2023
12th Global Senior Project Presentations
Wednesday, May 24, WIN1, lower level of the cafeteria
Thompson’s Sustainability class - A block
NO CAP! Newton South’s Sustainable Outdoor Space
(Ankur Eagar, Daniel Gelbert, Dylan Shanahan, Sean Mcilwaine, Sylvie Nguyen)
Our Year End Project centered on creating an educational outdoor space at South. We aimed to spread awareness about Sustainability while addressing South’s lack of eating space and outdoor relaxation space, and settled for a spot near the Farm and Pollinator Garden. To create our final product, we researched the benefits of being in nature, composting, and using native plants. We haggled with the City for permission, engaged local businesses for construction materials, and talked to Swedish students about Sustainability in their eyes. Finally, we reflected on the year’s curriculum to create educational signs for visitors, with help from Newton Public Works, and constructed our space as sustainably as possible. We hope the outdoor space will help South members start their Sustainability journey while strengthening the South community. That is, by creating an inviting gathering space based on Sustainability, we hope to plant the seed of knowledge in the minds of visitors while they spend time and bond with each other.
Extending the Pollinator Garden
(Kat Connor, Lila Donovan, Martha Hayward, Audrey Wei, Tristan Ocana)
Pollinators are an integral part of our ecosystem. However, as a result of various anthropogenic factors (such as climate change, habitat destruction, and pesticide use), pollinator populations all over the world are being threatened. Pollinators play a crucial role in native ecosystems, preserving biodiversity, and helping out with agriculture. We aimed to boost local pollinator populations by building an extension to the already existing pollinator garden near the organic produce garden at South. We did research to find what plants would be best to include and talked to experts in Germany about community tactics to conserve pollinators. We planted a variety of native plants with the ability to endure severe conditions, staggered bloom times, and most importantly provide pollinators with the resources they need to thrive.
Reproductive Rights and Sustainability
(Mitchy Bojar, Sasha Fine, Amelia Poley, Anna Zeren)
Sustainability is a complex and intersectional topic. Women’s and reproductive rights may not be the first thing that comes to mind when one hears “sustainability,” but both have a place in the conversation. We wanted to educate people on how women and reproductive rights intersect with sustainability and why they should be talked about together. We interned for Earth Day Boston and participated in a conference at MIT CATE, where we met others who care about sustainability and we shared what we learned. We spoke to cultural contacts in Argentina, Italy, and Sweden about how their cultures view reproductive rights and how their perspective differs from ours. Overall, we hope that those we talked with continue to make connections on these topics and further understand how population trends, social stigma, and overall women’s rights do in fact play a large role in the future of our planet’s climate.
Newton Community Farm: Food Insecurity
(Zezo Beshir, Noa Dahan, Henry Knight, Sammy McClintock, Ali O’Brien)
Our group’s mission is to learn about food insecurity and help the Newton Community Farm to make food benefits more understandable and accessible for eligible customers. To do this, we have worked with the staff at NCF during terms 3 and 4. We have also done some work with the Newton Food Pantry such as filling shifts and meeting with some of their leaders. This has given us intel into Newton’s demographics and allowed us to get a better understanding of our community. We learned that the majority of EBT users in Newton are Chinese, Latinx, and Russian. Volunteering at the Food Pantry allowed us to meet Newton residents that struggle with food insecurity. We interviewed managers from multiple other local stores to see if the workers had any understanding of EBT; most of the managers responded with “the customers that use EBT know what they can and can not get, so our workers are unaware.” We used all this information to advise the NCF on how to present EBT information in the best way so that customers of all backgrounds and abilities can maximize their benefits and access quality produce.
Biking Bonanza
(Laura Frothingham, Jake Gold, Eli Rabson, MeeJee Sarvey)
For our YEP project we got the ball rolling on bringing awareness to the biking community and bike culture here at South. We succeeded in repairing the missing plexiglass on the bike shelter, and made efforts to install new bike racks, and to move/install security cameras to protect bikes, both of which will be happening over the summer. We also endeavored to create a bike lane on Brandeis, and we will be handing out bike lights to students. Our goal is to increase the number of students who bike to South, and decrease the number of cars driven, which would decrease emissions and congestion. Therefore benefiting our community, and supporting better cardio vascular, and endurance health. But more importantly we wanted to create a safe biking environment for all students and assure them that their bike gear will be protected, as well as hoping to inspire future students to carry on this project, and work to bring more awareness to the biking community and safety.
Rosen's Global Marine Biology Class
Why The Fishing Industry May Be More Fishy Than You May Think
(Soleil McAneny, Dor Shitrit, Maddy Genser, Athena Cheung, Shervin Boostani)
Our project was based on climate change, and what impact the fishing industry plays on it. In order to create a specific goal of our project, we focused on how modern technology improves the level of sustainability in modern and dated fishing practices. We were able to tour the Boston Fishing Pier, with the owner of Red's Best, which specializes in finding sustainable ways to keep up with the demand of fresh seafood, without affecting the marine ecosystems. After touring, we decided to create a flier with a document attached that is open to the community to read and understand the basic facts of fishing practices. We want to be able to make learning about fishing practices, and our impact on the environment , more accessible. Touring, reading, and creating a flier are the first steps to reconciling a sustainable fishing culture.
Protecting our Nest-door Neighbors
(Anna Mueller, Tali Schwartz, Rosie Olivero)
We worked with Newton resident Jonathan Regosin to catalog breeding sites for several migratory bird species in/around Cutler Park. Mr. Regosin is the Director of the Endangered Species Program for Mass Wildlife. We assisted Mr. Regosin with this citizen science project started by last year’s global communities students. We traveled to Cutler park and visited two locations to call for specific bird species. We brought a speaker and played twelve minutes of bird calls and listened carefully to hear which birds called back. We used an app to distinguish between the birds that responded to the call. We visited the site three times and went to the same location at the same time. In the end, we were shocked and excited to hear some of our target birds. We will share the information with Mr. Regosin via field data sheets and audio recordings. The hope is that this data will assist in protecting more open space as conservation land for migratory birds.
Shark Percepvolution: More Than Meets The Eye
(Mikey Rosemberg, Shay Weissmann, and Sidney Sheinkopf)
We are interested in sharks because, well, who isn’t? Sharks are large creatures that have been around for hundreds of millions of years, and they roam the ocean, sending people into hysterics. How can this large creature stir up so much chaos if many of them aren’t actually dangerous? We wanted to learn more about sharks and how they are portrayed in society as man-eating beasts. We read a book that debunked shark myths and gave oceanic advice. Additionally, we spoke with a contact in Indonesia to find out more about sharks’ impact on their local environment. Then, we taught a sixth-grade science class everything we learned, including labeling sharks’ body parts, explaining how they have evolved, and showing the difference between the body types of sharks and dolphins. To our surprise, these sixth graders already knew much about sharks and what they really stand for, which goes to show that younger generations are perceiving sharks in a healthier way.
Righteous Conservation
(Hadley Conroy, Elle McDonald, Caroline Blum, Ally Chilton, Sydney Chow)
Our group was interested in researching Right Whales because they are very local to New England and many people do not know much about them. Right Whales are located in Atlantic Coastal Waters on the continental shelf and they are currently going extinct. Our action project was teaching two sixth-grade classes about Right Whales, their importance for our ecosystem, why they are going extinct, and ways we can save them as there are less than 340 left. Our project was received well and the sixth graders really enjoyed our interactive lesson. We included a true or false worksheet in the beginning, a labeling sheet, a Kahoot, and an informational slideshow. We also listed many fun facts to keep the kids interested and engaged as well as a video of a mother whale and its calf in the wild. We have learned a lot from our experience learning about whales and teaching the 6th graders.Teaching young people about Right Whales is one of the most important steps in educating our community about them. Young people often go home and tell their parents and friends and the more people who are aware of Right Whales going extinct the better. The younger people are important because they are the next generation that can take the next steps to help save our ecosystem. Our readings informed us a lot about our topic and the history of whales. Our entire group read The Whale: In Search Of The Giants Of The Sea, by Philip Hoare. The book informed us of the history of Right Whales and important ways we can keep them from going extinct and save the few remaining we have left. We really enjoyed how our project went, but if we were to do something differently I think we might have tried to have a field trip to go see whales or go on a whale watch because it would have been cool to see them in person after learning so much about them.
Cleaning The Harbor
(Tatum Murray, Arielle Teleshevsky, Owen Dunker, David Lee
Our group was interested in learning and researching more about the Boston Harbor because it connected to our main topic, sustainability. We wanted to teach people ways you can keep the Boston Harbor clean and healthy and also teach them the history. For part of our project, we went to Castle Island for a day and did a clean-up for the whole day. We filled multiple trash bags stuffed with trash. Another thing we did was present to two fifth-grade classes at Williams Elementary School. We educated them about how far the Boston Harbor has come from being completely polluted and unswimmable to now being the ideal Harbor. We showed them the effort to it took to clean up Boston Harbor and how it began in the 1970s. It took decades and more than $4 billion to get to where we are today: a safe, clean harbor that is the envy of many cities. We also taught them about the multiple Invasive species that inhabit the Harbor, where they came from, how they got there, and the negative impacts it has on the environment. Speaking of the environment, our group book How to Avoid a Climate Disaster by Bill Gates, which we chose to research more about our topic, had plenty of great points about how we as a society can make the earth a better place through different methods through saving electricity, solar panels, and electric vehicles. The book also stressed how we need to get to 0 greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 or the earth as we know it will be too far from return. The Boston Harbor is one of the few places worldwide that other popular that fit the criteria of a healthy harbor.
2019
11th Annual Global Senior Project Presentations
May 2nd - A, B, F
(Goldrick Commons)
Thompson’s Sustainability class
A Block
Modeling Food Sustainability
Ben Powdermaker, Ronit Glasgow, and Zach Rivers
Food accounts for 17% of our personal carbon footprint, and just the farming part is 8% of national emissions in the US! Our group explored different ways of sourcing food sustainably and what Newton can do to reduce its foodprint. We worked on the NSHS Farm, checked out school gardens around the city, visited an ecovillage in Vermont, calculated how much local food we could be producing, and what our supermarkets are doing. We talked to contacts from Italy and the Galapagos as well to see what other countries are doing.
Electronics Drive for Women
Willa Frantzis, Daphne Frantzis , Adrianne Goodfriend, Sabrina Clebnik
We held a drive to collect used electronics of all sorts, refurbish them, and donate them to local women’s shelters in the Boston area. The purpose of our drive was to eliminate the toxicity of electronic waste, while simultaneously helping women get back on their fee. We also wanted to help educate our school and community creating, printing, and posting two informational posters around our school; one educated our peers on the environmental effects of electronic waste, and the other spoke about the benefits of women's shelters. Through our cultural contacts we learned that in Sweden they are more involved in the electronic waste and use less electronics in general; however, they were less informed about women's shelters.
Harboring our refugees
Alejandra Dilan, Liz Thompson, Theo Severud
With several refugee crises taking place all across the globe, we hosted an assembly presenting general information about the refugee crises around the world and brought in a speaker to talk about her experience as a Ugandan refugee in the United States and her struggles. We also hosted a bake sale to raise money for a local refugee organization in Boston. Lastly, we connected the RIAC (Refugee and Immigration Assistance Center) with Ms. Sabet in the college and career center to encourage students from South to volunteer there. Due to Sweden accepting high numbers of refugees annually, we connected with families in Sweden to talk about their views on refugees, and we connected with the UNHCR in Brazil to talk about their involvement in the Venezuelan refugee crisis. We did this because at Newton South, although students are very politically active and aware, we wanted to help advance our school wide discussion, knowledge, and involvement in the refugee crisis.
Newton South Recycling Awareness
Juliet Lacey, Ron Berdichevsky, Andrew Wong, Matt Cuyler, and Gavi Azoff
Due to the lack of knowledge of how to recycle, and why it is important, recycling has been an issue here at Newton South. Our group worked hard on setting an example in our community by increasing our peers and teachers’ awareness of the importance of subduing climate change and taking care of the environment. We began by contacting local connections such as our Vice Principal and the head director of the Department of Waste in Newton, while simultaneously working in partnership with our school’s Environmental Club. While doing research for this project, we also connected with several cultural contacts in Sweden, Panama, and Montreal to get a better understanding of how waste is recycled in other parts of the world. In doing so, we were opened up to new ideas on how to reform a waste and recycling system. So, we decided to make an awareness PSA in hopes of creating a mass realization that recycling is important, and proper management is crucial.
Sustainable Commuting
Shaw Miller, John You, Jacob Schwartz, George Jumes
We noticed that many students at South get to school by driving, either driving themselves or being driven by parents, siblings, or friends. For our Year End Project, we wanted to encourage students to get to school using sustainable modes of transportation, especially biking. We gained perspective from talking to representatives from Bike Newton and several high school students from Sweden and Amsterdam, as well as from reading The Mechanical Horse: How the Bicycle Reshaped American Life and The Myth of Progress: Toward a Sustainable Future. Our group is working with People for Bikes, Bike Newton, and the City of Newton to purchase and install covered bike parking shelters at both Newton high schools, and also organized a Sustainable Commute day at Newton South, where students and staff were encouraged to get to school by walking, biking, or carpooling.
Fighting Fast Fashion
Tal Sternberg, Andrea Gomez, Olivia Hackle, Carli Heras, Sydney Lipof
Fast fashion is a big problem in our consumerism-based society. In China and Sweden, individuals explained how big expensive brand names are often more popular, thus people end up buying fewer items. Still, fast fashion is a problem outside of the US. Most of our clothing comes from cheap stores like Forever 21 or H&M that use unfair labor practices, contaminating materials (microplastics, harsh chemicals, etc), and produce low quality garments. Throwing away these garments produces large amounts of waste that contaminate the planet by releasing plastic fibers into water or introducing harsh chemicals into the environment. These poorly made items are meant to last for a single season and then will likely fall apart and be thrown away. Other stores like Urban Outfitters and Brandy Melville use slightly higher quality materials and tend to last longer, but the stores still advertise new seasonal clothing and encourage people to buy more, which encourages them to throw away old clothing. Our project was centered around educating people about the stores they shop at and encouraging them to upcycle things they already have, rather than buying copious amounts of new clothing. We created a website and made an Instagram account to advertise. Then, offered low prices to embroider, sew patches, or paint on denim. After, we put tutorials on our website on how to upcycle your own clothing!
Rosen’s Marine Biology Class
B-block
Fishy Business
Hannah Aghassi, Sarah Levin, Nola Quinn, Sophie Szymanski
Our project focuses on fish sourcing and labeling and its effect on restaurants and grocery stores in our area, inspired by a series of articles published by the Boston Globe looking into fish mislabeling in the Greater Boston area. After investigating the issue of mislabeling locally, we put together a survey to determine the knowledge and awareness of our classmates surrounding what they are eating and where it is coming from. We worked with connections in Sweden and Iceland as well as read the book The Last Fish Tale to support our local research and consider more honest, sustainable practices.
Put Aside Pesticides
Sabrina Murray, Alexander Razov, Brandon Elias, Megan Walsh
Our research is based around the harmful effects of pesticides in the Charles River. Our main goal is to spread awareness about the importance of maintaining the natural state of our watershed, highlighted by The Watershed Book by the Cuyahoga River Community Planning Organization, and to educate the public on the dangers of letting pesticides flow into the Charles. We shadowed members of the Charles River Watershed Association to see how they monitor and protect the health of the river, we are working with Green Newton to spread our message further, and we have contacted Sweden and Japan to compare their society’s use of pesticides with our own.
Consumerism: Our Mother Feels Our Choice
Raquel Fisk, Adrienne Goodfriend, George Jumes
Our mural uncovers environmental tragedies and the solutions to some of the issues facing our planet (with a focus on the ocean). We are reaching out to the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway Conservancy to provide expertise for the most effective impact of our art installation. We have also been closely working with NSHS Art Department as well. We have made extensive connections in Iceland and have looked at the value of environmental art installations in that country.
Sustaining our Fish[erman]
Jared Rishikof, Carli Heras, Arlette Caballero-Gonzalez, Jaehung Jeong
We researched how the definition of a sustainable fishery differs from consumers to fisherman. We visited Red’s Best Seafood and the CEO, Mr. Auerbach, to discuss how he maintains a strong presence in a competitive market, while still being able to support his many fisherman. We interviewed consumers from Iceland, Sweden, and South Korea. We contrasted their stories with the book The Last Fish Tale, by Mark Kurlansky. This helped us realize that sustaining fisheries from top to bottom is not only an issue in the United States, but worldwide.
Kozuch and Orren’s Sustainability Class
Presentations B block (Class D block)
Blue Zone at South
(Alex Hillas, Ben Frier, Jasper Basile-Maslowe, Sam Arber)
For our project we have made sandwich boards to be placed at the front entrance, alerting drivers to shut off their cars, and reduce the emissions released by our school. We have plans in place to have permanent signs put in around the school, telling drivers not to idle. We also want to educate drivers on why their idling is bad for the environment, as education is the best way to cause change. This will leave a permanent marker on the Newton South community as it will hopefully greatly help reduce the massive amounts of pollution that are caused by Newton South.
Renewable Energy Revolution
(Brian Moy, Tracy Qiu, Caroline Holloway, Rebecca Friedman, Zane Foster)
The city of Newton is currently pushing for a raise in the use of renewable energy citywide. For our project, we have taken part in this revolution by going door to door promoting Newton Power Choice and explaining why opting up is the better option. We also hosted a fundraiser to sell lightbulbs and power strips after meeting with energy analysts in Boston and learning that it is better to clean green reduce!
Straight Outta Compost
(Max Gelbert, Maya Hazarika, Lucas Swindell, Emily Kwan)
After researching all the aspects of composting, we looked to see how we could benefit South's environmental impact the most. We decided on laying a foundation of students and faculty throughout the school that will be able to continue the cafeteria composting plan we’ve created for many years to follow our graduation. We also are expanding the Green Trail that runs throughout South by adding a composting sign educating students on the benefits of composting and why it’s important.
Fast Fashion
(Lucy Gilbert, Misha Goldenberg, Sarah Kern, Alan Qiu)
Fast fashion has become a growing issue in both our community and the world around us. Our group's mission was to find a way to repurpose clothing while educating the community. We had a very successful clothing swap and created a magazine which informed people who came to the swap.
Martin’s Words class
B block
Environment Group
(Maggie Caroco, Drew Riseberg, Daniel Doubenski, Henry Wang, Donald Ha)
We researched how our environment has been negatively impacted due to human development. As a group we have compared two countries with the United States. We compared sustainability in Sweden and China. Together we want to engage other people at South and inform them about the importance of taking sustainable actions. We set up three boards in the first floor 1000s hallway with information. The information includes how each country deals with environmental problems in order to give a outside perspective on how other countries are dealing with similar environmental issues. In addition, we included ways that students at South can get involved and contribute towards a more environmentally friendly, greener planet. Each board had an explanation to a different part of what it means to be engaged with creating a better and greener environment.
Celebrating Diversity in Newton
(Eli Remis, Donya Williams, Stevie Sheldon. Tal Sternberg, Phoebe Blumberg)
By exploring the Hindu Caste System in India and the lasting effects of Apartheid in South Africa, we began to explore diversity of race and religion and its effects on social and economic success. Our project was to complete the application for The Bench Beside The Road Project. The BBRP strives to have people “remember not only slavery but also many of the forgotten moments in African American history. While the town of Newton has a majority of white residents, we wanted a bench to commemorate a person in the black community who contributed to Newton. Our goal was to poll BSU and the Myrtle Baptist Church and ask which individual (Dr Rebecca Lee Crumpler or Reverend Haywood) we should commemorate after presenting information on each individual in the form of a pamphlet. We also needed to get a sense of which location we should put the bench in order to fill out the application for a bench.
Mental Health
Julie Schoen, Ghena Bakir, Bella Ertel, Isabelle Less, Keren Bobilev
We took a deep dive into the world of mental health, focusing on medical/emotional trends in two specific countries: South Sudan and the Netherlands. Our first steps were to define “mental health,” carve out the explicit subtopics we wanted to look into, and compare the two countries. We read a book about the education of mental health and analyzed its themes in a global context. While the overall progress of destigmatizing mental health around the world is going in the forward direction, there is still much to do. We encouraged our peers to spread the same awareness. In our project, we tackle the history of mental health in both countries and work to remove the bad characterization of it.
Family
(Talia Feinberg, Jacob Schwartz, Ella Poley, Anna VentouriOur word is family, in the lens of Sweden and Israel. Within this broad term, we studied it in the context of mental health, adoption, LGBTQ+, and divorce to see how families varied in a global perspective. In our interviews, we asked questions that would give us insight as to how the respective cultures view family in our specific areas of study. Our action piece furthers our mission: to end the stigma against atypical family structures. We went to the Newton South pre-school to teach a lesson of family structure and then have the children draw their families and share one thing that is unique to their home. We will then bind the drawings into a book to give it to the pre-school.
Rosen’s Marine Biology Class
F-block
Which Whale Is Which?
(Charlotte Cadrain, Olivia Hackel, Ben Kiritsy, Kiran Maypole)
For our senior capstone, we worked with the Center for Coastal Studies in order to identify certain types of whales through the process of photo identification. We were able to do this through looking for pattern, grooves, and similar characteristics in humpback whale ventral flukes. Our information provided insight into the humpback whales feeding patterns, migration routes, and nursery locations. The information we obtain from doing this project will allow help in the conservation efforts of marine mammals in particular the humpback whale. In addition to the connection at the Coastal Center we had cultural connections with students in Sweden and Ecuador.
Fish are Friends, Not Food
(Phoebe Blumberg, Loky Lacoste, Gibran Mobarak and Drew Riseberg)
Our group immersed ourselves in the commercial fishing industry through meeting with the CEO of Red’s Best and attending the International Seafood Expo in Boston. Through interviews with students in Japan and Holland and through reading Mark Kurlansky’s book Cod, we obtained more in-depth information about people’s views on the industry. Our goal is to examine how fishing industries currently impact ecosystems, and discover what we can do to create a positive impact.
If There’s a Will There’s a Wave
(Sydney Lipof, Vineet Sreenivasan, Henry Wang, Caroline Whalen)
We spent an entire day working with the Boston Harbor Islands National Park staff to clear invasive species and promote natural biodiversity on Grape Island. We documented this trip on our Facebook page, posting videos and quotes to inspire similar actions from our peers. To gain a nuanced perspective of service and volunteerism, one member participated in Swedish environmental clean up practices called plogging. Our main goal was to engage in service in our local parks and put in effort to preserve the islands. We reached out to students in Japan at Fuji High School, in Sweden at Norra Real High School, and at Newton South High to see how volunteerism plays a role in their life and encourage them to get involved with Mount Fuji, Thingvellir National Park, and the Boston Harbor Islands respectively.
Wasteless Oasis
(Max Gelbert, Luna Mello, Nicole Shammay)
By traveling to the Galapagos, Sweden, and receiving a private tour by the executive director of responsibility at the Saunders Group Hotel, The Lenox, located in the heart of Boston, we were able to understand what it takes to create and maintain an enterprise that is both sustainable and economically feasible. We were able to compare and contrast the ways different cultures present comfortable hospitality while maintaining a sustainable goal. Throughout our work we also read the book Climate of Hope by Carl Pope and Michael Bloomberg.
Our Ocean, Our Responsibility
(Marc Navarro, Jessica Altman, Juliet Lacey, Laura Wiederspahn, and Thomas Hainal)
Our group’s mission is directed towards preserving our local ocean, and spreading awareness through an informative presentation to younger students at Brown Middle School. We teamed up with Boston Harbor Alliance, a local organization whose mission matches ours. Our goals are to provide various methods for our community to get involved in helping our ocean stay clean and sustainable, in convenient way. In addition, we reached out students from different parts of the world to hear about their local environment. By making these cultural connections, we can compare and contrast the varying ways ocean’s are being preserved in other communities around the world. With our presentation directed towards the younger generation, we hope to bring the issues surrounding ocean preservation, to a more significant scale, and to show these middle school students how accessible it is to do simple tasks, that will ultimately impact our local ocean in an extremely positive way.
