Digital Commons Network^™

Outreaching For New Providers, Mari Arredondo

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Intern was able to be part of In home Support Services with the County of Santa Cruz. The program provides services to people that have a current disability and are not able to care for themselves. The program allows people to continue to live in their own homes and get the services they need to be able to keep living independently. The program currently needs providers to care for the people in their homes. There are currently about 165 providers and out of those they only have 65 that are available to be able to help the current clients that …

Destigmatize Addiction Through Education, Miranda Martinez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

After interning at Valley Health Associates the problem identified was the lack of education on substance abuse. With much of Salinas being multicultural and spanish speaking, we begin to identify the challenges associated with getting information to the public about substance use and the treatment options. Some contributing factors associated with the lack of education on substance use are family, social, and environmental factors, lack of education overall, and the stigma/shame associated with substance use; however the unfortunate consequences associated with this are misconceptions about drugs overall and an increase of fatal overdoses. The capstone project will focus on individuals …

Why Culture Matters: The Importance And Effectiveness Of Creating A Multicultural Classroom When Teaching Elementary School Students In Public Schools, Haley Judith Quintana

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus of this Capstone Project is to analyze the benefits of having a multicultural classroom in elementary schools. Multicultural education refers to any form of education or teaching that incorporates the histories, texts, values, beliefs, and perspectives of people from different cultural backgrounds. Teaching about multiculturalism can increase not only the teacher's knowledge, but also the students' learning. From this Capstone project the researchers learned how some teachers and parents feel about having different cultures being taught in the classroom. Based on the information that is collected the researchers found ways to incorporate multiculturalism. Upon interviewing four elementary teachers …

Today A Reader, Tomorrow A Leader: How Reading Comprehension Plays A Role In Academics Among Low-Income Students, Marissa Sandra Francisca Torrez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

For this Capstone Project, the researcher investigates how teachers and low-income families view the resources needed for students to increase their reading comprehension and what they thought could be done to improve access to those resources. Interviews included a fieldworker who has a child enrolled in a middle school, a middle school Community Liaison who is very familiar and close to low-income families and the issues they face with education. Additionally, three middle school students completed a survey on reading comprehension. Based on an analysis of the interviews, surveys and the relevant research literature, the researcher used what they had …

Welcoming Classroom, Comfortable Learning Experience: Implementing Social Emotional Learning In The Classroom, Daniela Muradas

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Many students have difficulty expressing their emotions and working with others in elementary school classrooms. The focus of this capstone project is on implementing social-emotional learning in the classroom. This is important because students will learn proper ways to deal with their emotions, work with others, and have better self-awareness. An evidence-based argument is offered that students need guidance and support from their teachers to be able to create a positive space for their learning. Considerations of the issue included the perspective of two parents of elementary school students because they know the needs of their children, and a teacher …

Benefits Of Music Education, Lauren Rafter

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

In this Essay I will talk about the benefits of music in education. It is more than just learning how to play a new instrument or song. It is about the mental, physical, social and educational benefits. To understand these benefits, we need to dive into why we study music. Music education in K-12 provides many benefits from social, emotional and even physical skill improvement.

Transfer Student Success: Enrich The Lives Of Students Who Transfer To A University, Stephanie Castro

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus of this Capstone Project is on improving the experiences of students who transfer from a community college to a university. Students need support before, during, and after they transfer to a university because transfer students make up a significant portion of the student population. Also, it is argued that a lack of support can negatively impact engagement and interest in the school. The primary stakeholder perspective chosen were first-generation transfer students, first-semester transfer students, and graduated transfer students because they have lived and gone through the process of transferring to a university. Three action options emerged from an …

Pobody's Nerfect: Improving The Identification And Diagnosis Of Learning Disabilities., Jizelle Rios

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus of this Capstone Project is on improving the identification and diagnosis of learning disabilities. This is important because diagnosing a child properly will help teachers understand the students' learning styles and better position the teachers to create more effective learning environments. Also, teachers will be able to better support and accommodate their students both academically and socially. It is argued that many teachers do not have the right resources, understanding, or authority to diagnose learning disabilities. The primary stakeholder perspectives obtained were from teachers, staff, and students because of their relevant experiences and roles in identifying and addressing …

