Term

Summer 2024

Capstone

Capstone Project

Degree Name

MAT

Facilitator(s)

Karen Moroz

Content Expert

Eileen McElhenny

Abstract

All students deserve opportunities that help them feel safe and connected to their school environment. For my capstone, I designed a culturally responsive extracurricular program designed for Latina immigrant-origin middle school students, focusing on heritage-based learning and gaining social and emotional learning (SEL) competencies. My capstone project sought to answer the question: “How can Latina immigrant-origin middle school students benefit from a culturally responsive extracurricular program that revolves around the explicit instruction of SEL skills?” In response to this question, I have designed an after-school curriculum that integrates heritage-based elements to address and support the distinct social and emotional needs of Latina middle school students. The curriculum is informed by a comprehensive review of relevant literature and is enriched by my own personal experiences. The first chapter emphasizes the importance of culturally tailored and comprehensive mental health care for immigrant-origin youth, and outlines the personal and professional relevance of this research to me. Chapter Two reviews the existing literature, acknowledging previous researchers and delving into the rationale behind focusing on Latina middle school students, heritage education, mental health, extracurricular programs, and social-emotional learning. Chapter Three presents the design of the capstone project, including its rationale, setting, audience, project outline, and timeline, covering preparation, implementation, and assessment. Chapter Four discusses insights gained from the project, including personal reflections and professional growth, revisits key elements of the literature review, addresses any project limitations, and suggests directions for future research.

Project Type

Curriculum

Keywords

At-risk Students, Curriculum, Multicultural Education, Social Justice

dc_type

text

dc_publisher

DigitalCommons@Hamline

dc_format

application/pdf

dc_source

School of Education Student Capstone Projects

Included in

Education Commons

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