SeniorProjectReflection

RobinLaurinec
Ms.Hughes
13March,2016

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Theworldisfullofstoriesthatneverreallygettold.Whilethehistorybookscoveralot
oftheoverallcontent,manyoftheminor,moreinterestingtalesgetleftoutduetotime.One
suchstoryisthatofGuntherPluschow,aGermanpilotduringWorldWarI.Hisstoryofcapture
andescapeisanexceptionallycaptivatingone,butmostpeoplehaverarely(ifever)heardof
him.Withadesiretotelltheworldabouthisescape,Idecidedtowriteabiographicalnarrative
abouthimandwhathewentthroughduringtheFirstWorldWar.Throughthewritingand
researchprocesses,Iexploredanewcareerpath,learnedmoredeeplyabouttheArborPrep
mission,conductedanextensiveamountofresearch,metagreatprofessorandmentor,grew
withinmyself,andcreatedaprofessionalpresentation,allofwhichwillpreparemetobe
successfulinacollegeenvironment.
Ihavealwaysbeenfascinatedbyhistoryandhavefoundthatthestoriesthatdontget
muchpublicattentionaretheonesthatarethemostinteresting.WorldWarIisoneofthetime
periodsinworldhistorythatcontainsavastamountofstoriesthatrarelyseethelightofday.
WorldWarIisoneofmyfavoritetimeperiodstostudy,andso,Gunthershiddentalewas
someonethatreallypeakedmyinterest.Alongwithconnectingtomygeneralinterests,thisbook
definitelyconnectstomyfuturecareerplans.Incollege,Iplantomajorinhistoryandminorin
eitherEnglishorcreativewriting.ThefactthatIresearchedandwroteforthisprojecthelpedme
getabettersenseoftheamountofworkthatIwillhavetocopewithasIpursuethesedegrees.
Aftercollege,Iwouldlovetobecomeamuseumcurator.Inthiscareer,Iwillhavetobeableto
conductextensiveresearchinordertoplacethearcheologicalitemsthatIamhandlingintothe
correctcontextofhistory.TheabundanceofresearchthatIhadtodoinordertomakethis
biographicalnarrativeauthenticandaccuratehashelpedpreparemeforthis.Theotherthingthat

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thisprojectpreparedmeforisstorytelling.Asamuseumcurator,Iwillnotonlyhaveto
categorizetheitems,butIwillhavetoworkwiththemuseumdesignerstofigureoutwhatstory
totelltheviewerswiththeitemsathand.
Throughoutthisprocess,myworkreflectedtheArborPrepmissionstatementsofrigor
andresponsibility.AnexceptionalamountofworkwentintomakingGunthersstoryasaccurate
aspossible.Intotal,Iprobablyspentabout4or5daysaloneconductingandrefiningmy
researchprocess.Therewerealotofwebsitesthatappearedtobevalid,butwhenIlookedinto
theirpublication,Ifoundtheauthors/publisherswerenotexpertsintheirfieldorthatthe
informationonthewebsiteswaswrong.Ialsospendseveralmonthswritingtheactualbook.I
hadastrictschedulethatItriedtofollow,andIputahugeamountoftimeintoperfectingthe
variouspartsofthebook.ResponsibilitywastheothermajormissionstatementthatIusedwhile
craftingthisnovella.Inordertofinishthebookontime,Ihadtotakeresponsibilityformy
actionsandgetitdone.Ihadtosetasidetimeandforsakesomeofmyleisureactivitiesinorder
tocompleteit.
OneofthebiggestreasonsastowhyIwrotethisbiographicalnarrativewastoget
Gunthersstoryouttotherestofthecommunity.Thethingshewentthroughonhispursuitof
freedomprovidespotentmessagesaboutperseveranceandthedevotiontoyourcountrythatI
believewillserveasagoodinfluenceinthecommunity.Byexposingpeopletothisstory,I
believethatsomewillbegintodelvedeeperintotopicsliketheseanddiscoverthatthereismuch
moretohistorythanjustwhattheyjustlearninclass.
Becausethiswasahistoricallybasedproject,researchwasamajorpartofit.BecauseI
neededittobeaccurate,Ispentasubstantialamountoftimedoingbackgroundchecksonthe

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authors,publishers,andthecontentitself.SomeofthewebsitesthatIinitiallywantedtouseI
hadtoremovefrommyannotatedbibliographybecauseafterIdidsomemoreresearch,I
discoveredthateithertheydidnothaveanauthorlisted,thattheauthor/sponsororganization
listedwasnotcredible(suchasdiscoveringthatitwasablog),andthat(insomecases),eventhe
factswereinaccurate.Throughthisprocess,Ilearnedtorecognizewhatsourceswereusefuland
whichwerenot.Ialsolearnedhowtointegrateaquoteintomynovellainawaythatitprovided
outsideinformationbutitdidnotdisrupttheflowofthestoryintheprocess.TheinformationI
useddefinitelysupportedmythoughtsonthetopic.WhenIstartedout,IwasntsurethatIwould
haveenoughinformationtogetacomplete,comprehensiveoverviewofGunther.However,after
allofmyinformationgatheringwasdone,IdiscoveredthatIhadmorethanenoughinformation
towritethisstory.
OneofthemostvaluableresourcesthatIusedwasProfessorGeorgeCassar.Heisa
historyprofessoratEasternMichiganUniversity,andhaswrittenextensivelyaboutWorldWar
I,includingabouttheBritishhomefront.Afterfindinginformationonhim,therewasabouta
monthofbackandforthemailcontactwithhim,coordinatingwhenandwherewecouldmeet
up.Eventually,wedecidedtomeetuptoathisofficeintheUniversity.WhenIfinallymethim,
hewasverylaidbackandintelligent.Heprovidedmewithalotofbackgroundinformationand
tipsastohowtogoaboutwritingmybook.Overall,Ithinkthatourrelationshipinrelationtothe
projectwasveryhelpful.Heprovidedmewithadviceandinformationnotonlyonthisone
occasion,butonceortwiceafterwardaswell.Hewasveryprofessionalandintheend,allofhis
helpaccumulatedintothesuccessofmynovella.

