What is a Capstone Project in High School?

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a capstone as a â€Å"high point: crowning achievement† which, in many ways, defines a capstone project for high schoolers. Capstone projects require students to use all of the skills they’ve built over the course of their schooling to complete a substantial project that highlights their educational and intellectual experience.    A high school capstone project is a way for students to demonstrate the culmination of skills and knowledge gained through their academic career by completing a long-term, multi-faceted project. Typically performed at the end of a student’s high school career, students commonly choose a topic, profession, or social problem to explore and work with a mentor in that field of interest. The mentor guides the student through the project—sharing their knowledge of the field, teaching new skills, ensuring the student stays on task, and fostering a professional, real-world experience. Over the course of the project, students conduct research, maintain a portfolio detailing the steps taken, and create a final paper, product, or presentation that demonstrates what they’ve learned. Often times, a final presentation is given to a panel of teachers, experts in the field, and community members. One of the primary benefits of a capstone project to a high school student is that it highlights their educational accomplishments. Capstone projects provide students with the opportunity to exhibit their capacity for learning and allow them to show off the critical thinking skills they’ve built. Colleges search for well-rounded students and the multi-faceted nature of a capstone project allows students to display a wide range of skills to prospective schools—writing, research, teamwork, planning, self-sufficiency and public speaking are just a sampling of the many skills used by a student to complete such a rigorous project. Capstone projects are a great way to indicate to potential colleges that a student is prepared for the demands of higher education. Capstone projects also benefit high school students by creating self-confidence and building a sense of preparedness for college. A student who has successfully completed a thorough study of a subject and collaborated with an older, experienced mentor is likely to feel ready to take the next step academically. Capstone projects can also add a sense of purpose to a time where interest in education often wanes—consider it a cure for senioritis.    Lastly, capstone projects let students immerse themselves in a field of interest. For some students, it solidifies their interest in a field and clarifies a degree path; others may learn through their capstone project that the field they chose isn’t as interesting as they thought. Either way, it helps create a sense of certainty before taking expensive college courses. Our Early Advising Program helps students in 9th and 10th grade discover their passions and build strong academic and extracurricular profiles to succeed in high school. Though there are numerous benefits to undertaking a capstone project, the question remains: should your child complete one? The simple answer is yes. Completing a capstone project can be a feather in the cap of any prospective college student, so long as the project doesn’t interfere with any of the student’s other activities or interests that may be attractive to colleges and universities. Colleges are always searching for students who maintain a high grade point average (GPA) while challenging themselves academically. The long-term, intense study of a subject will certainly make a student’s academic prowess evident to prospective schools, but this is only valuable if it doesn’t interfere with their studies and negatively affect their GPA. Students challenging themselves with a capstone project should be careful not to undertake the project at the expense of their other intellectual pursuits. Colleges also seek out well-rounded students and you can make the argument that the focused study of one subject is out of line with what colleges and universities hope to see in a student. It’s true that capstone projects highlight the possession of a diverse skill set in a student, but colleges look for students with a wide range of interests in addition to skills. Students should not take up a capstone project if it means sacrificing extracurricular activities and other interests. On a more personal level, students should ask themselves what they want to accomplish via a capstone project. The best projects are often the ones where the student is most passionate. If a student has a sincere interest in the deeper exploration of a field, it should be encouraged and their excitement and enthusiasm for the field can be felt in their work. If a student is solely tackling a capstone project to wow colleges, there is most likely a better way to impress schools more in line with the student’s interest. Looking to get a better sense of what a capstone project is or looking for an idea to get started on your own capstone project? Here are some examples: Business: Study digital marketing and create a digital marketing plan for a local business to help increase awareness and drive sales. STEM: Learn about video game or app development and conceptualize, design, and build a working game or app. Athletics: Research training and nutrition, build a training plan and diet, and perform in an athletic competition (a triathlon or marathon, for example). Community Service: Learn about the work non-profits do, get first-hand experience volunteering with a local non-profit, and build a plan to create an organization that serves your community. Film: Research what makes an effective public service announcement (PSA) and write, direct, and film a PSA that addresses a concern in your community. A capstone project is just one way that high schoolers can boost their college profile. Our Early Advising Program is aimed at 9th and 10th graders—helping them get a jump start on building a resume that will impress college admissions officers with great grades, stellar standardized test scores, and awesome extracurricular activities. In architecture, a capstone is the final stone placed on a bridge or arch, securing all the other stones in place. In combination with our Early Advising Program, a capstone project is a great way to tie together all of the work a student has done during their high school career to complete an inspiring college profile.

