A ’ 11 GRADE SENIOR PROJECT PROPOSAL AND …

1 ASSUMPTION HIGH SCHOOL'S 11TH GRADE . SENIOR PROJECT PROPOSAL AND presentation assignment . Purpose of assignment : for eleventh GRADE students to create a detailed PROJECT description along with steps to completion, and documentation for the PROJECT they will complete during their SENIOR year End Product: SENIOR PROJECT PROPOSAL Grades Earned: SENIOR PROJECT PROPOSAL two grades presentation of PROPOSAL one GRADE Implementation Timeline: TBA (entire assignment to be due during English III course). Specifics of assignment : see attached documents GLEs Covered: TBA. WHAT IS THE SENIOR PROJECT PROPOSAL ? Assumption High School is excited about the opportunity the SENIOR PROJECT provides to all seniors to do significant work in an area of their own choosing. This PROJECT also gives students a sense of accomplishment as they demonstrate their knowledge and skills to their community.

2 During your junior year, you will begin the SENIOR PROJECT process by selecting your PROJECT and submitting a SENIOR PROJECT PROPOSAL to obtain approval for your SENIOR PROJECT . During this semester, you will be given guidance on the selection, development of, and the actual writing process of your SENIOR PROJECT PROPOSAL . This information will be given to you during your English III class; however, it will be your responsibility to follow up and apply this knowledge to your independent completion of the SENIOR PROJECT PROPOSAL . WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SENIOR PROJECT ? (1) The SENIOR PROJECT PROPOSAL (to be completed in junior year). All juniors will submit a SENIOR PROJECT PROPOSAL which will include detailed PROJECT descriptions and steps to completion, documentation, PROJECT consultant contracts, and signed parent consent forms for the PROJECT you will complete during your SENIOR year.

3 Your English III teacher will GRADE your SENIOR PROJECT PROPOSAL as part of your GRADE for that course; however; the SENIOR PROJECT Committee will evaluate your SENIOR PROJECT PROPOSAL based upon the challenge it poses for you and the skills and knowledge you propose to acquire in order to determine whether or not you may indeed go ahead with this PROJECT during your SENIOR year. You must have your PROJECT approved before beginning any work on it. (2) The Paper (to be completed in SENIOR year during English IV course). All seniors will complete a research paper related to the career of interest you wish to pursue after high school. However, the paper is a research paper, not a report about this particular career or your PROJECT . You must be able to explain the link between your PROJECT and your paper, and your paper must be argumentative, not merely a history report or a report of information.

4 The paper must be at least five full pages of text, typed or word-processed, and documented according to the MLA (Modern Language Association) format. You must use a minimum of seven sources. Both primary (personal interview) and secondary (books, magazines, newspapers) sources will be required. The process of writing the paper will be taught and monitored in English IV. You must complete the process--note taking, outlining, drafting, revising and editing--as well as the final draft, meeting all assigned deadlines. (3) The PROJECT / Portfolio (to be completed in SENIOR year during English IV course). This phase of the SENIOR PROJECT requires seniors to produce a PROJECT or performance in an area of their own interest. The PROJECT must be done on the student's own time and must be of enough magnitude to require at least 20-40 hours of independent work.

5 The PROPOSAL you draft in your junior year outlines the steps you will take to complete this independent PROJECT . You must choose a PROJECT that is a challenge. For instance, a SENIOR who is skilled in music cannot merely play a musical composition. Such a student would need to stretch further, perhaps write a piece of music or learn a new instrument. While we encourage community service and career exploration, students must create a product or provide an actual service that has been designed by them. All students must design, or create, or organize, or write something that can be evaluated. An experience in itself (a job shadow, an internship, a special class) does not qualify as a PROJECT . The student may use this experience, however, to help in creating an authentic PROJECT . Students will independently create a portfolio that will be monitored through the English IV class to document their work on the PROJECT .

6 The PROJECT is evaluated through the portfolio, which will contain items such as the evaluation by the PROJECT consultant, a written overview of the PROJECT , the original PROJECT PROPOSAL , the research paper, the PROJECT self-evaluation form, photos/video of progress on the PROJECT , and any appropriate drawings, graphs or charts. (4) The SENIOR PROJECT presentation (to be completed in SENIOR year during English IV course). The final phase of the SENIOR PROJECT requires seniors to present their completed research and PROJECT to a panel. You will present for seven to ten minutes and then answer any questions the panel may ask you. You will be graded on the content of your speech, your delivery, and your visual aids. You should be able to explain the connection between your research and your PROJECT , as well as what you have learned about yourself in the course of completing the SENIOR PROJECT .

7 TERMS TO CONSIDER. The following information is a breakdown of terms you need to consider prior to selecting and putting together your PROPOSAL . WHAT DO YOU MEAN RESEARCH MY PROJECT IDEA? Many times students will just pick a PROJECT before they actually look into it for understanding. When this happens, you may be committing yourself to a much larger or smaller PROJECT than desired, or you might be missing some of the most important steps in the process. Of course you can hold a benefit concert, but consider the number of people your graduation is now relying on the audience, who you have to get there, the bands, who you have to find and assure they show up at rehearsal and the actual event, the equipment, which you have to secure, the venue, which you have to secure, the organization, which you have to work with to make sure you can use their name in advertising, and so on Essentially, we want you to THINK ABOUT IT, and talk to others to make sure you have an understanding of all the steps and hours needed for completion.

8 WHAT IS A STRETCH ? A stretch means that your PROJECT must challenge you in some substantial manner. While it may be connected to something you already know, it should require you to learn new skills and develop a new understanding of your PROJECT area, which means it must move you out of your comfort zone. For example, if you have played basketball your entire life, learning to dribble left handed instead of right handed is not a stretch. Perhaps coaching a youth team, organizing a 12-team tournament, working with a non-profit organization fundraising for uniforms or repair to a basketball facility would be stretch all of these projects have a connection to your interest, they are just requiring new skills, which corresponds to a stretch. Essentially, think outside the box, try something new that will keep your interest for several months.

9 WHAT ARE PROJECT RESTRICTIONS? Classes and Jobs are not SENIOR Projects. You may take a class to help you reach your goal for the PROJECT . For example, you may take a guitar class in order to prepare you to perform or write a song, which would demonstrate a stretch. Becoming a Cadet in the ROTC Program is great, but think about how you are going to apply all that knowledge after the fact. Simply going to class, however, is not the PROJECT . Also, you may not use hours for which you are being paid as part of your service hours. Projects related to jobs must go beyond the regular work schedule and provide for the employer something that is not part of the student's typical responsibilities. In addition, your PROJECT cannot be something created in another class. WHAT IS A MENTOR ? A mentor is a person over 21 years of age who has expertise in your PROJECT area and is not a family member.

10 You are responsible for finding your own PROJECT mentor. PROJECT mentors need to be available for you to communicate with and help guide you towards the completion of your PROJECT . The mentor must verify that you have spent a minimum of 20 hours on the PROJECT and have completed it successfully; they do not need to be present for all the hours. Essentially, you need to find someone from the community with the interest, time and expertise to help you complete the PROJECT . Finding this person first will help you complete your research of the PROJECT and create a great PROJECT PROPOSAL . WHAT IS PURPOSE ? Purpose means the PROJECT must have a clear goal or purpose, which can be measured by an expert in the field, your PROJECT mentor. For example, creating a web page is not an acceptable PROJECT , unless you can demonstrate that there is a specific client and audience with a clear need for the information.