Blog 24: Last Presentation Reflection

Title: Blog 24:  Last Presentation Reflection
Label: Presentation
Directions: Please answer the following questions, and submit them to the blog.
Due Date: The day after your block presentation by 8:00 A.M.


(1) Positive Statement

What are you most proud of in your block presentation and/or your senior project? Why?

My experience with mentorship. I feel like I've learned a lot, both negative and positive things, and it's shaped the way I look at certain things in life.

(2) Questions to Consider

a.     What assessment would you give yourself on your block presentation?  Use the component contract to defend that assessment.

AE       P          (AP)       CR       NC
I had all the requirements. I just didn't meet time.

b.     What assessment would you give yourself on your overall senior project? Use the component contract to defend that assessment.

AE       (P)          AP       CR       NC

Senior project was fairly easy for me and I feel I did fine aside from senior presentation.

(3) What worked for you in your senior project?

Everything aside from mentorship at first and presentation. The research process was fairly easy, although tedious and unnecessary at times. The interviews went smoothly, although the transcribing is questionable.


(4) (What didn't work) If you had a time machine, what would you have done differently to improve your senior project?

Finding a mentor and enjoying my topic. I would have done a different topic like music or business.

(5) Finding Value

How has the senior project been helpful to you in your future endeavors?   Be specific and use examples.

It has helped me find an interest in business. It's interesting how learning about one topic convinced me to pursue something else in the future. Why business? It is a faster paced and open field; I plan on doing pharmaceuticals maybe, simply because you're saving lives while doing business. 

So in a sense I do appreciate the long-winding research done throughout the year, because it helped me redirect the direction of life I want to take. Other than that it has been the opposite of helpful.

Exit Interview

(1) What is your essential question, and what are your answers?  What is your best answer and why?

1. How can an attorney best present his case?
1. By presenting himself well
2. By working his evidence
3. By preparing <----BEST ANSWER

(2) What process did you take to arrive at this answer?

  

Mostly my mentorship experiences helped me, through the time I spent watching trials to the time I spent talking to my mentor about my IC2 and just generally how he does his work.

 

(3) What problems did you face?  How did you resolve them?

 

Finding a mentor was a huge and very frustrating problem, but I was barely able to find one thanks to my mom's connection with people from Pomona Courthouse.

 

(4) What are the two most significant sources you used to answer your essential question and why?

 

Mainly my mentorship and a lecutre by Kenneth Brown regarding influence. I got most of my answers and learned the most from my mentorship, something no amount of articles or books can help me experience, and the Kenneth Brown book was the centerpiece for my very first answer, something I already had in mind before starting senior project. 

Blog 22: Independent Component 2

(a) I, Preston Le, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 31 hours of work.”
(b) My mentor, James Perry.
(c) The mentorship hours blog has been updated to include the IC 2 hours.
(d) 

What I completed was essentially a mock direct examination. For those that do not know what a direct examination, it's a trial process that involves asking the witness questions in order to get as much information from the witness as necessary. Direct examinations usually take 30-60 minutes long depending on the witness. Most, if not all the evidence, is presented and recorded during the direct examination. The video above is my IC 2 and it is, according to my mentor, more or less what a direct examination looks like.
 
(e) Defend your work and explain the component's significance and how it demonstrates 30 hours of work.   Provide evidence (photos, transcript, art work, videos, etc) of the 30 hours of work.   

Transcript of the direct examination can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/12otzI2J1V2BkoMkmY51bSBgEc5fIBkd65R7I1Ft8o2Y/edit?usp=sharing

 Before I had the scripts typed, here are a few samples of what notes I had to take and what I had to write before typing (if I took every single picture, it wouldn't fit on the blog because there was a lengthy case file I had to inspect which would subsequently violate the court's policy of confidentiality):

During the IC 2 process, I had to look through most of this book because it was very important understanding the concept of direct examination during criminal trials. Keep in mind this is only for driving under the influence trials, there are much bigger books for bigger categories like murder.