Ofishally Uninformed
(Portia Davidson, Audrey Lavey, Peter McCabe, Benjamin Powdermaker)
We researched the effects of sustainable fishing practices on various communities around the world, specifically in the Galapagos and Holland. We found that are drastic differences, and the United States has very little awareness surrounding our sustainability measures, so we are organizing a panel of various speakers with experience on the matter. Some topics we have asked the speakers to cover is their personal experience in sustainable fishing initiatives, any research they have been apart of, and their takes on how we can become more sustainable in Newton. This panel is set to take place on May 10th during B-block in the Lecture Hall.
2018
10th Annual Global Senior Project Presentations
May 3rd - B, E, F G blocks
(Wheeler Commons and Faculty Dining Room)
Sustainability (Bensonoff/Kozuch)
E Block
(Sustainable) Power to the People
(Ella Kim, Claire Kroger, Kerry Yang)
For our project, we worked with Newton Director of Sustainability Ann Berwick. Our main objective was to spread awareness about Newton Municipal Aggregation, and to educate people about how it would affect them. This program allows the city to go out and bid for their own energy and get as high a percentage of renewable energy as they want. Residents can opt in for 100% renewable energy for a low additional cost. Our group walked around and handed out brochures about the program to various Newton Centre stores and homes in our neighborhoods. We talked to people around Newton about the program, including local residents, an architect from Auburndale Builders, and Mayor Fuller. We were influenced by the book Drawdown: the Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming by Paul Hawken, and citizens from Panama and Germany. We hope that our advocacy and establishment of various connections has helped spread awareness and knowledge about Newton Municipal Aggregation to make Newton a more sustainable city.
No paper, no problem
Shifting Newton South towards paper-free education
(Jack Sinclair, Varun Oberoi, David Patkin)
Newton South orders around 5 million pieces of paper each year, equivalent to 600 trees. For our project, we decided to find ways to help South reduce paper usage. In order to do this, we talked to students and faculty about initiatives they can take, such as assigning and doing homework online, using e-books, or simply printing double-sided. We gained perspective from countries such as Brazil and India, as well as the book Going Paperless: What’s Up With The Phone?
Community Composting
(Daniel Korsunsky, Seanna McGraw, Adi Shneorson, Shannon Laughlin, Josh Finkel, and Alexa Weintraub)
For our Year End Project, we researched the production of food waste at Newton South. We connected the places where food waste is produced (cafeterias, stores, restaurants) and where it goes (composting plants, landfills, and food pantries). We have teamed up with a local composting company to implement a composting system at our school. This is a meaningful first step towards making NSHS a more sustainable place. Thanks to these efforts we will now be turning nutritious soil which will green and enrich the communities around us. With partners in the Netherlands and the Galapagos we are able to understand the meaning of our project on a global scale. As part of our project, we read the books Garbology, and Community: The Structure of Belonging.
Clean for the Right cause
(John Javaloyes, Aidan Sutherland, Jacob Barnes, Cameron Gilchrist)
Despite the fact that were unsuccessful in planning a field trip, we completed the main goal of cleaning garbage off of a beach in Provincetown. Since we were only able to bring around 5 people, we knew we weren’t going to make a large enough impact so we decided to document our journey through a short documentary. In addition, through the power of social media, we will post this on our school’s Facebook group as well as connecting with friends overseas. We have already communicated with some Spanish and Brazilian foreign exchange students from last year, giving us their perspective and experience with trash on their beaches. Lastly, The Last Beach by J. Andrew G. Cooper and Orrin H. Pilkey gave us an interesting point of view on the effect of garbage on beaches and oceans.
Global Marine Biology
Rosen's Classes
B Block
Spectacle Through a New Spectacle
(Joe Busa, Bibi Harburger, Stephanie Lok, Thomas Robinson)
For our final project we plan to go to Spectacle island, one of the Boston Harbor Islands, to participate in a coastal clean up and get a tour of the history of the island on April 28. We are focusing on the trash of the island and how it has evolved over time. So far we have read, Boston Harbor Islands: A Guide to the City’s Hidden Shores, an extensive guide about all of the islands. Our overall hope for this project is to interest people in the Boston Harbour Islands. It is a National Park in our collective backyard that no one knows about. Our two cultural connections are the Galapagos and New Zealand. We chose these two countries because we want to compare Spectacle Island to other national parks around the world.
Humpback Happenings
(Hannah Katz, Kristen Miquel, Leah Shems, Ellan Suder)
For our final project we are working with the Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown. We have contacted the director of the Humpback Whale Program and he has created a project for us about natural pigmentation of mammals and how we use that to identify humpback whales. The project consists of reading a scientific paper, then to doing a matching "test" to match humpback whales. The Humpback Whale Program conducts research on humpback whales to further our understanding on humpback whale biology, population status, and human impacts. Our goal is that our project will not only further our knowledge on whales and help the program’s research, but also to educate others on ways to protect humpback whales. During the project we connected to other students in Norway and Australia, and read the book The Whale by Philip Hoare.
Gardens for Good
(Mac Barnes, Peter Dakoyannis, Cameron Dubin, Leoni Foster )
As a part of the global community, for out final year project we are commuting to Memorial Spaulding Elementary School every Friday morning to replant/repair the courtyard vegetable garden. Our goal is to revive the garden life there as this past Winter the snow plow hit and destroyed a lot of the garden. We will be working with a first grade class - planting seeds in the beds. We are also coordinating with the teacher in charge of the garden, Sue Welch. We read Backyard Farming on an Acre (More or Less) with the hopes that it would help us understand how to plant and maximize such a small space. Throughout this work, we are also going to connect with China and Holland, and talk to them about the value of school gardens.
Fishin Impossible: Lobster Trails
(Thomas Blum, Finn Bergquist, Shannon Laughlin, Erica Lushan)
We researched the lobster industry of New England, learning about its environmental, economic, and cultural intricacies. We ultimately created a spy themed documentary about a single lobster’s journey from the Sea to our dinner table (hence the name of our project). As part of our research we went to Red’s Best Seafood at the Boston Fish Pier, toured their facilities, and interviewed their founder and CEO, Newton North alum Jared Auerbach. We also visited James Hook & Co. on Atlantic Avenue in Boston, learning in more detail about the process. In order to understand the lobster industry from a global perspective, as the New England industry is a center of world lobster trade, we communicated with Tangier Lobster Co. located in Nova Scotia, Canada. In addition, The Lobstering Life by Brenda Berry and David Middleton sparked our research and informed us throughout the documentary making process. We will share our video with our community through social media in order to educate our peers and other community members about the lobster industry.
Rosen - F Block
Cleaning the Charles
(Susannah King, Ariana Mathews, and Jack Miller)
After researching all the harmful effects that pollution has on marine life and on nature in general, we decided to organize a cleanup of the Charles River through Elizabeth Cianciola of the Charles River Watershed Association. The cleanup will take place over April break and is open to all. We will conclude our project by putting together a brief documentary of our experiences, and we hope to inspire others to help clean the oceans and preserve it for many generations to come.
Preservative Alternatives
(Owen Kenny, Sam Morgan, Ariane Sours, Jason Zhao, Noah Klein)
The overarching theme of our project is the advertisement of clean, simple, sustainable sources of energy. In searching for ways to serve this purpose, our group came across the Massachusetts Audubon Society, a nonprofit organization which protects 36,500 acres of land for wildlife preservation and sustainable energy production. Since the Mass Audubon Society benefits greatly from volunteer service, we have undertaken to produce an informative and demonstrative voiceover video about the Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary Nature Center’s history and “green” architecture. This includes brief exhibitions and descriptions of the building’s use of clerestories, waterfalls, composting toilets, water collection, heat pumps, solar panels, and solar heating.
Shark Misconceptions
(Kayla Schwartz, Nika Hashemi, Robbie Hodin)
Our project is to create a children's book about common shark misconceptions and to teach young children (kindergarten through second grade) at Zervas Elementary school that sharks are not actually bad and scary. We plan to make 25-30 copies of the book and sell them in the children’s section of the Newton Free Library. In addition, we plan to present at the Students for a Greener World Program on May 21. The money we make will go to the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy in Chatham, Ma.
Living like the Locals
(Caroline Barry, Colleen McElduff, Hannah Kiritsy, Maddy Yorke)
People experience traveling in many different ways. Some people enjoy visiting five star resorts, while others might enjoy living like the locals and taking advantage of natural resources around the world. Our goal is to educate people regarding the importance of eating locally, whether it be at home or while traveling. We are creating a website where people can post about their travels and make suggestions about amazing local food from around the world. We are also visiting Cape Ann to learn about how local fish is sold/distributed in Massachusetts. By learning about how people take advantage of resources at home and abroad, we hope to teach people the benefits of eating locally and the positive impact that is has on our ecosystem.
Recycling the Seas
(Ally Youngsman , Milly Alvarez)
Our plan is to draw actual awareness to the dangers of plastic consuming the oceans and harming marine life, and how we can bring this to an end before it’s too late. We are presenting to a fourth grade class at Memorial Spaulding and holding a program that creates awareness for plastic in the ocean, and allows students to learn more about recycling. We are giving elementary students a head start by introducing this topic into their classroom curriculum. We also plan to use and do an activity that Ally had done while visiting Ecuador, with the fourth grade students. While there, she visited a program called GECO that raised awareness for ocean plastic, and met with similar aged children and made bottle-cap dolls. These “dolls” were made from all used plastic bottle caps and string. We plan to do the same activity with the students at Memorial Spaulding.
The Giving Ocean: Won’t Give Forever
(Andrew Pratt, Marco Mercurio, Juan Segura, Jack Briney)
We will meet and spend the day with Jared Auerbach, the owner of Red's Best, at his place of operations at the Boston Seaport District. We are concerned about the state of our fisheries and want to understand how this industry operates from fishermen - wholesaler - retailer. By touring the Boston Fish Pier, we will have a deeper understanding of how this industry operates - where the fish are shipped, etc. We recognize that these issues can not be changed overnight but through activism and awareness we hope to increase support for buying sustainable food and eventually pushing congressmen and senators to increase regulations.
Words That Change The World (Tyack)
G - block
Community Counts
(Christopher Brooks, Bibi Harburger, Catarina Martins, Brett Silk)
Community has been a crucial part of human society for many years, and Newton South has many of its own. However, there is one in particular that is near and dear to all of us, the global community. For our action project, our goal is to increase the sense of community among the global students by hosting a community event: an outdoor pizza party! We were informed by interviewing contacts in two countries--Canada and Colombia-- as well as our books such as Americanah and The Public School Advantage: Why Public Schools Outperform Private Schools as examples of what community means to people worldwide and how that compares to America and our own smaller community.
NATURE NATURE NATURE!
(Sara Barrows, Josh Finkel, Dominica Pechan, Sabrina Wen)
For our year end project, we analyzed the word nature and all of its meanings (focusing on “outdoor nature” and “human nature”). After doing some research, we wanted to bring the Newton South community to the conversation, and did so by putting up paper on a various library tables. We asked questions like “What does nature mean to you” and “When was the last time you went outside for fun” to make people think about their connection with our word. In our research, we connected our project to Singapore and Bhutan - two countries that incorporate nature to their society in unique and different ways. Additionally, we read the books Walden by Henry David Thoreau, and H is for Hawk by Helen MacDonald, to get a better understanding of the different definitions of nature and how they affect people.
Choose Happiness
(Emily Diamond, Hannah Gonzalez, Kayla Schwartz, Alexa Weintraub)
People here in Newton and around the world struggle with the idea of happiness. We constantly question our personal happiness, doing anything we can to be the happiest we can. Our mindsets are so focused around increasing our happiness, we often go so far that we impede our happiness. For our action project, we made a video filming elementary schoolers, middle schoolers, high schoolers, and some teachers, asking them what makes them happy and what gets in the way of happiness. Our hope is to inform teachers and administration about how they can improve their classroom or school setting to create a learning environment that is conducive to student happiness. We advanced our knowledge through interviews with from Israel and Thailand and we also used the book The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.
ART FOR CHANGE
(Jenny Lipof, Ethan Smelson, Danielle Aviles, Deana shirasb, Leah Shems)
Our project is centered around the way art can help people express themselves and bring about equitable change. Because we think that people with disabilities are not as represented in the school, we are making a mural that celebrates art, creativity, difference, and connection. We researched Iceland for art therapy and China for music therapy in order to take a global perspective and among others, we used the book Wonder about a boy with a face deformity who has to integrate into a school and learns that his different features are what make him unique and beautiful and he finds friends.
Every Vote Counts: South Students and Their Role in States Election
(Cherissa Leon, David Patkin, Bennet Walkes)
Our project is centered around the idea of democracy. Using the books The People vs. Democracy, Fire and Fury, and Democracy in Chains: The Deep History of the Radical Right’s Stealth Plan for America, we researched the role ethnicity, class, and political identification play in one’s ability to achieve “freedom.” Our action project concerns student awareness of local and state issues. We will be inviting multiple speakers to present and answer questions about 2018 state ballot questions and state gubernatorial candidates. We hope this event may bring to light issues which may have gone unnoticed and better educate future citizens.
Words That Change The World (Martin)
B - block
Sleep
(Lily R., Kevin Z., Benji C., Mara M., Maddie Y.)
We all know we need sleep to function, but how does sleep really affect us? How do people in Japan and Ecuador juggle the struggles of daily life and their sleep? Students in this group have researched this important topic and will be presenting their findings to 9th grade Wellness classes this week.
Service
(Caroline B., Danny H., Alison M., Scott H.)
How do citizens “serve” the communities in which they live? Through the military? Through environmental efforts? Students in this group have researched this important topic both in Ecuador and Israel and are volunteering at the Newton Community Farm. After they have “served” their community, they are investigating classmates’ responses to Community Service requirements at schools and will present their findings to the NSHS administration.
Well-Being
(Brianna W., Kaitlyn H., Hannah K., Lindsay L., Hiago C.)
How do we balance our mental and physical health with the stresses and responsibilities of today’s fast-paced world? Students in this group have researched this important question throughout the year. Focusing on Ecuador and Germany, this project looks at how health care policies and opinions on mental and physical health differ throughout the world and here in the US. Look for their informative posters and take-home tips throughout the school and community.
Success
(Stella O., Colleen M., Eric D., Kfir B., Adam N.)
How do people throughout the world define success? How is one’s success connect to a sense of happiness? Students in this group studied the word “success” in China, Hong Kong, and Israel. They also surveyed students, faculty, and staff to determine how members of the NSHS community define, struggle with, and celebrate success. Look for their informative, interactive posters throughout the school and community.
Freedom of Speech
(Jenny K., Max Y., Ian G., Phil H., Susannah K.)
How is freedom of speech or expression addressed throughout the world? How do people embrace freedom of speech while also being tolerant and lawful? Students in this group explore these important questions as they study freedom of speech in China and France. Interviews with citizens from these two countries, as well as with members of the ACLU, helped shed light on the ways in which governments and citizens address this complicated term. Their research and data will help the South community understand issues around freedom of speech.
Thompson’s Classes (Faculty Dining Room)
F block
Fast Fashion in a Consumer's World
(Rebecca Levy, Chace Khan, Cameron Quadra, and Olyvia Salek)
Our project focused on the impacts of fast fashion on the environment, and its infringements on human rights. We held a clothing swap where students brought in clothes and took out clothes in order for the item to be recycled rather than thrown away. In addition, we made signs about fast fashion and consumption and put them all over our swap. We hope that our clothing swap educated students and teachers on ways that they can circumvent fast fashion tendencies and make more environmentally friendly clothing decisions.
Farming the Countryside
(Niamh Bayliss, Hannah Gonzalez, Robert Leifke, Sam Peacock, and Brianna Weissel)
For our global project we hoped to start a food garden at Countryside Elementary School where the fifth graders could help to plant and eat various crops. However, due to the cold spring and the strict zoning regulation our focus has shifted. We are now giving the 5th grade students a presentation of the importance of local eating. On top of that we are working on our own farm here at Newton South to help prepare the garden for the summer, and to be able to better understand the farming process ourselves.
Renewable Energy for Newton
(Daniel Ayash, Christopher Brooks, Tiffany Tang, Grace Suga, and Mason Osborn)
Our goal for the end of the year project was to inform people about the new energy aggregation plan for the city of Newton and to lobby city officials in support of this plan. We will meet with the mayor to discuss this renewable energy program, having passed out fliers while informing people about the specifics of the proposition by word of mouth.
Day of Consent: Destroying the Patriarchy
(Ariel Hirschhorn, Rachel Nacht, and Drew Pollock)
In light of the sexual assault scandals coming out around the world, we created a Day of Consent to discuss sexual violence and assault in our community. We assembled four different events throughout the day, including a panel of FEM club members, Newton Police officers, and representatives from REACH Beyond Domestic Violence and BARCC. Although assault and consent are global issues, we wanted to create awareness at South.
Ugly Cosmetics
(Laura Garcia, Catarina Martins, Molly O’Brien, Shirin Pourali)
We are a group of all girls and we constantly come in contact with cosmetics. As we commonly use these products, we wanted to discover what went into the making of cosmetics. What we found out was disturbing. After discovering the ugly truth, we wondered if we were simply clueless and uninformed but we surveyed people on the Chinese and French exchange and everyone was just as clueless as we were. After this, we wanted to educate the public so that they would be as informed as us. To do this, we set up a facebook page called Project Beauty and we set up a table outside the cafeteria during lunch block on 4/25 to talk to people walking by and show them what we learned about the cosmetics industry.
It’s Time: Recycling at South
(Dennis Angjeli, John Floros, and Chloe Frantzis)
How much do you recycle at school? Do you recycle at all? Did you know half-finished Dunkin’ cups cannot be recycled? For our project, we contemplated ways to address South’s recycling shortcomings. We first gathered extensive research about recycling at South and beyond, traveling to our local recycling plant. We found ways raise awareness on recycling around our school by painting bins, and ordering special waste bins that have been effective in other places. To address the administrative aspect, we organized a meeting with our teacher, Principal Stembridge, the custodians, the facilities managers, and any other interested observers to present our findings and solutions. Overall, we believe our work will set a precedent for a greener future that South contributes to.
2017
9th Annual Global Senior Project Presentations
May 24th - Cafeteria D, E and J blocks
Sustainability (Thompson)
D block
Housing Made Affordable
(Stephan Aparicio, Doina Iliescu, Lora Marks, Noah Shelton)
Our goal for the end of the year senior global project is to raise awareness about affordable housing within Newton because it will diversify and bring positive effects to the community. We specifically chose to work on the Riverside project because there is the potential to increase the number of affordable units at the Riverside Train Station. We canvassed the Auburndale area, passing fliers to residents to explain the extent of the Riverside project and what effects it will have on the neighboring community.
Biking Towards The Future
(George Knocke, Héloïse Pellegrin, Kiana Moattari, Tabitha Warner Bavington)
We are focusing on trying to make biking a larger part of Newton South High School culture. We worked with the city to start the long-term project of implementing bike lanes that should be completed in the next three years. We also conducted a survey to determine what was preventing people from biking, and planned a biking/carpooling day for teachers.
Stop The Plastic!
(Allie Arruda, Maria Hastings, Sebastian Marval)
For our project, we decided to focus on reducing the amounts of plastic waste in our local community. We started by organizing a cleanup of the wetlands next to our school with the help of Newton Serves. Along with our cleanup efforts, we spent the last few weeks of our project designing and painting a mural of a turtle with a six-pack holder wrapped around its fin, highlighting the effect that our waste has on our environment and everything living in it.
Eat Better for Less
(Alan Costa, Zach Hill, Alexia Montana, and Rebecca Reinstein)
Our group believes that eating healthy, nutritious food should not be a luxury. For our final project, we created alternative recipes that are nutritious as well as being affordable for people in multiple social classes. We created a recipe book, with different recipes, as well as Youtube videos showing how to make some of the recipes in the book. We hope that people will use these materials to avoid fast food options.
Words That Changed The World (Martin)
Religious Differences
(Jessica Sherman, Harir Zeidi, Timothy Leong, Nina Miller and Andrew Bereket)
For our project we explored religious differences in Argentina and Cambodia, focusing primarily on the questions, “what are the challenges in understanding a different religion?” And “how does religion help/hinder an individual or society?” After conducting interviews with native Argentinians, local Cambodians, and Newton South students on their perspectives on religion, we compiled them into a documentary. The documentary is a culmination of all our findings surrounding the questions the project is centralized around.
Don’t Worry, Be Happy
(Julia Gropman, Addie Masterson, Daniel Bradley, and Daniel Chafetz)
For our senior global project, we studied happiness around the world: how people find happiness, if it’s their priority, how society values happiness, etc. We compared China to Denmark; Denmark is consistently ranked one of the happiest countries in the world. To relate our findings to the U.S., we created a Facebook page called Happy Humans of NSHS. Each week, a new post showed an individual and a quote about what makes them happy.
Interactions
(Cole Bovarnick, Alie Dorfman, Alex Grandi, Robin Medoff, Sarina Regehr, Zak Ross)
For our project, we researched social interactions in China and Holland. We focused on friendships, social media, business, censorship, and LGBT rights. For our action piece, we worked with the teachers running the anti-hate speech lessons. Each of us interviewed ten students, in order to help address and get feedback to guide future lessons. With a total of 60 interviews, we have gained a lot of information, and we have created interest in Newton South for more students to help out in the future.
Health in the Modern World
(Sara Fazli, Nabeel Najam, Andrew Karl, Sujata Sreenivasan, Miranda Milunsky)
For our project, we researched mental and physical health’s impact, particularly in Pakistan and the U.K. In both cases, we found that there are many flaws with how governments and people themselves deal with mental and physical issues. To address the issue of mental health at South, we conducted a survey about student’s stress and other mental health issues. Using our results, we decided that for our action piece we would implement a “Mental Health Day”. This day would have a similar format as One School One Question, where students would have the opportunity to choose relaxing activities to partake in. Since it seems unrealistic that this will happen this year, we will be presenting our idea to the deans and guidance counselors as well as the AWARE club.
Sustainability (Kozuch & Orren)
E block
Sustainable Housing for the 21st Century
(Sarah Freeman, Julia Gropman, Paola Stuparich Nouel)
For our project we have compiled a list of things we should all be doing in order to ensure that homes are as efficient as possible as we combat climate change. Through interviews, books, and real-life examples, we found that not all homes or circumstances allow for the most sustainable home. In order to accommodate we created three different tiers: bronze, silver and gold. Bronze is for students and people who wish to make no physical change to their homes, silver is for those remodeling, and gold is for those building a home from scratch. Along with a brochure containing that information and a poster with information from our interviews and house tours, we have also made a model to show the exterior of a gold standard home.
How to be Plastic Free
(Emma Flint, Brianna Jasset, Ben Lukas)
We put together simple tips for students to reduce plastic consumption in their everyday lives. The purpose of this is to show individuals that they can make an impact if they participate in these acts, no matter how small of an action -- it will make a big difference. We created a Facebook page “How to be Plastic Free” where anyone can go to check out some simple suggestions.
One Man’s Trash is Another Man’s Treasure
(Julia Cohen, Nicholas Komarovsky, Nathan Mark, Aidan O’Flaherty)
Our project sheds light on the incredible amount of waste carelessly thrown into the ocean every day. We are trying to raise awareness for this issue by going on a beach cleanup, making an albatross sculpture, and presenting to elementary and high school students.
Sustainable App
(Andrew Bryan, Dan Epstein, Rachel Honigsberg, Ethan Koss-Smith, Midori Sangiolo)
Our vision is to create a phone app that will allow users to integrate sustainability awareness into their everyday lives. Our goal is for students to not only be aware, but active, and to make daily changes in their lifestyles. Users of the app are asked different questions about their daily habits each day in a game-like manner and receive points for the sustainability of their actions. Our app then ranks users’ behavior, creating a spirit of competition that encourages them to adopt an increasingly sustainable lifestyle.
Fast Fashion
(Alie Dorfman, Haley Friedman, Brenham Hooper, Ellie Kissin)
We researched the fast fashion industry and its effects on society and the environment. We then investigated how our fellow students at Newton South managed their wardrobes, including their buying habits as well as how and when they discard old clothes. Finally, we organized a clothing swap at Newton South where students and faculty could bring in their used clothing and take clothes that others had brought in.
