Making Chess Pieces

In unit 2 of my Rapid Prototyping class at GCE, we talked more about 3D printing and how to compare that process to making something by hand. For this AP, we were asked to model chess piece of our choice after the top part of that piece in Tinkercad. After that we modeled the object in clay, cardboard and finally 3D printed the model. In the slideshow I made, I compare my experiences with each of the methods. One thing I am proud of is my cardboard model because of how intricate and small the pieces were. Some struggles I had was with the 3D printers because we had a lot of trouble with the filament and a few misprints.

Cutting Letters

In my STEAM course Rapid Prototyping at GCE, we learned about CNC machines, networks, and distance formulas in Unit 1. For this Action Project, we were assigned 2 letters and asked to first draw and design them on graph paper. Then, we had to design both letters with separate materials and cut and assemble them using X-Acto knives, glue, etc. Finally, we we asked to make our letters again in a computer program and cut them out using a Cameo CNC machine. To present what I did, I made a slide show showcasing my letters while detailing and comparing/contrasting how I created them. Some things I struggled with were cutting the handmade letters and tracing them onto the final paper that I used for my handmade creations. Some things that came easy was getting used to the software and using the machine. Overall I'm proud of all my letters that I made and how I put together the slideshow.

Preventing the Spread of HIV/AIDS

In my Humanities course MDGs at GCE, we learned about the 8 Millennium Development Goals that the UN made in 2000. For Unit 3, the specific MDGs we focused on were 6, 7, and 8. MDG 6 is: Combat HIV/AIDS, MDG 7 is: Ensure Environmental Sustainability, and MDG 8 is: Develop a Global Partnership for Development. For this Action Project, we were told to write an essay that gave information on one of these MDGs and inspired people to take action. I chose MDG 6 for my essay and learned a lot about how it affects millions of people around the world every day. I also learned about the many misconceptions people have about this disease, how certain people have taken action against it, and how regular people can help prevent HIV/AIDS.

LS. Spreading HIV/AIDS. 2015

Spread of HIV/AIDS

More than 1.2 million people in the United States are living with HIV, and almost 1 in 8 (12.8%) are unaware of their infection (aids.gov). Either people in the US don’t know much about this horrible disease or they have rash misconceptions due to lack of education. However, even though you may not have this disease, there are many things you can do to help prevent others from contracting it.

HIV and AIDS have been a widespread global issue. The MDGs made by the UN in 2000 recognize the importance of trying to stop the spread of this disease because of the horrors that it imposes and the amount of people they affect. As a race, we have been slightly effective at reducing the spread of these diseases. According to the website Our World Data, in 2000 there were 3.5 million new HIV infections globally and in 2013, there were 2.1 million new HIV infections globally. This decrease in new infections can be considered successful but it can also be reduced a lot more. Also, in 2000, there were 1.8 million global AIDS related deaths and in 2013, there were 1.5 million global AIDS related deaths. While much less of a decrease, this is still a step forward in preventing this disease. However, according to this data, there are still around 2 million new HIV infections and AIDS related deaths each year.

One specific person who has made a difference in the progress of the stop of the spread of HIV and AIDS is Naina Khanna. In an article written about Khanna’s good doings, “This year, Khanna and team greatly expanded a leadership seminar that reached nearly 400 women from across the country and trained them in public speaking, media, blogging and community organizing” (Turkewitz, Ford, and Terell). In my opinion, the best way we can go about preventing HIV/AIDS is getting people educated and aware of the diseases. Khanna did this by teaching people that went to teach others about HIV and what they can do to protect themselves from it. From the same previous article, “... since January, PWN has also launched two major campaigns: the ‘30 for 30 Campaign,’ which focuses on ensuring that women's HIV issues are incorporated into new health care policies, and the ‘Count Us In!’ campaign, which began Dec. 1, and demands that women living with HIV have better access to care and are included in HIV policy decisions, more research and data, and leadership” (Turkewitz, Ford, and Terell). This quote also shows how getting people aware goes a long way to help prevent HIV from spreading.

There are many ways that regular people, young and old, can help prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. Like I said before, the best way to go about preventing this disease is spreading the word and getting people educated. HIV/AIDS is spread by people making decisions. If we can make everyone aware of the risks involved in having unprotected sex with another person you don’t know well, we can help prevent the disease. Also, making sure people are aware of the way that the disease spreads can be helpful too. Making sure that people know that they won’t contract HIV/AIDS just by being around a person that has it will also help clear some large misconceptions about the disease. So, quite simply the best way to prevent these diseases is education people about being aware, safe, and protected.

In conclusion, the spread of HIV/AIDS is a large problem all around the world. As the facts show, this disease has affected millions of people and many people every day try to stop it. What we can do as regular citizens to help is make sure that every person is aware, educated, and safe. The most important thing to remember about this disease is that it can and will infect anyone it comes in contact with, even you.

