A harmless prank on the cockiest kid on her sailing team spirals into chaos, comedy, and a boom to the head she definitely didn’t see coming.
Photographs
Little did we know, these basement selfies were taken before our harmless prank spiraled into total regatta chaos. (Selfie taken by Katie Cappello, July 2018)Bandaged, bruised, and confused, but apparently smiling is required for my first ambulance ride. (Photo taken by my teammates mom, July 2018)But first… lemme take a selfie ✌️. (Selfie taken by me, July 2018)Getting stitches in the hospital but somehow still keeping the smile alive . (Photo taken by my teammates mom, July 2018)
Video
Video taken by my teammates mom, July 2018
Additonal Digital Storytelling Element – My 2018 Summer Playlist
What was I listening to at 15?
Definitely a mix of all genres. Was it a carefully curated playlist? No. Do these songs still make me nostalgic? Yes. Every track pulls me right back to those afternoons sailing with my JBL speaker blasting, wind hitting my face, salt water everywhere, and absolutely no clue what “good taste” in music was supposed to mean. It was just me, the water, and whatever song happened to be queued up; somehow making those moments feel bigger, louder, and completely unforgettable.
Social Media Post
Instagram teaser for my full multimedia story (Photo Credits: Katie Cappello, 2021)
One player’s journey of leaving home, learning a new culture and language, and chasing his dream of playing D1 basketball!
Alt text: The Marrero Family celebrating my First Communion.
Photo credit: Marrero Family Member
Photo Credit: Andres Marrero This is a picture of my first gym at URCS where I went to High School. It would become my home away from home.
“If I can do it, why not you?”
Photo Credit: Upper Room Christian School Athletic Director Joan Sanchez This is an Instagram post that shows the number of D1 offers that I had at the beginning of my Junior Year of High School
This is the playlist I would listen to everyday before practice and games. My brother sent to mePhoto Credit: LaSalle University In March of 2021, my dream came true, and I committed to play D1 basketball at LaSalle University in Philadelphia.Photo Credit: Merrimack College Athletics. After completing my BA at LaSalle University I transferred to Merrimack College (another D1 school) to play my 5th year and complete my Masters in Communications. Instagram Post promoting my story from Venezuela to D1
Wills and friends make the trip to Gilford, New Hamshire, to experience Lynyrd Skynyrd live in concert. What they didn’t know was that the night would take a turn that no one expected after having a little too much fun.
Bank of New Hamshire Pavillion from the main village area. (Photo Credit: Wills D’Angelo)
View of the stage from the open seating area. (Photo Credit: Wills D’Angelo)
Spotify playlist of the songs they played at the concert that I still enjoy listening to currently.
Instagram teaser story, with the link to the blog site.
This brave “frog” flies across the Atlantic to Portugal to walk the Camino de Santiago.
Rachel about to go to Portugal! (Photo Credits: Brenda Bovee, 2021)
Off to Portugal! This photo was taken right before my dad drove me to JFK airport to catch my flight.
Alt Text: Young female hiker standing on blacktop wearing a backpack and holding a blue bag. A car and two trucks are in the background.
Buen Camino Spotify Playlist! We listened to this playlist as we walked the camino. It is a great playlist for anyone going on a journey!
Map of my trip from New York to Lisbon, Portugal! Alt Text: Map of part of North America, Europe and Africa. A line is drawn from New York to France to Portugal with drawings of two small planes and a train.
A View from Above: Photo Credits: Rachel Bovee (2021)
My view from my flight! I loved seeing the soft sunlight on the clouds.
Alt Text: View from an airplane window of a sunset above the clouds. The sky is blue with warm sunlight on fluffy clouds.
Elizabeth and I on the Camino! This photo was taken in the middle of our walk. Part of our walk was along the ocean and the other part was in the woods.
Alt Text: A group of hikers walking on a dirt trail in the green woods. Two young women in front smile at the camera, each carrying large backpacks. Behind them are more hikers following the trail.
Photo Credits: Elizabeth Cripe, 2021
Photo Credits: Rachel Bovee, 2021
My college friend Elizabeth! This photo was taken along our walk. We walked on boardwalks up the cost of Portugal and Spain.
Alt text: Side profile of a young woman wearing a backpack, a cap, sunglasses, and hiking poles. She is standing on a rocky ground looking out towards the ocean and the gray sky.
“Journey of a Flying Frog” audio story told by Rachel Bovee.
