ABRHS Senior Projects Garner Praise

Nearly every high school course has a syllabus that outlines exactly what will be taught and an assessment that will capture what its students have learned.

Not so with ABRHS course #146: Senior English with Project. The class follows the traditional English path for the first three quarters of the year, then transforms into a self-directed, hands-on challenge that provides a unique experience to each of its students.

This year, one of every five soon-to-be-graduates took advantage of the chance to pose a question of his or her own choosing, research the answer, and present the final product in the 2012 Senior Project Exhibition.

Well attended, the evening drew many of the presenting students’ peers and parents, scores of underclassmen and dozens of families with younger children. The variety of displays evoked the oft-used sentiment something for everyone.

Student artists, musicians, scientists and innovators explained their journeys from inception to completion, easily answering questions posed by visitors to their exhibits. 

Senior Suman Amugothu explained that each project participant was  required to pose a question, interview an expert in the field, keep weekly journals of progress, author a research paper and deliver a 20-minute presentation.

 “I went into Boston and interviewed a mixed media artist,” Suman said when asked to name the highlight of her project.

Patrick Phillmore, who took on the construction of an acoustic guitar, was assisted by a luthier from Bay State Guitar.

“It was a really good experience all around,” said Patrick. “I really like the finished product.”

Sophie Purdom’s project was inspired by a negative experience. Wishing to build a hydroponics system, she searched the internet for design inspiration and directions, only to find expensive, complicated options.

Setting out to build one herself and share the knowledge with others, Sophie created a recycled system in which to grow plants and posted instructions online via a blog called Vertical Hydroponics for Dorks and Their Dog.

“I decided to go against the grain and build one for nothing, said Sophie.  “Anyone can do it.”

Jodi Phelan, an ABRHS parent whose son, Brendan, presented a primer on fishing, said she’d been looking forward to the evening.

“I was really excited to see what the kids had produced,” she said. “It’s fun to see the passion they have for their interests.”

Senior Elana Richmond was in awe of a peer’s project. “Her prom dress is incredible,” Elana said of Allison Wang’s design. “She’s an amazing artist.  I wish I could do that.”

Genevieve Hammond is one of the teachers behind the creation of the senior project course. Proposed six years ago, the initial students were assigned randomly to the pilot program.

“It was the luck of the draw if they landed in my or Joan’s class,”  Hammond said of her then-colleague, Joan Lenington, who has since left  ABRHS but attended the exhibition.

“We’ve got a great mix of kids with a passion who want to do more with it and kids who want to explore something new,” said Hammond. “They’re having really gratifying experiences.”

Lenington sees the senior projects as teaching the students “real-life skills.”  “They push themselves and go beyond talking to people that they know,” she said of the initial phase of the assignment.

“It’s a moving night,” said Hammond.