What determines the price of meat?
(Kaavya Chaparala, Matthew Nurnberger, Evan Quinn)
After visiting various poultry retailers, we learned that the origin of the chickens varied, and the transparency of information that stores provide was inconsistent. We hope to educate the public on the choices they make when shopping for poultry, and to acknowledge that there is a lot that goes into the process.
Global Marine Biology (Rosen)
D Block Presentations
Dolphin Tale
(Zak Ross, Olivia Groper, Troy Manditch)
As a final project, our group decided to make a children's book about dolphins. We thought making a book depicting the struggles of dolphins when humans take them out of their habitats and are put into tanks are something younger kids should be aware of. As well as just general knowledge about dolphins. We read our book to preschoolers.
No Trout About it
(Ethan Weinstein, Tessa Houston, Kaitlin Emmett & Aaron Foster)
As a group, we worked with state fisheries biologist Steve Hurley to work in the field with sea run brook trout and river herring. Come check out our video and hear about our experience searching for dropped trout tags and clearing man made channels built out of an old cranberry bog that allow river herring to spawn in their desired fresh water body of water. In addition, come hear about conservation work that takes place every day here in Massachusetts.
Words That Changed The World (Golding)
D block presentations
Perception
(Ellie Kissin, Oliver Dyakov)
People as a group have a lot of things in common. DNA is one, and perceptions is another. The way we perceive others, the way that we perceive ourselves, and the way we perceive the world has a big impact on us and how we act. We proposed an improved anti-hate speech curriculum to Mr. Barron.
Voices of the Silenced
(Anna Kirsanov, Robin Acosta, Rebecca Teslyar, Benjamin Janosky)
If our voices allow us to exert strength and power, what happens to those who are silenced? To be silent is to make a voluntary decision to remain un-involved; to be silenced is to have the choice taken away. Within our own community people are silenced each day, and the only way to break the system of silence is quite literally to use our voices.
2016
8th Annual Global Senior Project Presentations
May 26th - Cafeteria E, C and J blocks
The Salt Marsh Debauchery
Julius Gordon, Katherine Quinn, Lily Canavan, and Wilson Chen
Salt marshes, acting as a filter to help organisms seeking refuge with nutrients, are imperative to the health of the environment. In recent years, human activity and pollution have lead to the decline in productivity in these important ecosystems. Over the course of this past month our group has volunteered to help clean up the Neponset marsh and made a short documentary about the importance of salt marshes and how we can preserve them.
A Look Into Boston Harbor
Sammy Greer, Ally Bovarnick, Zoe Ongaro & Jess Kaplan
A presentation about how far Boston Harbor’s remediation efforts have come in the past three decades. From being ranked the worst harbor in all of the United States to one of the cleanest in a major metropolitan area. Through legislation to changes in infrastructure, Boston Harbor has bounced back into a thriving ecosystem from a sewage driven body of lifeless water.
“Shark Fin Bru-ha-ha”
Emma Paterson, Olivia LaRosa, Jamyre Soberanis, Josh Polasky
Our group seeks to inform the community about the issues surrounding large pelagic predators including over fishing, myths about sharks and the ramifications of these beliefs. We’ve been exploring ways that we can all do our part in minimizing the excessive hunting of these animals. We created brochures for distribution at the Newton Free Library.
Plastic Pollution Solution
Stephanie Man, Rachel Cohen, Emma Owings, Emma Talebzadeh
Our project aims to address the problem of ocean trash and plastic pollution. We realized that the largest cause of ocean trash is the lack of discussion and education about how our actions affect our environment and what we can do to make a positive change. We aim to better educate our community and give people options on how they can help keep our oceans clean.
Catching the Mistakes
Caraline Pham, Libby Weiler, Gayane Pogosyan and Jack Kenslea
Come hear about how our group created a petition to accurately label fish products and wrote letters to Congressional and Massachusetts state representatives.
Water World
Joey Navarro, Peter Quinn, Gabriel Betancourt, Chris Walden, and Harry Xu
For our project we created a large mural installation showing projections of the Boston Harbor’s sea level in 2050 and 2100 to educate the Newton South community on why the sea level is rising and how we can reduce environmental impacts in our communities. The model is based off of current trends in sea level.
Forget the Peanut Butter, Save the Jelly
Alexa Miller, Maddie Miller, Katie Summer, Daniela Cherny, Ashley Balthazar
We constructed a jellyfish out of trash that can be found in the ocean. These plastic bags are commonly mistaken by leatherback sea turtles for jellyfish. Once the leatherback sea turtles eat these floating plastic bags, they die from indigestion and suffocation. Jellyfish are also directly impacted by climate change as the warmer water has resulted in a “jelly bloom.” Our symbolic art hopefully will inspire discussions of climate change and ocean trash issues, and what we can all do to help.
Phasing out the Foam
Alex Christensen, Sam Ganem, Isaiah Freedman, Emily Palmer
Our project focuses on attempting to raise awareness about the environmental dangers of styrofoam and decreasing its the use within our school system. We researched alternative and more environmentally sensitive products that can be used, predominantly plant-based plastics or paper materials. We also worked to educate others about the detriments of styrofoam and possible alternatives.
Sustainable Seafood
Noam Raz, Hannah Barbash-Taylor, Daniel Carney, Brendon Delmonico, Ike Bergquist
Our project looked at New England’s fishing industry, specifically examining mislabeling. Our project created a guide that will assist purchasers in the Newton community in buying sustainable, locally sourced fish. To share our research, we are hosting a sustainable seafood luncheon on Friday, May 20, for faculty. We will give out a pamphlet with information to help guide the attendees towards further supporting local, and sustainable seafood. We will be collecting donations for New England Aquarium's sustainable seafood programs.
Recycling Project
Joseph Carleo, Elizabeth Sockwell, John Whalen, Sarah Wyner, and Harry Xu
We are hoping to reduce waste by improving recycling at Newton South. We made signs to put on every classroom bin and made a video to show to advisories. These steps, as well as raising awareness of climate change and other environmental concerns, can help to increase South’s focus on effective recycling.
SuperFresh: An Honest Supermarket
Tristan Dinsmore, Annalisa Flynn, Alvin Kwan, Ksenia Potapov, Brad Weissel
On Monday, May 16th, we transformed the Wheeler entrance into an interactive supermarket exhibit, SuperFresh. Throughout the day, classes and passersby explored the environmental, cultural, and social stories behind foods they eat everyday. Through velcroed products, stickers, posters and discussion, we hope we were able to encourage them to consider the many impacts of their food choices.
Hydration Station
Jacob Hartman, Omry Meirav, Joey Navarro, Peter Quinn, and Kalena Wang
Our project strives to reduce disposable water bottle waste in the Newton South community. Disposable water bottles have a massive negative impact on the environment. We successfully raised money for and scheduled the installation of a new hydration station at South to promote the use of reusable water bottles. Not only does this project help diminish the impact of disposable bottles, it serves as a public display of sustainability.
Protect The Innocent Animals
Hannah Arber, Matthew Barnett, Alejandra Ramirez
The main objective of our project is to raise awareness surrounding the atrocities of the black market wildlife trade, and of the dangers of keeping these creatures as pets. We have created a pamphlet guide which describes some of the most prevalent animals caught up in the trade, as well as what one can do to help protect them. We will also be speaking at multiple venues to educate the community on these issues and will be encouraging them to help make a difference.
Censorship
Andrew Wales, Daniel Carney, Sheila Tobin, Gayane Pogosyan, Frankie Barros
Have you ever wondered “does everyone have freedom of speech”? Not everyone does. In America, we have the freedom assemble, speak freely, post what we want, etc. But this isn’t the same thing for everyone. For our project we researched how the governments in China and Russia control their media through censorship and propaganda. We implemented what we learned into a prezi presentation that focuses on the methods of how China and Russia censor and control their citizens. Our action piece was posting posters around our school and Newton with the definition of censorship and asking “Have you ever felt censored?”. We included a QR code with a link to our prezi presentation so that anyone can access it. Our goal is to make people more aware of censorship in the world around them.
Accessibility
Jaden Baye-Cinga, Ava Shaevel, Kayla Freedman, Isabel Sperry, and Abigail Dumo
For our project we researched how where you live in the world affects the resources you have access to. We focused on Canada and China by comparing their health care, foster care, social work, adoption, and overall quality of life. To make a difference in our community, we volunteered at the Home For Little Wanderers and Family Resource Center by creating a family game night for their community. We provided pizza, drinks, and games in order to create a fun night for the families to encourage family bonding and positive relationships. Through this we understand that the United States is fortunate enough to have programs in place to help people in need and we hope that family game night had a positive impact on the children’s lives.
Crime
Phil Batler, Emma Talebzadeh, Jess Kaplan, Jason Chen, Sasha Boroda, Jay Martin
We decided to explore crime in the US compared to a country with a low crime rate, The Netherlands, and a high crime rate, Mexico. We decided to observe these country’s gun control laws, incarceration legislation, and drug regulations to compare the different laws and how they relate to safety of the general public. Our action piece is that we created a brochure, which will be distributed throughout the community, so as to share our research.
Achieving Real Success
Alexia Miquel, Zoe Ongaro, Emily Palmer, Charissa Lin, Kalena Wang, Noah Finn
Our project focuses the question: what is success? We looked at the impact education, happiness, and success have on each other in South Korea and Switzerland, as well as in the U.S. Knowing that education systems can always be improved, we synthesized our information and created an action piece that would impact the students in our community. We created and administered a survey on education quality to the incoming freshmen at Oak Hill Middle School, and will be presenting the findings, as well as our suggestions on how to best move our students toward happiness and success, to the South department chairs.
How global is “Global”?
Jacob Rozowsky, Robyn Isberg, Josh Polasky, Robyn Isberg & Isabel Nichols
How school spirited are we? We searched for ways to strengthen our community by exploring religions, diving into cultures around our world, and putting the “community” into our beloved “Global.”
Selfishness? How about Self- Wishes?
Dalia Schneider, Sammy Greer, Inbar Hazan, Joey Navarro
Parents told us to always share our toys and include others. But where is the line between helping yourself and helping others? Come explore a retroactive account from recent Newton South graduates to help current Newton South students understand that the virtues of self-advocacy should never be misplaced due to the fear of being selfish.
Living Begins Outside Of Your Comfort Zone
Tristan Dinsmore, Maddie Klein, Peter Quinn
Have you ever done something risky? Have you ever done something in another country, outside of the tourist walls? There is a difference in living comfortably and living conservatively, get out in the world and test yourself for all you're worth!
2015
7th Annual Global Senior Projects
May 26th - May Fair (F & E Blocks)
Want an Earth? Recycle!
(Frances Cooke, Tamar Bulka, Julia Hurwit, Bailey Steinberg, Jake Rogers)
Our project aims to curb the problem of waste in Newton South's cafeteria. We are implementing recycling bins in the cafeteria and having students monitor the bins to ensure that no non-recyclable waste makes its way into the recycling - which has been a problem in the past. By doing this, we hope to reduce the amount of waste produced by the school, while also educating the student population about recycling.
Lets Eat Local
(Katherine Cullen, Zach Pittel, Ben Sisson)
For our project we researched the evolution of the American food system, looking specifically at large industrial agriculture and its destruction of local food systems. We promoted and endorsed local eating by creating our own farm stand and selling homemade nut butters. We also got in contact with a local CSA, creating an account that gave South students the opportunity to access organic foods and support local farmers.
Green Trail
(Isabella Cataldo, Emma Geller, Lisa Knocke, Andrew Shaughnessy)
The goal of our project is to improve and expand upon the Green Trail established in past years. This includes cleaning up the trail, filling in gaps in the existing website, and reopening the Green Trail to the public. In doing this we have placed an emphasis on specific species that are part of the trail and the surrounding habitats, and we hope to encourage future groups to take interest in maintaining and expanding the Green Trail.
America’s Addiction
(Kristen Magliozzi, Leah Nathanson, Chris Olsson, Andrew Shields)
By integrating the biological and psychological effects of poor nutrition we hope to bring light to the importance of eating healthy and developing sustainable eating habits during adolescence. Along with this, we will compare and contrast the U.S. diet to several countries, including Cuba and the Netherlands, and emphasize America's over dependence of processed foods and added sugars.
Saving Our Salt Marshes (Sustainability)
(Yu-En Chang, Daniel Likoff)
People don’t realize the importance of our local salt marshes, or, even that they are one of the most productive ecosystems on the planet. Learn the economic values of salt marshes and the history behind these marshes, while also learning about the intriguing research that has been done to save them. See what simple things you can change in your lifestyle to protect these natural wonders.
International Shark Conservation
(Adam Frank, Ana Geltman, Isabel Tenreiro, Gabi Tiraspolski, Brittany Martin)
Our project focuses on social cultural, and political aspects of shark hunting. We talk about the importance of shark conservation and their role in the ecosystem and how it effects us and our world.
The Little Explorers Guide To The Deep Sea Children’s Book
(Faith Bergman, Allie Lushan, Aleks Marceau, Ben Tuval)
Our project is a multicultural children’s book to educate students about deep-sea creatures. Our book connects the cultures of The United States, Tanzania and Chile to give children an idea of the importance of culture in the fishing industry.
Strangling the Ocean
(Ariel Ervin, Tesneem El-Alami, Matt Donovan, Griffin Connolly, Virgil Wong)
Our project aims to spread awareness of the growing issue of plastic pollution in the ocean; plastic kills and endangers many species and ecosystems and our dependency on plastic must be quelled. By making a leatherback sea turtle, a species threatened by plastic, out of plastic we use in our community, we hope to make a lasting impact on people who see it, and thus promote less plastic dependency.
Saving the Salt Marsh (Marine)
(Sasha Kuznetsov, Dan Likoff, David Cao, Yu-En Chang)
Our project will explain the salt marsh ecosystem and its inner workings, as well as the detrimental effects human activity can often have on it. In an interactive presentation with video footage of out visits to salt marshes, we will explain how marshes are studied by scientists and how these harmful effects can be prevented in the community through activism.
The Tap Pledge
(Daniel Abramson, Jared Chin, Anton Malin, Nick Dinisco)
For our project we will bring in a speaker from the MWRA to talk to students about water and sustainable practices. We will give out stickers to represent those who take the plastic pledge, to use less plastic bottles and drink more tap water. We will also make signs encouraging people to drink tap water near the water fountains and get the word out about the event.
Plastic Bags Kill: How to reduce our carbon footprint.
(Jack Groper, Hannah Clary, Izi Epstein, Michelle Bushoy, Maggie DiMarco)
For our project we’ve been in touch with the Newton Alderman and we will be selling reusable bags created and designed by our group members at local grocery and convenient stores. On the day of the presentations we will set up a booth to inform people about ways to reduce the use of plastic and ultimately changing our carbon footprint.
The Controversy over Marine Mammals in Captivity
(Sonja Klummp, Katie Doran, Mary Levine & Elizabeth Barry)
For our project, we hosted a mammal day in the auditorium where we invited representatives from both the Aquarium and an organization called PETA. The groups acknowledged both the benefits of dangers of keeping marine mammals in captivity.
Dive in to Ecotourism!!!
(Ellie Yorke, Katie McGauley, Kristin Spink, Will Haworth, Michael Garfinkle)
We have explored the benefits of sustainable travel both through research and personal experience. With our new information we have created a presentation for the students of Newton South to teach them how to travel sustainably and also to share our experiences. We are having a speaker come in to talk about Ecotourism in our community and hope to encourage Ecotourism among the families of Newton.
Styrofoam: killer of turtles, fish and mammals everywhere
(Angelina Weng, Alexis Kieran, Sonya Nair, Nicole Cheng)
The goal of this project is to raise awareness about the effects of Styrofoam and minimize the usage of it. We plan to accomplish this by specifically targeting stores like Dunkin Donuts to find other alternatives. With the help of Newton City Hall, we hope to put a Styrofoam ban in Newton
The Other 97% - The Future of Marine Preserves
(Lisa Knocke, Anna Mason, Acia Gankin, and Sebastian Lucena)
In a world in which we are constantly told to “live sustainably” and “preserve the earth”, the actual means to do so are not often implemented, especially in the case of our oceans. A few years ago, only about 1% of the ocean was protected. Recently, that tiny statistic has gone up to 3%; this is still no where near enough. Hundreds of the world’s MPAs (Marine Preservation Areas) are located in the United States, yet we never hear about these areas. What kind of preservation revolution could occur if American youth became aware of the possibilities of MPAs? Our projects goal is to inspire and empower our peers to take action and become more environmentally conscious, to show the true importance of protecting our oceans and fighting for more marine preserves.
Imperfectly Perfect
(Nikki Caminetsky, Claire McElduff, Nick Bartley, Camila Hernandez)
What are your imperfections? How do they shape your goals, identity, and appearance, or dictate your happiness? Come talk with us and share what makes you unique.
Mommy, I Want That One!
(Brianna McIsaac, Steph Wise)
Tradition? Fun! Tradition with younger kids! Super mega awesome fun! We took a peek into how tradition affects youth, such as the elementary school battle of Christmas v.s Hanukkah, the compromises of a second marriage, how Scotland made something out of nothing, and a four year old who celebrates Christmas to Diwali and everything in between.
STIGMA! No Longer An Enigma
(Emma Gomez-Rivas, Katherine Cullen, Zach Pittel)
What is stigma? Where does it come from? How can we overcome it? By analyzing stigma in society and in the media, we tried to understand where it comes from and what implications it has. We focused on mental health and learning disabilities in order to lay out the ways one can best over come the stigma they face.
E. V. I. L.: EVERY VILLAIN IS LEMONS
(Evie Kyn, Anya Graubard)
From A(nya) to Z(ombies), we inspect the spectrum of evil, what comprises it, what justifies it, and how we see it in our everyday lives. We blur the lines of evil and ask ourselves what it means to be truly evil?
Music: A Universal Language
(Michelle Gurvits, Alice Yi, Yu-En Chang, Armin Sabouri)
You can try communicating in English, but, often times, the point doesn’t get across. However, if you try communicating with music, everyone, no matter the nationality, will understand. How does music help you communicate with others and how can it bring people together? Tell us about your experiences!
Adultery is Patriotic
(Sally Stack & Dana Michlin)
Politics are deliberate, patriotism is inherent. We examine the effects of accidental political impact and intentional patriotism with examples from Bill Clinton to your next-door neighbor and from Nigeria to post-Nazi Germany.
The Internet & Community! It’s All About the Unity?
(Nathan Oasis, Sophia Autor)
Internet pundits often suggest the Internet is either a force for good (democracy) or for evil (autocracy). This view is oversimplified. The Internet has helped to generate autonomy and to fuel surveillance; to overthrow and to entrench governments. But, what if even absent state pushback, uses of the Internet foment base human tendencies? Community has always been an integral part of human nature. But what are the magic ingredients that cause connection? What traits do all leaders have? How can I inspire others? Come see how community impacts your life!
Health Care
(Margaret Beebe-Center, Katherine Dorfman, Amara Regehr, Julianna Huang)
“Should healthcare be universal?” This group tackles this question by examining the healthcare programs in Cuba and France. With specific interviews with Cuban healthcare-providers and French citizens, this group compares the “pros” and “cons” of healthcare approaches in Cuba, France, and the United States. The “action piece” appears in the form of volunteering at group homes for adults with disabilities to learn about their community and to promote healthy living. They will also look at the possibility for such houses to become part of the healthcare system.
Opportunity
(Isabel Tenreiro, Sam Sharon, Jeremy Knight, Keith Woo)
America prides itself on being “the land of opportunity.” But, how much opportunity awaits immigrants in the United States? This group explores how and why people from China and Cuba come to the US and what they face once here. Culminating in a “Personal Narrator” book for middle school students, this group’s research aims to help us understand what it’s really like to be living in “the land of opportunity.”
Wealth Gap
(Taylor Bovarnick, Tara Lanahan, Jelysa Durham, Edward Friedman)
We all know that there are rich and poor people throughout the world. But from where does this wealth gap come? How did it start, and will it ever narrow or disappear? Such questions are addressed in this group’s project. Focusing on such interesting topics as the “benefits and ramifications” of a wealth gap, this group’s research culminates in an “action piece” of educating the NSHS and Newton communities of the money discrepancies in Columbia and the United States. A “goods drive” will also take place for needed materials at a local facility to help the less fortunate among us.
Education and Poverty
(Cameron Pennell, Thomas Davidge, Virgil Wong)
We all know that education is an important pathway to success. But, what happens if your level of education is dictated by your income? This group explores the relationship between poverty and education in Singapore and Mexico, and the ways in which one’s financial status/background can influence his or her level of success.
Family Dynamics
(Corey Friedman, Shiri Pagliuso, David Berman, Sonja Klumpp, Elizabeth Rufo)
“How do a nation’s cultural values affect roles within the family?” This group explores family dynamics in Saudi Arabia and Germany. Focusing on tradition, politics, and even religion, this group studies how inter-family relationships have changed or remained stagnant over time and space. The “action piece” appears in the form of “All Families Matter Day,” a day where this group educates NSHS and the Newton community about the importance of all family types around Massachusetts and the world.
Beijing-Jingshan School and Newton South
(Madison Crosby, Jacob Schwartz, Kathy Zhu)
An interactive presentation showcasing the personal and academic values of a wide range of students and staff at the Beijing Jingshan School, presented in their own words. It is designed to let the students and teachers speak to members of the Newton South Community as directly as possible. We will also integrate our own impressions to create a comprehensive portrait of our experiences with Chinese culture and its values.
6th Annual Global Week
(May 28th 2014 - E-Block, NSHS Cafeteria)
1:50 - 2:05 pm Kozuch and Golding's classes
Let's Cut Down Paper Waste, Instead of Cutting Down Trees
(Kayla Chan, Dylan Ditullio, Emily Kaufman)
Our project aims to reduce paper use and paper waste at Newton South by encouraging students and faculty to make small changes in the classroom. We are also planting trees near the football field in order provide a wind screen. By making small changes, our group hopes to make a big impact on the South community and the planet.
Health is Wealth
(Nic Baudin, Nate Berman, Alekhya Chaparala, Isabel Snyder, Ryan Trevino)
For our project we researched the impacts of culture and education on public health in China and Ecuador. We translated what we learned into an action piece focusing on public health in urban communities. We then led a presentation at the West End House Boys and Girls Club (a community center for at-risk youth in Brighton/Allston) about the individual, family, community, and structural factors that affect ones health. We hope this presentation enabled the kids to become active and engaged citizens.
Green Trail (opening at 3 pm)
(Suzanna Anderson, Grant Balkema, Richard DeNitto, Darius Hare, Jake Houston, Patrick Maher, Peter Walsh)
The Green Trail project is a fantastic way to integrate community awareness, environmental progress, and academic achievement. It is a series of stops that demonstrates Newton South High School's sustainability on campus, integrating key concepts into classrooms like Conservation of Biology and Culinary arts. The Green Trail is a student driven project that creates a hands on learning experience while improving the environment around campus. http://nshsgreentrail.weebly.com/
What Limits You?
(Suzanna Anderson, A.V. Garik, Mackenzie Targett)
With our project we are trying to understand and bring into the open what people feel limited by every day at South. By having students write what limits them and what gives them hope, they can feel comforted by the fact that they aren't the only ones struggling and can find different ways to cope.
Political Art: for Dummies
(Sophia Canning & Hellen Huang)
How does the United States censor everything we see? Why is the American Time Magazine cover different from the covers published in the rest of the world? What is “digestibility” and why does it matter?
Look in the Mirror: An Examination of Beauty
(Caitlain McDonald and Grace Smith)
Over time, our society has developed impossible standards of beauty. Come and stop by to engage in discussion about what really makes a person beautiful. See how we have tried to change people’s perceptions of beauty found within themselves.
Prestigious Schools Ain’t So Cool
(Jordan Cohen, Ben Miller, Jake Houston)
Was it worth it, all that studying? Would you have rather been happy and relaxed or uptight and stressed? We know what we think.
