Re-Signifying the Old Nueces County Courthouse

The project seeks to explore ideas that address the engagement that individuals have with historically charged buildings or monuments of their recent past. It focuses on the re-signification of an abandoned courthouse as a byproduct for the treatment of the site and its position as a potential bystander to the opening of newly acquired space replacing a large public infrastructural monument. The dynamic factors surrounding the courthouse present a unique opportunity for architecture to explore. Situated in between a growing urban and industrial center, the neglected condition of the building is also a physical embodiment of the decaying state of some of Corpus Christi's oldest neighborhoods, which currently stand as some of the last remaining monuments that thrived in conjunction with the courthouse. The dissociation of the building on site to the landscape is evident to both residents, local officials, and even tourists. The imminent removal of the hovering expressways will ultimately highlight this effect in the future. Therefore, the site intends to further support the community as a bridge for the residents of Corpus Christi's northside to the downtown area, which in itself is a connection to the rest of the city and even foreign travelers. The strict nature of the courthouse's presence will be juxtaposed within the site to demonstrate the evolution and progression of the landscape over time. When passing through this cultural hub, visitors will hope to experience and absorb aspects of what brings the residents of Corpus Christi together. The initial motivations influencing this approach to preservation stem from the intent to not treat the site as memorial; that it should be untouched, left as is. The project intends to celebrate community. The approach of intervention intends to guide us towards Re-Signification

Family Influences and Its Effects on Completion of Postsecondary Education among Hispanics

In this study, I will examine the relationship between family influences and college graduation among Hispanics. Compared to students in other race/ethnic groups, Latino students are underrepresented in college enrollment and completion of a bachelor’s degree. Prior research generally finds that higher parental educational attainment is positively associated with educational attainment for children. Highly educated parents may expect their children to attain a similar level of education, have the resources to support higher education and provide encouragement and assistance necessary for children to successfully pursue post-secondary education. Yet, at the lower end of the educational distribution, the relationship between parental education and children’s own attainment may not be as straightforward. My sampling frame consists of 20 in depth interviews in which I limit my sample to young Hispanic adults between the ages of 23 to 42 across the Rio Grande Valley

Live, Love and Lyft

My thesis has a critical introduction that gives a short history of creative nonfiction. I focus on Lee Gutkin’s contribution to creative nonfiction. I also gave some examples of creative nonfiction in my introduction. I included Mary Karr, Lauren Slater, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and William Shakespeare. My thesis contains twelve pieces of writing ranging from narrative nonfiction to poetry, highlighting my experiences growing up in a single parent home in a small border town. I utilize the literary aspects of totemic writing, the journey to the green world, the motif of loss and growing up in a small town, and the realism embedded in a world of a journey through adolescence to adulthood. Through my writing I am forced to face repressed memories and struggles, leading me to a renewed sense of self. Much of my writing is influenced by the works of Mary Karr, Ernest Hemingway, and Shakespeare

ENSEÑANZA DE INGLÉS COMO LENGUAJE EXTRANJERO (EILE) ENGLISH LANGUAGE ACQUISITION FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN COSTA RICA

Working with the Costa Rica Multilingual Foundation, the Costa Rican Ministry of Education, Costa Rica USA Foundation of Cooperation, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the researchers are completing a randomized trial study related to the effectiveness of technology-based English instruction. The purpose of the Enseñanaza del Inglés como Lenguaje Extranjero (EILE) is to conduct an analysis of three differing English language programs across 81 specified Costa Rican Elementary Schools: (a) a technology-based intervention that is transitional, (b) a technology-based intervention that is English immersion, and (c) the typical practice English as a foreign language program. Lastly, we found that all groups of English language learning elementary students in Costa Rica improved in oral language development with specific English language instruction

Case Study: Principal Knowledge, Principal Practice, and Student Achievement

A school principal is a critical asset to the success of a campus, teachers, and students. Their role is and will continue to be complex with many responsibilities and challenges. Researchers have implied a disconnect between the level of a principal’s practice to their knowledge in the production of student success. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to reveal a deeper understanding of the theory-to practice gap between the professional practices of high school principals and their knowledge. This study attempted to answer the what, how, and why to help establish foundational information for improving and creating ongoing leadership training and development for both principals and those aspiring to be principals. In this case study, the researcher conducted one-on-one semistructured interviews via Zoom, gathered research-generated documents from the state educational websites, and collected leadership survey results for two mid-Atlantic high school principals. Framing the case with the SLII® model, the findings indicated a presence of situational awareness to overlap with building professional capacity through relationships and reflective practices. With observation, feedback, and reflection, the participants were able to engage in a situational approach to address the needs present. The findings suggest that the human element holds the influence on the gap of principal knowledge, practices, and student outcomes while illuminating the importance on relationships and reflective practices