On Monday, April 18, 12 members of the Class of 2016 presented their Capstone Projects throughout three sessions in front of parents, faculty, administration and fellow students. As part of this multifaceted, student-directed, long-term investigative project, each eighth grader researched a topic of particular interest to him or her, wrote a formal paper following Modern Language Association format, created a product or artifact that demonstrated gained knowledge and delivered an oral presentation utilizing Power Point slides. For the first time, one class was also required to complete one to three hours of field work as part of the research process.
While only a dozen students presented on Monday evening, 55 Capstone Projects were on display in the Middle School wing, with each eighth grader available to answer questions and provide demonstrations. Following their experiences at the Capstone Event, the students will write a reflective essay.
Piloted four years ago by the English Department, the Capstone Project is designed to encourage students to think critically and to practice skills that will be needed in high school, college and beyond: written and oral communication, public speaking, research skills, media literacy, planning, pacing and organizing.
The list of Capstone Projects presented on Monday follows below:
Video Games are Good for People (Ethan Kacmarcik)
Living with Leukemia (Dante Principe)
North Korea (Lily Suh)
The History of Horology: A Short Lesson on Mankind's Horological Advancements (Ryan Crowl)
Disorders, Not Danger (Rileigh Owens)
The Color Green: The Controversy Surrounding the Legalization of Marijuana (Stephanie Sullivan)
The Zulu: A South African Tribe (Katy Craft)
Understanding ISIS (Tatum Schutt)
Physical Activity and Its Effects on Academic Performance (Joe Sheets)
Blood Clots and Blood Thinners (Ashley Heitzenroder)
Beach Erosion (Emily Ambler)
Concussion Technology Advancements (Ben Annone)
For the full Capstone Project gallery, please click here.