The “Unusual” Case of Attraction
Camille Stubbe, Fiza Ansari, Allie Teicholz
Lip stretching, neck rings, and obesity—just few of the many ideals of attraction in societies around the globe. By exploring different cultural traditions and the appeal behind seemingly unusual practices, we hope to challenge the Western perspectives and promote a global understanding of attraction.
Do You Feel Accepted At South?
Maya Polasky, Shayla Foley & Josh Dempsey
Our group looked into the idea of acceptance upon different minorities in society, specifically Newton. Through the topics of African-Americans, Hispanics , Gays and Special Education. Though Newton is a very accepting environment compared to other communities, we still have ways to go. Do you feel that you are accepted at South? What needs to be done to make our community more accepting?
2:05 - 2:25 Rosen's classes:
Saving the Reefs
(Jordan Cohen, Ben Miller, and Mara Ezekiel)
We have done research to find ways to help stop the destruction of reefs. We organized a bake sale to raise awareness by handing out pamphlets with every baked good we sold. Further more, we picked an organization to donate the money to, called Coral Reef Alliance because they have made the biggest change in protecting the reefs that are in decline.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle your plastic
( Emma Feynman, Beth Yudelman, Tristan Pesaresi, Sarina Weiss)
Our project examined the effects of plastic on the oceans. We focused specifically on bottles, plastic bags, and the Pacific Garbage Patch. In an effort to raise awareness we did a presentation in the lecture hall and showed a video, then had a question and answer session. We are measuring our progress with a Facebook page, which we are encouraging people to like. We also ordered stickers and will be selling them to raise awareness.
Nuke Sushi
(Connor Donahue, Dan Goudovitch, Emma Sander, Julian Asuaje-Solon)
Our project seeks to raise awareness of the radioactive effects on fish in Japanese waters following the Fukushima disaster and the effects of this on the sushi industry. We are making a powerpoint presentation with information regarding the situation and are going to link it to a QR code so that people can scan our posters with their phones and get linked to our online presentation. We have also interviewed people in the sushi industry to find their opinion on the issue. Finally, we have created a Bitstrips comic strip that illustrates and personifies the situation and explains how the average person can help.
Furs or Fashion
(Esther Cho and Monique Gould)
Our global final project is called furs or fashion because we have invested our time in researching about the regulations, brutality, and morality behind the harp seals. Through our research we found out that the regulations allow abandoned 12 day old harp seal pups to be hunted and that the majority of seal hunts are not being monitored by the government which causes the over hunting and placing the seals in danger. We created a visual blog in order to raise awareness of the harp seal hunt and out hit counter is slowly rising. We hope to draw more attention and get more hits by the end of the project.
Sustainable Seas
(Sheldon Blake-Waterman, Jelena Kupcevic, David Gorelik, Toni Monge)
For our Global Project we worked to raise awareness on the very pressing issue that is overfishing. On May 7th, 2014 during long block F block, our group conducted a panel discussion in which two speakers, highly educated on the issue of overfishing, came in to participate and spread awareness. In conjunction we also worked on getting students at South to think beyond their plates by showing movie clips from films such as "The End Of The Line" and "The Seafood Watch Program" that showed the atrocious methods that fishing industries use to fish. Finally, we strongly encouraged each student to buy sustainably caught seafood and handed out informational brochures that we created.
Protecting Marine Ecosystems
(Suzanna Anderson, Andrew Hardigg, Marjorie O’Hearne, Devon Woods)
Our Global project aims to spread information about marine protected areas and their benefits for the economy and environment. We have done research on how individuals living near marine protected areas feel about the affects of these marine reserves. We plan on creating a petition on the Whitehouse petition website, and we will also send our research to congressmen who are interested in creating more protected areas. Our goal is to increase awareness and the protection of more of the oceans.
2:25 - 2:45 Thompson and Martin's classes
Education and Income: The Global Disparity
Nic Baudin, Nate Berman, Zack Cater, Alekhya Chaparala, Lily Levine, Ryan Trevino
Our project set out to explore the connection between culture and education around the world, but what we found was that income inequality was a stronger indicator of educational opportunities than culture. The reverse is also true, for education is often the most powerful tool in dictating students' future economic success. We chose to focus specifically on China and Ecuador, and did a lot of research on the income and educational disparities in these countries. For our action piece, we developed a lesson plan targeted at middle school students to teach them about how economic inequality affects the educational opportunities of their peers around the world.
“How can we change the way that people consume seafood?
(AV Garik, Matt Marcus, Caitlain McDonald, Ben Robinson, Allie Teicholz)
Through our project we have broadened our knowledge of overfishing across the world through our contacts in Iceland and the Galapagos, as well as here in the United States. We've used this knowledge to reach out to several restaurants and fish markets in attempts to convince them to label the sustainability level and origin of the fish they sell. We are also working on creating a sustainable seafood cookbook to catalyze change on a more individual level. Come learn about the crisis the fishing community is currently facing, and how you can make a change in your daily choices!
Link to the online cookbook is here.
How do we help encourage sustainable transportation at Newton South?
(Collin Pham, Astha Agarwal, Jason Pollock, Tyrus Bergersen, William Su)
How can we reduce paper waste at Newton South?
(Camille Stubbe, Fiza Ansari, Jina An, Sara Wang, Grace Smith)
Every day, Newton South produces a staggering amount of waste, from food to water, to paper. As a group, we specifically targeted the issues of excessive paper waste by organizing the installation of hand dryers within NSHS in an effort to reduce paper towel usage. Each hand dryer would save 72,000 paper towels annually. With the help of the PTSO and NPS officials, hand dryers will be coming soon to bathrooms at South.
How can we promote local, sustainable, year-round farming?
(Gabe Honigsberg, Liza Bialik, Liam Shanny, Jake Jermanok, Michael Harlow)
For this project we have worked with Mr. Orren and the farm club to extend the growing season and to make frequent sales to the cafeteria. To do this, we have developed an invoice form and list of market prices for the farm’s crops to be sold to the cafeteria. To extend the growing season, we have helped install low tunnels, which help retain heat and protect the crops from pests and weather. As a result of these efforts, not only will the cafeteria be using more sustainable produce for the food students and faculty eat, but hopefully students will realize that incorporating locally sourced agriculture into our diets isn't so far fetched.
Fashion/Beauty
(Brandon Byun, Ester Cho, Monique Gould, Myanna Grannum, Sam Kaminsky)
For our global final project, we researched the true meaning behind the word fashion/beauty by comparing two very different cultures such as Russia and Peru. We interviewed a wide range of demographics, including executives in the Russian fashion industry to locals in Peru. As our action piece, we created a visual blog that illustrates the cultural differences between Peru and Russia and the general trends that each tend to follow. Also, in our blog, we include how each country’s sports attire correlates with their economic growth.
Tourism
(Maite Abadia-Manthei, Jackie Chen, Darius Hare, Minh-an Quin, Alan Shektman)
What does it take to be a good tourist? Our group has studied a range of aspects of tourism from Ecotourism and aid tourism to dark tourism and sex tourism. We focused mainly on the Dominican Republic and China. Our ultimate goal is to inform our community through the informative pamphlet we created outlining the characteristics of the ideal tourist.
Gender
(Vanessa Chen, Dan Goudovitch, Caroline Leong, Tim Newton, Tristan Pesaresi)
The Gender Group has explored the role of gender in the societies of Russia and Italy, as well as the rights of the LGBT community. We also sought to determine the roots of the gender pay gap from an international standpoint. To further inform people about our studies, we have designed posters summarizing in a visually appealing way the general knowledge we have discovered. On these posters, we will have a link to our in depth presentation online on Prezzi. We will do this using a QR code.
12th Global Senior Project Presentations
Wednesday, May 24, WIN1, lower level of the cafeteria
Thompson’s Sustainability class - A block
NO CAP! Newton South’s Sustainable Outdoor Space
(Ankur Eagar, Daniel Gelbert, Dylan Shanahan, Sean Mcilwaine, Sylvie Nguyen)
Our Year End Project centered on creating an educational outdoor space at South. We aimed to spread awareness about Sustainability while addressing South’s lack of eating space and outdoor relaxation space, and settled for a spot near the Farm and Pollinator Garden. To create our final product, we researched the benefits of being in nature, composting, and using native plants. We haggled with the City for permission, engaged local businesses for construction materials, and talked to Swedish students about Sustainability in their eyes. Finally, we reflected on the year’s curriculum to create educational signs for visitors, with help from Newton Public Works, and constructed our space as sustainably as possible. We hope the outdoor space will help South members start their Sustainability journey while strengthening the South community. That is, by creating an inviting gathering space based on Sustainability, we hope to plant the seed of knowledge in the minds of visitors while they spend time and bond with each other.
Extending the Pollinator Garden
(Kat Connor, Lila Donovan, Martha Hayward, Audrey Wei, Tristan Ocana)
Pollinators are an integral part of our ecosystem. However, as a result of various anthropogenic factors (such as climate change, habitat destruction, and pesticide use), pollinator populations all over the world are being threatened. Pollinators play a crucial role in native ecosystems, preserving biodiversity, and helping out with agriculture. We aimed to boost local pollinator populations by building an extension to the already existing pollinator garden near the organic produce garden at South. We did research to find what plants would be best to include and talked to experts in Germany about community tactics to conserve pollinators. We planted a variety of native plants with the ability to endure severe conditions, staggered bloom times, and most importantly provide pollinators with the resources they need to thrive.
Reproductive Rights and Sustainability
(Mitchy Bojar, Sasha Fine, Amelia Poley, Anna Zeren)
Sustainability is a complex and intersectional topic. Women’s and reproductive rights may not be the first thing that comes to mind when one hears “sustainability,” but both have a place in the conversation. We wanted to educate people on how women and reproductive rights intersect with sustainability and why they should be talked about together. We interned for Earth Day Boston and participated in a conference at MIT CATE, where we met others who care about sustainability and we shared what we learned. We spoke to cultural contacts in Argentina, Italy, and Sweden about how their cultures view reproductive rights and how their perspective differs from ours. Overall, we hope that those we talked with continue to make connections on these topics and further understand how population trends, social stigma, and overall women’s rights do in fact play a large role in the future of our planet’s climate.
Newton Community Farm: Food Insecurity
(Zezo Beshir, Noa Dahan, Henry Knight, Sammy McClintock, Ali O’Brien)
Our group’s mission is to learn about food insecurity and help the Newton Community Farm to make food benefits more understandable and accessible for eligible customers. To do this, we have worked with the staff at NCF during terms 3 and 4. We have also done some work with the Newton Food Pantry such as filling shifts and meeting with some of their leaders. This has given us intel into Newton’s demographics and allowed us to get a better understanding of our community. We learned that the majority of EBT users in Newton are Chinese, Latinx, and Russian. Volunteering at the Food Pantry allowed us to meet Newton residents that struggle with food insecurity. We interviewed managers from multiple other local stores to see if the workers had any understanding of EBT; most of the managers responded with “the customers that use EBT know what they can and can not get, so our workers are unaware.” We used all this information to advise the NCF on how to present EBT information in the best way so that customers of all backgrounds and abilities can maximize their benefits and access quality produce.
Biking Bonanza
(Laura Frothingham, Jake Gold, Eli Rabson, MeeJee Sarvey)
For our YEP project we got the ball rolling on bringing awareness to the biking community and bike culture here at South. We succeeded in repairing the missing plexiglass on the bike shelter, and made efforts to install new bike racks, and to move/install security cameras to protect bikes, both of which will be happening over the summer. We also endeavored to create a bike lane on Brandeis, and we will be handing out bike lights to students. Our goal is to increase the number of students who bike to South, and decrease the number of cars driven, which would decrease emissions and congestion. Therefore benefiting our community, and supporting better cardio vascular, and endurance health. But more importantly we wanted to create a safe biking environment for all students and assure them that their bike gear will be protected, as well as hoping to inspire future students to carry on this project, and work to bring more awareness to the biking community and safety.
Rosen's Global Marine Biology Class
Why The Fishing Industry May Be More Fishy Than You May Think
(Soleil McAneny, Dor Shitrit, Maddy Genser, Athena Cheung, Shervin Boostani)
Our project was based on climate change, and what impact the fishing industry plays on it. In order to create a specific goal of our project, we focused on how modern technology improves the level of sustainability in modern and dated fishing practices. We were able to tour the Boston Fishing Pier, with the owner of Red's Best, which specializes in finding sustainable ways to keep up with the demand of fresh seafood, without affecting the marine ecosystems. After touring, we decided to create a flier with a document attached that is open to the community to read and understand the basic facts of fishing practices. We want to be able to make learning about fishing practices, and our impact on the environment , more accessible. Touring, reading, and creating a flier are the first steps to reconciling a sustainable fishing culture.
Protecting our Nest-door Neighbors
(Anna Mueller, Tali Schwartz, Rosie Olivero)
We worked with Newton resident Jonathan Regosin to catalog breeding sites for several migratory bird species in/around Cutler Park. Mr. Regosin is the Director of the Endangered Species Program for Mass Wildlife. We assisted Mr. Regosin with this citizen science project started by last year’s global communities students. We traveled to Cutler park and visited two locations to call for specific bird species. We brought a speaker and played twelve minutes of bird calls and listened carefully to hear which birds called back. We used an app to distinguish between the birds that responded to the call. We visited the site three times and went to the same location at the same time. In the end, we were shocked and excited to hear some of our target birds. We will share the information with Mr. Regosin via field data sheets and audio recordings. The hope is that this data will assist in protecting more open space as conservation land for migratory birds.
Shark Percepvolution: More Than Meets The Eye
(Mikey Rosemberg, Shay Weissmann, and Sidney Sheinkopf)
We are interested in sharks because, well, who isn’t? Sharks are large creatures that have been around for hundreds of millions of years, and they roam the ocean, sending people into hysterics. How can this large creature stir up so much chaos if many of them aren’t actually dangerous? We wanted to learn more about sharks and how they are portrayed in society as man-eating beasts. We read a book that debunked shark myths and gave oceanic advice. Additionally, we spoke with a contact in Indonesia to find out more about sharks’ impact on their local environment. Then, we taught a sixth-grade science class everything we learned, including labeling sharks’ body parts, explaining how they have evolved, and showing the difference between the body types of sharks and dolphins. To our surprise, these sixth graders already knew much about sharks and what they really stand for, which goes to show that younger generations are perceiving sharks in a healthier way.
Righteous Conservation
(Hadley Conroy, Elle McDonald, Caroline Blum, Ally Chilton, Sydney Chow)
Our group was interested in researching Right Whales because they are very local to New England and many people do not know much about them. Right Whales are located in Atlantic Coastal Waters on the continental shelf and they are currently going extinct. Our action project was teaching two sixth-grade classes about Right Whales, their importance for our ecosystem, why they are going extinct, and ways we can save them as there are less than 340 left. Our project was received well and the sixth graders really enjoyed our interactive lesson. We included a true or false worksheet in the beginning, a labeling sheet, a Kahoot, and an informational slideshow. We also listed many fun facts to keep the kids interested and engaged as well as a video of a mother whale and its calf in the wild. We have learned a lot from our experience learning about whales and teaching the 6th graders.Teaching young people about Right Whales is one of the most important steps in educating our community about them. Young people often go home and tell their parents and friends and the more people who are aware of Right Whales going extinct the better. The younger people are important because they are the next generation that can take the next steps to help save our ecosystem. Our readings informed us a lot about our topic and the history of whales. Our entire group read The Whale: In Search Of The Giants Of The Sea, by Philip Hoare. The book informed us of the history of Right Whales and important ways we can keep them from going extinct and save the few remaining we have left. We really enjoyed how our project went, but if we were to do something differently I think we might have tried to have a field trip to go see whales or go on a whale watch because it would have been cool to see them in person after learning so much about them.
Cleaning The Harbor
(Tatum Murray, Arielle Teleshevsky, Owen Dunker, David Lee
Our group was interested in learning and researching more about the Boston Harbor because it connected to our main topic, sustainability. We wanted to teach people ways you can keep the Boston Harbor clean and healthy and also teach them the history. For part of our project, we went to Castle Island for a day and did a clean-up for the whole day. We filled multiple trash bags stuffed with trash. Another thing we did was present to two fifth-grade classes at Williams Elementary School. We educated them about how far the Boston Harbor has come from being completely polluted and unswimmable to now being the ideal Harbor. We showed them the effort to it took to clean up Boston Harbor and how it began in the 1970s. It took decades and more than $4 billion to get to where we are today: a safe, clean harbor that is the envy of many cities. We also taught them about the multiple Invasive species that inhabit the Harbor, where they came from, how they got there, and the negative impacts it has on the environment. Speaking of the environment, our group book How to Avoid a Climate Disaster by Bill Gates, which we chose to research more about our topic, had plenty of great points about how we as a society can make the earth a better place through different methods through saving electricity, solar panels, and electric vehicles. The book also stressed how we need to get to 0 greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 or the earth as we know it will be too far from return. The Boston Harbor is one of the few places worldwide that other popular that fit the criteria of a healthy harbor.
2019
11th Annual Global Senior Project Presentations
May 2nd - A, B, F
(Goldrick Commons)
Thompson’s Sustainability class
A Block
Modeling Food Sustainability
Ben Powdermaker, Ronit Glasgow, and Zach Rivers
Food accounts for 17% of our personal carbon footprint, and just the farming part is 8% of national emissions in the US! Our group explored different ways of sourcing food sustainably and what Newton can do to reduce its foodprint. We worked on the NSHS Farm, checked out school gardens around the city, visited an ecovillage in Vermont, calculated how much local food we could be producing, and what our supermarkets are doing. We talked to contacts from Italy and the Galapagos as well to see what other countries are doing.
Electronics Drive for Women
Willa Frantzis, Daphne Frantzis , Adrianne Goodfriend, Sabrina Clebnik
We held a drive to collect used electronics of all sorts, refurbish them, and donate them to local women’s shelters in the Boston area. The purpose of our drive was to eliminate the toxicity of electronic waste, while simultaneously helping women get back on their fee. We also wanted to help educate our school and community creating, printing, and posting two informational posters around our school; one educated our peers on the environmental effects of electronic waste, and the other spoke about the benefits of women's shelters. Through our cultural contacts we learned that in Sweden they are more involved in the electronic waste and use less electronics in general; however, they were less informed about women's shelters.
Harboring our refugees
Alejandra Dilan, Liz Thompson, Theo Severud
With several refugee crises taking place all across the globe, we hosted an assembly presenting general information about the refugee crises around the world and brought in a speaker to talk about her experience as a Ugandan refugee in the United States and her struggles. We also hosted a bake sale to raise money for a local refugee organization in Boston. Lastly, we connected the RIAC (Refugee and Immigration Assistance Center) with Ms. Sabet in the college and career center to encourage students from South to volunteer there. Due to Sweden accepting high numbers of refugees annually, we connected with families in Sweden to talk about their views on refugees, and we connected with the UNHCR in Brazil to talk about their involvement in the Venezuelan refugee crisis. We did this because at Newton South, although students are very politically active and aware, we wanted to help advance our school wide discussion, knowledge, and involvement in the refugee crisis.
Newton South Recycling Awareness
Juliet Lacey, Ron Berdichevsky, Andrew Wong, Matt Cuyler, and Gavi Azoff
Due to the lack of knowledge of how to recycle, and why it is important, recycling has been an issue here at Newton South. Our group worked hard on setting an example in our community by increasing our peers and teachers’ awareness of the importance of subduing climate change and taking care of the environment. We began by contacting local connections such as our Vice Principal and the head director of the Department of Waste in Newton, while simultaneously working in partnership with our school’s Environmental Club. While doing research for this project, we also connected with several cultural contacts in Sweden, Panama, and Montreal to get a better understanding of how waste is recycled in other parts of the world. In doing so, we were opened up to new ideas on how to reform a waste and recycling system. So, we decided to make an awareness PSA in hopes of creating a mass realization that recycling is important, and proper management is crucial.
Sustainable Commuting
Shaw Miller, John You, Jacob Schwartz, George Jumes
We noticed that many students at South get to school by driving, either driving themselves or being driven by parents, siblings, or friends. For our Year End Project, we wanted to encourage students to get to school using sustainable modes of transportation, especially biking. We gained perspective from talking to representatives from Bike Newton and several high school students from Sweden and Amsterdam, as well as from reading The Mechanical Horse: How the Bicycle Reshaped American Life and The Myth of Progress: Toward a Sustainable Future. Our group is working with People for Bikes, Bike Newton, and the City of Newton to purchase and install covered bike parking shelters at both Newton high schools, and also organized a Sustainable Commute day at Newton South, where students and staff were encouraged to get to school by walking, biking, or carpooling.
Fighting Fast Fashion
Tal Sternberg, Andrea Gomez, Olivia Hackle, Carli Heras, Sydney Lipof
Fast fashion is a big problem in our consumerism-based society. In China and Sweden, individuals explained how big expensive brand names are often more popular, thus people end up buying fewer items. Still, fast fashion is a problem outside of the US. Most of our clothing comes from cheap stores like Forever 21 or H&M that use unfair labor practices, contaminating materials (microplastics, harsh chemicals, etc), and produce low quality garments. Throwing away these garments produces large amounts of waste that contaminate the planet by releasing plastic fibers into water or introducing harsh chemicals into the environment. These poorly made items are meant to last for a single season and then will likely fall apart and be thrown away. Other stores like Urban Outfitters and Brandy Melville use slightly higher quality materials and tend to last longer, but the stores still advertise new seasonal clothing and encourage people to buy more, which encourages them to throw away old clothing. Our project was centered around educating people about the stores they shop at and encouraging them to upcycle things they already have, rather than buying copious amounts of new clothing. We created a website and made an Instagram account to advertise. Then, offered low prices to embroider, sew patches, or paint on denim. After, we put tutorials on our website on how to upcycle your own clothing!
Rosen’s Marine Biology Class
B-block
Fishy Business
Hannah Aghassi, Sarah Levin, Nola Quinn, Sophie Szymanski
Our project focuses on fish sourcing and labeling and its effect on restaurants and grocery stores in our area, inspired by a series of articles published by the Boston Globe looking into fish mislabeling in the Greater Boston area. After investigating the issue of mislabeling locally, we put together a survey to determine the knowledge and awareness of our classmates surrounding what they are eating and where it is coming from. We worked with connections in Sweden and Iceland as well as read the book The Last Fish Tale to support our local research and consider more honest, sustainable practices.
Put Aside Pesticides
Sabrina Murray, Alexander Razov, Brandon Elias, Megan Walsh
Our research is based around the harmful effects of pesticides in the Charles River. Our main goal is to spread awareness about the importance of maintaining the natural state of our watershed, highlighted by The Watershed Book by the Cuyahoga River Community Planning Organization, and to educate the public on the dangers of letting pesticides flow into the Charles. We shadowed members of the Charles River Watershed Association to see how they monitor and protect the health of the river, we are working with Green Newton to spread our message further, and we have contacted Sweden and Japan to compare their society’s use of pesticides with our own.
Consumerism: Our Mother Feels Our Choice
Raquel Fisk, Adrienne Goodfriend, George Jumes
Our mural uncovers environmental tragedies and the solutions to some of the issues facing our planet (with a focus on the ocean). We are reaching out to the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway Conservancy to provide expertise for the most effective impact of our art installation. We have also been closely working with NSHS Art Department as well. We have made extensive connections in Iceland and have looked at the value of environmental art installations in that country.
Sustaining our Fish[erman]
Jared Rishikof, Carli Heras, Arlette Caballero-Gonzalez, Jaehung Jeong
We researched how the definition of a sustainable fishery differs from consumers to fisherman. We visited Red’s Best Seafood and the CEO, Mr. Auerbach, to discuss how he maintains a strong presence in a competitive market, while still being able to support his many fisherman. We interviewed consumers from Iceland, Sweden, and South Korea. We contrasted their stories with the book The Last Fish Tale, by Mark Kurlansky. This helped us realize that sustaining fisheries from top to bottom is not only an issue in the United States, but worldwide.
