Blog 26: Senior Project Reflection

Title: Senior Project Reflection

Label: Presentation

Directions: Please answer the following questions and turn it in to the blog.

Due Date: The day after your two-hour presentation by 8:00 A.M.

(1) Positive Statement

What are you most proud of in your 2-Hour Presentation and/or your senior project? Why?

I am most proud of being able to explain every detail about an R/C car. All of my research was present in my presentation. I thought I did well for making so many changes to my powerpoint in just a few days.

(2) Questions to Consider

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

AE       P          AP       CR       NC

b.     What assessment would you give yourself on your overall senior project (self-assessment)?

AE       P          AP       CR       NC

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

I was able to make time and present over all of the information that I thought was necessary. I was glad overall and felt that I did a good job on giving a brief overview of the sport side of the hobby. I  also provided information about how everything works. That would have been hard to explain at the beginning of the year without doing any research.

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

I would add as many slides as I possibly could (the first time) in order to ensure that I would meet the time requirements. Then rehearsed the presentation to make sure that all of the information being presented flows together smoothly. After that I would sell the newly found time machine...Hello early retirement!

(5) Finding Value

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

If I really wanted to I can apply for a job in the industry of radio controlled racing. I can use my senior project as experience on my resume. Also I made a lot of friends during these nine months. This made me a more social person. If it weren't for the senior project, I wouldn't have gone out and made friends outside of school. I also  wouldn't  have a part-time job that helps fund my hobbies.

Lesson Plan

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AmpmpmuN9b9PdHpCRGc2ei01T01ORVVvQ0xEWkpvN3c#gid=0

Blog 25: Mentorship

 Literal

·     Log of specific hours with a total and a description of your duties

·     Contact Name & Number - Brendon Larrowe - 6268486695

    Interpretive

     What is the most important thing you gained from this experience?Why?

The most important thing I gained from this experience is the new friends I gained through mentorship. My mentor gives me rides to all of the bigger race tracks. Without him driving me I would have never met all of these different people that have the same interests as me.

   Applied

     How has what you’ve done helped you to answer your EQ?  Please explain.

I get to use everything from my research and try it out in a real race. I get to see what works and what doesn't work. It was a very unique experience for me.

Blog 24: Exit Interview Questions

(1) What is your essential question?  What is the best answer to your question and why?

What is the best way to earn multiple sponsorships in R/C car racing?
Having the correct equipment and building relationships with other drivers is needed in order to get sponsors, but my best answer is attending big races because it will get you the exposure necessary to get you noticed by potential sponsors. It also shows how good you are compared to other drivers on the circuit. Your sponsors want to see that you are worthy of their support, and the only way they could tell is if you race outside of your comfort zone and race against other high caliper racers. My team manager Randy Pike stated that he would rather see someone make the bottom of the main against 

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

Asking different people, fellow racers, team managers took some time to do, but they gave me the same answer. Everyone said that you need to attend big events if you are interested in getting sponsors. Also there were several articles that I researched on LiveRC.com that I used to figure out that racing at just your local track is not enough to get sponsors. 

(3) What problems did you face?

During the first semester, it was hard to find research on my topic. Most of the articles I found were foundational. I had enough foundational information at the time but what I needed was information about sponsors and current news in the industry. 

Another problem that faced was switching mentors. My first mentor helped me all the way through summer, but unfortunately, he moved. I was forced to find a new mentor and that really set me back. 

How did you resolve them?

To resolve the first problem which was research based, I found a really helpful website online through my new mentor. The web site was called LiveRC.com, and it included a new article every week regarding tips on how to earn sponsors. Also the web site was updated every day with new product that were released in the industry. This gave me a huge advantage against other people because now I am up to date with the newest products and trends. 

For the second problem, one of my racing friends, Brendon Larrowe agreed to be my mentor. He knows so much information about racing. He has been through it all, and he was the perfect choice for my mentor. 

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

LiveRC.Com - provides me with the latest information about the industry including info about when companies are accepting resume's for sponsorships and jobs.

Brendon Larrowe - He helped me focus and come up with an answer to my essential question. He is a walking encyclopedia, and he knows exactly how to get sponsors behind you.

(5) What is your product and why?

Over these nine months I have made a number of friends and people that have the same interests as I do. If it were not for my senior project forcing me to go out and find people that I can learn from, I would have never had the opportunity to meet them. I think my most important product is my ability to make new friends. I think that this skill has always been there, but this experience really made me polish this skill. To me, nothing fells better than being known and recognized by people all around at different places that I race. I’m not just another racer on the grid. During the summer days of mentorship I didn’t know that many people so I would keep to myself and do my own thing. I would miss out on new setups and information. Now mostly everybody knows me, and I have built up a reputation at other tracks. It’s a great feeling to have people come up to you and ask questions and an even better feeling is when you help them out. I may not compete anymore because I get more out of it if I simply help other people. Now I wish to take all of these skills and apply them to my future. The Senior Project opened up a new world for me and I am glad everything worked out.

                   

Blog 22: Three Column Chart

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AmpmpmuN9b9PdEFPUHhBRDRMNWd6aWszTHpsanNHTFE#gid=0

Blog 21: Independent Component 2

Title: Independent Component 2
Label: Independent Component
Due Date: Friday 4/26 at 8AM
Content:

LITERAL
(a)  “I, Raul Suarez, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work.”
(b) Cite your source regarding who or what article or book helped you complete the independent component - Brandon Larrowe (mentor)
(c) Provide a digital spreadsheet (aka log of the 30 hours) -https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AmpmpmuN9b9PdC15QWc2MkdzNHdXTTF1SFgxWndPOUE&usp=sharing
(d) Explanation of what you completed. See Spread sheet.

INTERPRETIVE
Defend your work and explain how the significant parts of your component and how it demonstrates 30 hours of work. Provide evidence (photos, transcript, art work, videos, etc) of the 30 hours of work.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8VYecLjEw4 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17c8p6tgIIw  - pracrice 4-25-13 at my work

APPLIED
How did the component help you answer your EQ or support one or more of your answers. Please include specific examples to illustrate how it helped.

This indepentdent component helped me apply all of the information I learned from both my mentor and countless articles from LiveRC.com. Most of the articles about RC sponsorship are written by Mike Garrison, and every tip he gave on how to write race resumes, how to race, how to prep your car, were all true. I tried them out when I race on the weekends. While I was racing during this period, I picked up another sponsor (DE Racing). I was talking to people at the track and they reffered me to their team manager, and he set up a 50% sponsorship deal with me. That was my Third answer in action.

Blog 19 Senior Project and ESLRs

Effective user of technology: Application. Incorporating media to create an effective presentation.

Link to video of me driving after doing a few minor setup changes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJpSJudwoYU