Since returning to in-person learning post-Covid, educators have observed a rise in student apathy, characterized by low motivation, disinterest, and fear of failure. This paper investigates how contemporary art education can address these challenges by providing therapeutic benefits and creating engaging, meaningful educational experiences. Artmaking offers a safe space for self-expression and self-regulation, while playful and discovery-based approaches promote risk-taking, metacognition, and student agency. Collaborative activities and thematic projects build community and connect learning to broader life experiences. By reframing art education to meet students’ psychological and emotional needs, we can foster their growth as learners and individuals in a post-pandemic world. Keywords: Art education, visual arts education, art, post-pandemic, post-Covid, student apathy, student motivation, student engagement, education, child development, social change, therapeutic art, self-expression, emotional regulation, play, playfulness, risk-taking, agency, discovery, metacognition, self-efficacy, collaboration, themes in art

There is a notable gap in research examining the opioid epidemic between 2016 and 2021, particularly across all counties in New York state. This study aims to fill this gap by analyzing the factors contributing to opioid overdose deaths, focusing on demographics, drug-related crime, healthcare events, and policy. The model reveals that opioid overdose death rates are higher across counties with larger populations of Hispanic or Latino, Asian, and multiracial populations, highlighting potential disparities in substance abuse treatment access. Additionally, the findings show that healthcare visits for opioid overdose or abuse are associated with increasing mortality rates, suggesting a lack of coordinated care across counties. However, the interaction between healthcare facility visits for opioid abuse and admissions to OASAS-certified drug treatment programs is associated with a decrease in opioid overdose deaths. This is likely due to the effectiveness of these certified programs in preventing overdose, even in the rare instances when coordinated care is employed. Surprisingly, drug misdemeanor charges are correlated to a reduction in overdose deaths, possibly reflecting the success of drug diversion programs that offer treatment over incarceration. Conversely, the legalization of recreational marijuana and the COVID-19 pandemic are strongly associated with higher overdose death rates, potentially due to shifts in drug-use patterns, increased substance availability, and disruptions in addiction treatment services. These findings emphasize the need for sustained access to healthcare and highlight critical gaps in treatment and intervention efforts across New York State. Keywords: Business Analytics, Opioid Overdose, Mixed-effects model, COVID-19 pandemic

Domestication is the process of selective breeding of a species to alter the biobehavioral profile of that species. A hypothesized set of characteristics is said to be the result of domestication and is thus referred to as "the domestication syndrome." While the cause of this hypothesized "syndrome" is not understood, dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) are said to exhibit all the traits resulting from the domestication syndrome. To test if the number of characteristics described in the domestication syndrome a dog possesses correlates with time spent in a dog shelter, data was attempted to be collected from various dog shelters in the Hudson Valley Region, NY. The lack of response, probably due to overcrowding in shelters and overworked staff, resulted in little data collected to test the original hypothesis. Rather, the implications of this research were examined. Life in dog shelters is stressful for the animal, and enrichment may lessen this stress, thus providing positive behaviors that potential adopters are looking for. The dogs' comfort in a shelter should be a priority, and enrichment activities can improve the welfare of these animals. Keywords: Biology, domestication, Canis lupus familiaris, shelter, adoption, breeding, reform, enrichment Author's Note: Originally, the length and content of the document were going to resemble a scientific journal, after the lack of data collection was possible, implications of the original study question were explored, elongating the document and altering the content.

English Language Learners, or ELLs, have become a growing population in the United States over the past couple of decades. In states like New York, where the number of immigrants accounts for a significant percentage of the population and is increasing every year, local governments and school districts are faced with the responsibility of adjusting policies and perspectives as the cultures of their neighborhoods change. ELLs are a growing community that requires support beyond what is available in a general education classroom. The primary concern for educators regarding ELL students is their academic success and, more specifically, their proficiency in the English language. Although English proficiency is an important goal for ELLs, their emotional needs and mental health are often not given the same importance or even taken into consideration. This paper offers a unique perspective into the psychological implications of being an ELL and aims to highlight the real experiences of students in ELL programs in New York State. The research for this paper was conducted through an analysis of various academic papers and journal articles focusing on ELL programs, language anxiety, and case studies pertaining to the psychology of ELLs, as well as interviews with teachers in ELL programs and general education teachers with experience working with ELLs. The causes of mental health issues for ELL students explored in this paper include previous trauma, language anxiety, and cultural assimilation. The emotional unwellness of ELLs discussed in this paper impacts many aspects of their lives, including academic performance, home life, personal identity, cognitive and social development, and future success. There is a disproportionate connection between ELL students and psychological issues, putting these students at an even greater disadvantage. These findings indicate that educators of ELLs must be more aware of their students’ backgrounds and must be well-prepared to support their students not only academically but emotionally and socially as well. Teachers must carefully and constructively consider their pedagogical approaches to educating ELL students and create classroom environments that are supportive, engaging, encouraging, understanding, and respectful of all students. Keywords: early childhood and childhood education, English Language Learners (ELLs), New York State Education Department, English language immersion

