Digital Commons Network^™

New Australia, Un Nuevo Mundo, Elizabeth Christensen

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

I focus on the diaspora of the Australian immigration to the South American colony known as New Australia. My project addresses the question of identity. I address questions such as: how much do the surviving descendants of the New Australia colony identify with the homeland of Australia or the hostland of South America? How has their identities influenced the way they raise their children

Stress Management In The Kitchen, Haley Rosano

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Catholic Charities - Diocese of Monterey has implemented Stress Management in the Kitchen though the Family Support Services department of the Seaside office. Stress Management in the Kitchen was implemented to address the knowledge gap between nutrition and healthy living.The purpose of the workshop series was to give clients a fun and digestible way to increase their knowledge on how their health and nutritional habits can or should be applied to how they deal with stress. These workshops were implemented through presentation and a series of activities.The measurement of these workshops will be obtained through an exit survey from participants. …

Accelerating An Opioid Safety Collaborative’S Efforts In Addressing Opioid Use And Misuse, Norma Cabriales Gutierrez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Opioid dependency has skyrocketed since the 1990’s. Today, there is roughly 1 opioid prescription written for every 2 Monterey County residents according to the California Department of Public Health (2018). Individualized efforts to address the opioid crisis must become a smooth-running process to rectify the damage of over-prescribing. The Prescribe Safe Monterey County Initiative has been a leader in alleviating some damages the epidemic has brought upon our community since their work began in 2014. Accelerating their efforts to combat opioid misuse and abuse by utilizing Monterey County Health Department’s strategy maps is the focus of this capstone. The recommendation …

Step By Step: Bridging The Gap Between Law Enforcement And Youth, Juan Castro

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Tensions between law enforcement and the community have hindered the ability to build a positive relationship. Through Partners for Peace, Step-Up Mentoring program youth participants will gather for a community event to help mend the relationship with law enforcement officers. The purpose of the project is to generate a positive activity in which law enforcement can be viewed in a non-authoritative context. The community event was implemented through a friendly basketball game that was meant to facilitate a positive interaction and a discussion to provide a platform where the youth and law enforcement can gain each other’s perspective. The outcome …

Improving Parent Involvement, Judith Sanchez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The capstone’s site is Greenfield High School (GHS) and is located in Greenfield, CA. One of the concerning issues at GHS is the low rate of parent involvement. There are plenty of events that Greenfield High School puts together for parents and students to attend, as well as, a good number of educational workshops and informational meetings during the school year. Unfortunately, the attendance of parents participating during these events is really low. There are about 1,200 students enrolled in GHS and about 50% of parents participate during the school year. According to the Department for Education and Skills, researchers …

No Senior Or Persons With Disabilities Left Behind, Elizabeth Lopez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Monterey County Department of Social Services has been serving the community through the various programs to the community. The Aging and Adult Services unit of the department offers In-Home Supportive Services program which serves the senior population and people living with disabilities. This program unfortunately is not very known in the community and can serve a lot more people than it currently is. The problem being addressed is the lack of awareness that the program has among the community. The project implemented to remedy this lack of awareness is the creation of a county brochure that explains the program, …

Senior Resource Outreach Project, Mariah Barry

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project was implemented by the Community and Economic Development department of the City of Pacific Grove. The social problem is the high rate of home deterioration among low-income seniors. In order to address this issue, an outreach event was implemented to advertise the Housing Rehabilitation Loan program and organizations with similar target populations. The purpose of this event was to advertise local resources to the public. The implementation method included contacting agencies offering similar programs, finding a venue, and sending out surveys to invited agencies. Findings from the survey remain inconclusive due to a lack of responses from …

Janus Of Santa Cruz Lighthouse Resource And Recovery App For Relapse Prevention, Christine Henriques

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This report addresses reducing relapse rates in Santa Cruz and Monterey County’s by providing aftercare resources and support at client’s fingertips by downloading the Janus Lighthouse App (JLA). The app contains resources and recovery tools for Janus alumni. Trends were identified in Janus’ clients that successfully completed a minimum of 30 days of residential treatment and relapsed shortly after, resurfacing back into to treatment. It was determined that clients that did not commit to follow-up aftercare, or that did not have the insurance to continue aftercare treatment, struggled with their sobriety. Protracted Abstinence, also known as hitting the wall, is …

