May Blog Post: An AE?!

Wow, we got our grades for the senior presentations. I got an AE, yep. Still in shock. This project and the presentation have most definitely changed my life. I knew that this was a tough topic to do, but I came out stronger in the end. I am extremely grateful that I was able to shadow such an amazing mentor and that I was able to change two young girls' life. There are no other words, I'm graduating. It is all coming down to this. All we have left is the evening tradeshow to do and we're done. There are too many emotions. I'm going to miss iPoly and my two girls.

Blog 22: Senior Project Reflection

Positive Statement:
I am most proud of getting through to at least one person. After I finished presenting I had many people come up and thank me. THANK ME?! No, thank them. I am so happy that I was able to change at least one person's life. Whether in the presentation or with my mentees.

Questions to Consider
a) I would give myself a P.
b) I would also give myself a P on the senior project, I was able to meet all of the requirements.

What worked for you in your senior project?
I knew that because I had just recently overcome suicide it was rather risky to research suicide. What worked was that I was able to be strong enough to go through my nine month journey and came out stronger than when I went in.

What didn't work?
I wouldn't change a thing. I loved everything that I did and I am so thankful for having gotten this opportunity.

Finding Value
I know for certain that I want to pursue psychology. Working with Jessica and Miranda was not easy, but I know that I can do  it. I am going to be Majoring in Psychology at the University of La Verne. This project and the presentation was able to justify what I want to do.

Blog 21: Mentorship

Literal:
Done
Patti Azevedo- San Jose K-8

Interpretive:
There is so much I learned from this experience. I would say that the most important thing I learned is the importance of loving thyself. My best answer has to do with self confidence, and without this project I would not be as confident as I am today. I overcame suicide, yes. But ultimately I believe this project may have saved my life.

Applied:
My essential question is, "What is the most effective way to help a suicidal teen overcome suicidal thoughts?" My best answer is that the most effective way to help a suicidal teen overcome suicidal thoughts is by helping them build self confidence. With my mentees I was able to implement different self confidence building techniques and I now know that they are effective. Without this project I could've said the same, but there would not have been a chance of me putting this to practice.

Blog 20: Exit Interview

Content:
1) What is the most effective way to help a suicidal teen overcome suicidal thoughts?

• The most effective way to help a suicidal teen overcome suicidal thoughts is by having them fill up a stress box.
• The most effective way to help a suicidal teen overcome suicidal thoughts is by helping them build self confidence.
• The most effective way to help a suicidal teen overcome suicidal thoughts is by helping them find a support system.
• Best Answer: The most effective way to help a suicidal teen overcome suicidal thoughts is by helping them build self confidence. There was a study conducted by Dr. McGee and Dr. Williams that there is a correlation of about .80 that connected self confidence with suicide. According to the CDC guys are 76.5% more likely to commit suicide than girls and about 35% of guys would give up a year of their lives to achieve their ideal body weight. According to Dove’s research, up to 2% of women around the world consider themselves beautiful.

2) When I met up with my mentor, Patricia Azevedo who is the Program Administrator for the Pomona Unified School District for School Mental Health Services, I knew that I wanted to help others. I told her that I wanted to be able to help young girls overcome suicide. She referred me to San Jose K-8 and I began to mentor two young girls, Jessica and Miranda. My mentor, Patricia Azevedo, told me what a stress box is, and I saw my mentees using it. I was able to see it in use because of my mentees, Jessica and Miranda. Self confidence was always a problem for me and that's where I got the idea that self confidence could be an answer. I spoke to my mentees, Jessica and Miranda about self confidence and they let me know they needed work on it. I did research on what the best ways to build self confidence are and I implemented them with what I was doing. My mentor, Patricia Azevedo told me that when she was suicidal she had someone who was constantly calling her and letting her know that they were there for her; that person was her support system. It is because of her that I was able to obtain my third answer.

3) My parents were not very fond of my senior project. They told me it was a waste of time and that I should focus on something different. I sat them down and told them that this is what I love to do. I let them know that this is what I was focusing on and that I would appreciate their support. They understood and told me that I have their support and that they would stand behind me. Scheduling was another problem. I never rally organized my schedule and therefore I was always forgetting about something. I fixed this by taking a look at my schedule on a weekly basis and planning my week that way. This proved to be very effective. 