Adaptive Music In Video Games And How It Impacts Player Satisfaction, Scott Lloyd

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Adaptive and interactive music has been a key feature in the history of gaming since the conception of gaming. In this project, the main genres of target will be RPGs, Hack and Slash, and Adventure games since there are a good variety of genres and uses of adaptive music. Adaptive music can range from fading in and out instrumentation as the player progresses through a level or transitioning to the chorus of a song if the player is performing well in combat. This feature can have a positive impact for most players since it’s a sense of progression, however, in …

The Changemaker Academy: Youth Leadership And Advocacy Programs, Marilyn Evans

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The internship was completed at Growing Greatness, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization located in Watsonville, Ca. They facilitate in-person and on-site leadership and advocacy workshops for school educators, youth organizations, foster and homeless youth throughout Monterey and Santa Cruz counties. Growing Greatness teaches leadership and health advocacy workshops for youth ages 12-20 who attend middle and high schools living in Watsonville, Ca. . The problem addressed is the continued lack of leadership and health advocacy programs offered to at-risk youth in the Watsonville Ca. community. The contributing factors are a competitive environment for nonprofits seeking funding for after-school academic programs from …

Helping Hand For Youth Participants, Andrea Bravo

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Rancho Cielo is an agency that works with youth in Monterey County and helps them achieve a shared vision of success. Not enough participants are reaching out to teachers when they need help to have a more successful experience. Participants are not taking advantage or using the resources that are offered. This affects the participants and the agency as a whole. Some contributing factors are lack of trust on the staff members, not having a good connection between staff and students, and language barriers. The consequences to this issue are that participants are not learning, their assignments are incomplete, they …

La Familia: An Inside Look At A Co-Op School Community, Yesenia Rosario Garcia

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus of this Capstone Project is to showcase the co-op school values of Hillmont Elementary as a way of highlighting the importance of parent involvement in schools. An argument is made that educators feel overwhelmed and lack support from parents when it comes to promoting the importance of their children’s education. It is argued that the participation of parents as part of the school community creates a positive example for their children in how their place of learning is viewed. An evidence-based argument is offered that students gain a sense of community and responsibility through seeing their parents take …

Why Culture Matters: The Importance And Effectiveness Of Creating A Multicultural Classroom When Teaching Elementary School Students In Public Schools, Juztina M. Rodriguez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus of this Capstone Project is to analyze the benefits of having a multicultural classroom in elementary schools. Multicultural education refers to any form of education or teaching that incorporates the histories, texts, values, beliefs, and perspectives of people from different cultural backgrounds. Teaching about multiculturalism can increase not only the teacher's knowledge, but also the students' learning. From this Capstone project the researchers learned how some teachers and parents feel about having different cultures being taught in the classroom. Based on the information that is collected the researchers found ways to incorporate multiculturalism. Upon interviewing four elementary teachers …

Digital Divide In Monterey County, Vanessa Diaz

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Monterey County Health Department Planning, Evaluation and Policy (PEP) Unit's goals are to empower the community, enhance public health and safety, ensure access to care, and engage the workforce. MCHD encourages all employees to understand social justice and equity for low-income and communities of color. Understanding and addressing health inequalities and justice in the county can improve overall health for everyone. The digital divide during the COVID-19 pandemic impacted too many Monterey County residents. The lack of computer access, computer literacy, and internet access may have impacted vaccination rates and even delayed COVID-19 resources. Utilizing the Monterey County COVID-19 …

Job Club Reset, Richard Espinoza

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Department of Rehabilitation has a program in place called Job Club for incoming clients. This project is a consolidation and revision of the current Job Club training presentations that is a part of the Department of Rehabilitation’s employment process. The Job Club training provides training in Soft Skills, Resume Writing, and an understanding of Professionalism in the sense of current Western American Culture. Unfortunately, the problem with the Job Club training was that it did not effectively communicate information to the audience. The contributing factors of this problem was that the presentations were very lengthy, lacked visual aids, had …

Essays In Mutual Funds, Aadhaar Verma

Doctor of Business Administration Dissertations

This dissertation examines mutual fund portfolio formation, the economic forces that determine how fund managers construct their portfolios, and the market effects of fund portfolio disclosures.