Music Rehabilitation Programs In California State Prisons, Sarah Hanson

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

With 2.3 million people in the United States prison system, reducing recidivism rates in prison is crucial. One of the most prevalent ways California has been able to reduce recidivism and encourage less punitive measure on prisoners is through music rehabilitation programs. This research explores the current prison population, history of music rehabilitation in prisons, positive and negative psychological effects music can have on inmates, an active music rehabilitation program (Dance Kaiso), and how inmates have been utilizing these programs. By exploring the current prison population and how music rehabilitation began in the United States and California, there’s a clearer …

Nationalism And Border Violence: The Global Rise In Soft Fascism, Rachel Shimabukuro

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Since the election of Donald Trump in the United States in 2016, there has been a particularly nationalistic, illiberal shift in the way we interact with the rest of the world. As we have favored some while violently excluding others at our borders, the media and press which criticizes these policies is under attack. This shift is not exclusive to the United States and the following research will also focus on the illiberal democratic movements in Hungary, Brazil, the Philippines, and the unfolding right-wing politics of a post-Brexit state. In an explanatory style, this research will focus on Benedict Anderson’s …

Foster Youth Mentorship Program, Adriana Anaya

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The San Benito County Probation Department (SBCPD) collaborated with San Benito High School to create a pilot program for at-risk foster youth high school students, “Foster Youth mentorship program”. The importance of the mentor-ship program was to help prevent at-risk foster youth students from falling into the probation system. The purpose of this educational intervention program was to increase foster youth students’ knowledge, academic achievements, and to help them reach their career and educational goals. The students worked closely with their mentor to create long lasting relationships and to complete desired goals of their choice. The program was implemented through …

Mental Health Matters: Promoting Social And Emotional Learning, Shannen A. Menor

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The mental health of children is something that is overlooked and often not talked about. This is important because children need guidance to manage their emotions especially after going through traumatic experiences. The focus of this Capstone Project was on gaining more information about children’s mental health and promoting the importance of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL). By interviewing three elementary school teachers at Roadrunner Elementary, I collected data to see how they viewed social and emotional learning and what they thought could be done to improve students’ mental health. Based on an analysis of the data and the relevant …

Buddies Matter: Student Helper Preparedness In A Reading Assistance Program, Rosa Munoz Villegas

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Addressing low literacy achievement has raised questions about the quality of student helper preparedness in a reading assistance program. The Reading Buddies Project, a non-profit organization that serves a local elementary school, by providing them with student helpers to teach kids to read, is the focus of this project. Improving the Reading Buddies program will ensure that elementary students struggling to read at grade level are receiving quality tutoring sessions that can positively impact their reading skills and abilities. After interviewing a Fishbay Reads representative, the Reading Buddies Program coordinator, and a reading intervention teacher, three action options emerged as …

Creating Access With Technology, Guadalupe Lopez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Encompass Head Start and Early Head Starts main office located in Watsonville, CA, is where the behind the scenes work for the 18 toddler sites within Santa Cruz county is performed; including designing methods for family recruitment. Encompass Head Start and Early Head Start has been designated as Chronically Under Enrolled for its continuous trend of under enrollment in its programs, with Early Head Starts Home Base/ Home Visitors program impacted the most. An online form was implemented to add to the methods of collecting applications for Encompass Early Head Start Home Base/ Home Visitors program. Families will have more …

Overtone Singing: History, Development, And Influence In Contemporary Music, Jocelyn Black

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Overtone singing also known as Throat singing, is an ancient vocal technique where a soloist produces two different tones through the resonance created by the airflow of sound through the lungs, throat, and mouth. Often associated with the Tuva population of Central Asia, this art form is also practiced by the Inuit women of North America, and in South Africa by women of the Xhosa tribe. Overtone singing is an integral part of each cultural tradition and may vary in style and meaning across cultures. Traditional performances of Overtone singing include: celebratory ceremonies, tribal dances, games, and meditation. In the …

The Irony Of The Arab Springs In Tunisia: Democratic Governance And Women's Rights, Jalea Finkelstein

