Group Reflections By Grace Brightman

 Going first is tough. You don’t know what the teacher expects, how the audience will react, or how good the other groups will be. You’re setting the bar without any examples to follow. Even though we had time to prepare, everyone in my group was nervous. But once we got started and found our flow, everything started to come together. By the end, I felt confident and proud of what we had done.

Group 4: Setting the Tone

Our presentation focused on how families connect to environmental safety  not just in the U.S., but all over the world. From the start, we agreed we didn’t want to overload our slides with too many words. Instead, we used visuals, pictures, and short points that matched what we were saying. Once we began speaking, the fear started to fade, and our teamwork really showed.

Our leader, Adriel Delgado, deserves a lot of credit. Even though he couldn’t speak during the presentation, he still took charge in the best way possible. He wrote out a full script for Yamil and me to read, which made everything sound professional and organized. Adriel’s planning kept us on track and made sure nothing felt unprepared. His leadership is one of the main reasons our presentation turned out so well.

Victoria Rappacioli’s section was another strong point. She compared how families in the U.S. live versus those in other countries and even included an interview with someone who works in Congress for Puerto Rico’s representative. That connection to real life gave her section depth and made it more interesting. And then there was Luisana, who added a fun twist by playing an eagle sound every time she said “United States.” Everyone laughed, and it lightened the mood while still fitting the topic.

Victoria Kaschel only had one slide, but she made the most of it. She talked about national and local organizations that support families and explained everything clearly and confidently. She proved that even one well-designed slide can be powerful if you know your material.

Yamil Perez really stepped up during our presentation too. Since he helped speak for Adriel, he had to take on extra responsibility, but he handled it perfectly. His part focused on comparing environmental policies in the U.S. and Sweden. He explained the differences in a way that was easy to follow and kept people interested the whole time.

Then there was me; Grace Brightman, who interviewed an FBI agent about terrorism and bias. My section was one of the most powerful moments of the entire project in my opinion. Steve shared a story about how people in Texas used to report others just for wearing a head covering. That story shocked everyone and showed how fear and misunderstanding can create prejudice. I spoke with confidence and care, turning that interview into one of the most meaningful parts of our presentation.

Sadly, Natalia Lopez couldn’t join the meeting that day, even though she had worked hard on her part. It was disappointing, but our group worked together to cover for her so things would still go smoothly. By the time we finished, we were relieved but proud. Going first was nerve wracking, but it also felt great to start things off strong. I’m a little biased, but I really think our presentation had everything teamwork, visuals, humor, and strong research.

Group 3: Keeping the Momentum

After we went, Group 3 presented. You could tell they were nervous too, probably because they had to follow us and didn’t know what the teacher thought of our presentation yet. Even so, they had some really great moments and creative ideas.

Kevin Cabrera’s slides were filled with a lot of information, maybe a bit too much text for my liking but the content was solid. His interview with Melissa Lau was interesting, though I think showing a short video clip instead of just playing audio might have grabbed people’s attention more.

One of my favorite parts came from Matthew Galeano. He shared a personal story about being on the beach with his mom, which made his part feel emotional and relatable. That personal touch helped his section stand out.

Melany Alfonso did a fantastic job too. Her slides were well designed, with clear pictures and not too many words. Everything flowed nicely and looked professional. I didn’t get to see Lizbeth Leyva’s section, but Julien Morales spoke with confidence and included a graph that made his topic much easier to understand. He even mentioned a TED Talk that connected to his subject it would’ve been awesome if he had played a short clip from it.

Lillian Alberti ended their presentation with a video that tied everything together and added variety. Overall, Group 3’s presentation was interesting and good paced. They mixed stories, visuals, and solid information in a way that kept the audience’s attention the whole time.

Group 2: Playing It Safe While Staying Organized

Group 2 started strong, with clear information and organized slides. Their project was easy to follow, but it could’ve used more creativity and visuals to make it stand out more.

Erika Bernier shared her personal experiences, which made her section feel honest and real. However, her slides had a lot of text, so it was harder to stay focused on what she was saying. The information was good but it just needed a little more color and design to catch the audience’s eye.

Gabriela Figueredo also presented solid research, but her slides were similar, informative but simple. A few more images or charts could have made her section more engaging.

Even though Isabelle Franqui Padilla couldn’t be there in person, she recorded a video of herself presenting. I thought that was such a smart move  it showed that she cared enough to still participate and made her part feel complete.

Daniel Alvarez discussed his interview clearly, but it would’ve been cool to hear a short audio clip from it. Hearing the person’s actual voice might have made it feel more real. Valeria Espinoza wrapped things up with a strong ending that pulled all the topics together nicely.

Overall, Group 2’s presentation was clean and well-organized, but they stayed a little too safe. They had strong research and effort, but a few more creative touches like visuals, sound, or interactive moments  could’ve helped their work stand out even more.

Group 1: Finishing Strong

Being the last group to present can be just as scary as going first, but Group 1 handled it perfectly. Their slides looked professional, their transitions were smooth, and everyone spoke confidently. You could tell they practiced a lot and trusted each other.

Calixto Alfonso really stood out as one of the best speakers overall. He spoke naturally and didn’t sound like he was reading from notes. His slides matched what he said and kept the audience interested the whole time.

Carlos Silva Echezuria also did a great job. His slides were simple but polished, and I liked that he asked the class questions during his part. It made the presentation feel more like a conversation instead of just a speech.

Aquilah Fagan had one of the most creative ideas out of everyone. She turned her section into a podcast style like presentation. It was different from the usual PowerPoint format and grabbed everyone’s attention right away. Adrian Hernandez presented interesting information, but I think adding some visuals or short videos could’ve made his section even better.

Ashley Montesin Padron compared the U.S., Saudi Arabia, and North Korea, and it was one of my favorite parts of their presentation. Her opening slide had all three flags, which gave it a clean, professional look. Her research was detailed, but she explained it in a way that was easy to understand. I couldn’t find Aurora González’s section, but the group as a whole did an amazing job wrapping things up. They ended the project with confidence and creativity, leaving a strong final impression.

What I Took Away from the Experience

After seeing all four groups, I realized how much I learned just by watching other people present. Each group had different strengths that showed what makes a presentation successful.

From Group 1, I learned that confidence and visuals can completely change the way an audience listens. When speakers believe in what they’re saying and their slides are clean and clear, it makes people pay attention.

From Group 2, I learned that being organized is important, but creativity also matters. Personal stories help people connect to your topic, but visuals are what keep them focused.

From Group 3, I saw how powerful examples and real stories can be. Their presentation reminded me that connecting your topic to real life makes it more memorable and meaningful.

And from my own group, Group 4, I learned how much teamwork, planning, and trust matter. We supported each other, helped when things didn’t go as planned, and kept a positive attitude even when we were nervous. Adding humor and strong visuals made our project both fun and effective. Working in a permanent group has honestly made class projects less stressful and more enjoyable. We know how to communicate, divide the work, and rely on each other’s strengths. Even when things go wrong like when someone can’t present we figure it out together. Going first might have been scary, but in the end, it was one of the best learning experiences I’ve had in school. It showed me that a great presentation isn’t just about fancy slides or perfect speeches it’s about teamwork, effort, and confidence. Presenting first pushed us to do our best, and it made me realize that when a group truly works together, nerves can turn into pride. And, if I’m being completely honest, I still think our group (group 4 ) set the bar pretty high for everyone else