Senior Projects: Yay or Nay?

WAITSBURG - With just over a month until graduation, local high school seniors are scurrying to put the final touches on their senior projects. The projects - termed 'culminating projects' by the State -- are a graduation requirement for all Washington State seniors - at least through this year.

A Yakima student - as her senior project - was instrumental in removing that requirement in a bill signed by Governor Jay Inslee on March 13. Because WHS saw the value in senior projects and initiated them years before they became a state requirement, it would be surprising if the change affects local students.

According to an Associated Press article, 17-yearold Tiffany Stewart of Yakima County High School made it her senior project to end senior projects. Stewart argued that the projects were unfair because some students had time and money to devote, while others had conflicts with work, family and extracurricular activities. She also felt some students completed only the bare minimum to pass.

The State Board of Education created the culminating project requirement in 2000, to begin with the class of 2008. School districts determine their own specific project requirements under basic state guidelines.

Stewart spearheaded lobbying efforts with her stepfather, Rep. David Taylor (R-Moxee). In April 2103, Rep. Jason Overstreet (RLynden) sponsored House Bill 2402, which removes the culminating project as a state graduation requirement.

" When Ms. Stewart brought this idea to me, I knew it had merit. It gives local control back to school districts to decide whether or not they want to continue with the culminating projects while eliminating a state-required, unfunded mandate," said Overstreet in a press release on the Washington House Republicans website.

On Jan. 30, 2014 Overstreet testified with Stewart before the House Education Committee where the bill is currently pending. However, on March 3, Rep. Sam Hunt (D-Olympia) added an amendment prohibiting the SBE from requiring students to complete a culminating project for graduation to Senate Bill 6552 which was signed into law and goes into effect in 2015.

The bill allows districts to decide whether to eliminate the projects or not. "Many are deeply invested in it, while others view it as a compliance hurdle," said SBE Executive Director Ben Rarick in a Washington Times interview.

Waitsburg could certainly be considered 'heavily invested'. Former principal Dan Butler presented the idea of senior projects to Waitsburg staff in 1993 as a way to address an identified "lack of focus and expectations by the senior classes of our high school." In addition to educational benefits received by the student, the projects were seen as a way to,"get the community involved with the school and provide our students a chance to give something back to the community in the form of community service."

Projects have evolved over the years, but current requirements include working with a mentor to research a topic and summarize that research in a 10-page paper, create and complete a related project, and participate in ten hours of community service. Students must also appear before a panel of three judges - one knowledgeable in the field, one District staff member and one community member -- and give a 15-20 minute presentation.

WHS Project Coordinator Roseann Groom has facilitated seniors for years and sees value in the projects. Groom says they add rigor to the senior year curriculum, allow students to work with a variety of people (mentors, professionals, and staff), prepare students for college level writing and provide an opportunity to work on presentation skills using visuals and technology.

"Students take pride in the final product because they have worked hard on it," said Groom. "The staff and community share in that pride when they see the presentations or see the projects at Open House."

Groom said the projects sometimes save the students thousands of dollars in tuition when they thought they wanted to study something and discovered that they didn't. "For some, it was the introduction to the field they are in today - nurses, dental hygienists, a physicist, teachers, a chef," said Groom.

WHS 2014 seniors have chosen the following topics and research questions as the basis of their senior projects: - Katelynn Martin, Aquaponics: What is the history of Aquaponics, how does an Aquaponic system work, and how does one maintain an Aquaponic system? - Kendra Roberts, Cosmetics: What is the history of cosmetics since the 20th century? How does it affect people? - EJ Meserve, Distance running: How does a person train for cross country? - Meara Baker, Bass Guitar:

What are the different types, styles, and techniques on the bass and what does it take to learn to play it? - Kimmie Hamann, Literacy in America: What does it take for a child to become a successful reader and a literate American? - Enedina Fuentes, Dance:

What are some different styles of dance? - Heidi Miller, Diabetes:

How does diabetes change the daily life and lifespan of a person? - Jessie Hopkins, Photography: How many styles of photography are there and how does one use and adjust equipment? - Garrison Martin, Elementary Education: How has elementary education changed over the past twenty years and has it improved? - Nicholas Pearson, Medical Technology: How has medical technology changed in the past 20 years? - Trenton Kitselman, Wrestling: What are some different styles of wrestling? - Kyle Dozier, Physical

Therapy: How has physical therapy changed over the past twenty years? - Nate Bartlow, Carpentry:

How does one learn to do basic carpentry and what tools are needed? - Chad Pearson, Civil Engineering: What is the history of civil engineering? - Catherine Shepherd, Italian Food: How does food differ in various regions of

Italy? - Beka Adams, Rodeo

Queens: What is the history behind rodeo queens? - Chelsey Brannock, Cosmetology: What is a day like for a cosmetologist and what stress is involved in the job?

A Senior Project Open House will take place June 4, from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Waitsburg High School cage.