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Arab Springs were a series of revolutions that took place in the Middle East which first came about in the country of Tunisia. Tensions over governmental corruption, poor economic standings, unemployment, lack of political freedom, and little progress for women’s rights. From the fall of the Ben Ali Regime to the rise of the Ennahda Islamist Party, it has truly impacted Women’s Rights in such a unique way that has shaped a great revolution. These tensions also created a domino effect throughout the Arab World which affected countries such as Egypt, Libya, Yemen, and Syria. The role of women …

Housing First In Monterey County, Maury Vasquez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The mission of The Coalition of Homeless Services Providers is to eliminate homelessness in Monterey and San Benito Counties by promoting interagency coordination to develop and sustain a comprehensive system of housing. The Housing Management Information System is the department where the project is implemented. Monterey County has an increasing number of chronically homeless who are suffering from a mental illness and need help. Drug use and lack of specialized services at agencies in Monterey County have contributed to the issue. Local agencies in Monterey County are unequipped to help this rising number of chronically homeless who suffer from a …

Let’S Talk About It: Special Education Communication Barriers With General Education Teachers, Edith Diaz

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus of this Capstone Project is on the communication barriers between Special Education and General Education educators, due to a lack of time for collaboration during the school year. Poor communication between teachers can negatively impact special education students’ academic achievement. Unfortunately, this issue has been around for decades, yet no effective solutions have been implemented. Solutions that have been considered include more teacher training, peer-mediated instruction, and co-teaching. Data was collected from interviews conducted with one administrator, two Special Education teachers and three General Education teachers from a local high school. Surveys were also taken from Special Education …

Dementia Knowledge Among Hispanic Family Caregivers, Carmen Hernandez Gomez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Health Projects Center (HPC) was established in 1980 as a non-profit corporation serving Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito Counties. HPC offers programs to health and social service professionals, older adults, and family caregivers. At HPC many caregivers experience health problems associated with caregiving distress. To address this concern, “Dementia Knowledge Among Hispanic Caregivers” was implemented, to determine the effectiveness of the Caregiver Support Group at HPC. This group consisted of caregivers of Mexican descent, whose primary language is Spanish, who are caring for a loved one who suffers from dementia or a cognitive disorder. In order to assess …

The Domino Effect Of Challenging Behaviors, Stephanie Montezuma

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Challenging behaviors in special education have been an issue in special education classroom settings. In recent years it has become more evident that there is a need for improvement, although schools around the country have worked diligently to implement behavioral support plans that could improve or eliminate challenging behaviors. Many teachers in special education are under or unprepared to tackle these issues. After conducting research and interviewing two special education teachers, it was determined that most classrooms were in need of extra personnel support, staff training, and/or more effective parental involvement. In order to implement one of these action options, …

Getting Comfortable With Being Uncomfortable: Developing Students' Interpersonal Skills, Mariah Lambert

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Interpersonal skills are an imperative part of a child’s development. Strategies can be developed by educators to help students build these skills in a productive and positive manner. Based on an analysis of the program director and teacher interview data, students’ interpersonal skills can be enhanced by creating Social Development lessons, creating an interactive learning environment, and exemplifying the importance of properly developed communication skills. It is important for educators to understand how to help their students find the right way to convey their emotions. It is not our job, as teachers, to solve the issue for the students, but, …

Friends Of Walnut Avenue, Elena Owens

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Walnut Avenue Family & Women’s Center (Walnut Avenue) is a nonprofit agency that provides services to women, children, and families in Santa Cruz County. Programs include domestic violence services, early childhood education, and youth engagement. To provide these services, Walnut Avenue depends heavily on restricted funds, but this can be an unstable revenue stream. If an unexpected cost arises, restricted funds designated to a specific program cannot be reappropriated to alleviate the expense. Losing a critical grant may also force an organization to make cuts in programs or staff, impacting the quality of services. In order to expand revenue sources …

