Research Program Director
In addition to being an avid tennis player, Dr. Cho is a Social Research Scientist that had spent ten years developing a plan to support the students at Nelase Academy. She implemented her plan and here is the summary report of the two year program.
A PHENOMENOLOGICAL RESEARCH CASE-STUDY OF PERSONS WHO WERE BORN IN THE SAME YEAR THROUGHOUT THE UNITED KINGDOM TETHERED TO A ZOID
SUMMARY REPORT:
The intent of this research was to provide the most support to these persons to enable their capacity to live and thrive in this world. These persons lived in their family units throughout the United Kingdom. Several efforts were made to gather information in understanding this unique phenomena, however, most withdrew from the presented inquiries.
An anonymous benefactor acutely aware of the phenomena funded a plan for an intervention when the persons were old enough to benefit the most.
Research from a distance followed for the next ten years. Technology was created for providing the students the ability to live autonomously. Contracts were let to Biological Researchers for the care of the living organisms that would later be identified as ‘Zoid’. These living organisms have an amazing capacity, they could regress into an earlier stage of development and grow back into their full form with support of certain conditions. This capacity was not identified until they were separated from their persons. They were likened to the Immortal Jellyfish in their generative capacity.
A site was secured to provide an academic intervention for the persons as they had all engaged unique learning environments outside of conventional norms and it was the benefactors’ vision that additional support could help these persons prior to college entry or employment.
Letters were provided to the families of the students when they turned thirteen informing them of the intent to provide this support at no cost to them as the funding had been provided by a benefactor.
When the students turned fifteen, letters were sent out again informing the families of the program offerings and the timeline to engage the opportunity.
Families inquired into the details of the program opportunities further and by the identified date, all came forward to benefit.
INTERVENTION:
A technological device was designed to simply separate the two as they were joined etherically and there was great optimism the separation would be successful for both. Families participated in an overview and detailed process of the procedure. Several students participated in the prescreening and procedure that enabled the families to understand the process and have confidence in the success of the procedure. The procedure was painless, however, requiring full anesthesia for the separating process.
Following this procedure, the students were taken to the Academy, the school they would attend for two years.
The Zoid were taken to the Biology Researchers sites to be supported for the two year duration allowing the students to participate fully in the Academy.
ACADEMY:
The first three months consisted of students acclimating to being at the site. Getting to know others that share a similar experience and making connections. Each student was assessed through testing to identify their start place for independent studies.
Students chose one of the three programs to participate in for a major topic interest. The programs provided were Applied Biology, Graphic Arts, and Health and Fitness.
The additional requirements were pursued individually with the oversight and instruction of the Headmaster, Dr. Thorpe.
Two students did not participate fully in the provided programs. One was instructed in dance and the other in advanced mathematics.
The students embraced the activities initially as if at an amusement park, but life settled down after a phase and the program ensued.
ZOID INTEGRATION:
An incident happened during the separating procedure affecting particular students’ separation and resulting in an integration. One of the students affected by this incident, Ben Markerson, came to the Academy several months into the program.
The Zoid were brought back to the Academy to reintegrate into the livelihood of the students, along with the Biology Researchers that were caring for them.
Noone knew the nature of the Zoid, so it was unforeseen that they had a unique potential to digress into a primal state, similar to what the Immortal Jellyfish are capable of.
The Zoid came to the Academy in that primal form. However, with the engagement of one of the students, Ben Markerson, the Zoid morphed back into their full form, the only form the other students had ever known of their Zoid.
A care center was created for the Zoid. Everyone shared in the care of the Zoid. Courtney Coker oversaw the center. This enabled students to engage in their activities.
MAIN PROGRAMS:
Once the students began their chosen course of study and schedules were in place for the activities, life happened for these students.
Many chose the fitness program that included many outdoor activities, even with the limitation of having only enough students for select sport choices.
The Headmaster who oversaw each student’s individualized plan and taught World Civilization, also ran a Philately Club which the students participated in and the staff chimed in as well.
Biology Researcher, Courtney Coker, who oversaw the care of the Zoid, led the Science courses.
And, lastly, Colby Zimmerman led a course in Computer Graphic Arts.
The students participated in all of the courses but acquired most of their credits through their selected program concentration.
Ben Markerson led a Mythos Club to explore the many mythologies of the world, inspired by a peer that was also affected by the incident in the separating procedure. He had a particular enthusiasm to understand the imaginary influences that have affected culture throughout time.
With Courtney Coker’s support, the Biology Research Scientist, Ben conducted an internal survey, interviewing all of the students and gathering their stories of growing up with Zoid. An outcome of the survey was selecting the term, ZOID, as the collective name of these living organisms.
SUMMER VACATION:
All students were provided the opportunity to take a three week vacation during the summer break, to visit family, explore colleges or participate in a particular internship opportunity.
GOAL SETTING:
All students were asked to prepare goals that they would work towards during the two years. Dr. Thorpe supported those applying for college and planning for their next steps by providing one-on-one tutoring to get the best testing results for the college entry exams.
ZOID CONSERVATION:
Courtney returned to California with the Zoid to care for them as a private collection.
Once it became apparent that the Zoid were living organisms in whichever state they were in, the anxiety of their well-being dissipated and the students could observe that they were thriving amongst other zoid.
All Zoid have the personality of goldfish. This was part of the lack of knowledge in supporting the zoid. They looked like natural order animals, especially from a distance. Up close, you could see they had a gelatinous like epidermis that was similar to the texture of goldfish, the intricate detail of their coloring made them appear as natural order animals. Most families identified them as ‘animals’, so there was an expectation that they may require support that would be consistent with natural order animals, and that proved to be a flawed assumption in the context of their appearance, but ultimately, once they were understood as a collective, the methods of supporting them became identified and supported. The Zoid were buoyant and constant, not much variance in their constitution.
Later at the Conservation, it was discovered that the Zoid thrived in sea water. They now swim about as a smack of medusae in a seawater aquarium.
GRADUATION:
All students completed the program, each having a new platform of academic preparation and social development. The successful intervention enabled many to get the additional support the benefactor envisioned for these persons. Ruby, did not go through the operation to separate her and continued her life with her peacock zoid in tandem.
EXHIBIT:
Ben Markerson wrote out his personal experience of growing up with a zoid.
Headmaster
Biology Researcher
Computer Arts
The Zoid
Seafoam seeds are collected by Taygete, a Greek mythical character..and they become woodland anime in the Hesperides. The seafoam seeds are dropped from that realm and land into time and space.
They are etherically tethered to the students.
Later, post being separated from their person, it is discovered zoid can change back into a primal state, likened to the Immortal Jellyfish, and ultimately find themselves as medusae in a conservation in California.
How each family and student relates to their zoid and storytells around it, is the interest of the story. A constant discovery and perplexity that no one else in the world can offer any explanation to.
All of the students at Nelase Academy are part of this population.