Iran's Vulnerability Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

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Planning My Policymaking Visit - Battling Childhood Obesity - Essay Example Behavior change has the greatest effect but is very difficult to achieve. However, with implementation of policies that encourage healthy dietary choices and increased physical activity in schools, it is easier to attain the goal. There have been efforts to help curb childhood obesity in schools, implemented by various levels of administration. For instance, the government implemented the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program; which were objected at improving the nutrition of children in school. However, studies show that the programs have had very little effect on children’s health especially with regards to childhood obesity. In fact, children in public schools where the lunch and breakfast were offered were at a higher risk of getting obesity than their counterparts in private schools (Li, Ji, & Hooker, 2010). This is important to nursing because academic performance of children is linked to their health which is our responsibility as nurses. There are several policymakers who can make a difference in the current situation of childhood obesity. This includes persons responsible in the Department of Education, the state and the local administration in schools. The target policymakers in this case are the local administration especially the school board. This is because they participate in the lives of the children as compared to the other policymakers, and they are in a position to make the changes more effectively and rapidly. Since most of the interventions recommended are mostly school-based, it is best if the school administration is approached first to seek their opinion before implementing them. The main vision of this visit is to relay the message to the policymakers on childhood obesity and discuss proposed ways of preventing or reducing it. Obesity comes with many challenges to the students, ranging from academic to social. Studies show that most obese students

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Compare and contrast the impact of late-19th and early-20th century industrialization with that of late-20th and early-21st cent - Essay Example Division of labour is a key element in industrialization as it is essential to economic growth. On the other hand, globalization refers to the international integration resulting from interchange of world opinions, ideas, products, and general aspects of culture and religion1. Specifically, developments in telecommunication and infrastructure, use of the internet are the core drivers of globalization. This paper will focus on both positive and negative effects of industrialization as well as globalization. It will seek to establish the level of similar effects at the two different phases. By 1750 industrialization introduced mass production as several products could be manufactured as a go. This is because machinery replaced human labour and machinery could not get tired as human nature2. Therefore, machines could work longer hours as well as executing work that were initially done by several workers. Within 20th century, the emergency of globalization, production was made mare effec tive and faster processes as high advanced machines could be automated and function without human interference. Globalization enables production of as particular product in a different location with same qualities. This is because processes are duplicable and franchises are common. Both industrialization and globalization provided education and civilization to people. Before 1750, people were illiterate and primitive as they did not know the importance of education, schools were a rear commodity, and there were no resource centers to educate people on the importance of knowledge. With the rise of industrialization, people were getting aware of education, schools were set up, and children sent to school. Though learning institutions were available, children preferred going to work at the farms than going to school. During 20th and 21 centuruy, schools were available to every individual willing to advance knowledge; schools introduced exchange programs as international students would go on exchange academic programs within different country or even continent3. In addition, people are willing to learn as it is general knowledge that only the well-educated people scoop top jobs. Concisely, people associate education with a successful career contrary to industrialization. Both industrialization and globalization have a negative impact on the environment. They emit pollutants to water, air, soil, and atmosphere in general. Industrialization exposed people to a lot of noise from machineries, as most of the machines were crude and produced a lot of noise. This resulted to either permanent or partial hearing impairment to workers. By 1800, Mining was a substantial business whereby miners left open trenches after the mining process. This was dangerous to children and even adults as could cause accidents and deaths. Chemicals used in farms polluted soil and were mainly disposed to rivers. This act endangered the life of fish and other aquatic animals as well as human bei ng because water treatment was rare and rivers were the only source of water. The machinery used during industrialization was crude and could produce a lot of smoke hence polluting the air as coal was the main source of energy. On the other hand, globalization had same pollution challenges although less damaging than during industrialization because machineries were more developed hence could emit small smoke, water treatment

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Self-assessment - Term Paper Example Based on the big five personality assessment, the aspect of openness to experience and intellect had a score of 47% which was judged as typically uncreative. This needs improvement which will mainly be guided by getting involved in creative sessions, complex activities, though on a gradual process and more conventional aspects of the learning environment. This is important given the current global trends that require creativity for one to ail through in whatever career they choose. Conscientiousness was ranked at 64% which meant that I am able to organize myself and am reliable. However, there needs to be an improvement to attain self-discipline. Self-discipline in any working or social environment is important because it sets one apart from all the rest (Drucker, 2010). Reliability will come in handy too in other areas within the organization. Extraversion was ranked at 64% which meant that I relatively enjoy social gatherings. There needs to be some improvement in the area of being talkative and fun-loving. I am however more agreeable, at 74%, which indicates consideration for the feelings of others. This needs to be maintained and nurtured (Kelvin, 2011). I am also more relaxed during a crisis which was ranked under neuroticism and had a score of 27%. Such is an important attribute when in management or dealing with hostile people in social settings while in school, this is something that aids in creating bond with many people, hence a better lifestyle and a peaceful environment for all. The emotional intelligence quiz showed a high score on emotional intelligence. This implies that I am good at skills that have to deal with the interpretation and understanding of emotions and also when there is a need to act upon those skills. However, more work is required to maintain these since adeptness to react and deal with social and emotional conflicts is always an important attribute in real-life situations. Emotional intelligence is