Bullying Prevention Through Kindness, Anissa Childers

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The capstone project promotes awareness of childhood bullying and methods of prevention. Bullying is a major issue throughout the United States (US) and bullying rates need to drastically drop. The project teaches students the meaning of kindness, emotions, and treating people with respect to help our future generation start eliminating bullying. The kindness project provides hands on activities for children giving them empathetic and practical ways to focus on being kind to their peers. The expected outcomes were to bring awareness to the classroom and after the post-survey have students feel more confident, have better relationships with friends, and feel …

Increasing Parent Volunteers In Head Start Classrooms, Anali Fuentes

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Head Start Program in Monterey County serves children from birth to 5 years of age and their families. In 2015, a senate bill was passed by California stating, parents who volunteer in a public school must be fully immunized against various diseases, including measles, pertussis, influenza and tuberculosis. The new policy rapidly became a barrier to many Head Start parents who desire to volunteer in their child’s classroom, creating additional obstacles for accessibility to receive the required immunizations. The purpose of this capstone is to support parents in overcoming the challenges to volunteering by connecting parents to appropriate clinics …

Child Neglect Awareness Educational Workshop, Lizette Escobar, Courtney R. Mccrary

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

CASA of Monterey County provides advocates to the foster children who are in the CASA program. The number of children ending up in foster care is increasing, and neglect was found to be one of the top reasons that children are placed into foster care. CASA of Monterey County recognizes this issue and implemented the “Child Neglect Awareness Educational Workshop.” This workshop taught parents about child neglect, in order to prevent them from neglecting their children. This educational workshop was held at University Park Elementary School and participants were a group of Hispanic parents, since Hispanics/Latinos have the highest rate …

Lending A Helping Paw: Streamlining A Volunteer Handbook, Andrew Donati

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Peace of Mind Dog Rescue (POMDR) relies heavily on its volunteers to carry out important operational needs that allow them to fulfill their mission of being a resource and advocate for local senior dogs and senior citizens. From overseeing adoption events to foster care to administrative duties, volunteers serve as the arms-and-legs of the organization. Despite having a volunteer base of over 700 individuals, POMDR faces a challenge in preparing new volunteers for their role within the organization. To address this organizational concern, a digital volunteer handbook was created to provide current and prospective volunteers with an easily accessible resource …

Students On Truancy, Gabriela Garcia

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Truancy is an issue that is affecting the overall success of school districts, and in particular the King City High School District. A study was conducted to provide the school evidence on the leading factor of truancy. A survey was distributed to about thirty students who are currently truant to discover the leading cause of truancy, which was lack of motivation. Additionally, a workshop was developed for truant students who lack motivation. A guest speaker was invited to the school to give a motivational speech to promote future success. Several factors have led students to become truant such as lack …

Forbidden Citizens: The Chinese Diaspora Of Monterey Bay, Veronica Sanchez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The purpose of this essay is to educate California State University Monterey Bay students, the professors, and members of the Marina, Seaside, and Monterey community about the oppressive history that occurred in Pacific Grove towards the early Chinese who traveled to California. As far as research methods go, I read scholarly articles that included a history of the reoccurring conflicts between the Chinese fishermen and the business along Cannery Row, and books on what the Chinese endured while traveling to California. I attended events in the town of Pacific Grove that relate back to my topic, such as The Walk …

Community Outreach For Diabetes Awareness, Brendan Greer Louthen

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Community Awareness for Diabetes Awareness Program has been implemented by the Central Coast YMCA Corporate office through outreach events highlighting the Diabetes Prevention Program. The rates of prediabetes are shockingly high not only in the United States, but here in Monterey County where the rate of prediabetic citizens is 18 percent higher than the rest of the country. When considering the major factors that contribute to creating this problem, the lack of education surrounding prediabetes and its effects, low levels of physical activity and lack of access to affordable fruits and vegetables are at the top of the list. …

Diversification Of Resources In Rural King City, Laura Martinez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Lack of resources in rural King City has become a barrier for access to mental health treatment. Monterey County Behavioral Health (MCBH) provides mental health services but diverse programs like Interim Inc. are in the Salinas area. External mental health resources are difficult to obtain for some of the clients. Therefore, the ACCESS team for MCBH King City made the decision to implement a support group that would serve as a new resource for local adult clients.

A Mindfulness Group was developed to help clients who suffer from anxiety and depression. The group contained content that educated clients on how …