How to Love and Make Weird Things (15 minute version) (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)
DISCLAIMER: Because I enjoy talking to no end, I’ve included two versions of my project. The first is the first five minutes of my original recording, which I feel can work as it’s own story. The second is the full 15 minute recording that captures what I truly wanted to capture with this project.
Music, like any other art form, is a true expression from the artist.
The first time I heard the album “Donuts” by J Dilla as a young teenager, I was a bit confused. It was choppy, dissonant, yet strangely alluring. It was a whole new sound that I had never heard before. “Donuts” was the first avant-garde pieces of art I’ve ever encountered. It reshaped how I view music and helped me appreciate artists who challenge their audiences rather than purely entertain.
My own copy of J Dilla’s “Donuts” in my record collection (Photo Credit: Mike Cronin, 2025)
Alt text: A vinyl record titled “J Dilla, Jay Dee, Donuts” featuring a man in a baseball cap looking downwards and smiling sitting atop a stack of other vinyl records.
Eventually, I wanted to make music just like J Dilla. I spent the remaining years of my high school education using an MPC 1000 (seen in the photo with the green buttons) to make short tunes. After a while, I started to doubt myself. I thought the songs I had made were too amateurish and I didn’t have what it takes to make something half-decent. After a 10-year period of avoiding music production altogether out of fear of failing, I decided to give it one more go. Today, I have a small production studio in my apartment. While I still don’t think I’m ready for primetime just yet, I’m having fun learning new things and making music once again.
My studio has expanded quite a bit since I started making music! (Photo Credit: Mike Cronin, 2025)
Alt text: A table with numerous synthesizers, effect pedals, a laptop and a large mixing board placed on top. Vinyl records are stored below the table and a painting of two women hangs above.
A short demo I made based on music production techniques utilized by J Dilla
Instagram story to tease the multimedia storytelling page (Video Credit: Mike Cronin, 2025)
Alt text: Eerie synthesizer music plays as close-up images of synthesizers scroll by. The text, “How to Love and Make Weird Things, By Michael Cronin” is superimposed on top. A web link titled “Listen Now” is placed at the bottom of the video.
This story goes into depth about Jonathan not making the baseball team at a school where my family holds a dear spot in our hearts and how the adversity of that experience shaped him into a more hardworking person today.
Alt. text – Me pitching my Senior Year on Varsity after a long road to get there.
In depth look at St. John’s Preps’ campus.
Alt. text – Super in depth look at St. John’s Prep.
Instagram Post
My grandfather always used to take me to Boston College games as well. It was some of my best memories for me growing up and it really started my sports fandom before he passed away.
Alt. text – The baseball field where my dreams came back to life. (Photo Credit: Jonathan Santoro, 2019)
Some songs I was listening to back in 2017/18 and still am listening to in 2025!
Felson Andre’s trip to a friend’s wedding in Connecticut turned into a chaotic adventure of hotel issues, forgotten items, and police stops, teaching him the importance of better planning for future travels
Natacha Lorius and John Faturoti at the altar and about to get married (Photo Credit: Felson Andre, 2024)
Alt Text: Couple at the altar where the bride is on the left and the groom is on the right, and the officiant in the middle
Hotel reservation confirmation (Photo Credit: Felson Andre, 2024)
Alt text: Hampton Inn Waterbury hotel reservation confirmation for 1 night on Monday, June 24, 2024, to Tuesday, June 25, 2024
Instagram story to tease the blog post (Photo Credit: Felson Andre, 2025)
Alt text: Natacha Lorius and John Faturoti’s wedding invitation for Monday, June 24, 2024, at 3PM in 45 Murphy Rd, Prospect, Connecticut 06712, and included a link to the blog post
When Meagan casually jokes about flying to Florida for her birthday dinner, her mom takes the comment literally, leading to a spontaneous 24-hour trip on the morning of her birthday that becomes less about travel and more about pressing pause, reliving memories, and realizing that the best gift is simply time together. She learns that sometimes the most meaningful escapes are the ones that remind her where she truly belongs.
Alt Text: Tall palm trees captured from below.
(Photo Credit: Meagan Carroll, 2025)
Alt Text: Birthday dessert. Small white plate with chocolate script reading ‘Happy Birthday,’ topped with a cupcake covered in whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles with a pink birthday candle.
(Photo Credit: Meagan Carroll, 2025)
Alt Text: Nighttime fireworks bursting behind a lit castle with colorful projections while a crowd watches and captures the moment on their phones.
(Photo Credit: Meagan Carroll, 2025)
Social Media Post – For TikTok and an Instagram Story.
