Shawndia Jones

CAP 2018-19 End-of-year Self-Assessment

Assigned: Monday, 5/20

Due: Friday, 5/31, by midnight

Part 1 - Exit Skills Reflection, Spring 2019

Write one paragraph for each section below (a-d).
Link to CAP Exit Skills: ​CAP Exit Skills

a. Pick a skill in which you believe you have grown the most this
trimester. Describe the project that allowed you to grow in this area
and what you learned about yourself as an artist in the process.
​I have grown the most in the following skill: CAP graduates have a broad acquaintance
with the significant innovators, artists, and schools in their chosen art forms, at least at the
level of recognition vocabulary if not active experiential connection. Because of the cultural
literacy test, I am now able to identify a variety of artists that I normally would not know of.
During that process, I learned that I have great time management skills as an artists. In the
time frame of a weekend, I was able to memorize a lot of facts about over twenty artists. I
have also gained a new appreciation of artists by listening to what my peers have to say
about each one.
b. Pick a skill on which you would continue to give yourself a fairly low
rating, and write a paragraph in which you devise at least one strategy
that might help you improve.
The skill that I need to improve on os “the CAP diploma means that students have
assembled a considerable body of work in a variety of styles in their chosen disciplines: a
group of monologues and roles as an actor; solo, duet, and group dances; a collection of
written work or visual art, etc.” In the beginning of the school year, I started to put together
a group of monologues. The only consistent problem I have with this skill is trying to
prioritize my CAP creative work with my academic work. I plan to fix this problem by
devoting at least 15 minutes of my time each night to acting, whether that’s reading
monologues, reciting old ones, or memorizing new ones.
c. Pick any other skill from the list, and invent a project that would be FUN
and that you could actually do this summer and that would allow you to
practice that skill.
“CAP graduates analyze and draw inspiration from the expertise and artistry of
professionals; they are adept at using the work of master artisans as source material for
their own creative work.” A project that I could actually do this summer is go to actual
plays and musicals in each state I visit. Whenever I travel with my family, we usually pick
what we want to do. I am going to try to find some productions to watch in Florida,
Massachusetts, New York, and Texas. By seeing these different shows, I would get the
opportunity to analyze each acting technique and possibly implement that into my own
acting.
d. Wild card: What artistic experience would you like to reflect on that you
have not yet had a chance to write about? Why was this important for
 you, and what skills did you use?
I would like to reflect on the Free Shorts play. I loved doing the play and I also loved playing
lacrosse. I am so very thankful to Ms. Volpe for allowing Catie and I to do both. I wanted to
reflect on this because after receiving the script from Ms. Volpe and the lacrosse schedule
from Ms. Boyle, I was a little doubtful about whether or not I could do this. I thought I was
biting off more than I could chew. As the weeks drew nearer to the play and the end of the
season, I started to memorize the lines. After about one night on the phone with Catie for
four hours, we had the script down. This experience gave me more confidence in my ability
to get things done. I could have quit the lacrosse team to have an easier approach to the
third trimester, but I didn’t. As a result of this, Catie and I gave an amazing performance.
Part 2 - Masterclass/Event Reflection, Spring 2018

Write a 1-2 page reflection on a masterclass or event from trimester 3. This should be an
event or class you attended, not one in which you performed or presented. Here is the list:

1. James Lecesne and Ryan Amador, ​The Future Perfect

2. Amy Genser Studio
3. Comedy Night
4. New Britain Museum of Art: Georgia O’keeffe and Beyond
5. Jake Halpern Masterclass
6. Free Shorts, upper school theater production
7. The Flamingo Kid
8. Naomi Washer Masterclass
9. Spring Music Concert

I would like to reflect on the Jake Halpern Masterclass. It wasn’t my absolute

favorite, but it is still worth reflecting. It was interesting to hear Halpern’s story as to why
he got into writing. Prior to the masterclass, I read Halpern’s article on his experience
meeting the officer who shot Michael Brown. At first I didn’t want to read the article
because I didn’t want to know how the officer was feeling. I didn’t care about how the
officer was feeling. All I ever really thought about was the family of Michael Brown. I was
even apprehensive about attending the masterclass because I figured anyone who could sit
down with Michael Brown’s killer is just as bad as him. With hesitation, I read the article. It
was a well written piece. It was very real as well. I thought that Darren Wilson was still
working after the shooting, but instead he is identified as a liability and could not find work
after. It’s strangely interesting how one day and ruin someone’s life forever.
Fast-forward to the actual masterclass: I was not interested in the masterclass in the
very beginning. I hate when I am just talked at for a whole hour and thirty minutes. I lost
interest within the first ten minutes. I thought that that was how the rest of the class was
going to go for me until he started to speak about his experience writing the article about
Darren Wilson. He even said that he didn’t want to do the article because of his principles.
Darren Wilson wanted his story to be heard but Halpern made it clear that he would simply
tell the truth. There were some parts in the article that Wilson did not want in it, but after
talking with his editor, Halpern decided that it was either going to be in the article or he
would scrap the article. The most important part about writing that article was to stay
unbiased and impartial. A good story cannot be written through the lens of judgement. It is
written through facts. It must have been hard for Halpern to put aside his own feelings
toward Wilson in order to write the article.
I am so glad that I got to hear Jake Halpern talk about the struggles he had writing
the article. I definitely went into the session thinking that Halpern agreed with Wilson. I left
the session knowing that Halpern was in disagreement with Wilson just like me and many
others. I am grateful that I got to be in the same room with someone that won a Pulitzer
Prize.

