Schools
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High School Seniors Explore Their Futures and Help Their Communities
Haily Larsen
Graduating from high school isn't simply a matter of racking up the required number of credits anymore. Each senior in Washington State is also required to complete a "Senior Project".
The Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction requires that all graduating seniors complete a Culminating Project that meets three goals:
1) Encourage students to think analytically, logically and creatively and to integrate experience and knowledge to solve problems
2) Give students a chance to explore a topic in which they have a great interest
3) Offer students an opportunity to apply their learning in a "real world" way.
Each school district defines the process by which these goals are met. The results are often impressive. Following is a look at a few of the projects completed by this year's seniors at Dayton, Waitsburg and Prescott High Schools.
Pat Nettleton
One Student's Need Leads to a New Community Asset
Dayton High School senior Pat Nettleton likes to shoot trap and skeet. He's good enough that he competed in the 4-H National Shooting Sports Invitational competition in Grand Island, Nebraska last June. But because Columbia County didn't have a trap or skeet range, he had to travel to a public range in Moxee, WA to practice. For his Senior Project, Pat decided to fill an obvious need in the community. He planned and constructed a trap & skeet range at the Patit Gun Range east of Dayton.
DHS teacher Steve McLean is Pat's Senior Project Advisor. "In my opinion, Pat's project is one of the most outstanding projects that a Dayton student has completed, simply because of the depth and scope of the steps Pat had to take to complete it," says Steve.
Pat put over 300 hours into his project. He also raised nearly $3,000 to cover materials. Because of his resourcefulness in obtaining donations, volunteer expertise and recycling materials from his family's farm, Pat was able to complete the project for half what the initial cost estimate was.
Along the way, Pat learned how to build forms for the cement shooting stations, how to use a transit, excavate a site, calculate the amount of materials needed and pour and finish concrete.
"I just wanted to build something that would be useful to the public," says Pat. "I learned more than I ever dreamed possible."
Dayton students work through a formal project proposal process and then enlist the support of a mentor from the community, experienced in the project area. At least 20 hours must be spent on the project and it must have a "value beyond the student". When the project is completed, each student presents a summary of their project to the community.
Fellow student Heather Truitt organized and supervised Face Painting for kids at the 2008 Columbia County Fair. "I learned how to communicate with the community to make something happen," says Heather.
Brett Lambert
Brett Lambert and Andrew Mascall worked together to refurbish the bullpens (where the pitchers warm up) at the Dayton High School baseball field. They planted new grass and built new practice mounds with solid sides to keep the mounds in shape. "We learned the importance of planning and then how to replan around the weather and other circumstances," says Brett.
Most of the Dayton seniors agreed that writing the required 10-12 page research paper was the least favorite part of their projects, and many also admitted to struggling with procrastination. But everyone we spoke with said they learned a great deal through the experience.
Fish and Fashion: Two of the Varied Careers Explored by Waitsburg Seniors
Waitsburg High senior Jeff Hofer plans to pursue a career in fish biology. So for his senior project he went fishing. Jeff did extensive research on the salmon and steelhead fisheries in the lower Snake River, including the different methods fishermen have used to catch them over the years. Jeff was far more successful with his lures - catching two steelhead - than he was with his bobbers - catching none.
Besides the "fun" part of his project, Jeff spent time at the Lyons Ferry Fish Hatchery, learning about the methods for culling eggs and tagging and identifying fish. He learned about the history of salmon recovery efforts in the lower Snake River since the dams there were completed, and the plans in place for continued improvement of salmon and steelhead runs.
In Waitsburg, about half the students chose a senior project based on their career interest and the other half chose a project based on a hobby interest. Students prepared a visual and oral presentation and practiced it in front of fellow students prior to their formal presentation to a senior project panel.
Haily Larsen plans a career in the fashion industry. Prior to starting her senior project, she thought she wanted to own her own boutique. But after job shadowing at a high-end clothing store in Walla Walla, Haily changed her mind. She still wants to work in the fashion industry, but now hopes to work for a large retailer.
Job Shadowing Leads to Altered Career Plans for Two Prescott Seniors
Prescott High School senior Matt Tucker thought he wanted to become a warden for the Fish & Game department. But after completing his research and job shadow experience, he decided to pursue a degree in fire science instead. "I realized that I didn't want to be in a position that involved regular confrontation with people," says Tucker. "Fire fighting will give me the active job I want without having to deal with public conflict so much."
"I thought I'd like web design," says Gabriela Mendez, "but after sitting at the computer during first period doing research day after day, I realized that I hated sitting at the computer and it made my eyes hurt." Mendez has decided to pursue training in the culinary arts instead.
Prescott School District's senior project process is strictly career-based. Students must identify a career they are interested in, then research that career and write a 10-12 page paper presenting their results and conclusions. They arrange a day mentorship or job shadow experience with a business or individual in their chosen field. Sometimes they find that their senior project experience alters their career plans, as it did for Matt and Gabriela.
Prescott seniors must complete 20 hours of community service and put together a visual display booth featuring the highlights of their project. They also prepare a speech on what they did in high school that will benefit them in the future.
Nathan Stueckle wants to be an entrepreneur. "I really hated the research part of my project," says Stueckle. "But the commitment to own my own business hasn't changed."
Markus Fletcher wasn't sure what career he wanted to research. "I decided to look into being a lineman," says Fletcher. "The job shadow really convinced me that I want to do this job."
Congratulations Graduation Seniors!
Blue Mountain News offers congratulations and best wishes for a wonderful future to the seniors graduating from Dayton, Waitsburg and Prescott High Schools.
Dayton High School
Michelle Barker
Alicia Beckner
Garrett Bickelhaupt
Madeline Cavazos
Jessica Darby
Siera DeRuwe
Ashley Donohue
Samantha Eaton
Benjamin Edwards
Jaimee Field
Kristofer Fleshman
Hanna Garrison
Eric Gilbertson
Heather Hays
Melinda Hodgson
Jeffrey Ihle
Tessa Johnson
Robin Kalamasz
Jacob Kleck
Brett Lambert
Grace Lyman
Thomas Lyman
Winton Lytle
Bilhe Marshall
Andrew Mascall
Jack Naylor
Annemarie Nechodom
Patrick Nettleton
Kellisa Owens
Jacob Peters
Brittany Prince
Marguarita Rivas
Gabriel Rosales Jr.
Timothy Roughton
Ashton Ruble
Amber Spalinger
Jessica Spalinger
Kirsey Sunderland-Herrin
Amanda Thompson
Heather Truitt
Brandon Vela
Robert Warner
Kelsey Warren
Kris Wilbur
Prescott High School
Morgan Beckman
Shana Cruz
Markus Fletcher
Nicole Hall
Anel Hernandez
Angelica Hernandez
Maria Iglesias
Gabriela Mendez
Alisha Marshall
Yanerik Romero
Jonathon Rossi
Nathan Stueckle
Matthew Tucker
Waitsburg High School
Isaac Baker
Morgan Baker
Andrew Baumgardner
Austin Baumgardner
Zachariah Beasley
Angela Berg
Christopher Carpenter
Brittany Cloin
Ashley Coila
Caris Cole
Adam Fitzhugh
Kourtney Foley
Jonathan Francesco
Valerie Hamann
Gricel Hilton
Jeffery Hofer
Stephanie Hoilman
Moriah Hull
Scott Huxoll
Jared Kibler
Haily Larsen
Matthew Leid
Ryan Mason
Stacy Potter
Justin Reedy
Joshua Wilson