4) My mentor, Patricia Azevedo, was extremely helpful. It is because of her that I was given the opportunity to mentor young girls and get a hands on experience. Patricia Azevedo was always there to answer any questions I had and was able to guide me with everything I needed. At the beginning of the year I read a book, Night Falls Fast: Understanding Suicide, and I found that to be the most important source. It is because of this book that I was entirely hooked on researching suicide. It is because of this book that I have extensive knowledge on suicide.

Blog 19: Independent Component 2

Content:
a) I, Paola Rodriguez, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work.
b) The teachers at San Jose Elementary School and Jose Montenegro from Tri-City MHS helped me complete this independent component.
c) Done.
d) I worked for a significant amount of time with different people to form a presentation on suicide. This presentation was delivered to the freshman of iPoly HS.

Interpretative:
Attached is the final presentation I delivered. There were many revisions and this was what I put together on the final presentation.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1yYzLprM6LlkJO4HaDrcVBiHVPicyxDoVSIWPmVyQrC4/edit#slide=id.p
These are the ways I was planning on setting up my presentation.

Applied:
This component helped a great deal with answering my EQ because I was able to talk to others about suicide. I had listened to others talk about suicide and I read many articles on suicide and I was finally able to be the one giving a presentation and stating my own observations.

Blog 18: Third Answer

Content:
What is the most effective way to help a suicidal teen overcome suicidal thoughts?
-The most effective way to help a suicidal teen overcome suicidal thoughts is by helping them find at least one support system.

• Talking to someone lets the teen know they're not alone.
• My mentees have let me know having me there lets them know that they're not alone.
• All a suicidal teen needs is at least one strong support system.
• My mentor told me that there was one person who was constantly calling to check up on her and that was one of the only reasons she was able to overcome suicide.
• In a five and a half year period 11,152 calls were made to a suicide hotline.
• Many of the callers were looking for a support system, someone to talk to. 

My personal experience in mentorship, my mentor, an article called "Suicide: A Review of Calls to an Adolescent Peer Listening Phone Service"

"A lot of you cared, just not enough." Jay Asher . We just need to help the teens focus on that one strong support system.

Blog 17: Fourth Interview Questions

1. How do you feel that helping someone build confidence will help them overcome suicide?
2. What are some ways to help a suicidal teen build self confidence?
3. How is talking about what's going on helping the suicidal teen overcome suicidal thoughts?
4. Why do you believe it's tough to ask someone for help when feeling suicidal?
5. What can be done to change someone's feelings towards talking about suicide?
6. How many support systems do you think someone who is suicidal should have??
7. Why could one support system enough?
8. What are the most common misconceptions about suicide?
9. How can educating the general public be vital to helping a suicidal teen overcome suicidal thoughts?
10. Why do you think teens have such a tough time talking about suicide?
11. What group of people do you think would benefit most from being educated in suicide?
12. Why wouldn't it be more beneficial to educate the other?
13. What do you consider a safe home?
14. What would make a safe home enough?
15. How would a suicide awareness event affect teens at school?
16. What group do you think has a tougher time approaching suicide?
17. What can be done to let people know what to do to approach suicide?
18. What is the importance to educating teens on what can happen if they don’t report a friend who is suicidal?
19. What can be done so that suicide is taken seriously?
20. What is the most effective way to help a suicidal teen overcome suicidal thoughts?

February Blog Post

I got my bag! It's a bag for the materials I will need for mentorship. Yes, it's a little ate, but hey, I still got it.

My mentor had told me that a lot of the kids she works with enjoy playdoh, it relaxes them. I really love this bag, it has everything that my mentees enjoy! I might also add a few books in there, maybe duplicate what's in the bag so that both of my mentees get these great things. 

Blog 16 Advisory Meeting #2

Content:

What is the most effective way to help a suicidal teen overcome suicidal thoughts?

The most effective way to help a suicidal teen overcome suicidal thoughts is by helping them increase their self confidence. 

Self confidence often gives someone a positive outtake on life.
~Demi Lovato was suicidal, one of the things that helped her was gaining self confidence, it allowed her to look at the world a little differently.
Someone who lacks self confidence often finds it hard to be successful. 

~I used to lack self confidence, it was hard for me to do anything. I didn't want to really talk to others in fear of what they would think of me. Now that I've gained some I feel comfortable enough to talk to others, I have a job, co-captain of the drama club etc.

Someone with self confidence often works hard to cover up mistakes.

