TLD 2007 Sample Student Capstone Action Project Descriptions

Philip McAdoo
The Road to Shanghai
Philip McAdoo created an opportunity for six students from East Side Community High School in New York City and led them on a China Student Exchange project, traveling to Shanghai for a 10-day trip. Philip, a Broadway actor, raised the funds for the students’ trip by enlisting the support of some of his fellow Broadway performers and putting on a benefit in New York that successfully financed the major expenses for the trip.

Jennie Falco
Family Cooperative
Jennie Falco organized a childcare cooperative in Longmont, Colorado, for her Capstone Action Project. She collaborated with five interracial families to create a family-support program that focused on sharing resources and child-care responsibilities, educating parents on topics such as nonviolent communication and positive touch, creating conditions for families to grow their own organic food and become less dependent on petroleum-based products and industry, and initiating activities for children that raised awareness in the areas of foreign language, arts and culture study, body-mind centering, health and nutrition, and the power of play.

Leanne Calandrella
Incarcerated/Formerly Incarcerated Individuals Leading Community Service Projects
Leanne Calandrella, who worked with the BEST (Being Empowered and Safe Together) Reintegration Program on Maui, Hawaii, chose to motivate incarcerated/formerly incarcerated individuals to lead volunteer service projects within their community. Interest came from her idea that engaging with community and helping people is empowering and creates strength in leadership of both self and others. Her goal was to help others learn how to help others.

Erika Bjune
Action Through Education in Virtual Worlds
Erika Bjune led the creation of a virtual nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness around sustainability issues through classes, interactive displays, discussions, events, and games.  The organization, Avatar Action Center, was founded inside a virtual world called Second Life, an immersive 3D environment in which people are represented digitally by “avatars.”

Miguel Chavez
Hispanic Leadership Development
Miguel Chavez, a TLD graduate and current TSD student, designed and implemented a Hispanic Leadership Development Training Program in the Federal Prison System.

Sierra Webb
Apple Valley, Building an Inclusive Community
Through an initiative by the National League of Cities, Sierra Webb, a Town of Apple Valley employee, worked with municipal government staff, the town council, school teachers, students and community leaders to build a coalition and enact the "Inclusive Communities Partnership" in their community.

Eric Matheny
Appreciating What Is: An Appreciative Inquiry in a Large County-Level Government Organization
Eric Matheny led an Appreciative Inquiry to discover the positive core of a 40-member community services department situated in a large, county-level government organization charged with providing a range of services to individuals with mental retardation and developmental disabilities.  All members of the department were interviewed with inquiry focused on personal stories of when participants felt best about themselves, the work that they were doing, and the agency that they worked for. The group interviewed brought to the project a combined experience of more than 550 years with the agency . The project's aim was to build collective resonance within the department during a period of anxiety, precipitated by an organizational restructuring.  The results of the inquiry were compiled, and the themes, quotable quotes, and great stories will be shared with the organization as a whole.

April Howenstine
Public School Showcase
April Howenstine , at brand new Whitney High School she works at in Rocklin, California, organized an event designed to foster ongoing outreach opportunities and the building of bridges between the school and community.  She collaborated with teachers, students, parents, administrators, and community members in order to introduce the community to the sports, clubs, and programs offered at the school. It was an opportunity for the students to showcase their talents and skills, and raise funds for the following year.

Mark Austin Thomas
TheMiddleWayRadio.com
Mark Austin Thomas created a website titled TheMiddleWayRadio.com. The site contains podcasts that focus on broadening the political conversation by framing discussions of different issues within a Buddhist perspective, but without making explicit references to Buddhism. This was part of an effort to create a novel way to blend politics and spirituality.