Kozuch and Orren’s Sustainability Class
Presentations B block (Class D block)
Blue Zone at South
(Alex Hillas, Ben Frier, Jasper Basile-Maslowe, Sam Arber)
For our project we have made sandwich boards to be placed at the front entrance, alerting drivers to shut off their cars, and reduce the emissions released by our school. We have plans in place to have permanent signs put in around the school, telling drivers not to idle. We also want to educate drivers on why their idling is bad for the environment, as education is the best way to cause change. This will leave a permanent marker on the Newton South community as it will hopefully greatly help reduce the massive amounts of pollution that are caused by Newton South.
Renewable Energy Revolution
(Brian Moy, Tracy Qiu, Caroline Holloway, Rebecca Friedman, Zane Foster)
The city of Newton is currently pushing for a raise in the use of renewable energy citywide. For our project, we have taken part in this revolution by going door to door promoting Newton Power Choice and explaining why opting up is the better option. We also hosted a fundraiser to sell lightbulbs and power strips after meeting with energy analysts in Boston and learning that it is better to clean green reduce!
Straight Outta Compost
(Max Gelbert, Maya Hazarika, Lucas Swindell, Emily Kwan)
After researching all the aspects of composting, we looked to see how we could benefit South's environmental impact the most. We decided on laying a foundation of students and faculty throughout the school that will be able to continue the cafeteria composting plan we’ve created for many years to follow our graduation. We also are expanding the Green Trail that runs throughout South by adding a composting sign educating students on the benefits of composting and why it’s important.
Fast Fashion
(Lucy Gilbert, Misha Goldenberg, Sarah Kern, Alan Qiu)
Fast fashion has become a growing issue in both our community and the world around us. Our group's mission was to find a way to repurpose clothing while educating the community. We had a very successful clothing swap and created a magazine which informed people who came to the swap.
Martin’s Words class
B block
Environment Group
(Maggie Caroco, Drew Riseberg, Daniel Doubenski, Henry Wang, Donald Ha)
We researched how our environment has been negatively impacted due to human development. As a group we have compared two countries with the United States. We compared sustainability in Sweden and China. Together we want to engage other people at South and inform them about the importance of taking sustainable actions. We set up three boards in the first floor 1000s hallway with information. The information includes how each country deals with environmental problems in order to give a outside perspective on how other countries are dealing with similar environmental issues. In addition, we included ways that students at South can get involved and contribute towards a more environmentally friendly, greener planet. Each board had an explanation to a different part of what it means to be engaged with creating a better and greener environment.
Celebrating Diversity in Newton
(Eli Remis, Donya Williams, Stevie Sheldon. Tal Sternberg, Phoebe Blumberg)
By exploring the Hindu Caste System in India and the lasting effects of Apartheid in South Africa, we began to explore diversity of race and religion and its effects on social and economic success. Our project was to complete the application for The Bench Beside The Road Project. The BBRP strives to have people “remember not only slavery but also many of the forgotten moments in African American history. While the town of Newton has a majority of white residents, we wanted a bench to commemorate a person in the black community who contributed to Newton. Our goal was to poll BSU and the Myrtle Baptist Church and ask which individual (Dr Rebecca Lee Crumpler or Reverend Haywood) we should commemorate after presenting information on each individual in the form of a pamphlet. We also needed to get a sense of which location we should put the bench in order to fill out the application for a bench.
Mental Health
Julie Schoen, Ghena Bakir, Bella Ertel, Isabelle Less, Keren Bobilev
We took a deep dive into the world of mental health, focusing on medical/emotional trends in two specific countries: South Sudan and the Netherlands. Our first steps were to define “mental health,” carve out the explicit subtopics we wanted to look into, and compare the two countries. We read a book about the education of mental health and analyzed its themes in a global context. While the overall progress of destigmatizing mental health around the world is going in the forward direction, there is still much to do. We encouraged our peers to spread the same awareness. In our project, we tackle the history of mental health in both countries and work to remove the bad characterization of it.
Family
(Talia Feinberg, Jacob Schwartz, Ella Poley, Anna VentouriOur word is family, in the lens of Sweden and Israel. Within this broad term, we studied it in the context of mental health, adoption, LGBTQ+, and divorce to see how families varied in a global perspective. In our interviews, we asked questions that would give us insight as to how the respective cultures view family in our specific areas of study. Our action piece furthers our mission: to end the stigma against atypical family structures. We went to the Newton South pre-school to teach a lesson of family structure and then have the children draw their families and share one thing that is unique to their home. We will then bind the drawings into a book to give it to the pre-school.
Rosen’s Marine Biology Class
F-block
Which Whale Is Which?
(Charlotte Cadrain, Olivia Hackel, Ben Kiritsy, Kiran Maypole)
For our senior capstone, we worked with the Center for Coastal Studies in order to identify certain types of whales through the process of photo identification. We were able to do this through looking for pattern, grooves, and similar characteristics in humpback whale ventral flukes. Our information provided insight into the humpback whales feeding patterns, migration routes, and nursery locations. The information we obtain from doing this project will allow help in the conservation efforts of marine mammals in particular the humpback whale. In addition to the connection at the Coastal Center we had cultural connections with students in Sweden and Ecuador.
Fish are Friends, Not Food
(Phoebe Blumberg, Loky Lacoste, Gibran Mobarak and Drew Riseberg)
Our group immersed ourselves in the commercial fishing industry through meeting with the CEO of Red’s Best and attending the International Seafood Expo in Boston. Through interviews with students in Japan and Holland and through reading Mark Kurlansky’s book Cod, we obtained more in-depth information about people’s views on the industry. Our goal is to examine how fishing industries currently impact ecosystems, and discover what we can do to create a positive impact.
If There’s a Will There’s a Wave
(Sydney Lipof, Vineet Sreenivasan, Henry Wang, Caroline Whalen)
We spent an entire day working with the Boston Harbor Islands National Park staff to clear invasive species and promote natural biodiversity on Grape Island. We documented this trip on our Facebook page, posting videos and quotes to inspire similar actions from our peers. To gain a nuanced perspective of service and volunteerism, one member participated in Swedish environmental clean up practices called plogging. Our main goal was to engage in service in our local parks and put in effort to preserve the islands. We reached out to students in Japan at Fuji High School, in Sweden at Norra Real High School, and at Newton South High to see how volunteerism plays a role in their life and encourage them to get involved with Mount Fuji, Thingvellir National Park, and the Boston Harbor Islands respectively.
Wasteless Oasis
(Max Gelbert, Luna Mello, Nicole Shammay)
By traveling to the Galapagos, Sweden, and receiving a private tour by the executive director of responsibility at the Saunders Group Hotel, The Lenox, located in the heart of Boston, we were able to understand what it takes to create and maintain an enterprise that is both sustainable and economically feasible. We were able to compare and contrast the ways different cultures present comfortable hospitality while maintaining a sustainable goal. Throughout our work we also read the book Climate of Hope by Carl Pope and Michael Bloomberg.
Our Ocean, Our Responsibility
(Marc Navarro, Jessica Altman, Juliet Lacey, Laura Wiederspahn, and Thomas Hainal)
Our group’s mission is directed towards preserving our local ocean, and spreading awareness through an informative presentation to younger students at Brown Middle School. We teamed up with Boston Harbor Alliance, a local organization whose mission matches ours. Our goals are to provide various methods for our community to get involved in helping our ocean stay clean and sustainable, in convenient way. In addition, we reached out students from different parts of the world to hear about their local environment. By making these cultural connections, we can compare and contrast the varying ways ocean’s are being preserved in other communities around the world. With our presentation directed towards the younger generation, we hope to bring the issues surrounding ocean preservation, to a more significant scale, and to show these middle school students how accessible it is to do simple tasks, that will ultimately impact our local ocean in an extremely positive way.
Ofishally Uninformed
(Portia Davidson, Audrey Lavey, Peter McCabe, Benjamin Powdermaker)
We researched the effects of sustainable fishing practices on various communities around the world, specifically in the Galapagos and Holland. We found that are drastic differences, and the United States has very little awareness surrounding our sustainability measures, so we are organizing a panel of various speakers with experience on the matter. Some topics we have asked the speakers to cover is their personal experience in sustainable fishing initiatives, any research they have been apart of, and their takes on how we can become more sustainable in Newton. This panel is set to take place on May 10th during B-block in the Lecture Hall.
2018
10th Annual Global Senior Project Presentations
May 3rd - B, E, F G blocks
(Wheeler Commons and Faculty Dining Room)
Sustainability (Bensonoff/Kozuch)
E Block
(Sustainable) Power to the People
(Ella Kim, Claire Kroger, Kerry Yang)
For our project, we worked with Newton Director of Sustainability Ann Berwick. Our main objective was to spread awareness about Newton Municipal Aggregation, and to educate people about how it would affect them. This program allows the city to go out and bid for their own energy and get as high a percentage of renewable energy as they want. Residents can opt in for 100% renewable energy for a low additional cost. Our group walked around and handed out brochures about the program to various Newton Centre stores and homes in our neighborhoods. We talked to people around Newton about the program, including local residents, an architect from Auburndale Builders, and Mayor Fuller. We were influenced by the book Drawdown: the Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming by Paul Hawken, and citizens from Panama and Germany. We hope that our advocacy and establishment of various connections has helped spread awareness and knowledge about Newton Municipal Aggregation to make Newton a more sustainable city.
No paper, no problem
Shifting Newton South towards paper-free education
(Jack Sinclair, Varun Oberoi, David Patkin)
Newton South orders around 5 million pieces of paper each year, equivalent to 600 trees. For our project, we decided to find ways to help South reduce paper usage. In order to do this, we talked to students and faculty about initiatives they can take, such as assigning and doing homework online, using e-books, or simply printing double-sided. We gained perspective from countries such as Brazil and India, as well as the book Going Paperless: What’s Up With The Phone?
Community Composting
(Daniel Korsunsky, Seanna McGraw, Adi Shneorson, Shannon Laughlin, Josh Finkel, and Alexa Weintraub)
For our Year End Project, we researched the production of food waste at Newton South. We connected the places where food waste is produced (cafeterias, stores, restaurants) and where it goes (composting plants, landfills, and food pantries). We have teamed up with a local composting company to implement a composting system at our school. This is a meaningful first step towards making NSHS a more sustainable place. Thanks to these efforts we will now be turning nutritious soil which will green and enrich the communities around us. With partners in the Netherlands and the Galapagos we are able to understand the meaning of our project on a global scale. As part of our project, we read the books Garbology, and Community: The Structure of Belonging.
Clean for the Right cause
(John Javaloyes, Aidan Sutherland, Jacob Barnes, Cameron Gilchrist)
Despite the fact that were unsuccessful in planning a field trip, we completed the main goal of cleaning garbage off of a beach in Provincetown. Since we were only able to bring around 5 people, we knew we weren’t going to make a large enough impact so we decided to document our journey through a short documentary. In addition, through the power of social media, we will post this on our school’s Facebook group as well as connecting with friends overseas. We have already communicated with some Spanish and Brazilian foreign exchange students from last year, giving us their perspective and experience with trash on their beaches. Lastly, The Last Beach by J. Andrew G. Cooper and Orrin H. Pilkey gave us an interesting point of view on the effect of garbage on beaches and oceans.
Global Marine Biology
Rosen's Classes
B Block
Spectacle Through a New Spectacle
(Joe Busa, Bibi Harburger, Stephanie Lok, Thomas Robinson)
For our final project we plan to go to Spectacle island, one of the Boston Harbor Islands, to participate in a coastal clean up and get a tour of the history of the island on April 28. We are focusing on the trash of the island and how it has evolved over time. So far we have read, Boston Harbor Islands: A Guide to the City’s Hidden Shores, an extensive guide about all of the islands. Our overall hope for this project is to interest people in the Boston Harbour Islands. It is a National Park in our collective backyard that no one knows about. Our two cultural connections are the Galapagos and New Zealand. We chose these two countries because we want to compare Spectacle Island to other national parks around the world.
Humpback Happenings
(Hannah Katz, Kristen Miquel, Leah Shems, Ellan Suder)
For our final project we are working with the Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown. We have contacted the director of the Humpback Whale Program and he has created a project for us about natural pigmentation of mammals and how we use that to identify humpback whales. The project consists of reading a scientific paper, then to doing a matching "test" to match humpback whales. The Humpback Whale Program conducts research on humpback whales to further our understanding on humpback whale biology, population status, and human impacts. Our goal is that our project will not only further our knowledge on whales and help the program’s research, but also to educate others on ways to protect humpback whales. During the project we connected to other students in Norway and Australia, and read the book The Whale by Philip Hoare.
Gardens for Good
(Mac Barnes, Peter Dakoyannis, Cameron Dubin, Leoni Foster )
As a part of the global community, for out final year project we are commuting to Memorial Spaulding Elementary School every Friday morning to replant/repair the courtyard vegetable garden. Our goal is to revive the garden life there as this past Winter the snow plow hit and destroyed a lot of the garden. We will be working with a first grade class - planting seeds in the beds. We are also coordinating with the teacher in charge of the garden, Sue Welch. We read Backyard Farming on an Acre (More or Less) with the hopes that it would help us understand how to plant and maximize such a small space. Throughout this work, we are also going to connect with China and Holland, and talk to them about the value of school gardens.
Fishin Impossible: Lobster Trails
(Thomas Blum, Finn Bergquist, Shannon Laughlin, Erica Lushan)
We researched the lobster industry of New England, learning about its environmental, economic, and cultural intricacies. We ultimately created a spy themed documentary about a single lobster’s journey from the Sea to our dinner table (hence the name of our project). As part of our research we went to Red’s Best Seafood at the Boston Fish Pier, toured their facilities, and interviewed their founder and CEO, Newton North alum Jared Auerbach. We also visited James Hook & Co. on Atlantic Avenue in Boston, learning in more detail about the process. In order to understand the lobster industry from a global perspective, as the New England industry is a center of world lobster trade, we communicated with Tangier Lobster Co. located in Nova Scotia, Canada. In addition, The Lobstering Life by Brenda Berry and David Middleton sparked our research and informed us throughout the documentary making process. We will share our video with our community through social media in order to educate our peers and other community members about the lobster industry.
Rosen - F Block
Cleaning the Charles
(Susannah King, Ariana Mathews, and Jack Miller)
After researching all the harmful effects that pollution has on marine life and on nature in general, we decided to organize a cleanup of the Charles River through Elizabeth Cianciola of the Charles River Watershed Association. The cleanup will take place over April break and is open to all. We will conclude our project by putting together a brief documentary of our experiences, and we hope to inspire others to help clean the oceans and preserve it for many generations to come.
Preservative Alternatives
(Owen Kenny, Sam Morgan, Ariane Sours, Jason Zhao, Noah Klein)
The overarching theme of our project is the advertisement of clean, simple, sustainable sources of energy. In searching for ways to serve this purpose, our group came across the Massachusetts Audubon Society, a nonprofit organization which protects 36,500 acres of land for wildlife preservation and sustainable energy production. Since the Mass Audubon Society benefits greatly from volunteer service, we have undertaken to produce an informative and demonstrative voiceover video about the Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary Nature Center’s history and “green” architecture. This includes brief exhibitions and descriptions of the building’s use of clerestories, waterfalls, composting toilets, water collection, heat pumps, solar panels, and solar heating.
Shark Misconceptions
(Kayla Schwartz, Nika Hashemi, Robbie Hodin)
Our project is to create a children's book about common shark misconceptions and to teach young children (kindergarten through second grade) at Zervas Elementary school that sharks are not actually bad and scary. We plan to make 25-30 copies of the book and sell them in the children’s section of the Newton Free Library. In addition, we plan to present at the Students for a Greener World Program on May 21. The money we make will go to the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy in Chatham, Ma.
Living like the Locals
(Caroline Barry, Colleen McElduff, Hannah Kiritsy, Maddy Yorke)
People experience traveling in many different ways. Some people enjoy visiting five star resorts, while others might enjoy living like the locals and taking advantage of natural resources around the world. Our goal is to educate people regarding the importance of eating locally, whether it be at home or while traveling. We are creating a website where people can post about their travels and make suggestions about amazing local food from around the world. We are also visiting Cape Ann to learn about how local fish is sold/distributed in Massachusetts. By learning about how people take advantage of resources at home and abroad, we hope to teach people the benefits of eating locally and the positive impact that is has on our ecosystem.
Recycling the Seas
(Ally Youngsman , Milly Alvarez)
Our plan is to draw actual awareness to the dangers of plastic consuming the oceans and harming marine life, and how we can bring this to an end before it’s too late. We are presenting to a fourth grade class at Memorial Spaulding and holding a program that creates awareness for plastic in the ocean, and allows students to learn more about recycling. We are giving elementary students a head start by introducing this topic into their classroom curriculum. We also plan to use and do an activity that Ally had done while visiting Ecuador, with the fourth grade students. While there, she visited a program called GECO that raised awareness for ocean plastic, and met with similar aged children and made bottle-cap dolls. These “dolls” were made from all used plastic bottle caps and string. We plan to do the same activity with the students at Memorial Spaulding.
The Giving Ocean: Won’t Give Forever
(Andrew Pratt, Marco Mercurio, Juan Segura, Jack Briney)
We will meet and spend the day with Jared Auerbach, the owner of Red's Best, at his place of operations at the Boston Seaport District. We are concerned about the state of our fisheries and want to understand how this industry operates from fishermen - wholesaler - retailer. By touring the Boston Fish Pier, we will have a deeper understanding of how this industry operates - where the fish are shipped, etc. We recognize that these issues can not be changed overnight but through activism and awareness we hope to increase support for buying sustainable food and eventually pushing congressmen and senators to increase regulations.
Words That Change The World (Tyack)
G - block
Community Counts
(Christopher Brooks, Bibi Harburger, Catarina Martins, Brett Silk)
Community has been a crucial part of human society for many years, and Newton South has many of its own. However, there is one in particular that is near and dear to all of us, the global community. For our action project, our goal is to increase the sense of community among the global students by hosting a community event: an outdoor pizza party! We were informed by interviewing contacts in two countries--Canada and Colombia-- as well as our books such as Americanah and The Public School Advantage: Why Public Schools Outperform Private Schools as examples of what community means to people worldwide and how that compares to America and our own smaller community.
NATURE NATURE NATURE!
(Sara Barrows, Josh Finkel, Dominica Pechan, Sabrina Wen)
For our year end project, we analyzed the word nature and all of its meanings (focusing on “outdoor nature” and “human nature”). After doing some research, we wanted to bring the Newton South community to the conversation, and did so by putting up paper on a various library tables. We asked questions like “What does nature mean to you” and “When was the last time you went outside for fun” to make people think about their connection with our word. In our research, we connected our project to Singapore and Bhutan - two countries that incorporate nature to their society in unique and different ways. Additionally, we read the books Walden by Henry David Thoreau, and H is for Hawk by Helen MacDonald, to get a better understanding of the different definitions of nature and how they affect people.
Choose Happiness
(Emily Diamond, Hannah Gonzalez, Kayla Schwartz, Alexa Weintraub)
People here in Newton and around the world struggle with the idea of happiness. We constantly question our personal happiness, doing anything we can to be the happiest we can. Our mindsets are so focused around increasing our happiness, we often go so far that we impede our happiness. For our action project, we made a video filming elementary schoolers, middle schoolers, high schoolers, and some teachers, asking them what makes them happy and what gets in the way of happiness. Our hope is to inform teachers and administration about how they can improve their classroom or school setting to create a learning environment that is conducive to student happiness. We advanced our knowledge through interviews with from Israel and Thailand and we also used the book The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.
ART FOR CHANGE
(Jenny Lipof, Ethan Smelson, Danielle Aviles, Deana shirasb, Leah Shems)
Our project is centered around the way art can help people express themselves and bring about equitable change. Because we think that people with disabilities are not as represented in the school, we are making a mural that celebrates art, creativity, difference, and connection. We researched Iceland for art therapy and China for music therapy in order to take a global perspective and among others, we used the book Wonder about a boy with a face deformity who has to integrate into a school and learns that his different features are what make him unique and beautiful and he finds friends.
Every Vote Counts: South Students and Their Role in States Election
(Cherissa Leon, David Patkin, Bennet Walkes)
Our project is centered around the idea of democracy. Using the books The People vs. Democracy, Fire and Fury, and Democracy in Chains: The Deep History of the Radical Right’s Stealth Plan for America, we researched the role ethnicity, class, and political identification play in one’s ability to achieve “freedom.” Our action project concerns student awareness of local and state issues. We will be inviting multiple speakers to present and answer questions about 2018 state ballot questions and state gubernatorial candidates. We hope this event may bring to light issues which may have gone unnoticed and better educate future citizens.
Words That Change The World (Martin)
B - block
Sleep
(Lily R., Kevin Z., Benji C., Mara M., Maddie Y.)
We all know we need sleep to function, but how does sleep really affect us? How do people in Japan and Ecuador juggle the struggles of daily life and their sleep? Students in this group have researched this important topic and will be presenting their findings to 9th grade Wellness classes this week.
Service
(Caroline B., Danny H., Alison M., Scott H.)
How do citizens “serve” the communities in which they live? Through the military? Through environmental efforts? Students in this group have researched this important topic both in Ecuador and Israel and are volunteering at the Newton Community Farm. After they have “served” their community, they are investigating classmates’ responses to Community Service requirements at schools and will present their findings to the NSHS administration.
Well-Being
(Brianna W., Kaitlyn H., Hannah K., Lindsay L., Hiago C.)
How do we balance our mental and physical health with the stresses and responsibilities of today’s fast-paced world? Students in this group have researched this important question throughout the year. Focusing on Ecuador and Germany, this project looks at how health care policies and opinions on mental and physical health differ throughout the world and here in the US. Look for their informative posters and take-home tips throughout the school and community.
Success
(Stella O., Colleen M., Eric D., Kfir B., Adam N.)
How do people throughout the world define success? How is one’s success connect to a sense of happiness? Students in this group studied the word “success” in China, Hong Kong, and Israel. They also surveyed students, faculty, and staff to determine how members of the NSHS community define, struggle with, and celebrate success. Look for their informative, interactive posters throughout the school and community.
Freedom of Speech
(Jenny K., Max Y., Ian G., Phil H., Susannah K.)
How is freedom of speech or expression addressed throughout the world? How do people embrace freedom of speech while also being tolerant and lawful? Students in this group explore these important questions as they study freedom of speech in China and France. Interviews with citizens from these two countries, as well as with members of the ACLU, helped shed light on the ways in which governments and citizens address this complicated term. Their research and data will help the South community understand issues around freedom of speech.
Thompson’s Classes (Faculty Dining Room)
F block
Fast Fashion in a Consumer's World
(Rebecca Levy, Chace Khan, Cameron Quadra, and Olyvia Salek)
Our project focused on the impacts of fast fashion on the environment, and its infringements on human rights. We held a clothing swap where students brought in clothes and took out clothes in order for the item to be recycled rather than thrown away. In addition, we made signs about fast fashion and consumption and put them all over our swap. We hope that our clothing swap educated students and teachers on ways that they can circumvent fast fashion tendencies and make more environmentally friendly clothing decisions.
Farming the Countryside
(Niamh Bayliss, Hannah Gonzalez, Robert Leifke, Sam Peacock, and Brianna Weissel)
For our global project we hoped to start a food garden at Countryside Elementary School where the fifth graders could help to plant and eat various crops. However, due to the cold spring and the strict zoning regulation our focus has shifted. We are now giving the 5th grade students a presentation of the importance of local eating. On top of that we are working on our own farm here at Newton South to help prepare the garden for the summer, and to be able to better understand the farming process ourselves.
Renewable Energy for Newton
(Daniel Ayash, Christopher Brooks, Tiffany Tang, Grace Suga, and Mason Osborn)
Our goal for the end of the year project was to inform people about the new energy aggregation plan for the city of Newton and to lobby city officials in support of this plan. We will meet with the mayor to discuss this renewable energy program, having passed out fliers while informing people about the specifics of the proposition by word of mouth.
Day of Consent: Destroying the Patriarchy
(Ariel Hirschhorn, Rachel Nacht, and Drew Pollock)
In light of the sexual assault scandals coming out around the world, we created a Day of Consent to discuss sexual violence and assault in our community. We assembled four different events throughout the day, including a panel of FEM club members, Newton Police officers, and representatives from REACH Beyond Domestic Violence and BARCC. Although assault and consent are global issues, we wanted to create awareness at South.
