Watching the wide variety of capstone projects did feel overwhelming at first; however, it was also helpful for gathering ideas. I feel like my thoughts have been scattered since my research question has been changing. Initially, I was leaning toward a slideshow mixed with a video, but after changing my question, I decided I wanted to create a documentary with a news-style approach.

My question arose from a recent incident at the school where I serve, where a violent outbreak occurred among students. I currently work as a graduate assistant for a class called ALLIED. This class is designed to help BIPOC students feel more connected with RIC. We meet for lunch once a week and invite guest speakers from RIC to share their journeys. ALLIED provides a safe space for students to express emotions, feelings, and beliefs, as well as a place to decompress. I believe this is a valuable asset in educational settings, and I think it could also be beneficial to adopt a similar model in high schools.

For my project, I plan to focus on interviews. I would like to interview high school students about whether they think a program like ALLIED would be valuable in their schools. I also plan to interview current ALLIED students about their experiences. My final project will combine video interviews with a few supporting slides.