 
(f)How did the component help you answer your EQ? Please include specific examples to illustrate how it helped. 
It was through this component that I found one of my answers for the EQ, and not only that, but my EQ , which is 'How can an attorney best present his case?' ties into this really well because direct examinations really bring out the nitty gritty of your case. It draws out all the information you can make use of during your case.

Blog 20 - Interview 4 Reflection

Title: Blog 17 - Interview 4 Reflection

Where I worked.

1. What is the most important thing I learned from the interview?  
This interview helped me get my answers for my EQ.

2.  How will what I learned affect my final lesson?
It helped me get my answers for my EQ.



The link to my interview!

Blog 19: Third Answer

• How can an attorney best present his case?
• An attorney has to understand law very well.
• Supporting evidence:
• Penal Codes
• Mentor approaches his cases by thinking outside the box
• Al Capone got in jail because a lawyer managed to find loopholes in the criminal justice system
• The research source(s) to support your details and answer
• Story of US
• Mentorship/Interview 3
• It's important to understand law so that it can be applied to every case should the situation require it.

Blog 18 : Answer 2

1.  What is your EQ?
How can an attorney best present his case?

2.  What is your first answer? (In complete thesis statement format)
An attorney has to present himself well in order to present his case.

3.  What is your second answer? (In complete thesis statement format)
An attorney has to understand the evidence well in order to present his case.

4.  List three reasons your answer is true with a real-world application for each.

• paying attention to detail can help you in the future
• understanding the facts can allow you to think outside the box more effectively
• my mentor has always stressed that detail is crucial

5.  What printed source best supports your answer?
 Hill, Christin. EVIDENCE. N.p.: Harvard, n.d. PDF.

6.  What other source supports your answer?
My interview and my IC 2.

7.  Tie this together with a  concluding thought.
It's very important to not miss anything that may be crucial later on. I tend to do that, and should i become an attorney I need to learn how to be more observant.

Blog 17 - Interview 3 Reflection

1. What is the most important thing you learned in the interview?
Many things such as the answers to my EQ

2. How has your approach to interviewing changed  over senior project?
Not much

Click here to listen to interview.

Blog 15: Independent Component 1

•  
  

• LITERAL
  (a) “I, Preston Le, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 36 hours of work.”
  (b) Sources will be cited in the video below
  (c) My updated hours log: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1FzQc5VEcTbFLMq0OPGwM_JWXt5K79333jlgIAqV16KQ/edit#gid=0
• (d) I edited and essentialy created a 10+ min long documentary about thte 7th Amendment and its aspects. To be more specific, my documentary revolved around how important a role a citizen plays in the American criminal justice system. I put together the video using voice clips, pictures, and music, and I made sure to not use too much text because 1) it's distracting from the learning material and 2) my video editing software does not support it. The video can be found by clicking here
• INTERPRETIVE 
  I am a kinesthetic and visual learner; I can't just learn by reading or listening, I need to really get my hands on. It's not easy to do something on law that's very hands-on, since it's all reading papers and talking to people. By making the video, it allowed me to apply a skill I already have (video editing) and use it in an outlet that helps me learn and also makes the subject more interesting for myself, and possibly for others as well. Video editing process isn't a quick and simple process, howeer. My MA propaganda took 3 days to do, about 4 hours spent on each (which should total up to 12 hours), and this accounts for script writing, collecting material, drafting, and editing. 
•  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sNtusXtFSI
•  I will provide the link to my script and screenshots of my editing process can be found at the bottom of the document below:
•  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EYEZdoC-V0kXTg2Pgt4q3ZpmCyqAlAqhXK4hk6Ot8YA/edit?usp=sharing
• APPLIED
  As stated before, being able to apply a skill I already have and enjoy having like video editing, it made the information regarding my topic much more accessible. Throughout the video you will hear dialogue, and when editing, you're going to have to hear it over and over again, so in a sense, it's learning by repetition. Another instance is similar to that, but with pictures. When I'm finding pictures, I want it to match the words I am saying, and during the editing process, when I'm giving my pictures so animations and syncing it along with my voice, I see the picture over and over again and it becomes ingrained in my mind along with the voice.

