California State University, Monterey Bay
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Social-Emotional Learning in Kindergarten
Full text linkMany young children have not yet developed sufficient socioemotional skills. When children lack these socioemotional skills, they may struggle with understanding, communicating, and regulating their emotions effectively. For young children, socioemotional learning can improve emotional regulation, their academic performance, as well as their overall well-being. In order to increase socioemotional skills, I created a three-day lesson for kindergarteners at the Monterey Bay Charter School Foothill Elementary in Monterey, California
Increasing Awareness on Stressors Faced by Immigrants and Their families in the United States
Full text linkThis paper attempts to provide awareness of the multifaceted stressors that adversely affect the immigrant community, particularly immigrant high school students in the United States. Challenges such as language barriers, discrimination, acculturation, adaptation, and loss of identity contribute to risks of anxiety, depression, social isolation, and suicidal ideation among these students. Recognizing the pressing need to address this issue, this capstone project involves developing and implementing a one-day educational workshop for English Learner (EL) students at Alisal High School in Salinas, California. Grounded in Erikson’s psychosocial development theory, specifically the identity vs. role confusion stage, the workshop aimed to provide students with coping strategies, mental health resources, and a platform to share personal experiences. The findings from the workshop underscore the importance of creating awareness of the mental health problems that the immigrant community faces in the country in order to support the well-being and identity development of the immigrant youth
Educate, Empower, Prevent; A Harm Reduction Approach to Youth Substance Abuse Prevention
Full text linkYouth who are at risk of substance abuse often lack the correct preventive awareness that takes into account the lived experiences of those same adolescents. When these at-risk youth lack proper substance use education and are just told to ‘say no,’ they often experiment with illicit substances such as alcohol or drugs without having the tools to be able to evaluate the risks at hand. Once adolescents effectively learn about substance abuse prevention, they can make a conscious choice based on the risks and rewards of such actions given their biology, family history, vulnerability to addiction and their lived experiences. To address the dangers related to a lack of substance use education, I have orchestrated a one-day workshop at Youth Alliance in Hollister, California, about substance abuse from a harm reduction standpoint using a culturally relevant and trust-based approach
Fostering Scientific Learning With an Integrated Arts Curriculum for 5th and 6th Graders.
Full text linkThe traditional scientific curriculum presented in schools limits students’ ability to make creative connections with their work and develop critical thinking skills. This often leads to students not fully engaging in their learning and risks their ability to engage with science in a holistic way. Integrated curriculum combines different domains of learning that emphasize creative expression such as art with those that focus on abstract concepts and natural phenomena such as scientific learning. An Integrated science and art curriculum fosters deeper engagements and personal connection to their learning. Given the potential integrated curriculum has to foster scientific learning, I created an integrated physics and music curriculum and delivered it to 5th and 6th-grade classes at Monterey Bay Charter Elementary
Increasing Social-Emotional Skills Of First-Grade Students
Full text linkFirst-grade students have not yet fully developed their socio-emotional skills around managing their emotions. Children who have not been able to develop their socio-emotional skills may bully other students and receive more discipline from the teacher. When the children learn how to manage their socio-emotional skills, they will become kinder and helpful to each other. To address this issue, I have created a three-day lesson plan for first graders at Monte Bella Elementary School in Salinas, California
Enhancing Social Emotional and Language Development for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Elementary Students
Full text linkSocial-emotional and language development are often absent in the curriculum for students in elementary school programs who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing(DHH). When social-emotional and language development are missing, Deaf and Hard of Hearing elementary students may have trouble with communicating with others, understanding social cues, and language comprehension. Deaf and Hard of Hearing students who learn about social-emotional and language development may be more likely to communicate, express their feelings, understand grammar and vocabulary. In order to address this issue, I have created a workshop for 2nd and 3rd grade students at Toro School for the Deaf in Salinas, California
Effects of Increased Use of Technology in Early Years of Child Development
Full text linkThis senior capstone research project examines how the increased use of technology in early years can have a significant effect on child development, both positive and negative. In this research project, besides conducting an extensive literature review, interviews with three teachers from an early childhood education center and an administrator were interviewed and parent surveys were conducted. The result findings revealed that the increased use of technology in early years affects children’s development. The project also suggests that finding a way to balance technology with traditional play and face-to-face interactions could be a good way to promote healthy development in young children
Harmonic Innovators and Cultural Catalysts in American Jazz: The Social Impact and Musical Innovations of Louis Armstrong in The Real Ambassadors, Duke Ellington\u27s Sacred Concerts and John Coltrane\u27s A Love Supreme
Full text linkAbstract This capstone project explores how three landmark jazz works—Louis Armstrong’s The Real Ambassadors (1961), John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme (1965), and Duke Ellington’s Sacred Concerts (1965–1973)—responded to the social challenges of the Civil Rights era while advancing the artistic stature of jazz. Each composition challenged systemic racism through its unique blend of innovation and cultural expression: Armstrong’s performance in The Real Ambassadors used satire to critique American racial hypocrisy; Coltrane’s A Love Supreme presented a spiritual and musical journey grounded in modal development and personal transformation; and Ellington’s Sacred Concerts fused jazz with sacred and classical traditions to elevate jazz into cathedral and concert hall spaces. These works not only addressed the Black American experience but also redefined jazz as a serious compositional art form, capable of achieving the thematic and structural depth long associated with Western Art Music. By influencing prominent classical composers such as Leonard Bernstein, Steve Reich, and Gunther Schuller, these compositions helped bridge cultural and stylistic divides, asserting jazz’s place within the broader canon of American and global high art. This project analyzes their musical innovations, historical context, and cultural impact to argue that jazz, at its most visionary, is both a force for social commentary and a rival to the classical tradition in expressive power and complexity
Students Insufficient Reading Proficiency
No full textStudents’ lack of foundational reading proficiency continues to be a significant barrier to academic success, particularly among bilingual and underserved communities. This capstone project was implemented at ProYouth, an expanded learning program serving students in grades K–12 in King City, California, where many families speak primarily Spanish and face limited time to support reading at home. The project aimed to strengthen students’ literacy skills through targeted small group reading interventions and to gather parent input through surveys to better understand student needs and family challenges. Intervention groups met daily during the six-week ProYouth Summer Program and utilized evidence-based strategies focused on phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Results showed measurable improvements in students’ foundational reading abilities, including letter sound recognition, word blending, and overall reading fluency. Parent surveys revealed common barriers such as limited English proficiency, time constraints, and uncertainty about effective home reading practices. The project met its primary goal of improving reading skills and partially met its secondary goal of increasing family engagement. Recommendations include expanding small group interventions during the school year, offering bilingual family literacy workshops, and increasing staff training in structured literacy approaches. Continued collaboration with families and sustained intervention efforts will support long-term literacy development and academic success