Works Cited

Rosser, Max. "HIV / AIDS." Our World in Data. OurWorldInData.org, 2015. Web. 23 Oct. 2015. http://ourworldindata.org/data/health/hiv-aids/

Turkewitz, Julie, Olivia Ford, and Kellee Terrell. "HIV/AIDS Community Spotlight: People Who

Made a Difference in 2011." TheBody.com. Remedy Health Media, 13 Dec. 2011. Web. 23 Oct. 2015. http://www.thebody.com/content/65158/hivaids-community-spotlight-people-who-made-a-diff.html

"U.S. Statistics." AIDS.gov. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2 Dec. 2014. Web.

23 Oct. 2015. https://www.aids.gov/hiv-aids-basics/hiv-aids-101/statistics/

Weather and Climate in Olympia

In my STEAM course Water at GCE, we learned all about weather and climate patterns in Unit 3. While learning about weather, we also learned about fossil fuels and greenhouse gasses and how they play a role in the environment. For this Action Project, we were asked to chose a city and do research it's weather patterns and it's ppm, (parts per million) which relates to the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. Also, we presented issues that could arise if more carbon continued to enter the atmosphere and what could be done to prevent it.

Bari Presentation and Introduction

In my Italian course, we've learned how introduce ourselves, describe what we like and don't like, and many other things. For this Action Project, we were given a city, told to do research on it, and make a presentation shown in a video. For my Italian city, Bari, I found many interesting things on Music made in the city, Art, location, and significant places. All of these things are included in the video below along with an introduction of myself.

Gender Pay Gaps in the United States and Italy

In my humanities class MDG's, we've learned about Millennium Development Goals 3, 4, and 5. These are promoting gender equality, improving maternal health, and reducing child mortality. Because of MDG 3, I created this essay to talk about the issue of gender pay gaps in different countries around the world. The countries I chose were the United States because I live here and Italy because I have family there and it's a place that is close to my heart. In the essay I compare and contrast the facts about the current status of the pay gap and give some examples on what each country is doing to try to narrow it.

LS. Gender Pay Gap. (2015)

Did you know that in 2014, women working full time in the United States typically were paid just 79 percent of what men were paid, a gap of 21 percent? When someone talks of a “gender pay gap”, they are referring to the amount of income each genders gets. Around the world, a pay gap like this between genders is unfortunately very common. However, the size of the gap and what the country is or is not doing varies depending on the specific place you are talking about. As you will soon see, both the US and Italy have gender pay gaps that they are trying to narrow.

There is a gap in pay between genders in the US of about 21 percent. In the US, the government are very aware of the gap in pay between genders. While going about our efforts to reduce the gap, we’ve noticed that “for young women, the wage gap is even smaller – at 93 percent – meaning they caught up to their same-aged male counterparts by roughly the last week in January of this year” (Patten, Ileen). This means that what the US has been doing has been working for the younger population. As far as what the US can do, here is what lleen thinks, “The Paycheck Fairness Act would improve the scope of the Equal Pay Act, which hasn’t been updated since 1963, with stronger incentives for employers to follow the law, enhance federal enforcement efforts, and prohibit retaliation against workers asking about wage practices. Tell the Congress to take action for equal pay.” Also, “Even though women have increased their presence in higher-paying jobs traditionally dominated by men, such as professional and managerial positions, women as a whole continue to work in lower-paying occupations than men do” (Patten, Ileen). What this basically means is that for the most part, genders doing the same job are getting paid almost the same (which is good) and that the biggest reason for the existence of the pay gap is actually just the fact that women are employed in jobs that are known to pay less than men based on the fact that . That being said, this can be a result of gender discrimination. During a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, they found that “...women were more likely to say they had taken career interruptions to care for their family. And research has shown that these types of interruptions can have an impact on long-term earnings” (Patten, Ileen). This is trying to justify the gap in pay between genders by saying that women have more interruptions than men. While this is not always true, the survey does provide an interesting insight on a possible reason why some companies may pay their employees differently. If I had someone having to leave work early often or maybe sometimes not come in at all versus an employee who was always there when they were supposed to, than I would obviously want to pay the more committed worker more than the other.