Blog 16: Independent Component 2 Approval

1.  Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.

A mock trial simulation. In a sense, similar to the three pigs, but only different because the type of case will be DUI, not murder, and the processes will be more detailed and different.

2.  Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.

Do a lot of research and study and preparation, which will be shown in the court records as well as the logs and the script of the mock trial.

3.  Explain how this component will help you explore your topic in more depth.
It gives me a first-hand experience of what being an attorney is like and also provides personal insight as to how to present a good case.

4.  Post a log in your Senior Project Hours link and label it "Independent Component 2" log.

Lesson 2 Reflection

Content:

1.What are you most proud of in your Lesson 2 Presentation and why? 

The fact that I was able to pull off the presentation without that much prior planning and just speaking from my mind and heart.

2. a.     What assessment would you give yourself on your Lesson 2 Presentation (self-assessment)?

       AE      ( P )         AP       CR       NC

     b.     Explain why you deserve that grade using evidence from the Lesson 2 component contract.

I met every requirement and did fairly well.

3. What worked for you in your Lesson 2?

Improvisation.

4. What didn't work? If you had a time machine, what would you have done differently to improve your Lesson 2?

Time management. I could have been much more prepared if I prioritized and managed my time better. Other than that, it's pretty solid. 

5. What do you think your answer #2 is going to be?

Make the most out of the evidence.

Blog 13: Third Interview Preparation

How does an attorney present the best case?




For this interview, you will prepare 10 open-ended questions that focus on your newly approved EQ (in fact, your first question can be your EQ).  Remember, all interviews must be done in person unless they are specifically approved by your house teacher.  Additionally, one person may be interviewed a maximum of two times.

1.  Who do you plan to interview?  What is this person's area of expertise?
Thomas Higgins from Pomona Courthouse.
2.  Verify that you have called your interviewee to schedule an interview.  What is the date and time of the interview?
Have not done that yet.
3.  Phrase an open-ended question that will help you find research resources that would help to answer the EQ.
Any examples of really good cases?

4.  Phrase an open-ended question that will help you think about other useful activities you might do to help you answer the EQ (IC2, possible experts to talk to, etc).
What can I do to get a more first-hand experience?

5.  Phrase two open-ended questions that help you to understand your interviewee's perspective on an aspect of your EQ.

What is the most important factor for a good case, in your opinion?
Why is the factor chosen the most important?

Blog 12 - Holiday Project Update

1.  It is important to consistently work on your senior project, whether it is break or we are in school.  What did you do over the break with your senior project?

Find a new mentor.

2.  What was the most important thing you learned from what you did, and why?  What was the source of what you learned?
 
How hard it is to find one since the workload of a lawyer is very heavy.

3.  Your third interview will be a 10 question interview related to possible answers for your EQ. Who do you plan to talk to and why?

My new mentor because of how much experience she has.

Blog 11: Lesson 1 Reflection

1. What are you most proud of in your lesson, and why?
I'm proud that I had that much information to present on. I had so much information that I could barely reach the 9:30 mark, so it's a good sign that I will have more than enough subject material in my senior presentation.


2. What assessment would you give yourself on your lesson? Explain why you earned that grade using evidence from the component contract.
AP. I did everything that was required, although some fields were lacking.

3. If you could go back, what would you change about your lesson?  How can you use that knowledge to give a better Lesson 2?

Simply be much more prepared.

Blog 10 - Interview 2 Reflection

1. Please explain how you are spending your mentorship time.

For the most part, I spent it interning. Right now, my mentor and I are arranging to meet other attorneys that can help me in my senior project.

2.  How did you find your mentor?  How did you convince this person to help you?   

I found my mentor through my mom. My mentor is in charge of a program that helps students from high school and college get some credentials through interning.