In the first chapter of my dissertation, I study how funds modify their portfolios around disclosure dates in order to cater to their investors’ non-financial preferences. Using social norms and investor boycotts surrounding tobacco and firearm sectors as a proxy for non-financial preferences, I find that these stocks experience significant negative returns on portfolio disclosure dates and significant positive returns on the day after the portfolio disclosure. I also find that funds accelerate their …

Santa Cruz County Prepares For The Next Major Wildfire, Antonio Lucero

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Office of Response, Recovery, and Resiliency (OR3) was established in 2020 and is a part of the County of Santa Cruz’s Strategic Development Department. The OR3 has been established to improve the emergency response and capabilities for the County of Santa Cruz in the event of another major environmental disaster. The CZU Lightning Fire Complex of 2020 was a significant wildfire and the largest the county had seen in over 100 years. Global warming led to climate change that has made this area of California more vulnerable to uncontrollable wildfires. In addition, severe drought conditions have left Santa Cruz …

Providing Resources And Knowledge To Empower The Youth, Iliana Jimenez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The project was developed to provide opportunities and resources to first-generation youth from possibly following in their parents footsteps whose jobs may often be marred by racial and ethnic inequality at United Way of Santa Cruz, with the Jovenes SANOS program. During a three-semester internship, and through interactions with the program's youth, the need for school related resources, and college readiness became apparent. Such missing resources and readiness are due to a lack of access to tutoring; absence of a study place, home care responsibilities, lack of access to mentorship for college readiness, and missing employment pathways. Consequently, such factors …

Social-Emotional Learning Icebreakers, Annabell Melgoza-Lopez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Youth Alliance is a non-profit organization located in Hollister, California. GUIAS is a program that encompasses youth leadership, supports, and guides students to become socially responsible and emotionally stable to confront challenges. San Benito High School (SBHS) is one of the many schools that GUIAS focuses on in social-emotional learning among students through case management. It is important for students to be aware of their social, emotional, and cognitive development challenges and coping mechanisms. The problem addressed is that students ages 8-18 do not understand the importance of Social-Emotional Learning. Some contributing factors to this are that students’ culture leads …

Reproductive Health Education For Teens, Nataly Diaz

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The paper focused on Reproductive Health Outreach for Teens, through the implementation of a new teen brochure. The purpose of this project is to create new outreach pathways for teens of the Watsonville, CA community to take advantage of the free services Salud Para La Gente has to offer. Specifically, services relating to reproductive health and sex education.

A Soul's Shape Is Beautiful, Alondra Orozco

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

A memoir engaged with the seminar's theme of Change, Transformation, and Transition. It follows my story and how I came to discover my true self. This is a coming-out story, with the purpose of sharing my experiences and potentially getting others to understand non-binary or transgendered people better. It delves into my personal thoughts and experiences, as well as transphobia from my parents. Since the story begins in my early childhood, the diction and writing style change throughout the story. I also incorporate the use of stream of consciousness to show my progression from cisgendered to a non-binary person.

A Plan For Your Pets: Education And Outreach Through The Perpetual Care Program, Tatyanna Horoszko

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

With the number of older and senior adults increasing in the United States, and specifically in Monterey County, there is a growing demand for services that support aging adults. However, many pet owners, especially those of older age, fail to realize the importance of estate planning for their pets due to technology gaps, lack of knowledge and education regarding estate planning, and poor physical and mental health. Consequently, the lack of an estate plan results in the burden being placed on family and friends, the abandonment of pets, and the euthanization of pets. Peace of Mind Dog Rescue (POMDR) strives …

Increasing High School Students’ Awareness Of The Effects Of Gender Stereotypes, Kelly Y. Shepherd