This study explores the impact of vocal psychotherapy on self-perception and self­expression through heuristic self-inquiry. Using reflexive journals, the author examines themes such as perseverance, self-worth, and self-expression, demonstrating how vocal techniques like vocal holding and free associative singing promote emotional release and deeper self­understanding. The findings highlight the therapeutic potential of vocal psychotherapy to enhance self-esteem, emotional regulation, and authenticity. The study underscores the value of self-experience for therapists and suggests future research on the holistic benefits of singing and its role in music therapy education. Keywords: Vocal Psychotherapy, Self-Perception, Self-Expression, Reflexive Journals, Themes, Understanding, Music Therapy, Emotional Regulation, Self-Esteem, Authenticity.

Lossy compression is the process in which the file size of information is reduced while retaining the overall fidelity of the information. It is utilized to reduce the amount of data for storage and transmission. For specifically lossy image compression, lots of data can be removed while keeping the image nearly identical due to the fact that the human visual system is inexact. Lossy image compression algorithms such as the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) are utilized to accomplish this goal. Recently, a new form of signal representation has been proposed known as the Implicit Neural Representation (INR). Instead of explicitly defining the compression process, a multi­layer perceptron (MLP) network learns to memorize a signal storing the information as parameters of a MLP as opposed to the image itself. While INRs have shown promise, they have yet to become viable compression methods because traditional methods are faster and more accurate. Many methods have been utilized to further improve the compression ratio of Implicit Neural Representations such as quantization and entropy coding. In this thesis, we explore an image processing technique known as Chroma Sub­sampling to improve the compression quality of INRs. This method takes advantage of the fact that the human visual system is more susceptible to details in brightness rather than details in colors. Additionally, we will also introduce various architectures and techniques to train a chroma subsampled image into an INR more effectively.

Aphasia is a common and debilitating consequence of stroke, significantly affecting one's communication and quality of life. Music-based interventions (MBis) have gained attention as potential therapeutic tools for post-stroke aphasia. This rapid review aims to synthesize the current evidence regarding the effectiveness of music-based interventions in the rehabilitation of post-stroke patients with aphasia. A rapid review of the literature was conducted including studies that examined the use of music-based interventions for aphasia in post-stroke patients. Eligible studies included post-stroke patients with aphasia, peer-reviewed articles, quantitative studies, and studies that were published in English within the last 10 years. The focus was on interventions that targeted speech, language, and communication outcomes, with a particular emphasis on music-based interventions. A total of 17 studies were included in this review. The findings suggest that music-based interventions, particularly the use of MIT, can lead to improvements in speech production, prosody, and overall communication skills for individuals with aphasia. The evidence supports the potential of music-based interventions as a therapy that would be beneficial for stroke patients with aphasia. Music-based interventions show promise as an adjunct to conventional aphasia therapies for post-stroke patients, with moderate to strong effects observed in communication recovery.

The purpose of this paper is to outline a research protocol to determine the effectiveness of engaging with a YouTube channel in reducing the perceived stress of college music students. Due to the demanding nature of their degree, music students are at risk for depression, anxiety and burnout. The channel will offer accessible, and research based guided music experiences in order to mitigate academic stress while offering students the opportunity to reflect and understand their emotional responses to stress. This mixed method study will be evaluated by the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing 14 item scale (WEMWBS). As this is a research protocol no data is presently recorded. Once concluded, this research offers a way to assess the potential of online music experiences to supporting the mental health and well-being of college music students. Key Words: Student Stress, Self-care practices, Music majors, Depression, Anxiety, Learning burnout, Mental well-being, Music Based Experiences, Mindfulness.

Music therapy education focuses on the use of several methods in clinical practice. One of the more commonly used methods is songwriting. Songwriting methods are covered to various extents in most music therapy education programs. However, learning how and when to implement a particular song writing method may not be addressed as thoroughly. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to better understand the songwriting method variations used by experienced music therapists, how often they use them, and their perceived benefits. This research will benefit the music therapy field by deepening our understanding of who can benefit from therapeutic songwriting. Despite the research done on the impact of therapeutic songwriting, there is little research that focuses on the variations of songwriting methods. By gaining a deeper insight into what songwriting variations are used most often a better understanding of their benefits can be achieved. This study will build upon the work of Baker (2015) and the song writing variations she identified. I am interested in the songwriting method variations that are used in clinical practice.