Bethany White
Junior Project
My junior project was ideated and planned in the first semester and then, in the second semester, planned out a little more and implemented. It was initially to be an app running a sort of improv dinner theatre. I chose to do this project because I have always enjoyed theatre, doing things with and for other people, party planning, and was, at the time, interested in computer science. I created and designed the app, which was first Murder Mystery Manor (trying to find a murderer at The Delta School’s mansion) and then the Spanish Flu Mystery (trying to find a cure for the Spanish Flu pandemic), but it was unfortunately rejected twice by Apple. I also planned out the party, ordering things from Amazon, Walmart, and Party City, while also creating and planning out a menu that I would spend a day cooking with some friends who volunteered to assist me. After the COVID-19 pandemic hit America in full force and schools had to be closed, I pivoted the project to what it ended up being - a Google Meet party with two of my teachers along with eight peers to play through the game using Boomerang to give out the notifications the app would have.
In the future, I think that I will keep this project in mind for a couple of reasons. First, I did begin to lose interest in the project because of how heavily it leaned into computer science. This ended up depleting my interest in computer science and making me not want to work on the project as much. In the future, I will remember this and create projects around things I know I am undoubtedly passionate about. Second, I believe I did end up learning and accomplishing quite a lot so I will remember that, despite lack of interest, you can still grow and learn from things you do not necessarily like or enjoy. I learned some of the rules of computer science, some of the many different elements of computer science, how to thoroughly plan out a large party from meal to decorations to props to guests, and also that I feel most driven when I am working for, or with, others.
This project is an example of how project-learning at The Delta School is human-centered. Where else would I be able to create a dinner and a show project run by a game? Yes, it did not end as originally expected. However, the game still happened thanks to the support I got from teachers and peers. Continually, my teachers and I were problem-solving around the different issues that would happen, no matter how small - code not working, what color should the decorations be, what era should it be, how do we pivot the entire project due to COVID-19 social distancing.
You can find the Junior Project Story here!
Arabic Project
My Arabic project was one of my second-semester projects. It was originally my teachers’ idea, but I did embrace it due to my current study of the Arabic language. Initially, the Arabic project was to be a Jordanian Arabic Dictionary app. I myself am learning the Jordanian Arabic dialect and was more than willing to create a dictionary app for a dialect that was lacking such. I built a database of all the different, more essential words that would be included in the app along with the Arabic transliteration and Arabic written word form. I also partnered with two Jordanian boys that I connected with through my Arabic Global Online Academy teacher. Unfortunately, these two were unable to provide audio as originally planned although they did correct some of my spellings for words here and there. When COVID-19 pushed us all indoors, I continued working on my app as usual although I did begin to struggle with it since I had set it on the back burner while working on my junior project. After Apple rejected my junior project app for the second time, I realized that my Jordanian Arabic Dictionary App would most likely be rejected as well. So, with that in mind as well as the fact that I did not truly enjoy computer science as I had previously been inclined to believe, I pivot my project. I am now creating an Arabic podcast called A Little Bit of Arabic that is posted on SoundCloud. As I was a part of the DeltaCast podcast group the Upper School had last school year, I am fairly confident in the podcast realm. I currently have two episodes up and am planning on two more by the last week of school. This podcast gives cultural facts about Jordan, has me teach Arabic words, and, in the most recent episode, I tell an Arabic fable. I have been working on this with my cousin and best friend, Ally Ephlin, as a sort of co-host and occasional ‘answerer of questions’ when I have forgotten where something is located. I am proud of my little episodes, although the first one is not the best of the three as it took a bit to get back in the podcast groove of things. I’m looking forward to making the last episode and am seriously considering picking it back up in the fall once school begins because so that when I continue my Arabic studies I can continue to show it in podcast form.
I do believe that this project will help me in the future as it has helped further my Arabic, something I am planning on majoring in when I get to college. The way that I was able to pivot my project also shows how human-centered TDS is. I recognized my lack of motivation and was able to turn my project around to something I knew I enjoyed, podcasting, while still keeping the same foundation the project was based upon.