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Gender stereotypes can prevent many adolescents from exploring aspects of their identity. One reason being, gender stereotypes are reinforced in media and society on a daily basis, constantly reaffirming the beliefs of what a male and female should act and look like. These beliefs may cause an adolescent to make choices about their identity without thinking or questioning, which is known as identity foreclosure. As a result, adolescents may limit themselves academically or socially which might restrict future career paths and job opportunities. My capstone project focused on teaching adolescent Girl Scouts of California Central Coast how to identify, question, …

Estudiantes Exitosos, Erik Estrada

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Catholic Charities Diocese of Monterey is a faith based non profit organization that provides aid to individuals and families in need. Catholic Charities focuses on three main areas of services, immigration and citizen services, family supportive services, and tattoo removal program. They provide services that help people regardless of their faith who struggle with poverty and complex issues. Every year low income families struggle to provide their children with the basic school supplies they need to start a new school year. This contributes to families not being able to afford school supplies, and because of the unexpected pandemic a shortage …

Building Capacity For Evidence Representing Qualitative And Quantitative Data Of Monterey County’S Child Welfare Services, Devin Dunn

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Current processes for policy development in Monterey County are primarily focused on qualitative data and anecdotes from agency personnel. The Onsite-Review component of the Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) set forth by the Children’s Bureau is structured to help Monterey County identify its strengths and areas needing improvement. These quarterly reviews ensure that Monterey County adheres to federal child welfare guidelines, helps to develop a narrative of what children and families experience while engaging with the county’s child welfare services, and enhances capacities for positive outcomes for these individuals. A Data Dashboard was developed to visually represent quantitative data …

Parent And Child Cookbook For Parental Involvement, Natali Juarez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The agency with the internship opportunity is the Greenfield Branch Library. The purpose of this capstone project is to address the problem of lack of parental involvement. The lack of parental involvement in the community could have major consequences like low academic achievement, low literacy rates, and childhood obesity. The project is a cookbook with healthy recipes consisting of both meals and snacks. The recipes are made specifically for children to be able to make with their parents. The capstone project is a 6 week program. Every Wednesday there is a grab and go bag with a copy of a …

Girls Support Group, Cindy Garcia

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The purpose of this capstone project is to keep girls connected with other girls through zoom. Due to the pandemic, schools were closed and a lot of the girls became isolated from their peers as well as after school activities. The project addresses the main consequences of the shelter in place order which are social isolation, mental, and emotional health. The project promotes coping skills to help them stay connected and adapt to this new way of living. Adjusting to a new way of living can be hard for young girls affecting them both mentally and emotionally. This can have …

Responding To Domestic Violence With Transformative Justice And Community Accountability, Anaiis Nysether

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Walnut Avenue Family & Women’s Center (WAFWC) wanted to create a survivor-driven transformative justice program for survivors of domestic violence and the people who caused them harm. The program needed to be customizable enough to suit the specific needs and individual safety considerations of the participants, but also needed enough structure that it could be reproducible from case to case. In order to design a program that was based on these ideas and able to be used in the context of a non-profit organization, WAFWC researched ways other communities had been using transformative justice and community accountability to address issues …

Being The Voice For The Voiceless, Marina Lemus

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Many students are eager to step inside a classroom, but this eagerness and excitement can be difficult for shy students. The focus issue addressed in this Capstone Project is enhancing shy students’ engagement in the classroom. This is an important issue for students because of the fear that arises when speaking in front of their peers, which can be detrimental to their education. The three stakeholder perspectives examined were a special education high school teacher, a second-grade teacher, and a library media technician. An evidence-based argument is offered that shy students are falling behind in classrooms due to their inability …

Pobody’S Nerfect: Improving The Identification And Diagnosis Of Learning Disabilities, Katie Szeto

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus of this Capstone Project is on improving the identification and diagnosis of learning disabilities. This is important because diagnosing a child properly will help teachers understand the students' learning styles and better position the teachers to create more effective learning environments. Also, teachers will be able to better support and accommodate their students both academically and socially. It is argued that many teachers do not have the right resources, understanding, or authority to diagnose learning disabilities. The primary stakeholder perspectives obtained were from teachers, staff, and students because of their relevant experiences and roles in identifying and addressing …