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Thisprojecthascertainlyledtomypersonalgrowth.ThefirstthingthatIlearnedabout
myselfwasmyplanningability.WhenIstartedmyseniorproject,IknewthatIwasafairlygood
planner,butthroughthisprocess,IfoundIbecameevenbetterthanbefore.Imanagedtocreatea
timelineplanandforthemostpart,followit.Inordertocompletethisprojectontime,there
weremanythingsthatIusedtomotivatemyselftofinishtheproject.First,Isetasidedayswhere
Icancelledallofmyotherplans.Byhavingnothingelsetodo,Iwasabletofocusallmyefforts
onthenovellaandaccomplishalotmore.TheothermajorthingthatIdidtomotivatemyself
wassetgoals.EachtimeIwouldsitdowntowrite,IwouldsaythatIwouldwriteuptoacertain
partofhislife.WhenIreachedthispart,Iwouldstopforthenight.Bygivingmyselfsmallgoals
togetto,itwasmucheasiertofinishthebookinitsentirety.Throughthisprocess,Ilearnedthat
Iamdedicatedandhardworking.IalsolearnedthatIamafairlygoodresearcher.Finally,I
learnedtovaluemyperfectionisticnature(asIrewroteseveralsectionsofthebookbecauseIdid
notlikehowtheywerephrased).
Inthefieldofacademics,Ihavetoworkonperfectingmyquoteincorporationskillsthe
most.Learninghowtoincorporatethequotesinawaythatdoesntdisrupttheflowofthepaper/
textisanimportantskilltohaveincollegeandinthefuture.AproblemsolvingskillthatI
appliedduringthisprojectwascooperation.Atonepointduringthewritingprocess,Ihadsevere
writersblockandIcouldntfigureoutwhattowritenext.Inordertoresolvethis,Idecidedto
discussthestorywithfriendsandfamily.Theideasthattheygavemehelpedresolvemywriters
blockandpromptedmetocontinuewritingthestory.Whiledoingthisproject,Iwassurprisedat
thesheeramountofresearchthathadtogointoit.BecauseIhadalmostnobackground
knowledgeonGunther,Ihadtolearneverythingabouthim.Becausenoonesiteprovidedme

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withalloftheinformationthatIneeded,Ihadtousemanydifferentresourcestogetthewhole
picture.
TheskillsthatIlearnedduringthisentireprojectwilldefinatelyhelpmewhenitcomes
tothefuture.SinceIplanonmajoringinhistory,Iwillneedtobeabletoconductcomprehensive
andaccurateresearchonthetopicsthatIwillbestudying.Also,aftercollege,Iplantobecome
bothahistoricalwriterandamuseumcurator.Inordertobesuccessful,Iwillneedtobeableto
presenttheartifactsinthemuseuminawaythatisinterestingandengagingtotheviewer.This
project,unlikeithasforsomanypeople,hasmademeevenmorepassionateabouthistoryand
hasopenedmeuptonewcareeravenuesthatIcanusemyhistoricalskillstopursue.Myplansto
gotocollegeforhistorywerestrengthenedbythisproject,andithasmademeevenmoreexcited
tocontinueonwithit.Thecreationofthisnovellahastaughtmehowtopaceoutawriting
calendar,howtokeeponschedule,andhowtoutilizetheresourcesaroundmetocreatea
comprehensivestory.
ThepresentationthatIcreatedasthelastpieceofmyprojectwasextremelysuccessful.I
putalotoftimeandeffortintomakingthepowerpointclearandconcise.WhenIstartedit,it
wasreallylongwindedanddetailed.Bytheend,however,Imanagedtocutitdowntoaboutten
slides.Inthepowerpoint,Isuccessfullycapturedtheamountofwork,research,andlearningthat
Iexperiencedthroughouttheproject.IdiscussedalltheinformationthatIhadlearnedabout
Guntherhimself,alongwithmyresearchprocess,mymentor,andhowmyviewofhistory(and
toagreaterextent,theworld)changedbecauseofit.Overall,Iamveryhappywithmy
presentation.Itwasbriefandwelloutlined,andIhitmostofthepointsthatIwantedtotalk
about.IfIcouldredothepresentation,theonlythingthatIwouldchangewouldbethatIwould

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talkaboutmyprojectmore.IthinkthatIdidafairlygoodjobmentioningwhatIdid,butIcould
haveexplaineditalittlebetterthanIactuallydid.
Throughthecompletionofthisproject,IlearnedalotaboutnotonlyGuntherPluschow,
butaboutmyselfaswell.Ilearnedhowtoresearchproperlyandhowtoincorporateallofthe
informationthatIlearnedintoanarrativeliketext.IlearnedaboutafacetofhistorythatIhave
neverpreviouslyexploredbefore.Iwroteanofficialproposalandcreatedapowerpoint
presentationthatwasprofessionalandinformative.Finally,Ilearnedtomanagemytimeandto
developmyownvoiceasawriter.Throughthis,Ihavebeguntobepreparedforthestyleand
writingthatIwillhavetodoincollegeandasImoveonintotheworkforce.TheskillsIlearned
throughthisprocesswillallowmetobesuccessfulinmyfutureandintherestofmylife.