[Link] writing your paper, what did you learn about the research process?

It helps the research process if you enjoy and take an interest in what youre researching.
The research process is long and theres a lot of reading, but I enjoyed researching because I
really took an interest in the subject. It takes a long time and theres a lot of fact checking, but as
you go it gets easier to find information and decipher what information is needed and what
information is not needed. I learned its easy to research and find information; whats difficult is
organizing the information and putting it all together in the paper so that it flows and doesnt just
jump from fact to fact in no order. The pride paper research definitely taught me more about how
to research and organize my thoughts better than any other research paper Ive done.

2. How was the research related to your mentor hours?

It wasnt really related to my research. My research was done over a year ago for the
pride paper on being a police officer, the responsibilities and how they are viewed by society. I
cant do a full project on the requirements, or view by society. Responsibilities are too broad and
views are too political. [Link] and I were trying to find a project idea that was both
unpolitical and doable. We decided to do a project that was more based on other peoples
questions and common myths about their rights. Theres many loopholes and holes in North
Carolina law, and a lot of people are unaware about them. This project is meant to inform and
answer peoples questions about the law.

3. Summarize the mentor hours that you completed.

Since a police officers job can be dangerous and unpredictable at times, mentor hours
was difficult go about. My original idea was to do a ride along or something of that nature; as it
turns out though, unlike the movies, ride alongs are not allowed in most circumstances including
this one. So [Link] and I just met up to talk about ideas for the project and topics we can
discuss and cover in it. A couple of the hours he showed me basic rules of engagement and such
for detaining someone, or arresting someone. We talked about different scenarios and how
officers would react and handle the different scenarios.

4. How did working with your mentor affect your understanding of the topic area and /or
the professional world?
Anybody can learn about a job or really anything from research and the internet, but
working with an actual police officer is much different than just research. Doing and seeing it
happen first hand gives you a much better understanding of how it works. Something about
visuals and real life examples help you retain it and have a better understanding of it. He also
opened my eyes to parts of the job that most people dont really know about, including me.
a. If you mentor was not directly related to your topic, what did you learn about the
profession that can be translated to any future professional setting?
 b. If your mentor contributed to the development of the product, how were they
involved?
He will be answering the questions the students have that I collect from high
school students and will be coming to the middle school to answer the middle schoolers
their questions as well. Hes also helping me come up with the activity for the seventh
graders to work on. We are trying to come up with an activity that they both take
seriously and learn something from without being bored out of their mind.

5. How did creating a product and completing the hours challenge you personally?
I believe my biggest challenge was motivation and trying to control the reins on my my
laziness. Ive never had a problem working hard and getting work done, once Im in the zone.
Its getting that momentum going everyday that I had to work on it that was the challenge. But if
Im being honest I didnt have a choice. I was on thin ice academically as is, and either I had to
change my work ethic or go through another painful senior year. This pride project really helped
change the way I work and the way I look at future consequences. Putting it off this long, and
then having to work twice as hard and make up for all that time I wasted really showed me how
much worse life can be if I kept up with and brought the same laziness I have in high school to
life.

6. Do you feel prepared academically and emotionally for the presentation?a. If not, why?
What challenges do you still face to feel prepared?
I know Im prepared and capable academically. Same goes for emotionally, most of the
time. Its definitely frightening in a way because none of us have ever had a project quite this
big, with so much on the line. Even the best and smartest of us are nervous because you really
cant prepare yourself for the unknown. I can definitely admit that a good portion of the time
with the pride project I feel overwhelmed and feel like theres so much to do, I wont be able to
get it all done. Usually when that happens though I just make a checklist of what I need done and
just do down the line, one by one.

7. How did the entire process stretch you as a learner and as an individual?
This entire process was a big wake up call for me. I put it off and kept putting it off
because I didnt want to put in the time and effort. Then it dawned on me that if I dont change
my work ethic I will not graduate, and nothing would be more humiliating than not graduating.
All Ive ever done is think about the now, and worry about the consequences later. I had to pull a
complete 180 degrees with my work ethic and completely change gears if I was going to
graduate. I didnt have time to slowly start working harder and putting in my time. The pride
project was moving faster than any of us saw coming and I knew if I could just not be lazy and
put in the work, I would not have to work even harder later on in life.
8. Other than time management, describe an obstacle you encountered and how you
overcame it.
A big obstacle aside from time management was sheer laziness. I would have rather sat
around and done nothing than just sit there and put in some work. Didnt matter what anybody
said, didnt matter who they were, or theyre importance and authority, I was going to do what I
wanted to do. It wasnt even always that I was doing what I wanted to do, it was like I just didnt
do what everybody else wanted me to do. Once everybody just started giving up on me, it felt
like Id won the battle. I was feeling good for about a week and then I hit a real low once I
took a real hard look at my life and the path I was going down in school and outside of school.
After that I started working harder and fighting that laziness and opposition to see if I could for
nobody but myself. Once the work I was putting in started to show, Id gotten a feeling thats
real hard to explain, but I hadnt felt it in a long time. I felt almost refreshed, relieved and
healthier; and now Im just trying to chase that feeling rather than give up on it. Laziness was a
big obstacle for me, but I think after typing this Im realizing my biggest obstacle was myself.

9. What life skills did you acquire and how will they help you in the future?
I think theres only so many life skills you can acquire from a school project. Working on
the project and putting in the work taught me some great work ethic that will help me all
throughout life. Didnt learn much about time management except how not to manage my time. I
learned an awful lot from my career topic that will help me in life though. I learned that NC law
is very complicated and there are many flaws and loopholes in them. I acquired a good bit of
knowledge from NC law and some myths and common mistakes people have with their rights.

10. If you had to go back and do parts of the project again, what would you do differently?
I definitely would have done the portfolio checks. The weebly site was confusing and so I
just opted out of doing it even with knowledge of how big a grade they were. For the final
portfolio check, when I started turning things around, I actually asked questions about it instead
of just not doing it and as it turns out its really not that complicated. Who knew you could learn
and make easy grades from asking a question?

11. Based on the entire Pride Project experience, do you plan to pursue this field as a
career or college area of study? If so, why? If not, why? Please be specific.
I chose a police officer because I really love the feeling you get when you help someone
or do a good deed and because Ive always had an real interest in the law. I could see myself
being a police officer but throughout this last year my interests have changed course a little bit.
Ive always been great with and loved debating, negotiating, and even arguing. I love taking a
situation and being able to manipulate your argument in a fashion that indirectly gets your point
across and persuades the other party. Along with that, my mother went to law school and told me
she would help me pay if I put in the work. So Ive really been considering the route of being a
lawyer if I can change my work ethic and starting making an effort. The way I see it, I have the
opportunity to make good money, do what I love, and I can make a real difference in peoples
lives. Good, innocent people with good hearts who dont have much money, and find themselves
in a situation where they need someone in my line of work. Of course, who doesnt love making
a lot of money? But who doesnt love going to bed at the end of the day knowing you made a
difference in someones life? Ive always wanted to be a lawyer but it wasnt until I showed
myself what Im capable of, that I ever actually considered it.