While a gender pay gap also exists in Italy, they too are aware of its existence and are also trying to narrow it. In 2012, the gender pay gap in Italy was a mere 6.7%. “Despite the gap being relatively small in Italy,  the country has one of Europe’s worst disparities in hiring” (Scammell, Rosie). This explains that while the gender pay gap in Italy is relatively low (approximately 14.3% lower than the US), it still remains to have a problem with jobs hiring different genders. “There has been some change at the top, with Prime Minister Matteo Renzi installing a number of women into key ministerial posts such as defence and health” (Patten, Ileen). This is explaining how some of Italy’s respected authorities have been aware of the gap and intentionally trying to promote the idea of women being in powerful positions. I think this a great way to get people to realize that they shouldn’t base their decision of hiring someone on their gender. “Prominent Italian businesswomen who have beaten the odds including Emma Marcegaglia, president of energy company Eni, and Luisa Todini, president of the Italian postal service” (Patten, Ileen). This also supports the previous point about putting women in powerful positions. It gives examples of businesswomen that are respected and powerful in Italy.

Although both countries have a pay gap, the status of it and how they are being handled  are very different. Some of the similarities of the countries because of the gender pay gap are: both countries actually have a pay gap and both countries are trying to narrow it. Some of the differences between the countries are: state of the gaps (size) and what they’re doing to decrease it. For the similarities, the most obvious being they both have a pay gap. 21% for USA and 6% for Italy. For both of these counties, they are trying to reduce the pay gap to ensure equality among all of their citizens. Most notably, Italy has put women into positions of power to empower women. Also, the most obvious difference is the fact that they have different pay gaps.  21% for USA and 6% for Italy.

In conclusion, Italy and the United States have many differences and similarities on the topic of their gender pay gaps. However, it’s important to note that both the United States and Italy have gender pay gaps that they are trying to narrow. Each of these countries is doing different things to narrow the gap and the effectiveness can be shown with the numbers.

Works Cited

Patten, Ileen. "On Equal Pay Day, Key Facts about the Gender Pay Gap." Pew Research  

Center RSS. Pew Research Center, 14 Apr. 2015. Web. 01 Oct. 2015.

Scammell, Rosie . "Italy's Gender Pay Gap Getting Worse." The Local. N.p., 05 Mar. 2015.

Web. 01 Oct. 2015.

Filtering Water

LS, Filter. 2015

In my STEAM course at GCE called Water, this Action Project made us construct our own filters and try to use it to clean river water. Before and after, we tested the pH level of the water to see if we observed a change.  I used various materials to build my filter that I found around my neighborhood. Some of the struggles involved with getting the materials were collecting them and bringing them back to my house. The sand and gravel were especially hard as I had to bring them on a bike. While I was filtering, I had some trouble with the water. Some of the sand got around the coffee filters and resulted in the sand coming through into the filtered water.

The way my filter works is very similar to ground water filtration. The smaller gaps in the sand filter out the smaller contaminants while the larger gaps in the gravel can help filter out the other things.

LS, Dirty Water. 2015.

Materials:

1. Soda bottle
2. Coffee filters
3. Gravel
4. Sand
5. Cup to catch water
6. pH tester
7. Scissors
8. Knife

To construct my filter I followed this procedure:

1. Cutting soda bottle off at the bottom
2. Poking small hole at the cap of the bottle
3. Putting in 2-3 coffee filters
4. Add about 3 cups gravel
5. Add about 3 cups sand

To test the water I followed this procedure:

1. Collect 500mL dirty water and test the pH
2. Pour the water into the filter. Wait for it to stop dripping before taking drip cup away.
3. Test the pH of the filtered water and record any noticeable visual observations.
4. Repeat this 2 more times with the water so that you will have put the same water through 3 times.

Data

	Visual Observations	Measured amount	pH Test 1	pH Test 2	Average pH
Before filtration:	Translucent, many particulates and very dirty	500mL	6.9	7.0	6.95
After 1st pass:	Translucent, still very dirty from sand at the bottom (came from filter)	275mL	7.0	7.4	7.2
After 2nd pass:	translucent, very sandy similar to the previous recording	250mL	7.5	7.6	7.55
After 3rd pass:	translucent, still dirty because of sand	250mL	7.5	7.6	7.55

I started off with putting in 250mL but the sand absorbed it and nothing came out. So, to overflow the sand with water and force it to come out on the bottom I added in an extra 250mL of water. The same thing happened during the filtration and thats why I ended up with less water than when I started.

pH Scale
0------------------------------------------------ 6.95--7----7.55-------------------------------------------14

The pH scale shows hot the water became more alkaline after the filtration process.

pH Change

Before filtration: 6.95

After filtration: 7.55

Change: 0.6

- log X = 0.6

X = 3.98107171

By filtering my water, I was able to make it almost 4 times more alkaline than it's unfiltered version!

Works Cited

"Water Purification: Improvised Charcoal Filter." Practical Primitive. Practical Primitive LLC, May

     2010. Web. 08 Oct. 2015.

"How to Make a Water Filter." Wilderness Survival Skills. Wilderness-Survival-Skills.com, 2011.

     Web. 08 Oct. 2015.

