White Supremacy In Music Theory Academia

This paper explores the history of music theory academia in the West, and examines the hierarchical power structures from which music theory pedagogy was constructed

Effects of Early Access to At-Home Electronics on the Well-Being of Young Children

This 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

Meeting Student Needs: Exploring Social Workers Perspectives Through Maslow\u27s Lens

This capstone project was focused on the lack of adequate access to basic needs and resources for students in the Salinas Union High School District (SUHSD), which impacts their behavior and contributes to behavioral challenges. The project was implemented in collaboration with the district’s Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Coordinator and was carried out through interviews with eight social workers from four middle schools and three high schools within the school district. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs was used as the guiding framework to assess the social workers\u27 understanding and their capacity to address students’ basic needs. The expected outcome was defined as the identification of trends, resource gaps, and potential solutions to improve student access to basic needs. The interviews revealed that, while a strong commitment to addressing student needs was expressed by social workers, significant gaps in resources and accessibility were identified. The expected outcome was partially met, as the identification of these gaps was achieved; however, the availability of resources was not fully addressed. It was recommended that the next steps include increased collaboration with local community organizations, the securing of additional resources, and the expansion of access to basic needs support services to ensure that all students are adequately supported both academically and personally

Increasing Social-Emotional Skills Of First-Grade Students

First-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

The CSUMB Well-Being Compass: A Student Guide

Food insecurity, stemming from a limited awareness of available resources, often challenges new domestic and international students navigating California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB). This can potentially hinder their academic and social integration. The CSUMB Basic Needs department addressed this critical issue through a resource development project, creating and evaluating a comprehensive digital resource guide designed to connect new students with essential food resources and other crucial support services for academic success. This evaluation involved a feedback survey of 32 student staff and faculty across campus. The findings indicated that an overwhelming majority found the guide very or extremely helpful, strongly suggesting the project successfully increased awareness of resources vital for addressing food insecurity and other basic needs. For maximum impact, CSUMB Basic Needs should distribute the guide widely, regularly update it based on feedback, track its usage, and conduct follow-up assessments to improve food security and student well-being, creating a more supportive environment

Increasing Awareness about Cell Phone Use and Social Media in Adolescents

High school students often lack the knowledge and awareness of the effects that cell phones and social media have on their daily lives. Being unaware of the negative effects, high school students may find themselves becoming easily distracted by their cell phones, engaging in limited classroom activities and discussions, and experiencing lower quality peer relationships. Understanding the role technology plays in their lives, high school students may show improvements in their digital literacy and critical thinking. In order to address this lack of awareness in high school students, I have created an interactive presentation for students in the English Language Development (ELD) program at Monterey High School in Monterey, California

The Activists’ Choice: Ballot Initiatives as a Step Towards Pro-Choice Efforts

Following the overturn of Roe V. Wade, many U.S. state legislatures failed to implement abortion rights that satisfy the general population. When the public disapproves of legislative law, some U.S. states allow citizens and activists the right to pursue a ballot initiative. With enough voter signatures, these ballots can turn into new laws. However, with ballot initiatives being a multi-step, lengthy process, what ultimately pushes activists to pursue this path? My research analyzes this novel intersection of political science and sociology fields to contribute to the current lack of literature on activists\u27 decisions to pursue ballot measures for abortion rights. The methodology consists of content analysis of local and national news sources to understand recent abortion ballot initiative processes across nine states in 2024. Thus far, my study shows that activists pursue ballot initiatives to ensure freedom and access to human rights, educate and mobilize voters, build power and structure for future reforms, empower the public to speak up, and measure the political support of local and national political candidates. Activists consider various factors before pursuing ballot measures, such as time, current political economy in each community, and legal challenges and qualifications in each state. I hope this multidirectional research will influence necessary change by understanding the activist rationale and informing strategic and effective ballot measure processes