Blog: Last Presentation Reflection

1. What are you most proud of in your block presentation and/or your senior project? Why?
     I am really not proud of my block presentation because I am not a very good presenter. However I am proud at the fact that I got to help the animals at the shelter. I helped them find their forever homes.

2. a. What assessment would you give yourself on your block presentation?
       I felt like I deserved an AP. I deserve an AP because I did not present in a professional manner, I was told that I wasn't speaking very loud. Plus I am not sure if I made the lecture time.

     b. What assessment would you give yourself on your overall senior project?
        I think that I deserve a P because I did every little things that was required to do. Even when I changed my topic I caught up with the rest of the students.

3. What worked for you in your senior project?
    What work for my in senior project was the mentorship because I got to work with people (some people) that really loved their jobs. For example the volunteers and some of the kennel attendants. They would give me helpful information that I would need in the future (my presentation)

4. What didn't work in your senior project.      
    What didn't work in my senior project is of course my presentation. I was told more negative things than positive things. If I could go back I think I would prepare myself more for the speaking, even though I did practice a little.

3. How has senior project been helpful to you in your future endeavors?
   Senior project made me get out of my comfort zone and made me call and getting my foot in the door, even though I did not know them. Even if they did not call back I would call again later. I also worked with people I did not know and I don't really like working with people I do not know. Senior project just helped me become more dependent on myself (project wise) rather than relying on group members.

Blog 23: Exit Interview

me during final presentation

1. What is your essential question, and what are your answers? What is your best answer and why?
    My essential question is "What is the best strategy that a shelter can employ that will improve the chances that its animals get adopted?" The best answer that I found was, pet adoptions. Pet adoptions seemed to be the best strategy that a shelter can employ to get most animals adopted.

2. What process did you take to arrive at this answer?
    There was not really a processes but I found this answer with the help of my independent component one. But I did not know what my essential question was going to be at that time but knew it was going to do with getting animals adopted and out of the shelter. So as I settled and got my EQ I noticed that my independent component fit as one of my answers. And it was one of the most effective way to get animals adopted

3. What problems did you face? How did you resolve them?
    The problems I faced through senior project was one finding a mentor and keeping that mentor. That's one of the reason why I changed my topic. At the shelter most of the workers there are busy and never have time to slow down and ask questions, there is always something to do at the shelter. Another problem I faced was finding enough research, I would have to say most of my research came from online sources. I tried to look for book at the library but they just talked shelters and what they do. So the books did not help me with my answers.  

4. What are the two most significant sources you used to answer your essential questions and why?
    The sources that helped my answer my essential question, were ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) and Best Friends Animal Society. I have used these organizations multiple times for research, they did help me a lot. These organizations helped me because most of them had information that I was looking for. Most of time it was right on the dot, it was amazing. Another source would be the volunteers and some of the workers at the animal shelter. They have taught me a lot of things along the way.

Blog 22: Independent Component 2

(a)  I, Sabrina Velez, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work.

(b)  The sources that I used were number 32 and 39 they can be found in my WB. Another source I used was my mentor and some of the volunteers I work with.

(c) Update log hours (yup did that)

(d) What I have done for this independent component is created flyers for those animals in need at the shelter. I would select a couple animals. I would take them out an play with them. I would write down notes that way I know what to put on the flyer. This also help people better understand the animal before they come to the shelter. I wanted to spread the word to the community and the people that pass through the shelter sometimes.

(e)

I basically took pictures before I would posted them at the shelter and at my community center

After I collected them all this is how much I had in the end, there are more underneath  

(f) This component helped me answer my EQ by showing how animals can easily get adopted if one, someone actually spent time with them and got to know them and two spreading the word to those around us. This also answered my EQ because it is an effective way to get animals adopted not only effective but much better. What I mean when I say much better is the adopter gets to know a little bit more information about the animal and about their behavior. I wouldn't want someone returning an animal just because they were mislead by the "cuteness" or by its physical appearance.

Blog 21: Interview 4 Reflection

1. What is the most important thing you learned from the interview?
    The most important thing I learned is that even though my second answer (customer service) may be a common answer. I does play a major roll in my topic. The most important thing for the shelter is the public, with out the people the shelter would be nothing, who would adopt the animals? Animal shelters are already seen as negative in the first place, so if the customer service is bad it would just make the shelters reputation worse. Like I said before without the people animals won't get adopted.

