John Ortega

Advisory
June 13, 2013

Spring 2013 Reflection

In my environmental science class we have been learning about biodiversity, keystone
species, and endangered species. Our second main project of the year is the Environmental
Science Podcast. The purpose if this project was to make a ten to fifteen minute podcast or
vodcast on a case study of your choice. The podcast needed to include relevant photographs,
statistics, facts, and short video clips. My partner Isaac and I chose to study endangered leopards.
Through this project I have completed many GLPOs that have helped me become a better
globally competent student. One of the acts that I completed was that I communicated ideas. I
communicated ideas by making a podcast that would inform the audience on this problem that is
affecting leopards. Then I uploaded it on YouTube for my class and the whole world to see.
Another task that I completed was that I investigated the world. I investigated the world by
spending a lot of time researching the world wide problem of endangered species in South
Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. I learned all about leopards from around the world, researched
why leopards are endangered, and what is being done to protect and preserve the diminutive
population of leopards.
I have learned many new skills from the Endangered Leopards Podcast. During this
project I was faced with many difficulties but managed to get past them. I've learned many
simple skills such as how to make a web organized podcast. I've so learned about endangered
leopards and other animals as well. I've learned that leopards are being severely harmed by

poachers, deforestation, and urbanization. I also learned that there are hundreds of organizations
that are trying to protect leopards and other endangered animals as well.
Completing this project has made me feel more prepared for college because I've learned
that I need to manage my time well and plan ahead. Although I did not procrastinate I still did
not have enough to time to finish this project without feeling rushed. Now I know not to under
estimate any type of assignment because you never know how long it will take you to complete.
This will be very useful when I enter college and receive challenging and time consuming
projects.
Another project that helped me become more globally competent as well as more
prepared for college is a project called VEI from my Environmental Science class. VEI is an
acronym for VISAs Environmentalists Initiative. The purpose of this project was to get into a
group of classmates and focus on an environmental issue. Then we had to construct a solution in
order to help the issue. My group was called Project C.A.R.E. (Collect and Recycle Electronics).
My group realized that many people in my community do not recycle electronics that cannot be
thrown away with regular garbage, so our mission was to inform people on the issue as well as
help them recycle. This project helped me become a more globally competent citizen because I
investigated an issue which was that many people in my community dont recycle. Then I took
action with my group by helping our community recycle over one hundred electronics. I felt
great knowing that those electronics would not end up in a land fill only to contaminate the land
fill. This project has allowed me to learn how to work in a group because there were about fifteen
of us that had to work together in order to ensure the overall success of the group. If one
department did not complete their work then the entire group would suffer because the grade we
received was dependent on everyones work. Some were in charge of marketing while some were

in charge of research. I was in charge of the designing of the logo as well as creating a website
and business cards. Overall working as a team has helped me feel more prepared for college
because I know that in college I will come across some group projects that are very serious. I
will feel prepared because I learned the importance of any role in any type of group project
through Project C.A.R.E..