2017 Senior Projects Span a Wide Array
From the west coast of North America to the east coast of Africa—and many places in between—members of the Class of 2017 took part recently in a range of self-guided adventures in discovery and learning (otherwise known as Senior Projects).
For three weeks each spring, every Upper School senior has the opportunity to delve into a topic of individual interest, working with a sponsor and an “expert” in his or her field of exploration. But the process starts during fall semester, when the students identify interests and bounce ideas off their peers. By early spring, every senior is expected to have identified a sponsor and one or more resource persons or “experts.” After writing a full proposal, seniors present their ideas for critique and feedback to a panel of students and community members.
One of the main benefits of senior projects is that students “get to explore life interests,” says English teacher Steve Henn (US’98, C’02), who has been coordinating this activity for several years. According to Henn, the introduction of the House and Crew system this year, with dedicated time for group activities, has had a beneficial impact on the project planning process. And, as the process gradually (and purposefully) “releases the reins to the students,” he notes, “many of them rise to the occasion in projects they are passionate about.”
Here’s a sampling of this year’s projects, which included internships, art and video creations, musical explorations, and the production or assembly of items such as hunting bows and drones:
- Marshall Fielding (pictured above) explored ocean mammal research, working with a Principia alum at the Coastal Conservation Action Lab at the University California, Santa Cruz. In a typical day, Marshall participated in “re-sights” (monitoring already tagged seals); recorded and collected measurements on sedated seals; and deployed monitoring devices, while seals were foraging, to measure ocean depth, water temperature, and jaw movement.
- Marlaina Mathisen also pursued an oceanic theme—but did so right here, in the Upper School ceramics studio. She produced an extensive underwater gallery of sea creatures (at least three pieces a day)—including octopus bowls, coral mugs, and anemone bottles. Marlaina plans to study art in college.
- John Woodall and Sammy Keller took up the challenge of producing a senior class video. They interviewed all 66 members the class of 2017, posing a set of questions to them in groups of two or three. The questions ranged from “Where do you see yourself in 10 years?” to “What advice do you have for underclassmen?” John and Sammy also included a few faculty and administrators in the fast-paced, 30-minute video that was extremely popular with their peers—and with visiting parents.
- Storey Pearson produced a video documentary on the community and conservation efforts of a unique public-private partnership in ecosystem management. On a visit to Mozambique’s Gorongosa National Park, home to Africa’s “Big Five” mammals as well as scores of others, Storey interviewed local villagers who are participating in community and sustainable development programs that aim to support the health and security of people as well as wildlife.