Capstone Progress

Hello Maroonies!

Despite not having a lot of time to work on your projects during the capstone class, many of you are making quite a bit of progress.  Well, it is time to measure that progress and to set some goals for the year.
There are a few tasks I would like you to accomplish this week and then email to me the components of the first task.

1. What is the name of your capstone project?
2. List the members of your team and their role in your project.
3. How do you communicate in your team?
4. How do you solve problems?
5. List three goals for this year and how you plan to attain them.
6. List three products you will create for this year.
7. What is your mission statement?
8. What is your vision statement?
9. How will you measure success?
10. Do you have a logo?  If not, try to create one.  We want a brand for you as it increases recognition of your project.

That is a lot to think about.  The key to a successful organization is the ability to work together, communicate, adapt, and plan.  Otherwise a lot of mistakes will happen again and again and you will not have the chance to learn from those mistakes.  You all have such fantastic ideas and I think  you can go quite far with them.  So let's get this capstone ball a rollin' and see some progress this year.  

Have a good evening!!!

-Ms. Pacion

Welcome back Maroonies!

Hello to all my students, new and old.  I have missed you these past few weeks and hope you had a fantastic summer.  As I am sure you know, Capstone will be half Economics and half venture development.  The idea is for you to understand how a business runs, and what outside factors might control the successful outcomes of a business.  Further, economics is more than just how a business runs, it includes human resources, politics, law, foreign relationships, globalisation, and a host of other issues.
For my half of capstone we will focus heavily on project management.  We all have these fantastic ideas, but how do we make them a reality?  Really?  Yeah, I am not sure either, but we will learn about it together.  Lucky for you I have taken classes in this subject over the summer.
That being said, I am hoping to have a few more guest speakers to help us broaden our perspectives and experiences.  It is going to be a great year.
Please spend a few minutes commenting on this blog post.  I would like you to share your venture idea from last year.  If you are new, go ahead and read the comments of other students, please share any ideas you have or issues you might like to solve.  We will talk about these in class after the postings are done.
Looking forward to a great year, Maroonies!

Friday activity

Hi Maroonies!
You did a fantastic job of SWOT-ing.  Reflection and analysis is a major component of successful project management.  However, the work is not done.  It is easy to make an excuse for the Threats outside of our control and the weaknesses we need to overcome.  But is that it?  Can we continue to make excuses for our problems and do nothing to fix that?  Part of developing as a professional is to figure out solutions to problems both within and out of our control.

The task

• Make a list of weaknesses and a list of threats from your SWOT analysis
• Rank the list in order of biggest risk to the least.
• For each item on the list I want you to come up with a possible solution- this should be well thought out and demonstrate that you have considered the issue and considered how to overcome the issue.  
• Now pick two of them and write a plan of management to deal with the issue.  What will you do to prevent the issue?  What can you do to prepare for it?  Can you prepare?  If the issues strikes, what can you do to alleviate the severity of the issue?  Add more information, just because I only wrote four questions does not mean you answer only these four questions.  Actually think about this activity.  Do something with it.
• Prepare a small presentation to share with the class concerning your plan to overcome issues.

Be good!

February greetings

Perhaps it is the spring cleaning mentality that always hits us in AZ around this time of the year, but it has come to my attention that class has been a little less focused, a little dull, and not as effective.  When this happens it is usually a time to reflect on what is working, what is not working, and what can be changed.  I see capstone as a way to develop your leadership skills, your ability to recognize your strengths and weaknesses, and as a way to build your resume.  Every in class activity sought to help you with all of these goals for the year.  Further, we are trying to define our role in the community and to figure out ways that you, as teenagers, can do your part to support the community.  This is a long term project, and it is ok to modify your project, or even change it completely if need be.  We still have more than three years left to develop your project.  That being said, let us watch a couple video's (yes it is TED!), then we will answer a few key reflection questions.

1. What is your project?
2. Has your project changed from the initial idea?  Even if it is a small change, talk about it.  Why did it change?  If your project is the same, why did your project not change?
3. Did you choose a project that you are truly passionate about?  If so, why?  If not, why not?
4. What are the goals of your capstone project?
5. Have you met any of your goals?  If so, list them.
6. If you have not met your goals, consider what roadblocks have prevented you from meeting the goal.  Is it something you can control?  Is there another way to meet your goal?
7. Do you like the capstone class?  Please indicate why you chose your answer.
8. Do you feel that capstone is a useful class to take?  Why?
9. What can we do in capstone to make it better?
10. What do you want to stay the same?
11. Now that you have the flow going, feel free to add any more information, comments, ideas, concerns or thoughts that have yet to be addressed.  

Remember, this reflection is as much for you as it is for me to give you another grade.  I really want you to think about who you are and how this relates to the capstone course.  You have until the end of class to finish this reflection.  Please answer in complete sentences and in paragraph form.  This is to be written out on a piece of paper.
Be good, Maroonies.  Be good.

Welcome back!

Hello Maroonavites,
Welcome back to Capstone.  This semester we are going to focus on the development of a digital portfolio. The goal is to have electronic evidence of your project and how it develops over the coming months.  Please read the wikipedia entry for Electronic Portfolios.
Next, brainstorm some ideas for  your own electronic portfolio.  What will be in it?  What type of electronic media will you be using?  Wiki?  Blog? PowerPoint? Word Documents? Podcast?  You want to dabble in as many forms as possible.  This will help develop your skill set, both for school and for future employment.  Additionally, you should consider your project, what types of media would work best for your project?  Perhaps you want to create a pamphlet and might need access to Publisher, or you are working on music and need software to help you create your musical style.
In class assignment.  Research electronic portfolios.  Come up with a plan for your own portfolio.  Also, you need to find an adult mentor to help with your project.  Many of you have one already and probably are having an easier time with your project.  Please share with the class how your adult mentor is helping and how you found someone to work with.
Have a great day!

Due dates

Hi Maroonies!

Your final draft of your paper is due this Weds, Nov 30.  This will give me time to grade the papers before we are presenting the final draft to ASU Prep Parents and Administration.

This week, we will focus on your presentations.  Technology is a key component to your future success in college and which career field you choose.  As such, the presentation should incorporate some type of technology.  PowerPoint, podcast, video, audio (concert for those of you doing a music capstone..hint, hint, hint).  The presentation should be 3 to 5 minutes long, remember it is easier to edit out information than to make up stuff at the last minute, so shoot for that 5 minute mark and see if you can make it!

Good luck, you are all doing a fantastic job of developing your projects, your leadership philosophy and your community awareness.  Keep up the fantastic work!

Being young and making an impact

• Summarise what the video means to you as a teen.   
• Do you sometimes feel that you are too young to make a difference?  
• Did Natalie's story help to make you aware of what you might be able to do no matter how old you are?  
• I found Natalie's story to be very inspiring.  She really conveyed her story in a touching a meaningful way.  Does this story inspire you?  
• Can you use this example to create a presentation of your own?  If not, please check for other Ted Talks to see if you can find a story that really touches you.  Share your thoughts with the cohort.