Education as a Human Right

      For this Action Project, we were asked to use our knowledge that we gained in our class, MDGs, to write an essay describing our opinion on if MDG 1 or 2 should be considered a human right. In this unit, we learned about all the aspects of the first and second MDGs. MDG 1 is extreme hunger and poverty. MDG 2 was achieving free universal primary education. One of the challenges I had was finding suitable quotes that directly apply to my argument. To over come this I just dug deep for them and really made sure they fit my points. One of the things I am proud of is how well that the quotes actually support my points and how strong my argument is presented.

LS, Education as a Right. 2015

Education as a Human Right

Often, people don’t realize that children are the future of the world. Many parent don't see that they’re creating the next presidents, lawyers, doctors, and political leaders. If we hope to have a successful future and world, then we need to come together and make a plan so that all our children are educated. I believe ability  to be able to to complete a primary education should be a human right.

Children are our future. If our children are uneducated, then the future of the world may be in danger. The Maslow's Hierarchy of needs goes in this order in levels: Physiological, Safety, Love/Belonging, Esteem, Self-Actualization. Under this hierarchy of needs, the need for education is apart of achieving the Self-Actualization level. This need isn’t needed for survival as an individual, but rather the survival of an economy or a culture. “The price of education is the cost of competitiveness in tomorrow’s economy, and it is in all Americans’ enlightened self-interest to invest in our future.” (Albada, Michael)  What the author is trying to explain is that if we don’t invest in our children’s education now, we’re failing to invest in the future.

Making sure every child around the world is educated can benefit the growth and development of the human race as a whole. If education didn’t exist, we wouldn't be able to innovate and develop to grow and fit the rising need of new and better technology and goods. If we aren’t able to fulfill the need of  new things, the economy will fall. Thus, the entire economic system is based on education. ”Additionally, in today’s increasingly global economy, education is becoming a necessary component for innovation, growth and development.” (Albada, Michael) In this quote, the writer explains the need of education in order to expand as a human race.

The most obvious solution to the problem of children not receiving primary education is to make it a human right. Making primary education a human right would force countries to give their children an education. Education is a fundamental human right and essential for the exercise of all other human rights. When we introduce problems lightly, action is hardly ever taken. Countries need to understand the importance of education and how it contributes to their future. In order for the proper schooling to be available, a global fund must be created and certain countries must pay varying amount based on their income to contribute to worldwide free and accessible primary education.

Free primary education should be a human right because it directly contributes to the future of certain countries and the development of the human race as a whole. I believe ability  to be able to to complete a primary education should be a human right.If we can make this a right and force people to educate our children, we can ensure a good future for the world.

Works Cited

Albada, Michael. "Stanford Progressive." The Stanford Progressive. 1 Mar. 2010. Web. 16 Sept. 2015.

The Right to Education." The Right to Education | Education | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Web. 17 Sept. 2015.

Personal and International Water Usage

This was my first Action Project for a STEAM course at GCE called Water. The first thing we had to do before I started working on my poster was to find out my daily water usage. Then we went on our Field Experience to the Chicago river to collect water. The point of this FE was to put us into the shoes of people that live in India and make us understand the struggles people go through to get their daily water supply. After the FE was over, we got started on Action Project 1. For this project, we had to create an ad that included our personal water usage and then compare it to another country of choice. The ad had to fit on in CTA poster frame. Some of the challenging parts of the FE were carrying the water from the river back to the school and doing some of the calculations on the post-FE worksheet. I overcame these challenges by just pushing through and asking for help. One of the easier things was preparing for it and gathering materials.

 LS, How Much do You Use? 2015.

Script

The personal water usage for me is 66.5 gallons. The 4 categories that I calculated are Hygiene, cleaning, consumption, and my laundry. The percentages of these categories are as follows: Hygiene - 81.2%, Cleaning - 9.02%, Consumption - 2.25%, Laundry - 7.51%. The country I’m comparing my usage to is india. The average daily usage for them is 135 liters or 35.6632 gallons. My amount just about doubles that of the average indian citizen. I use more water just by showering each  day than they use all day. I also use much of my daily usage for things that people in india would want to use for consumption rather than recreational use. The amount of time it would take me to travel to lake Michigan and back to my house and carry all of my daily water usage would be 9.14 hours. This is with a one mile distance and my daily water usage would be 66.5 gallons. My calculated gal per mile gallon is 0.12 repeated.

Works Cited

Autoloanestimator.com,. 'Autoloan Estimator'. N.p., 2015. Web. 16 Sept. 2015.

Wizspk.com,. 'Wizspk Communication & PR Agency In Mumbai'. N.p., 2015. Web. 16 Sept. 2015.

Clker.com,. 'Large Black City Skyline Clip Art'. N.p., 2015. Web. 16 Sept. 2015.