Ugly Cosmetics
(Laura Garcia, Catarina Martins, Molly O’Brien, Shirin Pourali)
We are a group of all girls and we constantly come in contact with cosmetics. As we commonly use these products, we wanted to discover what went into the making of cosmetics. What we found out was disturbing. After discovering the ugly truth, we wondered if we were simply clueless and uninformed but we surveyed people on the Chinese and French exchange and everyone was just as clueless as we were. After this, we wanted to educate the public so that they would be as informed as us. To do this, we set up a facebook page called Project Beauty and we set up a table outside the cafeteria during lunch block on 4/25 to talk to people walking by and show them what we learned about the cosmetics industry.
It’s Time: Recycling at South
(Dennis Angjeli, John Floros, and Chloe Frantzis)
How much do you recycle at school? Do you recycle at all? Did you know half-finished Dunkin’ cups cannot be recycled? For our project, we contemplated ways to address South’s recycling shortcomings. We first gathered extensive research about recycling at South and beyond, traveling to our local recycling plant. We found ways raise awareness on recycling around our school by painting bins, and ordering special waste bins that have been effective in other places. To address the administrative aspect, we organized a meeting with our teacher, Principal Stembridge, the custodians, the facilities managers, and any other interested observers to present our findings and solutions. Overall, we believe our work will set a precedent for a greener future that South contributes to.
2017
9th Annual Global Senior Project Presentations
May 24th - Cafeteria D, E and J blocks
Sustainability (Thompson)
D block
Housing Made Affordable
(Stephan Aparicio, Doina Iliescu, Lora Marks, Noah Shelton)
Our goal for the end of the year senior global project is to raise awareness about affordable housing within Newton because it will diversify and bring positive effects to the community. We specifically chose to work on the Riverside project because there is the potential to increase the number of affordable units at the Riverside Train Station. We canvassed the Auburndale area, passing fliers to residents to explain the extent of the Riverside project and what effects it will have on the neighboring community.
Biking Towards The Future
(George Knocke, Héloïse Pellegrin, Kiana Moattari, Tabitha Warner Bavington)
We are focusing on trying to make biking a larger part of Newton South High School culture. We worked with the city to start the long-term project of implementing bike lanes that should be completed in the next three years. We also conducted a survey to determine what was preventing people from biking, and planned a biking/carpooling day for teachers.
Stop The Plastic!
(Allie Arruda, Maria Hastings, Sebastian Marval)
For our project, we decided to focus on reducing the amounts of plastic waste in our local community. We started by organizing a cleanup of the wetlands next to our school with the help of Newton Serves. Along with our cleanup efforts, we spent the last few weeks of our project designing and painting a mural of a turtle with a six-pack holder wrapped around its fin, highlighting the effect that our waste has on our environment and everything living in it.
Eat Better for Less
(Alan Costa, Zach Hill, Alexia Montana, and Rebecca Reinstein)
Our group believes that eating healthy, nutritious food should not be a luxury. For our final project, we created alternative recipes that are nutritious as well as being affordable for people in multiple social classes. We created a recipe book, with different recipes, as well as Youtube videos showing how to make some of the recipes in the book. We hope that people will use these materials to avoid fast food options.
Words That Changed The World (Martin)
Religious Differences
(Jessica Sherman, Harir Zeidi, Timothy Leong, Nina Miller and Andrew Bereket)
For our project we explored religious differences in Argentina and Cambodia, focusing primarily on the questions, “what are the challenges in understanding a different religion?” And “how does religion help/hinder an individual or society?” After conducting interviews with native Argentinians, local Cambodians, and Newton South students on their perspectives on religion, we compiled them into a documentary. The documentary is a culmination of all our findings surrounding the questions the project is centralized around.
Don’t Worry, Be Happy
(Julia Gropman, Addie Masterson, Daniel Bradley, and Daniel Chafetz)
For our senior global project, we studied happiness around the world: how people find happiness, if it’s their priority, how society values happiness, etc. We compared China to Denmark; Denmark is consistently ranked one of the happiest countries in the world. To relate our findings to the U.S., we created a Facebook page called Happy Humans of NSHS. Each week, a new post showed an individual and a quote about what makes them happy.
Interactions
(Cole Bovarnick, Alie Dorfman, Alex Grandi, Robin Medoff, Sarina Regehr, Zak Ross)
For our project, we researched social interactions in China and Holland. We focused on friendships, social media, business, censorship, and LGBT rights. For our action piece, we worked with the teachers running the anti-hate speech lessons. Each of us interviewed ten students, in order to help address and get feedback to guide future lessons. With a total of 60 interviews, we have gained a lot of information, and we have created interest in Newton South for more students to help out in the future.
Health in the Modern World
(Sara Fazli, Nabeel Najam, Andrew Karl, Sujata Sreenivasan, Miranda Milunsky)
For our project, we researched mental and physical health’s impact, particularly in Pakistan and the U.K. In both cases, we found that there are many flaws with how governments and people themselves deal with mental and physical issues. To address the issue of mental health at South, we conducted a survey about student’s stress and other mental health issues. Using our results, we decided that for our action piece we would implement a “Mental Health Day”. This day would have a similar format as One School One Question, where students would have the opportunity to choose relaxing activities to partake in. Since it seems unrealistic that this will happen this year, we will be presenting our idea to the deans and guidance counselors as well as the AWARE club.
Sustainability (Kozuch & Orren)
E block
Sustainable Housing for the 21st Century
(Sarah Freeman, Julia Gropman, Paola Stuparich Nouel)
For our project we have compiled a list of things we should all be doing in order to ensure that homes are as efficient as possible as we combat climate change. Through interviews, books, and real-life examples, we found that not all homes or circumstances allow for the most sustainable home. In order to accommodate we created three different tiers: bronze, silver and gold. Bronze is for students and people who wish to make no physical change to their homes, silver is for those remodeling, and gold is for those building a home from scratch. Along with a brochure containing that information and a poster with information from our interviews and house tours, we have also made a model to show the exterior of a gold standard home.
How to be Plastic Free
(Emma Flint, Brianna Jasset, Ben Lukas)
We put together simple tips for students to reduce plastic consumption in their everyday lives. The purpose of this is to show individuals that they can make an impact if they participate in these acts, no matter how small of an action -- it will make a big difference. We created a Facebook page “How to be Plastic Free” where anyone can go to check out some simple suggestions.
One Man’s Trash is Another Man’s Treasure
(Julia Cohen, Nicholas Komarovsky, Nathan Mark, Aidan O’Flaherty)
Our project sheds light on the incredible amount of waste carelessly thrown into the ocean every day. We are trying to raise awareness for this issue by going on a beach cleanup, making an albatross sculpture, and presenting to elementary and high school students.
Sustainable App
(Andrew Bryan, Dan Epstein, Rachel Honigsberg, Ethan Koss-Smith, Midori Sangiolo)
Our vision is to create a phone app that will allow users to integrate sustainability awareness into their everyday lives. Our goal is for students to not only be aware, but active, and to make daily changes in their lifestyles. Users of the app are asked different questions about their daily habits each day in a game-like manner and receive points for the sustainability of their actions. Our app then ranks users’ behavior, creating a spirit of competition that encourages them to adopt an increasingly sustainable lifestyle.
Fast Fashion
(Alie Dorfman, Haley Friedman, Brenham Hooper, Ellie Kissin)
We researched the fast fashion industry and its effects on society and the environment. We then investigated how our fellow students at Newton South managed their wardrobes, including their buying habits as well as how and when they discard old clothes. Finally, we organized a clothing swap at Newton South where students and faculty could bring in their used clothing and take clothes that others had brought in.
What determines the price of meat?
(Kaavya Chaparala, Matthew Nurnberger, Evan Quinn)
After visiting various poultry retailers, we learned that the origin of the chickens varied, and the transparency of information that stores provide was inconsistent. We hope to educate the public on the choices they make when shopping for poultry, and to acknowledge that there is a lot that goes into the process.
Global Marine Biology (Rosen)
D Block Presentations
Dolphin Tale
(Zak Ross, Olivia Groper, Troy Manditch)
As a final project, our group decided to make a children's book about dolphins. We thought making a book depicting the struggles of dolphins when humans take them out of their habitats and are put into tanks are something younger kids should be aware of. As well as just general knowledge about dolphins. We read our book to preschoolers.
No Trout About it
(Ethan Weinstein, Tessa Houston, Kaitlin Emmett & Aaron Foster)
As a group, we worked with state fisheries biologist Steve Hurley to work in the field with sea run brook trout and river herring. Come check out our video and hear about our experience searching for dropped trout tags and clearing man made channels built out of an old cranberry bog that allow river herring to spawn in their desired fresh water body of water. In addition, come hear about conservation work that takes place every day here in Massachusetts.
Words That Changed The World (Golding)
D block presentations
Perception
(Ellie Kissin, Oliver Dyakov)
People as a group have a lot of things in common. DNA is one, and perceptions is another. The way we perceive others, the way that we perceive ourselves, and the way we perceive the world has a big impact on us and how we act. We proposed an improved anti-hate speech curriculum to Mr. Barron.
Voices of the Silenced
(Anna Kirsanov, Robin Acosta, Rebecca Teslyar, Benjamin Janosky)
If our voices allow us to exert strength and power, what happens to those who are silenced? To be silent is to make a voluntary decision to remain un-involved; to be silenced is to have the choice taken away. Within our own community people are silenced each day, and the only way to break the system of silence is quite literally to use our voices.
2016
8th Annual Global Senior Project Presentations
May 26th - Cafeteria E, C and J blocks
The Salt Marsh Debauchery
Julius Gordon, Katherine Quinn, Lily Canavan, and Wilson Chen
Salt marshes, acting as a filter to help organisms seeking refuge with nutrients, are imperative to the health of the environment. In recent years, human activity and pollution have lead to the decline in productivity in these important ecosystems. Over the course of this past month our group has volunteered to help clean up the Neponset marsh and made a short documentary about the importance of salt marshes and how we can preserve them.
A Look Into Boston Harbor
Sammy Greer, Ally Bovarnick, Zoe Ongaro & Jess Kaplan
A presentation about how far Boston Harbor’s remediation efforts have come in the past three decades. From being ranked the worst harbor in all of the United States to one of the cleanest in a major metropolitan area. Through legislation to changes in infrastructure, Boston Harbor has bounced back into a thriving ecosystem from a sewage driven body of lifeless water.
“Shark Fin Bru-ha-ha”
Emma Paterson, Olivia LaRosa, Jamyre Soberanis, Josh Polasky
Our group seeks to inform the community about the issues surrounding large pelagic predators including over fishing, myths about sharks and the ramifications of these beliefs. We’ve been exploring ways that we can all do our part in minimizing the excessive hunting of these animals. We created brochures for distribution at the Newton Free Library.
Plastic Pollution Solution
Stephanie Man, Rachel Cohen, Emma Owings, Emma Talebzadeh
Our project aims to address the problem of ocean trash and plastic pollution. We realized that the largest cause of ocean trash is the lack of discussion and education about how our actions affect our environment and what we can do to make a positive change. We aim to better educate our community and give people options on how they can help keep our oceans clean.
Catching the Mistakes
Caraline Pham, Libby Weiler, Gayane Pogosyan and Jack Kenslea
Come hear about how our group created a petition to accurately label fish products and wrote letters to Congressional and Massachusetts state representatives.
Water World
Joey Navarro, Peter Quinn, Gabriel Betancourt, Chris Walden, and Harry Xu
For our project we created a large mural installation showing projections of the Boston Harbor’s sea level in 2050 and 2100 to educate the Newton South community on why the sea level is rising and how we can reduce environmental impacts in our communities. The model is based off of current trends in sea level.
Forget the Peanut Butter, Save the Jelly
Alexa Miller, Maddie Miller, Katie Summer, Daniela Cherny, Ashley Balthazar
We constructed a jellyfish out of trash that can be found in the ocean. These plastic bags are commonly mistaken by leatherback sea turtles for jellyfish. Once the leatherback sea turtles eat these floating plastic bags, they die from indigestion and suffocation. Jellyfish are also directly impacted by climate change as the warmer water has resulted in a “jelly bloom.” Our symbolic art hopefully will inspire discussions of climate change and ocean trash issues, and what we can all do to help.
Phasing out the Foam
Alex Christensen, Sam Ganem, Isaiah Freedman, Emily Palmer
Our project focuses on attempting to raise awareness about the environmental dangers of styrofoam and decreasing its the use within our school system. We researched alternative and more environmentally sensitive products that can be used, predominantly plant-based plastics or paper materials. We also worked to educate others about the detriments of styrofoam and possible alternatives.
Sustainable Seafood
Noam Raz, Hannah Barbash-Taylor, Daniel Carney, Brendon Delmonico, Ike Bergquist
Our project looked at New England’s fishing industry, specifically examining mislabeling. Our project created a guide that will assist purchasers in the Newton community in buying sustainable, locally sourced fish. To share our research, we are hosting a sustainable seafood luncheon on Friday, May 20, for faculty. We will give out a pamphlet with information to help guide the attendees towards further supporting local, and sustainable seafood. We will be collecting donations for New England Aquarium's sustainable seafood programs.
Recycling Project
Joseph Carleo, Elizabeth Sockwell, John Whalen, Sarah Wyner, and Harry Xu
We are hoping to reduce waste by improving recycling at Newton South. We made signs to put on every classroom bin and made a video to show to advisories. These steps, as well as raising awareness of climate change and other environmental concerns, can help to increase South’s focus on effective recycling.
SuperFresh: An Honest Supermarket
Tristan Dinsmore, Annalisa Flynn, Alvin Kwan, Ksenia Potapov, Brad Weissel
On Monday, May 16th, we transformed the Wheeler entrance into an interactive supermarket exhibit, SuperFresh. Throughout the day, classes and passersby explored the environmental, cultural, and social stories behind foods they eat everyday. Through velcroed products, stickers, posters and discussion, we hope we were able to encourage them to consider the many impacts of their food choices.
Hydration Station
Jacob Hartman, Omry Meirav, Joey Navarro, Peter Quinn, and Kalena Wang
Our project strives to reduce disposable water bottle waste in the Newton South community. Disposable water bottles have a massive negative impact on the environment. We successfully raised money for and scheduled the installation of a new hydration station at South to promote the use of reusable water bottles. Not only does this project help diminish the impact of disposable bottles, it serves as a public display of sustainability.
Protect The Innocent Animals
Hannah Arber, Matthew Barnett, Alejandra Ramirez
The main objective of our project is to raise awareness surrounding the atrocities of the black market wildlife trade, and of the dangers of keeping these creatures as pets. We have created a pamphlet guide which describes some of the most prevalent animals caught up in the trade, as well as what one can do to help protect them. We will also be speaking at multiple venues to educate the community on these issues and will be encouraging them to help make a difference.
Censorship
Andrew Wales, Daniel Carney, Sheila Tobin, Gayane Pogosyan, Frankie Barros
Have you ever wondered “does everyone have freedom of speech”? Not everyone does. In America, we have the freedom assemble, speak freely, post what we want, etc. But this isn’t the same thing for everyone. For our project we researched how the governments in China and Russia control their media through censorship and propaganda. We implemented what we learned into a prezi presentation that focuses on the methods of how China and Russia censor and control their citizens. Our action piece was posting posters around our school and Newton with the definition of censorship and asking “Have you ever felt censored?”. We included a QR code with a link to our prezi presentation so that anyone can access it. Our goal is to make people more aware of censorship in the world around them.
Accessibility
Jaden Baye-Cinga, Ava Shaevel, Kayla Freedman, Isabel Sperry, and Abigail Dumo
For our project we researched how where you live in the world affects the resources you have access to. We focused on Canada and China by comparing their health care, foster care, social work, adoption, and overall quality of life. To make a difference in our community, we volunteered at the Home For Little Wanderers and Family Resource Center by creating a family game night for their community. We provided pizza, drinks, and games in order to create a fun night for the families to encourage family bonding and positive relationships. Through this we understand that the United States is fortunate enough to have programs in place to help people in need and we hope that family game night had a positive impact on the children’s lives.
Crime
Phil Batler, Emma Talebzadeh, Jess Kaplan, Jason Chen, Sasha Boroda, Jay Martin
We decided to explore crime in the US compared to a country with a low crime rate, The Netherlands, and a high crime rate, Mexico. We decided to observe these country’s gun control laws, incarceration legislation, and drug regulations to compare the different laws and how they relate to safety of the general public. Our action piece is that we created a brochure, which will be distributed throughout the community, so as to share our research.
Achieving Real Success
Alexia Miquel, Zoe Ongaro, Emily Palmer, Charissa Lin, Kalena Wang, Noah Finn
Our project focuses the question: what is success? We looked at the impact education, happiness, and success have on each other in South Korea and Switzerland, as well as in the U.S. Knowing that education systems can always be improved, we synthesized our information and created an action piece that would impact the students in our community. We created and administered a survey on education quality to the incoming freshmen at Oak Hill Middle School, and will be presenting the findings, as well as our suggestions on how to best move our students toward happiness and success, to the South department chairs.
How global is “Global”?
Jacob Rozowsky, Robyn Isberg, Josh Polasky, Robyn Isberg & Isabel Nichols
How school spirited are we? We searched for ways to strengthen our community by exploring religions, diving into cultures around our world, and putting the “community” into our beloved “Global.”
Selfishness? How about Self- Wishes?
Dalia Schneider, Sammy Greer, Inbar Hazan, Joey Navarro
Parents told us to always share our toys and include others. But where is the line between helping yourself and helping others? Come explore a retroactive account from recent Newton South graduates to help current Newton South students understand that the virtues of self-advocacy should never be misplaced due to the fear of being selfish.
Living Begins Outside Of Your Comfort Zone
Tristan Dinsmore, Maddie Klein, Peter Quinn
Have you ever done something risky? Have you ever done something in another country, outside of the tourist walls? There is a difference in living comfortably and living conservatively, get out in the world and test yourself for all you're worth!
2015
7th Annual Global Senior Projects
May 26th - May Fair (F & E Blocks)
Want an Earth? Recycle!
(Frances Cooke, Tamar Bulka, Julia Hurwit, Bailey Steinberg, Jake Rogers)
Our project aims to curb the problem of waste in Newton South's cafeteria. We are implementing recycling bins in the cafeteria and having students monitor the bins to ensure that no non-recyclable waste makes its way into the recycling - which has been a problem in the past. By doing this, we hope to reduce the amount of waste produced by the school, while also educating the student population about recycling.
Lets Eat Local
(Katherine Cullen, Zach Pittel, Ben Sisson)
For our project we researched the evolution of the American food system, looking specifically at large industrial agriculture and its destruction of local food systems. We promoted and endorsed local eating by creating our own farm stand and selling homemade nut butters. We also got in contact with a local CSA, creating an account that gave South students the opportunity to access organic foods and support local farmers.
Green Trail
(Isabella Cataldo, Emma Geller, Lisa Knocke, Andrew Shaughnessy)
The goal of our project is to improve and expand upon the Green Trail established in past years. This includes cleaning up the trail, filling in gaps in the existing website, and reopening the Green Trail to the public. In doing this we have placed an emphasis on specific species that are part of the trail and the surrounding habitats, and we hope to encourage future groups to take interest in maintaining and expanding the Green Trail.
America’s Addiction
(Kristen Magliozzi, Leah Nathanson, Chris Olsson, Andrew Shields)
By integrating the biological and psychological effects of poor nutrition we hope to bring light to the importance of eating healthy and developing sustainable eating habits during adolescence. Along with this, we will compare and contrast the U.S. diet to several countries, including Cuba and the Netherlands, and emphasize America's over dependence of processed foods and added sugars.
Saving Our Salt Marshes (Sustainability)
(Yu-En Chang, Daniel Likoff)
People don’t realize the importance of our local salt marshes, or, even that they are one of the most productive ecosystems on the planet. Learn the economic values of salt marshes and the history behind these marshes, while also learning about the intriguing research that has been done to save them. See what simple things you can change in your lifestyle to protect these natural wonders.
International Shark Conservation
(Adam Frank, Ana Geltman, Isabel Tenreiro, Gabi Tiraspolski, Brittany Martin)
Our project focuses on social cultural, and political aspects of shark hunting. We talk about the importance of shark conservation and their role in the ecosystem and how it effects us and our world.
The Little Explorers Guide To The Deep Sea Children’s Book
(Faith Bergman, Allie Lushan, Aleks Marceau, Ben Tuval)
Our project is a multicultural children’s book to educate students about deep-sea creatures. Our book connects the cultures of The United States, Tanzania and Chile to give children an idea of the importance of culture in the fishing industry.
Strangling the Ocean
(Ariel Ervin, Tesneem El-Alami, Matt Donovan, Griffin Connolly, Virgil Wong)
Our project aims to spread awareness of the growing issue of plastic pollution in the ocean; plastic kills and endangers many species and ecosystems and our dependency on plastic must be quelled. By making a leatherback sea turtle, a species threatened by plastic, out of plastic we use in our community, we hope to make a lasting impact on people who see it, and thus promote less plastic dependency.
Saving the Salt Marsh (Marine)
(Sasha Kuznetsov, Dan Likoff, David Cao, Yu-En Chang)
Our project will explain the salt marsh ecosystem and its inner workings, as well as the detrimental effects human activity can often have on it. In an interactive presentation with video footage of out visits to salt marshes, we will explain how marshes are studied by scientists and how these harmful effects can be prevented in the community through activism.
The Tap Pledge
(Daniel Abramson, Jared Chin, Anton Malin, Nick Dinisco)
For our project we will bring in a speaker from the MWRA to talk to students about water and sustainable practices. We will give out stickers to represent those who take the plastic pledge, to use less plastic bottles and drink more tap water. We will also make signs encouraging people to drink tap water near the water fountains and get the word out about the event.
Plastic Bags Kill: How to reduce our carbon footprint.
(Jack Groper, Hannah Clary, Izi Epstein, Michelle Bushoy, Maggie DiMarco)
For our project we’ve been in touch with the Newton Alderman and we will be selling reusable bags created and designed by our group members at local grocery and convenient stores. On the day of the presentations we will set up a booth to inform people about ways to reduce the use of plastic and ultimately changing our carbon footprint.
The Controversy over Marine Mammals in Captivity
(Sonja Klummp, Katie Doran, Mary Levine & Elizabeth Barry)
For our project, we hosted a mammal day in the auditorium where we invited representatives from both the Aquarium and an organization called PETA. The groups acknowledged both the benefits of dangers of keeping marine mammals in captivity.
Dive in to Ecotourism!!!
(Ellie Yorke, Katie McGauley, Kristin Spink, Will Haworth, Michael Garfinkle)
We have explored the benefits of sustainable travel both through research and personal experience. With our new information we have created a presentation for the students of Newton South to teach them how to travel sustainably and also to share our experiences. We are having a speaker come in to talk about Ecotourism in our community and hope to encourage Ecotourism among the families of Newton.
Styrofoam: killer of turtles, fish and mammals everywhere
(Angelina Weng, Alexis Kieran, Sonya Nair, Nicole Cheng)
The goal of this project is to raise awareness about the effects of Styrofoam and minimize the usage of it. We plan to accomplish this by specifically targeting stores like Dunkin Donuts to find other alternatives. With the help of Newton City Hall, we hope to put a Styrofoam ban in Newton
The Other 97% - The Future of Marine Preserves
(Lisa Knocke, Anna Mason, Acia Gankin, and Sebastian Lucena)
In a world in which we are constantly told to “live sustainably” and “preserve the earth”, the actual means to do so are not often implemented, especially in the case of our oceans. A few years ago, only about 1% of the ocean was protected. Recently, that tiny statistic has gone up to 3%; this is still no where near enough. Hundreds of the world’s MPAs (Marine Preservation Areas) are located in the United States, yet we never hear about these areas. What kind of preservation revolution could occur if American youth became aware of the possibilities of MPAs? Our projects goal is to inspire and empower our peers to take action and become more environmentally conscious, to show the true importance of protecting our oceans and fighting for more marine preserves.
Imperfectly Perfect
(Nikki Caminetsky, Claire McElduff, Nick Bartley, Camila Hernandez)
What are your imperfections? How do they shape your goals, identity, and appearance, or dictate your happiness? Come talk with us and share what makes you unique.
Mommy, I Want That One!
(Brianna McIsaac, Steph Wise)
Tradition? Fun! Tradition with younger kids! Super mega awesome fun! We took a peek into how tradition affects youth, such as the elementary school battle of Christmas v.s Hanukkah, the compromises of a second marriage, how Scotland made something out of nothing, and a four year old who celebrates Christmas to Diwali and everything in between.
STIGMA! No Longer An Enigma
(Emma Gomez-Rivas, Katherine Cullen, Zach Pittel)
What is stigma? Where does it come from? How can we overcome it? By analyzing stigma in society and in the media, we tried to understand where it comes from and what implications it has. We focused on mental health and learning disabilities in order to lay out the ways one can best over come the stigma they face.
E. V. I. L.: EVERY VILLAIN IS LEMONS
(Evie Kyn, Anya Graubard)
From A(nya) to Z(ombies), we inspect the spectrum of evil, what comprises it, what justifies it, and how we see it in our everyday lives. We blur the lines of evil and ask ourselves what it means to be truly evil?
Music: A Universal Language
(Michelle Gurvits, Alice Yi, Yu-En Chang, Armin Sabouri)
You can try communicating in English, but, often times, the point doesn’t get across. However, if you try communicating with music, everyone, no matter the nationality, will understand. How does music help you communicate with others and how can it bring people together? Tell us about your experiences!
Adultery is Patriotic
(Sally Stack & Dana Michlin)
Politics are deliberate, patriotism is inherent. We examine the effects of accidental political impact and intentional patriotism with examples from Bill Clinton to your next-door neighbor and from Nigeria to post-Nazi Germany.
The Internet & Community! It’s All About the Unity?
(Nathan Oasis, Sophia Autor)
Internet pundits often suggest the Internet is either a force for good (democracy) or for evil (autocracy). This view is oversimplified. The Internet has helped to generate autonomy and to fuel surveillance; to overthrow and to entrench governments. But, what if even absent state pushback, uses of the Internet foment base human tendencies? Community has always been an integral part of human nature. But what are the magic ingredients that cause connection? What traits do all leaders have? How can I inspire others? Come see how community impacts your life!
Health Care
(Margaret Beebe-Center, Katherine Dorfman, Amara Regehr, Julianna Huang)
“Should healthcare be universal?” This group tackles this question by examining the healthcare programs in Cuba and France. With specific interviews with Cuban healthcare-providers and French citizens, this group compares the “pros” and “cons” of healthcare approaches in Cuba, France, and the United States. The “action piece” appears in the form of volunteering at group homes for adults with disabilities to learn about their community and to promote healthy living. They will also look at the possibility for such houses to become part of the healthcare system.
Opportunity
(Isabel Tenreiro, Sam Sharon, Jeremy Knight, Keith Woo)
America prides itself on being “the land of opportunity.” But, how much opportunity awaits immigrants in the United States? This group explores how and why people from China and Cuba come to the US and what they face once here. Culminating in a “Personal Narrator” book for middle school students, this group’s research aims to help us understand what it’s really like to be living in “the land of opportunity.”
Wealth Gap
(Taylor Bovarnick, Tara Lanahan, Jelysa Durham, Edward Friedman)
We all know that there are rich and poor people throughout the world. But from where does this wealth gap come? How did it start, and will it ever narrow or disappear? Such questions are addressed in this group’s project. Focusing on such interesting topics as the “benefits and ramifications” of a wealth gap, this group’s research culminates in an “action piece” of educating the NSHS and Newton communities of the money discrepancies in Columbia and the United States. A “goods drive” will also take place for needed materials at a local facility to help the less fortunate among us.
Education and Poverty
(Cameron Pennell, Thomas Davidge, Virgil Wong)
We all know that education is an important pathway to success. But, what happens if your level of education is dictated by your income? This group explores the relationship between poverty and education in Singapore and Mexico, and the ways in which one’s financial status/background can influence his or her level of success.
Family Dynamics
(Corey Friedman, Shiri Pagliuso, David Berman, Sonja Klumpp, Elizabeth Rufo)
“How do a nation’s cultural values affect roles within the family?” This group explores family dynamics in Saudi Arabia and Germany. Focusing on tradition, politics, and even religion, this group studies how inter-family relationships have changed or remained stagnant over time and space. The “action piece” appears in the form of “All Families Matter Day,” a day where this group educates NSHS and the Newton community about the importance of all family types around Massachusetts and the world.
Beijing-Jingshan School and Newton South
(Madison Crosby, Jacob Schwartz, Kathy Zhu)
An interactive presentation showcasing the personal and academic values of a wide range of students and staff at the Beijing Jingshan School, presented in their own words. It is designed to let the students and teachers speak to members of the Newton South Community as directly as possible. We will also integrate our own impressions to create a comprehensive portrait of our experiences with Chinese culture and its values.
6th Annual Global Week
(May 28th 2014 - E-Block, NSHS Cafeteria)
1:50 - 2:05 pm Kozuch and Golding's classes
Let's Cut Down Paper Waste, Instead of Cutting Down Trees
(Kayla Chan, Dylan Ditullio, Emily Kaufman)
Our project aims to reduce paper use and paper waste at Newton South by encouraging students and faculty to make small changes in the classroom. We are also planting trees near the football field in order provide a wind screen. By making small changes, our group hopes to make a big impact on the South community and the planet.
Health is Wealth
(Nic Baudin, Nate Berman, Alekhya Chaparala, Isabel Snyder, Ryan Trevino)
For our project we researched the impacts of culture and education on public health in China and Ecuador. We translated what we learned into an action piece focusing on public health in urban communities. We then led a presentation at the West End House Boys and Girls Club (a community center for at-risk youth in Brighton/Allston) about the individual, family, community, and structural factors that affect ones health. We hope this presentation enabled the kids to become active and engaged citizens.
Green Trail (opening at 3 pm)
(Suzanna Anderson, Grant Balkema, Richard DeNitto, Darius Hare, Jake Houston, Patrick Maher, Peter Walsh)
The Green Trail project is a fantastic way to integrate community awareness, environmental progress, and academic achievement. It is a series of stops that demonstrates Newton South High School's sustainability on campus, integrating key concepts into classrooms like Conservation of Biology and Culinary arts. The Green Trail is a student driven project that creates a hands on learning experience while improving the environment around campus. http://nshsgreentrail.weebly.com/
What Limits You?
(Suzanna Anderson, A.V. Garik, Mackenzie Targett)
With our project we are trying to understand and bring into the open what people feel limited by every day at South. By having students write what limits them and what gives them hope, they can feel comforted by the fact that they aren't the only ones struggling and can find different ways to cope.
Political Art: for Dummies
(Sophia Canning & Hellen Huang)
How does the United States censor everything we see? Why is the American Time Magazine cover different from the covers published in the rest of the world? What is “digestibility” and why does it matter?
Look in the Mirror: An Examination of Beauty
(Caitlain McDonald and Grace Smith)
Over time, our society has developed impossible standards of beauty. Come and stop by to engage in discussion about what really makes a person beautiful. See how we have tried to change people’s perceptions of beauty found within themselves.
Prestigious Schools Ain’t So Cool
(Jordan Cohen, Ben Miller, Jake Houston)
Was it worth it, all that studying? Would you have rather been happy and relaxed or uptight and stressed? We know what we think.
The “Unusual” Case of Attraction
Camille Stubbe, Fiza Ansari, Allie Teicholz
Lip stretching, neck rings, and obesity—just few of the many ideals of attraction in societies around the globe. By exploring different cultural traditions and the appeal behind seemingly unusual practices, we hope to challenge the Western perspectives and promote a global understanding of attraction.
Do You Feel Accepted At South?
Maya Polasky, Shayla Foley & Josh Dempsey
Our group looked into the idea of acceptance upon different minorities in society, specifically Newton. Through the topics of African-Americans, Hispanics , Gays and Special Education. Though Newton is a very accepting environment compared to other communities, we still have ways to go. Do you feel that you are accepted at South? What needs to be done to make our community more accepting?
2:05 - 2:25 Rosen's classes:
Saving the Reefs
(Jordan Cohen, Ben Miller, and Mara Ezekiel)
We have done research to find ways to help stop the destruction of reefs. We organized a bake sale to raise awareness by handing out pamphlets with every baked good we sold. Further more, we picked an organization to donate the money to, called Coral Reef Alliance because they have made the biggest change in protecting the reefs that are in decline.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle your plastic
( Emma Feynman, Beth Yudelman, Tristan Pesaresi, Sarina Weiss)
Our project examined the effects of plastic on the oceans. We focused specifically on bottles, plastic bags, and the Pacific Garbage Patch. In an effort to raise awareness we did a presentation in the lecture hall and showed a video, then had a question and answer session. We are measuring our progress with a Facebook page, which we are encouraging people to like. We also ordered stickers and will be selling them to raise awareness.
Nuke Sushi
(Connor Donahue, Dan Goudovitch, Emma Sander, Julian Asuaje-Solon)
Our project seeks to raise awareness of the radioactive effects on fish in Japanese waters following the Fukushima disaster and the effects of this on the sushi industry. We are making a powerpoint presentation with information regarding the situation and are going to link it to a QR code so that people can scan our posters with their phones and get linked to our online presentation. We have also interviewed people in the sushi industry to find their opinion on the issue. Finally, we have created a Bitstrips comic strip that illustrates and personifies the situation and explains how the average person can help.
Furs or Fashion
(Esther Cho and Monique Gould)
Our global final project is called furs or fashion because we have invested our time in researching about the regulations, brutality, and morality behind the harp seals. Through our research we found out that the regulations allow abandoned 12 day old harp seal pups to be hunted and that the majority of seal hunts are not being monitored by the government which causes the over hunting and placing the seals in danger. We created a visual blog in order to raise awareness of the harp seal hunt and out hit counter is slowly rising. We hope to draw more attention and get more hits by the end of the project.
Sustainable Seas
(Sheldon Blake-Waterman, Jelena Kupcevic, David Gorelik, Toni Monge)
For our Global Project we worked to raise awareness on the very pressing issue that is overfishing. On May 7th, 2014 during long block F block, our group conducted a panel discussion in which two speakers, highly educated on the issue of overfishing, came in to participate and spread awareness. In conjunction we also worked on getting students at South to think beyond their plates by showing movie clips from films such as "The End Of The Line" and "The Seafood Watch Program" that showed the atrocious methods that fishing industries use to fish. Finally, we strongly encouraged each student to buy sustainably caught seafood and handed out informational brochures that we created.
Protecting Marine Ecosystems
(Suzanna Anderson, Andrew Hardigg, Marjorie O’Hearne, Devon Woods)
Our Global project aims to spread information about marine protected areas and their benefits for the economy and environment. We have done research on how individuals living near marine protected areas feel about the affects of these marine reserves. We plan on creating a petition on the Whitehouse petition website, and we will also send our research to congressmen who are interested in creating more protected areas. Our goal is to increase awareness and the protection of more of the oceans.
2:25 - 2:45 Thompson and Martin's classes
Education and Income: The Global Disparity
Nic Baudin, Nate Berman, Zack Cater, Alekhya Chaparala, Lily Levine, Ryan Trevino
Our project set out to explore the connection between culture and education around the world, but what we found was that income inequality was a stronger indicator of educational opportunities than culture. The reverse is also true, for education is often the most powerful tool in dictating students' future economic success. We chose to focus specifically on China and Ecuador, and did a lot of research on the income and educational disparities in these countries. For our action piece, we developed a lesson plan targeted at middle school students to teach them about how economic inequality affects the educational opportunities of their peers around the world.
“How can we change the way that people consume seafood?
(AV Garik, Matt Marcus, Caitlain McDonald, Ben Robinson, Allie Teicholz)
Through our project we have broadened our knowledge of overfishing across the world through our contacts in Iceland and the Galapagos, as well as here in the United States. We've used this knowledge to reach out to several restaurants and fish markets in attempts to convince them to label the sustainability level and origin of the fish they sell. We are also working on creating a sustainable seafood cookbook to catalyze change on a more individual level. Come learn about the crisis the fishing community is currently facing, and how you can make a change in your daily choices!
Link to the online cookbook is here.
How do we help encourage sustainable transportation at Newton South?
(Collin Pham, Astha Agarwal, Jason Pollock, Tyrus Bergersen, William Su)
- Our group has worked to ignite some change around transportation at South. To meet this end we have attempted to spark a funding campaign for new bike racks, as well as talked to the South Senate about quarter based--instead of semester based--parking passes. Further, we have talked to the City and school administration about redirecting morning and afternoon traffic patterns, aiming to reduce congestion and idling time. Our hope is to get the Newton South community, students and faculty alike,engaged in more environmentally responsible modes of transportation.
How can we reduce paper waste at Newton South?
(Camille Stubbe, Fiza Ansari, Jina An, Sara Wang, Grace Smith)
Every day, Newton South produces a staggering amount of waste, from food to water, to paper. As a group, we specifically targeted the issues of excessive paper waste by organizing the installation of hand dryers within NSHS in an effort to reduce paper towel usage. Each hand dryer would save 72,000 paper towels annually. With the help of the PTSO and NPS officials, hand dryers will be coming soon to bathrooms at South.
How can we promote local, sustainable, year-round farming?
(Gabe Honigsberg, Liza Bialik, Liam Shanny, Jake Jermanok, Michael Harlow)
For this project we have worked with Mr. Orren and the farm club to extend the growing season and to make frequent sales to the cafeteria. To do this, we have developed an invoice form and list of market prices for the farm’s crops to be sold to the cafeteria. To extend the growing season, we have helped install low tunnels, which help retain heat and protect the crops from pests and weather. As a result of these efforts, not only will the cafeteria be using more sustainable produce for the food students and faculty eat, but hopefully students will realize that incorporating locally sourced agriculture into our diets isn't so far fetched.
Fashion/Beauty
(Brandon Byun, Ester Cho, Monique Gould, Myanna Grannum, Sam Kaminsky)
For our global final project, we researched the true meaning behind the word fashion/beauty by comparing two very different cultures such as Russia and Peru. We interviewed a wide range of demographics, including executives in the Russian fashion industry to locals in Peru. As our action piece, we created a visual blog that illustrates the cultural differences between Peru and Russia and the general trends that each tend to follow. Also, in our blog, we include how each country’s sports attire correlates with their economic growth.
Tourism
(Maite Abadia-Manthei, Jackie Chen, Darius Hare, Minh-an Quin, Alan Shektman)
What does it take to be a good tourist? Our group has studied a range of aspects of tourism from Ecotourism and aid tourism to dark tourism and sex tourism. We focused mainly on the Dominican Republic and China. Our ultimate goal is to inform our community through the informative pamphlet we created outlining the characteristics of the ideal tourist.
Gender
(Vanessa Chen, Dan Goudovitch, Caroline Leong, Tim Newton, Tristan Pesaresi)
The Gender Group has explored the role of gender in the societies of Russia and Italy, as well as the rights of the LGBT community. We also sought to determine the roots of the gender pay gap from an international standpoint. To further inform people about our studies, we have designed posters summarizing in a visually appealing way the general knowledge we have discovered. On these posters, we will have a link to our in depth presentation online on Prezzi. We will do this using a QR code.
5th Annual Global Week (2013)
Student presentations about global issues
and their personal interactions from around the world
May 21st - May 25th
Schedule of Events:
All Week:
Seedling sale by the Newton South Garden @ the Wheeler Entrance during J Blocks
Hear about Newton South Exchange Programs during the lunch blocks in the cafeteria.
Tuesday, May 21st
8:40 am, C Block (Location: Goldrick Commons)
Adoption (Students: Annie McDonald-Schwartz, Chloe Fulara, Felicia Carlson, Ashley Yoo)
We will hold a panel discussion to spread the real meaning of international adoption and what it is all about.
11:10 am, E Block (Location: Goldrick Commons)
Materialism Awareness (Students: Ally Dellheim, Julia MacKenzie, Boey Yu, Abby Coleman, Danielle Slabine)
Our group created a documentary about materialism that will explore the effect of stuff on American society, as well as those of other cultures. We will demonstrate how materialism directly relates to societies' unhappiness, as well as financial issues, family dynamics, crime, and people's overall feeling of self-worth.
Newton South Energy Efficiency (Students: Alona Meirav, Leah McTigue, Noah Rivkin, Zack Litchman, Sean DiMarco)
The goal of our project was to increase awareness of and reduce energy inefficiencies at Newton South. We raised money to install power strips in the classrooms and created the South Energy website for students to see energy used at school and at home, as well as tips to reduce consumption. We also compared South's sustainability to other cultures in both developed and developing countries. Check out the website here: http://southenergy.weebly.com/index.html
The Nicaragua Exchange and Community Service Trip (Location: Cafeteria)
Come by our table during lunch to hear about the 2013 trip, see pictures, and sign up for next year's trip!
1 pm, D Block (Location: Goldrick Commons)
Virtual and Local Water Awareness (Students: Emily Ho, Maggie Whalen, Jon Stricker, Lydia Basque)
Our guiding question for our final project was an exploration around the growing importance of water and water availability around the world. We looked at the hidden costs of water, or virtual water levels, in our everyday products and food, and we also researched local water use and how local water habits differ throughout different cultures in the world. Finally, we brought our newfound knowledge to an engaging presentation and focused on educating our peers in a way that can help change water habits and improve our water consumption for the years to come.
South Statistics (Students: James Wang, Derek Mei, Wendy Zhang)
South Statistics is an initiative to generate more awareness about the amount of waste that is produced at South. Both physical and electronic waste was measured (as accurately as possible), and then recorded on graphs and posters that are put up in various parts of the school. In addition, the group also proposed simple solutions that can cut down on the amount of waste generated.
Sustainable Stadiums (Students: Lucian Cascino, Joe Trask, Gerry Leung, Stephane Rhynd)
Our project goal was to use trees to provide a more sustainable windscreen for Winkler Stadium. The windscreen will be more efficient and environmentally friendly than the current solution. We also researched other methods to make the Newton South football stadium more sustainable, such as using solar panels for the press box.
Wednesday, May 22nd
Please bike, walk or carpool on this day to reduce your carbon footprint!
9am, B block (Location: Science Wing & Room 2101)
I.W.C – It Will Cease (Students: Nick Reed & Michael Kenny)
Our project investigated the role, power, and potential of the I.W.C. (International Whaling Commission) in regulating and controlling whaling, especially illegal whaling.
Japanese Whaling (Students: Alanna Milshtein, Alexis Wing, Gali Cohen & Sarah Clemente)
Creating awareness about the role of whales in Japanese culture and the whaling practices of the Japanese government.
Preserving The East Coast’s Environment and Species (Students: Ben Eisenberg, Gil Blume & Sophie Swetz)
Our project focused on the East Coast’s marine ecosystems and its keystone species, such as cod, oysters, and eel grass. Through research on these species and the coastal environment, we hope to show other students at Newton South the importance of preserving the environment and its species.
New England Aquarium NSHS Preschool Visit (Students: Ally Dellheim and Julia MacKenzie)
This project will discuss the New England Aquarium "Tidepools Alive!" classroom program that came to the Newton South Preschool. The program is meant to educate preschoolers on various marine organisms, what their lives are like and how humans interact with these organisms. Students led both pre- and post-activities in the preschool classrooms.
9:55am, G block (Location: Goldrick Commons & Science Help Center)
Moroccan Tea House
Please come to enjoy some tea and snacks and learn about the Morocco trip and other topics such as:
Family (Students: Jordi Batler, Jenny Kaufman, Suzy Landon)
This project considered the meaning and importance of family across cultures including Morocco, China and Newton, MA.
The Good, the Bad, the Perfect: how our flaws reflect perfection in our community (Students: Nadav Hazan, Laura Kessel, Benyamin Meschede-Krasa)
We explored the idea of perfection both within the Newton South community and in places like Morocco and Israel. We also examined different religions and the role spirituality plays in the pursuit of perfection. To help us further understand perfection at Newton South, come talk to us. Share your stories; how are you imperfect?
Revolution! (Students: Ami Kutzen, Cate Eberman, Leah McTigue)
What triggers a revolution? How do people feel before, during, and after a revolution? How do people across various cultures and generations define revolution? Why are some revolutions more successful than others? Students investigated the Arab Spring and its implications in Morocco and Libya.
Tasteful not Wasteful (Students: Sarah Rabinowitz, Mina Willett, Lili Kadets, Annie Kadets, and Hannah Robbins, with help from Adam Freedman)
We created an informative website about food and plastic waste. The website includes general information, global trends, and personal solutions. We also created a poster to bring traffic to our website http://tastefulnotwasteful.weebly.com/index.html .
The Charles River (Students: Stephane Rhynd, Ian Kolinski, Peter Block)
Our project focused on the conservation of the Charles River. We caught local species from the river and we will use them to educate our class about the river’s condition. We will have a poster and a tank with the species on display in SLIC.
11am, F block
(Locations: Panel discussion in the Lecture Hall from 11:45 - 12:45;
Moroccan Tea House continues in Goldrick Commons;
Charles River display continues in the Science Help Center)
Local, Sustainable Food Awareness (Students: Annie McDonald-Schwartz, Amanda Yong, Ana Daurio, Chloe Fulara)
Our group has been preparing a presentation to help others understand the importance of sustainable food/agriculture and to encourage the community to support local farms and sustainable eateries. We are hosting a panel made up of experts who will discuss the reasons to buy locally and sustainably sourced foods.
The Nicaragua Exchange and Community Service Trip (Location: Cafeteria)
Come by our table during lunch to hear about the 2013 trip, see pictures, and sign up for next year's trip!
12:50 pm, D block (Location: Goldrick Commons)
SPECIAL WISE PRESENTATION about aquaculture and hyrdoponics at the Newton South Garden by Dan Kaufman
Wetlands and Invasive Species (Students: Eric Zhang, Sarah Steinberg, Kevin Zhu, Zack Holt, Amelia Morris)
Do you know that if you drain a 13 square mile forested wetland, it will increase flood damage by $17 million per year? Wetlands are an essential part of the ecosystem. Just behind Newton South High School is a local wetland. We have been trying to construct a kiosk outside in order to raise more awareness to protect the essential wetlands, which are home to many unique plants and animals.
Sustainable Children's Book Project (Students: Sophie Veksler, Nick Hurney, Mika Gross, Ami Kutzen, R.J. Hayes)
Our group wrote, illustrated, and printed a children's book about water usage and waste. We had readings at several local elementary schools to help raise awareness about that important issue. We also donated the finished product to those schools so that they can be enjoyed for years to come.
Sponge Fishing Children’s Book (Student: Jordi Batler)
I have written a children's book about a family that migrated from Greece to sponge fish in Florida. This book highlights the benefits and struggles that families face when one of the members has a dangerous job. I read the book to the pre-school children.
1:55 pm, E block (Location: Goldrick Commons)
Human Trafficking (Students: Sophia West, Tuleeka Hazra, Lauren Wong, Brittany O’Neill)
Our group successfully organized a showing of the documentary Path to Dignity, followed by a panel discussion, in which we invited other classes to attend and share their perspectives on the issue. In addition to our research, we have put together a website concerning human trafficking and ways to combat it. (http://nshsglobalcitizens.webs.com/).
Thursday, May 23rd
8:40am, B block (Location: Science Wing & 2101)
Theme: Sustaining Our Marine Ecosystem
Fish are FOOD, not FRIENDS (Students: Brian Spink, Robin Kurosawa, Lucian Cascino)
Our group will be responsible for attempting to make our cafeteria have more sustainable seafood. We are trying to get new items on the menu such as tilapia, US farmed striped bass, and channel catfish. Eating fish twice a week has health benefits and we are working on creating a pamphlet to go with the food to instruct Newton families on making sustainable choices.
