California State University, Monterey Bay
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Increasing Student Awareness of Mental Health Resources
Full text linkRates of anxiety and depression are too high among youth in Greenfield. Portola Butler High School is an alternative education institution serving students that struggled in traditional school environments. Many students at continuation schools deal with unique stressors such as academic struggles, family issues and social isolation which can significantly affect their mental well-being. Located in a rural area with limited access to mental health resources, Portola Butler faces unique challenges in addressing the mental and emotional needs of their students.The intervention included a presentation to a class of high school students at Portola Butler Continuation School. The focus was on the importance of increasing mental health awareness among teenagers and addressing common challenges with coping skills. With a resource card distributed to participants this project also aimed to provide mental health resources and support to students. The expected outcomes were to improve student knowledge on resources available to them and teach healthy coping skills. The post survey showed that few students are comfortable in reaching out for mental health services. This project successfully met the goal of increasing awareness on mental health. About nine students out of the eleven feel somewhat comfortable in reaching out for mental health services. Recommendations for the next steps include expanding mental health services to reach more students, increasing community awareness about the importance of mental health support, and securing additional funding to sustain and grow the program.These steps will help further address the high rates of anxiety and depression among youth in Greenfield
Teaching Diversity in Early Childhood
Full text linkDiversity and inclusivity is not taught enough in early childhood education. This project is a curriculum based project in order to show children about diversity and kindness to people who are different
Building Language Enrichment Activities for Parents of ELD Students
Full text linkParents of elementary school children learning a second language often lack the skills to support language improvement at home effectively. Without a strong foundation in language development, children may struggle to improve their language skills. When parents learn at-home activities to enrich their child’s language enhancement, children can benefit by increasing communication and building social relationships. Therefore, I have created a one-session curriculum on how parents can build and maintain their child’s language with at-home activities for parents of English learners at Washington Elementary School in San Jose, California
Increasing Mental Health Awareness in High School Athletes
Full text linkStudent-athletes often struggle to balance the demands of multiple academic and athletic responsibilities. These demands may harm student-athletes’ mental health by increasing anxiety, stress, and poor academic performance. When student-athletes develop effective coping skills, they can reduce their overall stress and enhance their overall well-being. To address this issue, I created a 45-minute workshop for the cross-country team at Marina High School in Marina, California
Empowering First-Generation High School Students: A Workshop to Support College Readiness and Well-Being
Full text linkThis project focused on supporting first-generation high school students in preparing for college success and well-being. In a 35-minute workshop at Salinas High School with GEAR UP sophomores, students were educated on campus support services, the process of financial assistance, and how to cope with academic pressure. The project was predicated on Erikson’s Theory of the stages of psychosocial development and the Identity vs. Role Confusion stage to assist students in developing confidence and college role exploration. The interactive methods used were live polls, Canva presentation slides, and Kahoot activities. Findings indicated high comprehension of emotional and academic supports available to students, some comprehension of financial aid processes, and minimal evaluation of managing pressure strategies because of time constraints. This project demonstrates the necessity of early college preparation intervention with first-generation students
Effects of Early Access to At-Home Electronics on the Well-Being of Young Children
No full textThis senior capstone research project examines how early access to electronic devices at home affects the well-being of young children. As screen time increases among young children, there are growing concerns about how it can impact their health, development, and social skills. Through the use of literature review and surveys with parents and teachers, the results revealed that too much screen time could lead children to problems, such as sleep issues, language delays, emotional hardships, anxiety, and depression. Given this, the results from this study will help guide parents and educators on how to manage screen time for young kids
Impact of Private Early Childhood Education on Academic and Social Preparedness of Preschoolers
Full text linkEarly childhood education plays a crucial role in shaping a child\u27s academic and social development. This senior capstone examines how private preschool programs influence kindergarten readiness in both academic and social domains. Through a literature review and interviews with early childhood educators, this project explores the specific practices within private programs that contribute to children\u27s preparedness. The result findings indicated that smaller class size, individualized instruction, and enriched learning environments are the key factors that could really support early learning success for children. As a future educator, this research highlights the value of incorporating these strategies into public school curriculum to improve early education outcomes for all children
Foraging Habitat Associations of Cryptic Foliage-Roosting Bats Across an Urban Gradient in Central Coast California
Full text linkHoary bats and western red bats are foliage-roosting species which may be sensitive to habitat loss due to urban expansion. Habitat use by bats has mostly been studied during summer periods, but habitat use during migratory and winter periods can inform conservation strategies for these sensitive species. We aimed to determine habitat use for foraging activity across an urban-natural habitat gradient for hoary and western red bats during fall and spring migration, winter, and to determine if there is seasonal sexual differentiation in habitat use. We captured bats using mist nets at urban and natural habitats and compared sex ratios. We used passive acoustic bat detectors to assess activity for foraging across multiple urban-natural gradients by recording echolocation activity and feeding buzzes. We constructed models based on temporal and landcover parameters at variable spatial scales within a Bayesian hierarchical framework to assess whether urbanization affects habitat use for foraging. We used spatial scales from the best supported model to create a map of high, medium, and low suitability for foraging within the study area. We found that more hoary bats and western red bats were captured in natural habitats compared to urban habitats, and males were more abundant than females. We found there was strong evidence that hoary bats and western red bats will forage in shrub/ grassland habitat at small scales (0- 0.5 km radius) surrounded by substantial forested areas (radius of 1.5 to 3 km or more). These findings provide support for the conservation of larger areas of natural habitat and may reflect species\u27 sensitivities to human-impacted environments
Culturally and Linguistically Responsive MTSS: Ethical and Actionable Strategies for Supporting Multilingual Learners in Multi-Tiered Frameworks
Full text linkThis paper examines the ethical and legal considerations in providing services to multilingual learners (MLs) before special education evaluations, focusing on the decision-making process within Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS). Legal mandates require districts to ensure MLs have equitable access to the general education curriculum and are provided with language support before special education assessment. However, school teams often face ethical and logistical challenges navigating MLs through MTSS, especially when employing a “one size fits all” approach. The unique needs of MLs may be overlooked, leading to misinterpretation of language differences as learning disabilities. Drawing on Armistead et al.\u27s (2011) problem-solving model and the National Association of School Psychologists\u27 ethical guidelines, practical and actionable recommendations are provided for adapting MTSS to meet MLs\u27 needs and foster culturally and linguistically responsive MTSS
Impact of Classroom Environment on Bilingual Elementary School Students’ Learning
Full text linkThere are many students who may not have a stable environment at home; therefore, it is important that schools provide an environment where students feel safe space at school to encourage learning. A safe learning environment fosters students\u27 social, physical, and emotional development. When students feel safe, they are more engaged and take more intellectual risks in a healthy and supportive climate. This senior capstone research project examines the impact of classroom environment on the learning of bilingual elementary students. Through the use of literature review, anonymous surveys of students, and teacher interviews, the results indicated that, while a positive learning environment could help students become more engaged, motivated, and increase their overall learning ability, but on the contrary, a negative learning environment could produce the opposite effect