Destinee Mendez

Senior Defense
April 9, 2019

Problem Solving Essay

My 1st IDP was called “Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.” I completed this

Interdisciplinary Project in my sophomore year at Linda Esperanza Marquez Huntington Park

Institute of Applied Medicine in Spring of 2017. We were asked to create a powerpoint on the

disorder and research on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and its harmful causes. After, we

presented the findings of our research. My teammates and I had to do a formal presentation in

front of a panel and we explained the background, symptoms and treatments, coping

mechanisms, identifying stressors, and more. This IDP fits in the Problem Solving Category

because we were given a specific disease to identify and do reasearch on to better educate

ourselves and the community. In doing the reasearch, we realized how serious a problem this

was and had to look for different solutions on how we can help people who either suffer with

OCD or who have not been diagnosed yet. Our presentation talked about different strategies on

how to cope with the disease or identify some symptoms to tell if someone has OCD.

My second Interdisciplinary project was called “Lead Toxins.” I completed this

Interdisciplinary Project on April 12, 2018 at Linda Esperanza Marquez Huntington Park

Institute of Applied Medicine. We were asked to create a project regarding harmful toxins in our

water. My partners had to make a plant grow using tap water and bottled water. After they did

their discovery, we had to put everything into a powerpoint about our final answers. To make

sure everyone got the word about the toxins in the water we drink, we went to Huntington Park
City Hall to present our discoveries. Once we finished, we presented it in front of professional

people at our school. This IDP fits into the problem solving category because it was our job to

inform our community about the harmful chemicals that lie inside our drinking water. We did

plenty of research and tests to depict that our water was contaminated with lead. We shared our

information by presenting it to the Huntington Park City Council Members.

The student learning outcomes I met in both my IDPs were an active citizen to help each

other out, effective communicator to make sure we communicated better, willing collaborator

because we put the effort to complete the work and present it, and critical thinker to analyze the

information needed to create the powerpoint and get our ideas across when presenting. We had to

be an active citizen to help each other out by giving feedback on their parts, answering the final

questions they had about the project, and being able to ask the teachers questions if we had any.

We also were effective communicators to make sure we contacted one another to clarify any

misunderstandings we had, respecting new ideas given to us to make the presentation better, and

being an effective listener to show we acknowledge what is being told to us. Furthermore, we

were willing collaborators by completing the assignment as a group and presenting it to

Huntington Park City Hall and in front of the professionals at Linda Marquez Huntington Park

Institute of Applied Medicine, we helped each other by providing information to one another,

and by splitting up the work efficiently and fairly so everyone had something to work on.

Between the two IDPs, I feel like I have grown to not be shy. I’m more comfortable

presenting in front of students or teachers. Another area I feel like I have grown is working better

with a group of people. Before I had many problems working with a group because I always

ended up doing all the work. They would help once in a while but most of the time no. Last area
I have grown within myself is being a team member and making sure everyone knows what they

need to get done. I make sure if they need help, I will help them the best I can. The area I need to

improve on is not waiting until the last minute to turn in my work. When I am given an

assignment, I tend to procrastinate and tell myself I will finish it later. I then get caught up on

other things that I forget I had work to do. I can use the skills I learned from the IDP in the future

by communicating with others, collaborating with my group mates, and analyzing information

further to understand the topic better. I will like to communicate better to understand clearly

what is needed to get done. I also would like to collaborate with others more so we can make

whatever it is we’re doing easy and simple. Finally, I want to analyze information more so I can

get the understanding of what it is I’m reading or is given to me.