Sea Level Rise (Students: Zach Pawa, Matt Roberts, & Sam Houston-Read)
We made a video raising awareness about sea level rise in the Boston area. The video includes interviews with local business owners, an outline of the Boston Harbor Association’s recent interview with a Kivalina, Alaska village member, and tips to help reduce sea level rise. Our storyboard will give everyone a step-by-step timeline of our progress.
Shell Shock (Students: Kayla Kee, Mike Hwang, Lauren Astrachan, Jenny Morris)
Our group published an article in the Newton Tab on the sustainability of shell companies. If the company we research (Stetson Seashells) gets their products (dried Sea Horses, Conch Shells, Sand Dollars, and Starfish) in an unsustainable manner, will stop them from selling the products by writing letters to state legislators.
10:50am, G Block (Location: Goldrick Commons)
C-O-M-P-E-T-E. Find out what it means to me (Students: Stew Ostrow, Jason Karys, Drew Paul)
Our project explored the role of competition, a universal idea that is relevant in all of our lives. We focused on competition within sports, society and education. Our presentation will serve to show why competition is so important and explore both its ups and downs.
Mechanized (Student: Jared Frankston)
What promises do robotics hold for our future? What are the downsides?
Plugged In: a world of non-stop clicking and swiping (Students: Rena Heras, Anna Tsareva)
Is technology a friend or a foe? We explored the privilege of technology and its role in our lives. Has technology gotten out of hand, and if so how will we regain control of our multiple devices--and in turn, ourselves?
Addicted (Student: Yana Bliznakova)
Our understanding of addiction has come a long way. But as more and more problems are described as addictions, are we abusing the word?
Who’s Jewish? (Student: Alex Kane)
My project was about the State of Israel’s connection to the Jewish people. I looked at both political and spiritual issues. I tried to develop a complete picture by comparing and contrasting the opinions of different Jews, who culturally share little but the name.
Facing our Fears, Before They Face Us (Student: Adam Freedman)
Fear motivates and shapes us. But what we should do with the fear in our lives? The goal of the presentation is for people to notice the role that fear plays in their lives whether they realize it or not, and maybe to learn to deal with it.
So You Think You’re Successful? (Student: Joe Trask)
Ever since the resurrection of America after the Great Depression, the motto has been to buy more, bigger, and better. But does this reflect real success? How does the drive for things impact relationships and communities?
Progress (Student: Shear-Ammishiddai Shear-Yashur)
What sparks real change and progress? Where do good ideas come from?
"Talkin' Trash" (Clara Abramson, Sophie Forman, Lauren Sherman & Annie O'Brien.) - Location 2101
For our project, we went to clean up the Carson Beach. There we wakled throughout the beach and picked up all of the trasht that was laying around. Are goal was to make the beach a cleaner places than it was when we got there.
Friday, May 24th,
8:40 am, B Block (Location: Lecture Hall)
Special WISE presentation from Yoonchan Choi, who interned with the Newton-Beijing Jingshan Exchange Program. He looked at the changes in the experience for students in the past 10 years.
11:10am, C block
The Newton-Beijing Jingshan Exchange (Location: Cafeteria)
Come by our table during lunch to hear about the 2013 Exchange, exchange stories and see pictures from Josh Sapers, Aiden Rose, and Miles Apfel, just back from this year's exchange!
(Location: Goldrick Commons)
Adoption (Students: Annie McDonald-Schwartz, Chloe Fulara, Felicia Carlson, Ashley Yoo)
This presentation is a follow up to the panel discussion on the meaning of adoption held on Monday, May 21. As part of our project we also interviewed people and read books and articles in order to compare and contrast the truth versus fiction about adoption.
Sustenance (Students: Gil Blume and Maggie Whalen)
Students will cook a healthy lunch using all local ingredients. They will also present about local food and healthy eating, this presentation will include their own pocket guide.
Student presentations about global issues
and their personal interactions from around the world
May 21st - May 25th
Schedule of Events:
All Week:
Seedling sale by the Newton South Garden @ the Wheeler Entrance during J Blocks
Hear about Newton South Exchange Programs during the lunch blocks in the cafeteria.
Tuesday, May 21st
8:40 am, C Block (Location: Goldrick Commons)
Adoption (Students: Annie McDonald-Schwartz, Chloe Fulara, Felicia Carlson, Ashley Yoo)
We will hold a panel discussion to spread the real meaning of international adoption and what it is all about.
11:10 am, E Block (Location: Goldrick Commons)
Materialism Awareness (Students: Ally Dellheim, Julia MacKenzie, Boey Yu, Abby Coleman, Danielle Slabine)
Our group created a documentary about materialism that will explore the effect of stuff on American society, as well as those of other cultures. We will demonstrate how materialism directly relates to societies' unhappiness, as well as financial issues, family dynamics, crime, and people's overall feeling of self-worth.
Newton South Energy Efficiency (Students: Alona Meirav, Leah McTigue, Noah Rivkin, Zack Litchman, Sean DiMarco)
The goal of our project was to increase awareness of and reduce energy inefficiencies at Newton South. We raised money to install power strips in the classrooms and created the South Energy website for students to see energy used at school and at home, as well as tips to reduce consumption. We also compared South's sustainability to other cultures in both developed and developing countries. Check out the website here: http://southenergy.weebly.com/index.html
The Nicaragua Exchange and Community Service Trip (Location: Cafeteria)
Come by our table during lunch to hear about the 2013 trip, see pictures, and sign up for next year's trip!
1 pm, D Block (Location: Goldrick Commons)
Virtual and Local Water Awareness (Students: Emily Ho, Maggie Whalen, Jon Stricker, Lydia Basque)
Our guiding question for our final project was an exploration around the growing importance of water and water availability around the world. We looked at the hidden costs of water, or virtual water levels, in our everyday products and food, and we also researched local water use and how local water habits differ throughout different cultures in the world. Finally, we brought our newfound knowledge to an engaging presentation and focused on educating our peers in a way that can help change water habits and improve our water consumption for the years to come.
South Statistics (Students: James Wang, Derek Mei, Wendy Zhang)
South Statistics is an initiative to generate more awareness about the amount of waste that is produced at South. Both physical and electronic waste was measured (as accurately as possible), and then recorded on graphs and posters that are put up in various parts of the school. In addition, the group also proposed simple solutions that can cut down on the amount of waste generated.
Sustainable Stadiums (Students: Lucian Cascino, Joe Trask, Gerry Leung, Stephane Rhynd)
Our project goal was to use trees to provide a more sustainable windscreen for Winkler Stadium. The windscreen will be more efficient and environmentally friendly than the current solution. We also researched other methods to make the Newton South football stadium more sustainable, such as using solar panels for the press box.
Wednesday, May 22nd
Please bike, walk or carpool on this day to reduce your carbon footprint!
9am, B block (Location: Science Wing & Room 2101)
I.W.C – It Will Cease (Students: Nick Reed & Michael Kenny)
Our project investigated the role, power, and potential of the I.W.C. (International Whaling Commission) in regulating and controlling whaling, especially illegal whaling.
Japanese Whaling (Students: Alanna Milshtein, Alexis Wing, Gali Cohen & Sarah Clemente)
Creating awareness about the role of whales in Japanese culture and the whaling practices of the Japanese government.
Preserving The East Coast’s Environment and Species (Students: Ben Eisenberg, Gil Blume & Sophie Swetz)
Our project focused on the East Coast’s marine ecosystems and its keystone species, such as cod, oysters, and eel grass. Through research on these species and the coastal environment, we hope to show other students at Newton South the importance of preserving the environment and its species.
New England Aquarium NSHS Preschool Visit (Students: Ally Dellheim and Julia MacKenzie)
This project will discuss the New England Aquarium "Tidepools Alive!" classroom program that came to the Newton South Preschool. The program is meant to educate preschoolers on various marine organisms, what their lives are like and how humans interact with these organisms. Students led both pre- and post-activities in the preschool classrooms.
9:55am, G block (Location: Goldrick Commons & Science Help Center)
Moroccan Tea House
Please come to enjoy some tea and snacks and learn about the Morocco trip and other topics such as:
Family (Students: Jordi Batler, Jenny Kaufman, Suzy Landon)
This project considered the meaning and importance of family across cultures including Morocco, China and Newton, MA.
The Good, the Bad, the Perfect: how our flaws reflect perfection in our community (Students: Nadav Hazan, Laura Kessel, Benyamin Meschede-Krasa)
We explored the idea of perfection both within the Newton South community and in places like Morocco and Israel. We also examined different religions and the role spirituality plays in the pursuit of perfection. To help us further understand perfection at Newton South, come talk to us. Share your stories; how are you imperfect?
Revolution! (Students: Ami Kutzen, Cate Eberman, Leah McTigue)
What triggers a revolution? How do people feel before, during, and after a revolution? How do people across various cultures and generations define revolution? Why are some revolutions more successful than others? Students investigated the Arab Spring and its implications in Morocco and Libya.
Tasteful not Wasteful (Students: Sarah Rabinowitz, Mina Willett, Lili Kadets, Annie Kadets, and Hannah Robbins, with help from Adam Freedman)
We created an informative website about food and plastic waste. The website includes general information, global trends, and personal solutions. We also created a poster to bring traffic to our website http://tastefulnotwasteful.weebly.com/index.html .
The Charles River (Students: Stephane Rhynd, Ian Kolinski, Peter Block)
Our project focused on the conservation of the Charles River. We caught local species from the river and we will use them to educate our class about the river’s condition. We will have a poster and a tank with the species on display in SLIC.
11am, F block
(Locations: Panel discussion in the Lecture Hall from 11:45 - 12:45;
Moroccan Tea House continues in Goldrick Commons;
Charles River display continues in the Science Help Center)
Local, Sustainable Food Awareness (Students: Annie McDonald-Schwartz, Amanda Yong, Ana Daurio, Chloe Fulara)
Our group has been preparing a presentation to help others understand the importance of sustainable food/agriculture and to encourage the community to support local farms and sustainable eateries. We are hosting a panel made up of experts who will discuss the reasons to buy locally and sustainably sourced foods.
The Nicaragua Exchange and Community Service Trip (Location: Cafeteria)
Come by our table during lunch to hear about the 2013 trip, see pictures, and sign up for next year's trip!
12:50 pm, D block (Location: Goldrick Commons)
SPECIAL WISE PRESENTATION about aquaculture and hyrdoponics at the Newton South Garden by Dan Kaufman
Wetlands and Invasive Species (Students: Eric Zhang, Sarah Steinberg, Kevin Zhu, Zack Holt, Amelia Morris)
Do you know that if you drain a 13 square mile forested wetland, it will increase flood damage by $17 million per year? Wetlands are an essential part of the ecosystem. Just behind Newton South High School is a local wetland. We have been trying to construct a kiosk outside in order to raise more awareness to protect the essential wetlands, which are home to many unique plants and animals.
Sustainable Children's Book Project (Students: Sophie Veksler, Nick Hurney, Mika Gross, Ami Kutzen, R.J. Hayes)
Our group wrote, illustrated, and printed a children's book about water usage and waste. We had readings at several local elementary schools to help raise awareness about that important issue. We also donated the finished product to those schools so that they can be enjoyed for years to come.
Sponge Fishing Children’s Book (Student: Jordi Batler)
I have written a children's book about a family that migrated from Greece to sponge fish in Florida. This book highlights the benefits and struggles that families face when one of the members has a dangerous job. I read the book to the pre-school children.
1:55 pm, E block (Location: Goldrick Commons)
Human Trafficking (Students: Sophia West, Tuleeka Hazra, Lauren Wong, Brittany O’Neill)
Our group successfully organized a showing of the documentary Path to Dignity, followed by a panel discussion, in which we invited other classes to attend and share their perspectives on the issue. In addition to our research, we have put together a website concerning human trafficking and ways to combat it. (http://nshsglobalcitizens.webs.com/).
Thursday, May 23rd
8:40am, B block (Location: Science Wing & 2101)
Theme: Sustaining Our Marine Ecosystem
Fish are FOOD, not FRIENDS (Students: Brian Spink, Robin Kurosawa, Lucian Cascino)
Our group will be responsible for attempting to make our cafeteria have more sustainable seafood. We are trying to get new items on the menu such as tilapia, US farmed striped bass, and channel catfish. Eating fish twice a week has health benefits and we are working on creating a pamphlet to go with the food to instruct Newton families on making sustainable choices.
Sea Level Rise (Students: Zach Pawa, Matt Roberts, & Sam Houston-Read)
We made a video raising awareness about sea level rise in the Boston area. The video includes interviews with local business owners, an outline of the Boston Harbor Association’s recent interview with a Kivalina, Alaska village member, and tips to help reduce sea level rise. Our storyboard will give everyone a step-by-step timeline of our progress.
Shell Shock (Students: Kayla Kee, Mike Hwang, Lauren Astrachan, Jenny Morris)
Our group published an article in the Newton Tab on the sustainability of shell companies. If the company we research (Stetson Seashells) gets their products (dried Sea Horses, Conch Shells, Sand Dollars, and Starfish) in an unsustainable manner, will stop them from selling the products by writing letters to state legislators.
10:50am, G Block (Location: Goldrick Commons)
C-O-M-P-E-T-E. Find out what it means to me (Students: Stew Ostrow, Jason Karys, Drew Paul)
Our project explored the role of competition, a universal idea that is relevant in all of our lives. We focused on competition within sports, society and education. Our presentation will serve to show why competition is so important and explore both its ups and downs.
Mechanized (Student: Jared Frankston)
What promises do robotics hold for our future? What are the downsides?
Plugged In: a world of non-stop clicking and swiping (Students: Rena Heras, Anna Tsareva)
Is technology a friend or a foe? We explored the privilege of technology and its role in our lives. Has technology gotten out of hand, and if so how will we regain control of our multiple devices--and in turn, ourselves?
Addicted (Student: Yana Bliznakova)
Our understanding of addiction has come a long way. But as more and more problems are described as addictions, are we abusing the word?
Who’s Jewish? (Student: Alex Kane)
My project was about the State of Israel’s connection to the Jewish people. I looked at both political and spiritual issues. I tried to develop a complete picture by comparing and contrasting the opinions of different Jews, who culturally share little but the name.
Facing our Fears, Before They Face Us (Student: Adam Freedman)
Fear motivates and shapes us. But what we should do with the fear in our lives? The goal of the presentation is for people to notice the role that fear plays in their lives whether they realize it or not, and maybe to learn to deal with it.
So You Think You’re Successful? (Student: Joe Trask)
Ever since the resurrection of America after the Great Depression, the motto has been to buy more, bigger, and better. But does this reflect real success? How does the drive for things impact relationships and communities?
Progress (Student: Shear-Ammishiddai Shear-Yashur)
What sparks real change and progress? Where do good ideas come from?
"Talkin' Trash" (Clara Abramson, Sophie Forman, Lauren Sherman & Annie O'Brien.) - Location 2101
For our project, we went to clean up the Carson Beach. There we wakled throughout the beach and picked up all of the trasht that was laying around. Are goal was to make the beach a cleaner places than it was when we got there.
Friday, May 24th,
8:40 am, B Block (Location: Lecture Hall)
Special WISE presentation from Yoonchan Choi, who interned with the Newton-Beijing Jingshan Exchange Program. He looked at the changes in the experience for students in the past 10 years.
11:10am, C block
The Newton-Beijing Jingshan Exchange (Location: Cafeteria)
Come by our table during lunch to hear about the 2013 Exchange, exchange stories and see pictures from Josh Sapers, Aiden Rose, and Miles Apfel, just back from this year's exchange!
(Location: Goldrick Commons)
Adoption (Students: Annie McDonald-Schwartz, Chloe Fulara, Felicia Carlson, Ashley Yoo)
This presentation is a follow up to the panel discussion on the meaning of adoption held on Monday, May 21. As part of our project we also interviewed people and read books and articles in order to compare and contrast the truth versus fiction about adoption.
Sustenance (Students: Gil Blume and Maggie Whalen)
Students will cook a healthy lunch using all local ingredients. They will also present about local food and healthy eating, this presentation will include their own pocket guide.
Check out these projects from previous years:
A project about recycling e-waste from 2010: http://recycleelectronicsresponsibly.weebly.com/index.html
A project about eating locally in the Boston area from 2011: Localeatingboston.weebly.com
A project about eating locally in the Boston area from 2011: Localeatingboston.weebly.com
Global Week 2012
May 21th- May 25th
Seniors in The Global Communities Program will present programs on the following topics:
Monday, May 21st: D-block 11:20 – 12:35 (Goldrick Commons)
Theme: A More Sustainable Food System
Zervas Farm (Michaela Regehr, Aliza Heeren, Hannah Ewing, Dan Fitzpatrick, Roy Milstein)
The Zervas Farm Project is an initiative to increase the community involvement in the school garden through engaged learning and activities. We hope to teach the students of Zervas the basic principals of gardening, living locally, and community involvement.
South Composting (Jake Abramson, Dana Lipper, Ray Flint, Tyler Ellis, Abby Pressberg)
Composting takes rotting, rancid fruits and vegetables and turns them into a goldmine of nutrients, all the while reducing waste in landfills, and giving people a sustainable form of gardening. Our group is trying to make our school more sustainable by installing compost bins for teacher use, and educating students about the benefits of composting in their homes, how to compost, and the science behind composting.
Local Food Guide (Michaela O’Flaherty,Siobhan O’Flaherty, Danielle Anderson, Shea Donovan)
We got beef with processed, shipped, and modified food. Eating locally not only improves your health, but the health of the environment and the economy. Lettuce show you how to eat locally through our newly created website eatinglocalboston.weebly.com and help us start a local food movement.
Restaurant Review (Lauren Bamel, Aaron Weinstein, Ana Horowitz, Lena Sternburg, Emily Hollender)
With guidance from representatives of the New England Aquarium and Vancouver’s Ocean Wise Program, our group assessed the sustainability of local restaurants. Based on our knowledge of sustainable fishing techniques from our Marine Biology class, we created a detailed sustainability rubric and gave each restaurant a star rating. We also put together a brief pamphlet that we will be handing out to South’s culinary classes that advises the most and least sustainable seafood options.
Tuesday, May 22nd: E Block 11:40 – 12:10 (Goldrick Commons)
Theme: Sustaining Our Marine Ecosystem
Sea Turtle Curriculum (Anna Laurence, Taylor Olivierre, Hannah Friedman)
Our project is meant to inform younger children about the lives of sea turtles and the risks they encounter. It will be presented to them via a children’s book we have created.
Shark Finning (Nanah Crosby, Jackie Lebovitz, Christi Rosata, Salem Habte)
Our project is to research and create a brochure to raise awareness about the dangers of Shark Finning to shark populations and the ecosystem. Eventually, our goal is to persuade our peers to sign a petition to ban shark finning, which despite its confusing legality, is not strongly prohibited.
Myths About Marine Life (Julia Gron, Hannah Leiken, Allie Haber, Amy Houston)
The first component of our project is to collect myths about marine life from different cultures around the world. We then collected these myths into a book in which we discuss them in terms of scientific facts and marine research.
4:30 pm (Faculty Dining Room & Lecture Hall)
Going Global: Tackling Poverty Worldwide(Hannah Lukas, Neha Narula, Cloe Jackson-Unger, Helena Emmanuel, Leora Hershman)
A student conference addressing poverty on local, national, and international levels. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how poverty is interconnected with conflict resolution, micro financing, and education. As a result of this conference, we hope individuals will take action to reduce poverty in their own communities and around the world.
Wednesday, May 23rd: F Block 11:30 – 12:45 (Goldrick Commons)
Themes: Global Environmental Challenges and Citizenship
Transportation to School (Gabe Leiter, Phil Wang, Antonia Nichols, Paul Bridi)
The goal of our project was to explore how we could change the transportation culture at Newton South. We wanted to encourage organized carpooling at South by creating an online network of potential carpoolers. We hope by giving our presentation that we will encourage people to make a change in the choices they make regarding transportation to school.
White Roofs (Eric Davis, Tory Bryan, Ellen Barret, Isaac Rogers)
Our project is a proposal for companies and individuals to become educated on the process of getting a “white roof.” Currently our world is faced with the issue of Global Warming, which will significantly impact our lives if not addressed. We hope our project will educate others on this current issue while showing them a beneficial alternative that will not only save them money, but also save the environment.
Wetlands and Invasive Species (Jay Nathakumar, Sam Caggiano, Ashley Bovarnick, Kendall Bovarnick, Elizabeth Goodstein)
Our project is to inform people in our community as well as in other areas about the wetlands near Newton South. We would like to teach people about various invasive and non-invasive species that occupy the wetlands as well as the overall health of the wetland. The goal is to create an observation area in the wetlands behind our school, where middle school and high school students can learn about the importance of wetlands. A pamphlet in both English and in Spanish about the benefits and threats to wetlands will be created so that we can share our project with diverse communities.
Recycling and E-Waste (Janelle Tartaro, Ashley Moore, Andrea Epstein)
Our project had two main focuses. One was to promote upcycling as a worthy cause to try to lower the amount of electronics that end up in landfills or in developing countries. Our other goal was to raise money for Horizons for Homeless Children and social programs affiliated with Trinity Episcopal Church. For Horizons, we are hoping to have raised enough money to purchase a sustainable item such as a dishwasher or reusable plates and utensils.
Refugees & Immigrants (Katherine Gagen & Robin Berk)
This project focuses on immigration, primarily in helping immigrants and refugees to attain their US citizenship. We have helped many individuals through the citizenship process by helping them complete the applications and necessary paperwork. We are also creating an information center where immigrants looking to become citizens can get assistance and aid with the steps necessary to attain US citizenship.
Hamlet in High School (Ruthie Allard, Ekin Dedeoglu, Tyler Ellis, Ray Flint, Maxwell, Hamilton, Chloe Jackson-Unger, Dana Kapeller-Lieberman, Lorena Murati, Cary Potochnik, Maya Paris-Sapir, Christi Rosata, Josh Rubin, Ben Ryu)
The goal of this project is to bring the story of Shakespeare’s Hamlet into modern times. We will show how the themes and issues that the characters deal with transcend time. We also want to get a better appreciation and understanding of the language that Shakespeare employs to convey this emotional story.
Using Hamlet to Explore Mental Illness (Helena Emmanuel, Lily Maltz)
The goal of this project is to use Hamlet as a window to teach about issues such as depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses. Hamlet is a character that struggles with depression, and Ophelia commits suicide. These issues are at our school and will become even more prevalent as we transition out of high school into the real world. Teaching these issues in English class would help to educate the student body on the problems that face our peers.
Wednesday, May 23rd – Lose Your CO2 day
*******************Reduce your carbon footprint on this day. *******************
Walk, bike, bus or carpool to school.
Thursday, May 24th: G-Block 11:20 – 12:35 Goldrick Commons
Theme: Sustaining Our Marine Ecosystem
Lobster fisheries - Peter Szabo & Evan Ogden
Our project will examine the sustainability of lobster fisheries and the ecological impact of the lobster fishing methods.
Whaling - Ray Farmer, Brandon Kee and Dan Rozenblum
Our project will have a heavy focus on whaling (how it works) and prohibitions on it, and also economic, political, cultural, and global effects of whaling. We will show the ways that other governments and citizens view whaling. We are including the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and the way countries within view each other in regards to whaling.
Effects of military sonar on whales - Tiffany Jacobs, Ray Flint and Alex Fernandez
Our project will explore how Navy Sonar endangers marine wildlife such as dolphins, and whales. We hope to bring awareness to this subject and create an educational website to encourage people to get involved.
Ecological impacts of Tsunamis - Mikayla Bogart & Julia Sherman
Our project focuses on how Tsunamis are formed, how coastal populations can prepare and protect themselves, and what research is being done to create technology to detect and warn about tsunamis even sooner. We will also share information about some of the world's most destructive tsunamis and what the ecological impacts for these areas have been. We hope to inform audiences about the work of the Japan Society of Boston Disaster Relief and how we have contributed to this cause.
Going Global: Tackling Poverty Worldwide (Hannah Lukas, Neha Narula, Cloe Jackson-Unger, Helena Emmanuel, Leora Hershman) Lessons learned - What are the root causes of poverty around the world? In what ways can they be addressed? These are the questions we are trying to answer with our conference "Going Global: Tackling Poverty Worldwide."