2. How will what I learned affect my final lesson? 
    What I learn would affect my final lesson by opening my audience eye that not all employees at the shelter are grumpy and rude like some. I'm helping my audience by explaining to they that they do not need to be afraid of coming because of those people. Talk to the people that truly do care about the animals, trust me they will help you and give you more information and background.

Click here to listen to audio
  (it stopped recording halfway, that's why it's so short)

Blog 20: Fourth Interview Questions

1. Who do you plan to interview? What is the person's area of expertise? 

       I either plan on interviewing another volunteer at the shelter or plan on interviewing a sargent at my shelter. If I were to interview another volunteer it would be one that has been a volunteer for years. The senior volunteers not really experts but they would know how to answer my EQ since they are out there helping the dogs. The sargent is more educated compared to the volunteers, however, they do not go to pet adoptions and adoption events (which wouldn't help give me answers to my EQ)

2. Post 20 open-ended questions you want to ask an expert in the field concerning your senior topic. 

For the first few questions I was going to ask them about them. For example what they do and do they enjoy it, etc. I also mine alter these questions in the near future. 

    1. What he or she does at the shelter? 

    2. How long have they been working or volunteering at the shelter?

    3. How did you get to where you are today?

    4. Do they enjoy working or volunteering at the shelter? 

    5. Have you been to any pet adoptions?

    6. What do you do to help get animals adopted? 

    7. Ask the interviewee my EQ 

    8. Do you think pet adoptions are a way to improve the chances of animals getting adopted? 

    9. Ask if my 3 answers are okay if not are there any suggestions for new ones. 

    10. Is there anything that I could tell my peer so I could educate them about the shelter? 

    11. Ask if my activity is good and if not are there any suggestions.

    12. What are some hooks that can capture my audience attention. 

    13. Do you feel like the animals getting adopted are going to good homes? 

    14. When working or volunteering at the shelter do you feel that it is more "learn by experience" or learn by research? 

    15. Have you done any research about shelters or just animals in general? 

    16. By experience what can you tell me what you have noticed or learned about animal shelters? 

    17.  Is there someone else you recommend that could help my answer my EQ or my research? 

    18. Ask about my independent component 1 

    19. Is my independent component 2 okay or should I focus on another aspect about adoption? 

    20. Is there any research material you recommend about adopt? Like books, statistics, etc.  

Blog 19: Third Answer

1. What is your EQ?
     What is the best strategy a shelter can employ to improve the chances it's animals get adopted?

2. Answer #3 
    The best strategy a shelter can employ is to host or take part in an adoption event.

3. Three details that support the answer
     - It is better for the public because it's cheaper and easier than going to the shelter
     - Most animals that are taken to the events get adopted.
     - These pet adopts help the shelter in tons of ways (get donations sometimes, represented, etc.)

4. The research source(s) to support your details and answer
      - My interview 3
      -  Source 31
      -  Source 36
5. Concluding sentence 
     So I feel like a shelter can get a lot of animals adopted by taking part in pet adoptions. They can even host these pet adoptions.

Blog 18: Answer 2

1. What is your EQ? 
    What is the best strategy that a shelter can employ that will improve the chances that it's animals get adopted?
2. What is your first answer? 
     The first answer to my EQ is, the best strategy a shelter can employ is to promote individual animals.
3. What is your second answer? 
    The second answer to my EQ would be good customer service at the shelter.
4. List three reason your answer is true with real-world application for each. 
     -  If another human being is within 4 feet of you, you must make eye contact, smile and verbally acknowledge him or her
       This more for the complaints that customers have
     - Take the time to fully hear and acknowledge the complaint
     - Apologize genuinely and sincerely, no matter what, since we're always sorry if someone has had a bad experience with us
5. What printed sources best support your answer? 
     There are no printed that I used that supported my second answers.
6. What other source supports your answer? 
     I used a blog post from ASPCA that actually backed up my source. The title of the blog post was called "2 Golden Rules for Happy Customers".
7. Tie this together with a concluding thought.
     In the end customer service is also important when it comes to pet adoption. You can't just have rude employees that work at the shelter, then people are not going to want to go back to that shelter because they don't want to have to deal with them.