this year for me. Knowing a bit of history helps me in different aspects for my project by understanding what caught peoples eyes back than and also what catches them now. What has made it a positive experience for me is dong somerthing im actually interested in because it doesn't bother me to actually do the work.

2)What are you finding dificult concerning senior year? How can you adapt to make that portion work better for you? How might the senior team help? Im finding the gap of the senior project a little difficult to deal with this year. Knowing that it's so far away kinda makes me lose focus on it because of the gap. I can adapt to this by taking the senior project more serious so I won't be behind when the actual presentation comes.

Blog 5- Interview 1 Reflection

1) What is the most important thing I learned from the interview? Is there anything I would do differently for my next interview?
 The most important thing I gained from this interview was the advice on how to start off a good company. That advice was that image is the biggest contributing factor towards your company because your image is what represents you. Your image is what people think of when they think about your company. So stickers would need to be an essential because that's the easiest way to spread your picture. No there's nothing i would do differently for my next interview because i don't think i need anything extra.

 2)Did I get the additional resources and contacts? What is the most useful? Why?
Yes, Boo was nice enough to contact people that he knows to also help me with my project. He was going to contact me with a friend who does marketing for his skateboarding company DGK, which would be helpful because i need this person must be real experienced in this field. Interviewing this person can probably get me real good answers and get more into depth with this project.

 3)What makes my interviewee qualified to help me?
What makes my interviewee qualified to help me is the fact that he does a bit of marketing himself. In order to be a succesful skateboarder you must sell you image in order to make it big. Boo does so by marketing himself through his company and through his fashion sense. Anything to support the way people view him, is marketing himself to his audience. My interviewee is very sucessful at doing this job for his career. Being an experienced person is what makes Boo a qualified interviewee for my project.