Masuk High's Capstone Projects Need Mentors, Judges

teacher Carl Bodnar once worked in an independent study program with a student who wanted to be a pastry chef. She studied recipes from around the world, in places most people would never think of — including Peru.

"She was making a cookbook," Bodnar said.

The study was performed in the same spirit as the Capstone Projects the entire Masuk senior class will pursue next year. The goal is a to experience a "learning stretch," finding out more about a topic of interest or on something a student knows nothing about. It will be done under the guidance of a mentor.

While it is preferable for students to find and approach their own mentors, school administrators are compiling a pool of willing mentors from a wide variety of fields, from landscape design and mechanics to doctors and equine veterinarians.

"The student's choice is the best part of this," said Ken Rider, an English teacher at Masuk.

Masuk Interim Assistant Principal Frank Samuelson said, "We personally will not share with the students potential opportunities, because we don't want to channel their interests. We want them to dream about what they see their professional life to be like. This process will confirm or deny it."

A mentor must be age 21 or older, a non-relative, have expertise in a field and not be a student's current employer. A student must perform 20 hours of fieldwork under a mentor's guidance.

Those interested in volunteering as a mentor or as a judge on a Capstone panel when students make their presentations, should call Masuk High School's main number at 203-452-5823 or email Bodner at cbodnar@monroeps.org, Rider at krider@monroeps.org, Samuelson at fsamuelson@monroeps.org.

School administrators have already been reaching out to potential mentors.

"Ken and I spoke with Charlie Edgerton in case a student wants to be an HVAC mechanic," said Bodnar, who also approached and . "There's just so many possibilities," he said.

"We want to have that data base to fall back on," Rider said of finding willing mentors.

Students will be introduced to the Capstone in March and will have until May 15 to find a mentor.

The Top of the Pyramid

"Capstone is like the stone at the top of the pyramid," Rider said. "It's a culmination of the K-12 school experience. We're creating a bridge between the classroom and the real world."

Similar senior projects are assigned in other school districts and Rider said all are starting to call the projects Capstone projects. The state is expected to mandate these assignments by 2018.

"It's basically a pass/fail experience, said Bodnar, adding that successfully completing a Capstone Project earns a student a half-a-credit and their experience is recorded on their transcript.

Once a topic is chosen and a mentor is found, students must turn in a Letter of Intent on May 15, and a Sign of Commitment is due on June 11. A journal entry on getting started will be handed in on Oct. 3, then a fieldwork journal on hours 1-10 and an Annotated Bibliography is due on Dec. 5.

On Feb. 6, a Fieldwork Journal of hours 11-20 is due, along with a Letter of Recommendation from one's mentor. A Reflection Paper and a Capstone Portfolio is due on April 1. Then students practice giving speeches in preparation for an oral presentation on what they learned before a panel of judges serving on the Capstone Board.

Those serving as judges will be volunteers.

Samuelson said, "In addition to mentors, we're looking to have a good cross section of judges: Teachers, parents, retired people and businesspeople."

Capstone organizers have already approached the Monroe Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club and plan to speak to the Lions Club in February. The Monroe Senior Center is another place for potential volunteers.

The panel trains for about an-hour-and-a-half on how to give students scores based upon a rubric. Then a few days later, the panel judges presentations, which will most likely be held in either late May or early June.

Bodnar himself had served as a judge on the panel for Oxford High School when Samuelson was the principal.

"It's a very positive experience," he recalled. "Before the students presented, we had the opportunity to have a sandwich and read the students' portfolios. Students dress up and present. It's very rewarding. I had a marvelous experience in Oxford."