~One can consider self harming a mistake, instead of reaching out for help most just literally cover up and try to forget about it.
Building self confidence is a very important part of overcoming suicide. My mentor has tried it and succeeded. 

Blog 15: Independent Component 2 Approval

Content:
1. I plan to make a school wide assembly, or 9th, 10, and maybe 11th graders. I want to communicate the difference between attention and intention, I also want to teach the crowd different coping strategies. I want to be able to change people's view on suicidal teens/youth.
2. I am going to take pictures of when I'm planning the assembly and me setting up. I plan for the assembly to be held at iPoly, I will take pictures of the crowd, and of me speaking.
3. My topic focuses on helping different teens cope with suicide, and helping people overcome suicidal thoughts. I know that being able to talk to a big crowd about it will help me do just that.
4. Done.

Blog 14 : Independent Component 1

Literal
a) I, Paola Rodriguez, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work.
b) My mentor is Patti Azevedo.
c)Done.
d) I went to San Jose Elementary School and I was a mentor to two 8th graders named Miranda Diaz and Jessica Gonzales. We went over their days and I made sure to remind them how important they are and that they matter. We spoke of their therapists, I also spoke to Jessica's mom about her problem with the therapist.

Interpretative
When I tell people what I do, they think about how crazy it is. It is, it's extremely stressful. The rewarding part is what makes everything worth it. The tears I shed when I go home, the extra effort I put into making sure my girls know they are important.

Applied
This component helped me better understand the foundation better by allowing me to have hands on training. I knew it was going to be difficult when I chose this topic, but with my mentor I was able to understand it better. I was able to mentor young girls who are suicidal. Jessica has the symptoms of a Schizophrenic, I had to do extensive research on Schizophrenics in order to know how to handle the situation where she could become hostile. So that I could know what to do if she begins to hear voices and whispering again. Miranda still has a little bit of troubling opening up about what's going on. I've been doing research on what to do to make her feel more comfortable. Without this experience I would just be doing research, because of this I have been able to learn hands on training.

This is San Jose Elementary School.

This is where their class is located

This is where we go when it's rainy, or when they want to get away from the class.

These are my girls <3

Blog 12: Third Interview Questions

What is the best way to help a suicidal teen overcome suicidal thoughts?
What is the best way to help a suicidal teen overcome suicidal actions?
What do you believe is a harder thing to put a stop to, thoughts or actions, and why?
Have you had any experience in finding a "best way"?
Have you found any success in a stress box?
In our previous interview we spoke of your personal experience, what would you say helped you most?
Would you say there are some common interests in suicidal teens? If so, what are they?
How do you believe we can use these interests to help suicidal teens overcome suicidal thoughts?
Going back to our question, what do you define as "best way."
How will "suicidal thoughts" be measured?

Blog 11: Mentorship 10 hours check

Content:
1. Where are you doing your mentorship?
- I am doing my mentorship at San Jose Elementary School with my mentees. This is the school my mentor assigned me to.
2. Who is your contact?
- Patricia Azevedo
3. How many total hours have you done?
- 12 hours and 20 minutes.
4. Summarize the 10 hours of service you did.
- I met with my mentees, I talked to them about personal experiences. We spoke about different things that work and don't work for them and how those could be changed to accommodate them better.

Senior Project, The Holiday

Content:
1. What did you do over the break with your senior project?
-I researched a few different articles about depression and drug and alcohol consumption.

2. The most important thing I learned is that there are different types of depression and that each one should be treated differently. I was also reviewing a few blurbs about the trust a teen and his or her therapist need to have. It was actually a random movie that was playing and the patient had no trust in his therapist and things did not flow smoothly. This is when I decided it would be a great idea to research this topic.

3. I would talk to and ask my mentor. She is very knowledgeable on different suicidal signs, and has counseled different suicidal teens.

November Post; Satisfied

The first book I read that involved suicide was Cut by Patricia McCormick. This book was kind of interesting at first. I didn't know about suicide. I just knew I didn't like my life, and that I cut. My life has always been pretty great, I was never satisfied. But now I am, I have wonderful mentees, a wonderful family, and an amazing job. I have stopped focusing on what I don't have and started focusing on what I do have: everything.

I'm just so thankful for all of the great opportunities I've gotten from my senior project. It's helped me connect to not just teens who are suicidal, but addicts, and alcoholics. I see a lot of people in this category come into my store, and I answer their questions on bikes and such, and they smile. I'm not rude to them. I guess they're all surprised that I'm not a sassy teenager.
Life is good, so hang in there. c:

November Post; Promises

Last week I went to visit one of my mentees and she was in tears. I hadn't seen her for about two weeks before that because she was not in school. I arrived at her school and walked over to her to say hi and noticed she was crying. I asked her to walk outside with me and I let her cry. I just hugged her as she cried and let it all out. We all know what it's like to cry, and that you'll feel good after a good cry.
We just talked about what had happened and she told me everything. I then asked her a question I was scared to get an answer to: Have you kept your promise?
Yes, she most definitely kept her promise. When we first met I asked her to promise me she was not going to cut, and if she did cut she had to tell me right away. It was a big step for her, but she has kept her promise. She showed me her scars, and she asked to see mine, and she looked at me as if I was her hero for overcoming suicide. She is the one who is my hero. She now participates more in class and has promised to try harder to stay out of the hospital. One more hospital visit and she is removed from her home. I know she can do it.
Oh, the progress promises make.

EQ

Content:
1. I reviewed the rule of three for writing an EQ.

2.  a.  What is the most important factor in healthy weight loss?
-I believe this one meets the rule of three criteria. It can lead into a discussion.
 b.  What is most important to securing a conviction in a criminal investigation?

-It does not meet the rule of three criteria. Not very broad, where a study can really be done.
 c.  What is most important in creating a hairstyle that best satisfies a customer?
 -I believe it does meet the criteria. It is specific, and allows for a discussion.

d.  How can an Anesthesiologist best treat chronic pain?

- I believe this one also meets the criteria, it's also a subject that includes a lot of research to support different answers.

3. What is the best way to help a suicidal teenager overcome suicidal thoughts?

October Blog Post; Loving Life

Life has been pretty wonderful and busy!
Lately I've been mentoring two different girls, I've yet to meet my third mentee. Guys! Today was our first presentation and it was pretty cool to see what everyone else has planned! I have to admit that at the beginning of the year I was already over senior year, but with all of the progress I've made I can say that I'm pretty excited! :D
I'm officially a part of the Pomona Unified School District School Mental Health Services.
Look, I have a badge!

I love what I do now. I love that my mentees smile all big when I go to see them. One of my mentees even said that ever since I've been there that she hasn't cut! I cried like a baby when I got home haha. It's just so overwhelming (in a good way) when you're told that you're making a change in someone's life. I'm hoping to meet with my third mentee soon!
Last Wednesday I joined my mentor Patti to a meeting with a parent. This is when I truly realized how much my mentor does for different people. This lady seemed so tired and my mentor just picked her back up and helped her out and it was wonderful. I love this opportunity!

Research and Working EQ

Content:
1. My working EQ is: What is the best way to help a teenager overcome suicidal thoughts?

2.  

   EQ: What is the best way to help a teenager overcome suicidal thoughts?

• Have them fill up a "stress box". A stress box is a box that can be kept on a school site where the suicidal teenager keeps things that takes their mind off of violent thoughts. 

3. So far the most important source would be the teenager I am working with. I am her "big sister" in a way. She helped me come up with this answer because she has a stress box for herself.

4. My mentor is Patti Azevedo. She works with the Pomona Unified School District for School Mental Health Services. She works with different teenagers who are suicidal and she was the connection I got in order to work with the teenager mentioned above. 

Independent Component 1 Approval

1. What I would like to do for my independent component 1 is create a schoolwide assembly teaching students the difference between attention and intention. I feel that for my 30 hours I should meet with different suicidal teens and truly hear their stories. (I had spoken to my mentor about this and she was all for it and may have a few teenagers willing to talk to me.) Aside from that I could talk to different teenagers who are not suicidal and get their take on the suicidal youth. After I survey different teenagers I could collect the thoughts and create statistics, in a sense, so I know what I should focus my assembly on.

2. The way I could prove that I did 30 hours is by taking pictures with a few different teenagers willing to talk to me. I was wondering if the information and stories they share with me could count as proof, as I will ask for permission to record or film my encounter with them.

3. I feel that if everything works out the way I plan that I could really learn more about my topic because I would get hands on training. I still need to change my EQ, and I hope this will give me the extra shove I need to finalize my question. Another way this will help me explore my topic in more depth is by allowing me to get actual statistics that I was there to witness rather than reading of them in a book or article.