Jacquelyn- Aurora Garcia

9/18/18

Senior Project Proposal

A. Summary

The topic that I chose for my senior project is the clean up and restoration of oceans, specifically

for oil spills and how they can be cleaned up. I recently discovered the topic that oil spills are

currently being cleaned up with harsh chemicals that are doing more harm than good, while

taking AP environmental science. From then on, I knew this was a topic I wanted to learn more

about and eventually, turn it into a project. Oil spills have been a well known topic for a while,

but most people aren’t aware that they aren’t being cleaned up properly of if at all. Most big

companies pay for the fastest solution, which is dumping chemicals into the infected area that

causes the oil to sink to the bottom of the ocean. Although this is an effective way to hide the

problem, there are far more beneficial and productive ways to clean the oil out of the ocean.

Other than just chemically harming the ocean beyond repair, we can switch to using organic

alternatives that won’t cause any harm but do the same job.

In order to guide my research to my project will be the following:

● What are some non-harmful ways to clean up oil spills?

● What big companies has used organic alternatives to clean up oil spills?

● How will cleaning up with natural alternatives positively affect the clarity of the ocean?

● What is the science behind the way the organic alternatives work?

● Is there any financial benefits to switching to natural alternatives?

● What are some of the legalities that protect the clarity of the ocean?
For my project, I plan on teaching elementary and middle school students about the effects of

ocean pollution and the benefits of safely cleaning them up with human hair. Along by my side

guiding me, will be my senior project consultant Ms. Joan Grimes. I will also be collecting hair

and donating my gatherings to an the Matter of Trust Organization, in addition to teaching

younger students.

B. New Skills, Enhanced Skills, and Growth Goals

New Skills:

● Construct a experiment

● Donation management

Enhanced Skills:

● Public speaking

● Teaching

● Constructing lesson plans

● Time Management

Growth goals:

● Event coordinating

● Communication skills

● Make connections for future volunteer work

C. Marketing Plan/ Facilities/ Audience

For my project, I will be keeping in touch with willing elementary and middle schools for my

future lesson that I will be teaching. I will also be collecting hair from salons and donating them
to an organization. My project will not be an event; I prefer to directly influence the younger

generations and their teachers. I will make sure I work with the elementary school teachers to

work with their lesson schedules. I will also stay in touch with several salons so I am able to

donate a significant amount to my organization. In my lesson plan I will be teaching the students;

the numerous ways that oil can be cleaned up using organic alternatives, the science behind each

solution, and discussing several state codes as well as national laws that relate to the clarity of

the ocean.

D. Project Steps

Preliminary Steps Draft and send emails, phone 10 hours

calls, lesson plan outlines,
powerpoint, survey sheets,
gather lab materials

Midway Steps Finalize lesson plan, run 7 hours

through powerpoint, have lab
materials, printed survey
sheets,

Later Steps Teach at schools, collect hair 6 hours

Follow Up Donate hair, analyze surveys 4 hours

Total 25 hours

E. Project Documentation

● Email Conversations
 ● Photos from the classes

● Phone log of calls

● Receipts of purchases

● Photos of collecting hair

● Videos of hair donations

● Videos of students participating in the experiment

● Student surveys

● Hair donations receipts

F. Project Justification

This project will benefit the future because I will be teaching the younger generation the

importance of the maintenance and restoration of the ocean. Through the science experiment I

plan to create, it will show them hands on how clean alternatives can be used to clean up oil

spills. In doing so, they will be able to continue and even further advance the effort in cleaning

up the seas. There is a possibility that in the future they can make an even an even bigger impact.

It will also bring the attention that there are other ways to clean up oil spills. Bringing their

attention to my topic will hopefully impact their beliefs with how the ocean should be kept clean

and not become a place to dump garbage.

G. Project- Paper Connection

My paper will focus on answering and explaining my driving questions. Which will include;

identifying non-harmful ways to clean up oil spills, naming companies that have used these

alternatives, how the alternatives will benefit the ocean, the science behind how the alternatives
work, the financial benefits of switching to these alternatives, and laws that keep the ocean clean

(state, federal, and national). My paper will have all the necessary research to back up my

answers. My project will focus on showing how the organic alternatives work, especially through

my lab experiment. Other than teaching at multiple schools and conducting lab experiments, I

will also be donating a small amount of hair to the Matter of Trust organization from several

salons.

H. Honor Code

I understand that any academic dishonesty be me on any part of the project will result in failure

of the Senior Project and forfeiture of the Legal Studies Seal on my High School diploma.