Blog Post #2 - Meli Sosa

Going First: One Group, Four Presentations, and a Lot of Nerves

Group presentations. Just hearing those words makes most students sigh, and I’m no different. When this project first started, I wasn’t exactly thrilled. But since this is my permanent group, I already knew I’d be working with people I trust — which helped calm the nerves a little. That was, until we found out we were going first.

Going first in a series of presentations is brutal. You don’t know what the teacher expects yet, you don’t know how the audience will react, and you have to set the standard for everyone else. Even with all the time we had to prepare, I was nervous — and honestly, we all were. But once we got going, things started to flow, and we ended up being really proud of how it turned out.

Group 4: Going First

Our topic was about how families and the environment safety connect, both in the U.S. and around the world. We wanted to make it visually interesting without cramming too much text onto the slides. Every slide had pictures, and we made sure it all tied together nicely. Once we started talking, the nerves started to fade, and we got into a rhythm.

Adriel Delgado, our group leader, was incredible. Since he couldn’t speak during the presentation, he wrote a full script for me and Yamil to read. That made the whole thing sound smooth and organized. Adriel’s attention to detail really helped us stay on track, and his leadership made the difference between a messy presentation and one that felt put-together.

Victoria Rappacioli’s section was another highlight. She compared families in the U.S. to those around the world and even showed an interview with someone who works in Congress for Puerto Rico’s representative. That gave her part a real-world connection that stood out. Plus, every time Luisana said “United States,” she played an eagle sound effect — it was hilarious but also weirdly perfect.

Victoria Kaschel only had one slide, but it was one of the best ones. She talked about national and local organizations that support families and explained everything clearly and confidently. I liked how she didn’t overload her slide with words but still gave a detailed explanation.

Yamil Perez stepped up big-time, especially since he helped present for Adriel. His part compared environmental policies and attitudes between the U.S. and Sweden, and it was super interesting. He made it easy to understand and kept it engaging from start to finish.

Grace Brightman’s interview with an FBI agent was one of the most memorable parts of the whole presentation. The agent shared stories about dealing with terrorism and bias, and one story really stuck with me — when he said people in South Texas used to call in to report someone just for wearing a head dress. That was shocking to hear, but it made an important point about fear and misunderstanding. Grace handled that topic so well and made her section really powerful.

Natalia Lopez couldn’t present her part because she wasn’t able to get into the meeting, which was disappointing since she had prepared everything. But even with that setback, everyone else worked together to keep things running smoothly. By the time we finished, we all let out this big breath of relief. Going first was scary, but it also felt good to be the ones setting the tone for everyone else. And if I’m being honest — maybe just a little biased — I really do think our presentation was the best overall. It had everything: visuals, interviews, humor, and great teamwork.

Group 3: Keeping the Energy Going

Group 3 went after us, and I could tell they were a little nervous too. Still, they had some really good moments. 

Kevin Cabrera’s slides had a lot of text, which made them a bit hard to follow, but his interview with Melissa Lau had good content. I just think a video instead of an audio clip would’ve kept people’s attention more. Matthew Galeano was one of my favorites from that group because he shared a personal story about being on the beach with his mom. It made his section feel relatable and heartfelt.

Melany Alfonso also did a great job. Her slides were neat, had pictures, and weren’t overcrowded. I couldn’t find Lizbeth Leyva’s section, but Julien Morales spoke really confidently and added a graph that made his topic easier to understand. I liked that he mentioned a TED Talk, but it would’ve been cool if he had played a small clip from it. Lillian Alberti’s video was a nice touch that added something different.

Overall, Group 3 had a mix of styles, and their presentation kept my attention the whole time.

Group 2: Playing It Safe

Group 2 had a good start and clear information, but it could’ve used more visuals and creativity to make it stand out.

Erika Bernier shared her own experience, which I thought was really good because it made her section feel personal. But her slides were mostly text, so it didn’t grab attention the way it could have. Gabriela Figueredo’s part was similar — great info, but needed more design to pop.

Isabelle Franqui Padilla couldn’t be there live, but she recorded a video of herself presenting, which I thought was really smart and showed that she cared about being part of the group. Daniel Alvarez talked about his interview clearly, but I wish he’d shown a short clip from it. Valeria Espinoza ended the presentation with a strong interview section that tied things together nicely.

Group 2’s presentation was simple and well-organized, but it stayed in a safe zone. A little more creativity would’ve taken it to the next level.

Group 1: Ending on a High Note

Group 1 went last, which is never easy after so many presentations. But they definitely ended things strong.

Their slides looked great and well-organized, and the group spoke with confidence. Calixto Alfonso was one of the best presenters overall. He spoke naturally, looked comfortable, and had slides that worked perfectly with his points. Carlos Silva-Echezuria also did amazing — his slides were clean and minimal, and I liked how he asked questions to get people thinking.

Aquilah Fagan’s podcast idea was so creative. It stood out and made her section really different in a good way. Adrian Hernandez had good content, but a few visuals would’ve helped keep it more engaging. Ashley Montesin-Padron’s comparison between Saudi Arabia, the U.S., and North Korea was one of my favorite parts. The flags on her intro slide made it look extra polished and professional. I couldn’t find Aurora González’s section, but the group as a whole wrapped things up in a confident and memorable way.

What I Learned

After watching all four groups, I realized how much I learned just from seeing how everyone presented. Each group had something unique that worked well.

Group 1 showed how powerful visuals and confidence can be. Group 2 reminded me that personal experiences matter but visuals keep people engaged. Group 3 proved that examples and real stories make a presentation stick. And my group, Group 4, taught me that teamwork, preparation, and a sense of humor can beat nerves every time.

Being in a permanent group has made these projects so much easier and honestly more fun. We know how to communicate, we trust each other, and we all want the final product to look good. Even when things didn’t go perfectly, like when Natalia couldn’t present, we handled it together.

Going first was definitely scary, but it turned out to be one of the best experiences I’ve had in class. It made me realize that a good presentation isn’t just about the slides — it’s about the people behind them. And maybe I’m a little biased, but I still think Group 4 set the bar high.