Senior Projects

The purpose of the senior project is to allow every graduating senior to exhibit the skills and knowledge that he or she has gained in high school. This project encourages the three “R’s” identified by the State Board of Education: Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships. Students develop and explore a rigorous research topic, establish a relationship with an expert mentor outside the school community, demonstrate relevance by presenting to a panel of judges, and create a culminating product that is a tangible and scholarly manifestation of the research.

The Components of the Senior Project or the 4 P’s:

The Paper: Every senior will develop an Essential Question and Thesis Statement as the foundation of the research. The paper must prove the thesis, answer the Essential Question, and reflect the student’s knowledge of the Modern Language Association’s (MLA) research format using a variety of credible and scholarly sources.

The Presentation: After submitting and passing the research paper, each student will present his or her findings to a panel of judges. This is a formal and professional opportunity for the student to explain and elaborate on the information in the paper and answer questions from the judges. The presentation must be accompanied by a PowerPoint.

The Product: Preferably, the product will benefit the greater community; however, this is not a requirement. Students must complete all products outside of the school environment as a physical manifestation of the results of the research.

The Portfolio: The final assignment is to create a professional portfolio for the judges. The portfolio will include the following elements: the final paper, mentor and product logs, project proposal and letter of intent, mentor verification form, and the reflection on the research process.