3. How would you rate your comfort level with your mentor at this point in your relationship?  How does this relate to the time you've spent so far at mentorship/with this person?

Since I've spent a whole summer with my mentor, my relationship with her is good.

4. What went well in this interview?  Why do you think so?  What do you still need to improve?  How do you know?  How will you go about it?
I got a lot of information in the interview. However, what I need improvement on is finding better questions to ask. 2 of my questions did not work in this interview, so I will look up good interview questions and tactics so things run more smoothly.

Interview: https://youtu.be/aReBYTFHoEw

Blog 9 - Advisory Prep 3

1. State whether or not you currently have a mentor, and what the status of your interview is with that person (I have completed the interview, I have scheduled the interview, I have not scheduled the interview, etc).

Yes I have a mentor, and I've already scheduled an interview.

2. At this point, your research is probably guiding your studies toward more specific areas within your topic.  Name the area or two you find most promising and explain your reasons.  
Perhaps hardcore gang law or domestic abuse law.
 
3. What kinds of sources do you think will help you in the next month to gain more research depth?  Where will you go to get them?

Perhaps things pertaining to law, which I will ask my mentor about after the interview. 

4. Write down a possible EQ.  Please don't worry about wording other than ensuring that it provides the option for multiple correct answers.  At this point, the senior team is most interested in understanding your thought process.

What is most essential for an attorney to build his/her case?

Blog 8: Independent Component 1 Proposal

1.  Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.

Film and/or edit a 10+ min documentary revolving around the individual's role in the criminal justice system.

2.  Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.

The 30 hours will be accumulated through script-writing, filming, research, and editing. 

3.  Explain how what you will be doing will help you explore your topic in more depth.

The better someone understands how one can make a big difference, the better prepared that person is.  Basically, understanding this will help me understand how effectively, as an attorney, I should present and prove my case.

4.  Update your Senior Project Hours log.

Ok

Blog 7 - 2nd Interview Preparation

1.  Who is your mentor and where do they work?  If their workplace does not reflect their expertise, what makes them an expert? 

2.  What five questions will you ask them about their background?

•  Where have you worked in the criminal courts?
•  Has the criminal court changed in any way?
•  For how long have you worked here?
•  What do you currently do for your job?
•  What do you feel was most important to helping you get where you are now?

Blog 6 - Advisory Prep

1. What has worked well for you concerning senior project this year?  What has made it a positive experience for you?  

It certainly has done its job giving me initiative to go out there and learn about my career field.

2. What are you finding difficult concerning senior project?  How can you adapt to make that portion work better for you?  How might the senior team help?

All the busy work (research and Cornell notes) frustrates me. I am INCREDIBLY LAZY when it comes to busy work (which makes sense) so it's not easy trying to adjust to the fact that I have to do this for the whole year. Senior team can help by thinking of better alternatives, or more creative ways we can research on our topics. Another thing that frustrates me is the fact that the surplus summer hours don't go to mentorship hours, which is just as frustrating because I spent 150+ hours during the summer and summer is when my mentor isn't as busy and occupied.

Blog 5 - Interview 1 Reflection

1. What is the most important thing I learned from the interview?  Is there anything I would do differently for other interviews?
 The most important thing I learned from this interview is how to ask questions better and transition into different topics.

 

2. Did I get additional resources and contacts?  What is the most useful?  Why?

 Yes I did, the most useful being the ones whom I have business cards of.

3. What makes my interviewee qualified to help me? 

Considering how I was worked as her intern for (150+) along with her credentials as a former attorney, I felt that she was more than qualified.

Blog 4: House Advisory Prep

Write a short explanation of what you are hoping to accomplish through your senior project topic.  You will be sharing out on what you've written here with your house advisory and classmates on Friday, 9/11. 

Through my senior topic, besides simply finishing the project and finally graduating out of high school, I want to do it while feeling prepared for the future. That is exactly why I chose this topic: to think long-term and prepare for the future I have ahead of me.