Part 3: FOR SENIORS ONLY

Write a self-assessment of your work on the senior show. Address both the preparation
period and the show itself. Minimum length: 2 pages.

For the prep time: What support roles—programs, food, logistics, communication,
publicity, etc—did you carry, if any? How committed were you? How flexible? Did you
attend all the meetings? When there was friction, what caused it? What role(s) did you play
in that, and why was that so, looking back now? What might you have done differently?

For the show itself: Were you professional—on time, warmed up, tuned up, etc? What
parts of what you, personally, shared that day leave you feeling proud? Are there any
moments that don’t? Any surprises for you in what you or anyone else did, or in the
audience response? What did you do to help with setup or clean up?

Finally, what learning do you take away from the experience of producing your own show
together? What advice do you have for next year’s seniors that I might add to the original
planning document I hand out?

Part 4: Update Your Online CAP Portfolio

Link to CAP Photo File: ​CAP Photos, 2018-2019

Everyone
● Update the examples of work section with new work
● Update the evidence of going public with new evidence
● Insert the ​CAP Event Checklist​ on the “Masterclass and Field Trip” Page
● Include any photos that would like on the Masterclass and Field trip page
● Make Sure ALL of your reflections, including the tri 3 self- and masterclass-
reflections from above, are in the reflections section.
Seniors only
● Put the artist statement you will read at the CAP senior show on the “Artist’s
Statement” page
Sophomores and Juniors
● Revisit your CAP plan and at the bottom of the page write down any ideas for next
year that you want to remember now
 Trimester 1 Checklist

Day Trip Sept. 6, Ryuichi Sakamoto: CODA ​at Music, Film

​ m
9:20 a Real Art Ways

Day Trip Sept. 20 US, ​Dress Rehearsal of Judy Dance,

B block* Dworin Co. at Hartford Public Theater,
Seminar Library Writing
students
only

Mastercla Sept. 27, Masterclass: ​Sea Tea Improv Theater

ss B block

Night Trip Oct. 4, The Drowsy Chaperone​, Theater,

6:00 pm Goodspeed Opera House Music,
departure Dance
for 7:30
show,
return 10:30
pm

Mastercla Oct. 11 Masterclass: Cie Peterson on Theater

ss Auditions

Afternoon Oct. 12 CAP Coffee House ALL

Night Oct. 23 WET: A DACAmented Journey, Theater,

Event Heartbeat Ensemble Writing
Mastercla Nov. 1 Masterclass​, ​Cambodia Living Theater,
ss B block Arts Music,
Dance

Night Nov. 1 Cambodia Living Arts Theater,

Event 7:00 pm Performance Music,
Watkinson Theater Dance

Night Nov. 9,10 The Tempest, ​Watkinson Theater Theater

Event

Night Trip Nov. 14 Richard Plepler, HBO CEO, Film

7:00 pm B block conversation at St. Joseph’s Carol
Autorino Theater

B block, Nov. 15 Monsters and Myths, ​Wadsworth Visual Art

Day Trip Atheneum

Trimester 2

B block, Dec. 12 Masterclass:​ Jenni French, Dance

dance former dancer with Hartford Ballet
studio

Day/Night Dec. 14, New York Field Trip Visual Art,

Trip Full Day International Center for Dance,
Trip, Photography Theater,
depart at Thayne Jasperson MC Music,
5:30 am, The Band’s Visit
return at
12:00 am

B block Jan. 8 CAP Senior Show Session

B block, Jan. 24 Trip: Harriet Beecher Stowe
Day Trip House

Night Jan. 25, Watkinson Music Concert Music

Event 7:00 pm

B block Jan. 28 Masterclass: ​Tim Stella,

conductor for Phantom of the
Opera

Night Jan. 30, Freshly Squeezed: Elvis Music

Event 7:00 pm Presley​, Watkinson Theater

Afternoon Feb. 1 Coffeehouse

Night Feb. 22 & Hello, Dolly! ​Watkinson Theater Theater,

Event 23, Music,
7:30 pm Dance

B Block March 4, James Lecesne Workshop Theater,

6&7 Writing,
Music, Film

Trimester 3

B block April 17 Amy Genser Studio Visual Art

trip
Night April 18 Comedy Night Writing,
Event theater

Day trip May 2 New Britain Museum of Visual Art

American Art​, Georgia O’Keefe
exhibit

Night May 3 Jamie Toomey Senior Recital Music

Event

B block May 7 Masterclass: Jake Halpern, Writing

Author and Journalist:
https://www.jakehalpern.com/nove
ls

Night May 17 & FREE SHORTS, ​Watkinson Theater

Event 18 Theater

Night May 21 Flamingo Kid, ​Hartford Stage Theater,

Event Music,
Dance

B block May 23 Masterclass: ​Naomi Washer, Writing

writer

Night May 23, Music Concert, ​Watkinson Music

Event 7:00 pm, Theater
Theater
Afternoon May 29, CAP Senior Show All
4:00 pm

Evening May 31 Tiffany Wang Senior Recital Music