Senior Project
Senior Project
The Senior Project is organized so that every student has an opportunity to achieve a sense of accomplishment while gaining self-confidence through success. The Project will enhance lifetime learning habits and interests. It offers an opportunity for the entire community and individual community members to be involved in the school and students by serving as volunteer mentors for students, resources to student research, or evaluators of Senior Project presentations. The Project leads to staff growth and renewal as teachers work with students as mentors and coaches.
The Senior Project will:
The Senior Project is divided into three parts - a physical project, a paper, and a presentation. A student must show proficiency in all three of these areas before graduating.
The physical project is, for many, the key focus of the Senior Project. It involves a minimum of 15 hours of documented extracurricular work as well as the creation of an appropriate visual for the Senior Board Presentation. The Project provides an opportunity for all students to experience success and pride of accomplishment. School and community relations are strengthened as community members become involved with students in a meaningful way as mentors and resources. It also allows students a chance to recognize the resources and job opportunities available in their community.
The intent of the Senior Paper is not only to test graduating Seniors on their research-paper skills, but to also give them the opportunity to become more knowledgeable in one area of study. The relationship between paper and project is often so well-defined that students become very skilled in their chosen field. The years of hard work and study culminates in the eight to ten-page final paper, which is graded by an independent reader. The papers are also read by the Senior Board which will be listening to the student's presentation.
To successfully pass their Senior Board presentation, seniors must show proficient speaking techniques and the ability to present information in a rational and logical way. The Senior Board for each individual consists of four to eight people selected not only from the faculty but also from the community. The presentation is the Senior's chance to show firsthand what his or her project is about. The main topic of the presentation is the process taken throughout the Senior Project, a topic which elucidates the concept that "the end of the road is not the destination, the road is the destination."
Senior Project Criteria
These are the minimum requirements for the three components of Senior Project. The Senior Advisory Board must approve the research paper and the physical project before you proceed.
Research Paper: You become an expert on your topic
- 55 notecards required
- original research without plagiarism
- 2000 to 2500 words, excluding Works Cited, to be eligible for an "Excellent" rating
- minimum of 1500 words long to be eligible for a "Proficient" rating. Papers under 1500 will scored "Unacceptable."
- no more than 20% of the paper in direct quotations
- no reports or procedures. Papers must be written to a thesis.
- minimum of six sources must be used in the paper and appear on Works Cited
- the majority of the sources must be reputable
- no hardcover or electronic general encyclopedias can be used follow Source Documentation Guidelines from the CHS Media Center
- paper typed and double-spaced, with font size 12 (user friendly style)
- 1" margins all around
- refer to sample page 1 in this packet for heading and header format
- refer to the "Yes" Test in this packet for specific research paper criteria
Physical Project: You do or create something related to your Research topic
- physical project involves "stretching" out of your comfort zone
- minimum of 15 hours; 30 for excellence in "use of time"
- physical journal is required: length of time, specific work accomplished, identity and signature of supervisor/mentor
- none of these hours can take place during school hours
- job shadowing/volunteering is encouraged but a career portfolio is required and you must spend a minimum of 15 hours in contact time, excluding work on portfolio
- hours must be verified by a person who has seen your project in progress
- mentors are strongly recommended and can be a parent, teacher, minister, etc.
- three-hole binder required for the portfolio
- Board time is scheduled only when the portfolio is received.
Presentation: You Tell the board what you have learned
- visual(s) must be completed for the practice speech unit
- eight to ten minutes in length for excellence, seven to eleven minutes for proficiency, followed by an impromptu question period
- shows a balance of paper, project, and the process you went through
- organized
- effective speaking skills are demonstrated
- portfolio must be complete and on time to be scheduled
NOTES
The following resources are designed to help someone with the Senior Project at Camas High School.
Return to the CHS Home Page.
This page is Lee Williams' Senior Project.
Some material HTMLicized by Brandon Ritter.
Source material provided by Linda Kimball.
Some material Copyright Far West EDGE, Inc.