Culminating
Project &
Portfolio
Guidelines
2015
Beginning with the Class of 2008, Washington graduates must: pass state
tests showing achievement in basic skills or complete approved
alternatives to those tests, complete a culminating project, satisfy class
credit requirements, and craft a high school and beyond plan (5-year plan).
In 2014, the rules were modified to remove the presentation requirement
from the senior project, but all other requirements stay the same.
Everything
you need to
know about
your senior
project!
Table of Contents
Project/ Experience Guidelines .................................................................................................................. 3
Selecting a Project ...................................................................................................................................................... 3
Project/Experience Options .................................................................................................................................... 4
Choosing a Mentor .................................................................................................................................................... 7
The Project – Required Elements................................................................................................................ 8
The Project Proposal ................................................................................................................................................. 8
Project Proposal Cover Sheet .................................................................................................................................. 8
Project Approval ........................................................................................................................................................ 9
Mentor Agreement .................................................................................................................................................... 9
Parent Verification Form .......................................................................................................................................... 9
Work Log .................................................................................................................................................................... 9
Mentor Interview and Insights................................................................................................................................. 9
Mentor Thank You Letter ...................................................................................................................................... 10
Self Evaluation ......................................................................................................................................................... 10
The 5 Year Plan – Required Elements........................................................................................................ 11
Plan Summary ........................................................................................................................................................... 11
Personal Statement .................................................................................................................................................. 11
The Portfolio – Required Elements ............................................................................................................12
Portfolio Requirement............................................................................................................................................. 13
Letter to the Judges ................................................................................................................................................. 13
Portfolio Checklist ................................................................................................................................................... 14
Service Learning Documentation .......................................................................................................................... 15
Best Works ................................................................................................................................................................ 15
Academic and Personal Growth Essay ................................................................................................................. 16
Current Resume ....................................................................................................................................................... 17
Letters of Recommendation ................................................................................................................................... 19
Project Documentation ........................................................................................................................................... 19
The Presentation – Requirements ..............................................................................................................21
Delivering the Presentation .................................................................................................................................... 21
Dressing for the Presentation ................................................................................................................................ 21
Your Score ................................................................................................................................................................ 21
Presentation Tips ..................................................................................................................................................... 21
Making the PowerPoint .......................................................................................................................................... 23
Students with Special Circumstances ........................................................................................................ 25
Students with Disabilities........................................................................................................................................ 25
Running Start Students ........................................................................................................................................... 25
AP Euro Students .................................................................................................................................................... 25
Transfer Students ..................................................................................................................................................... 25
Medical Lake Alternative High School ................................................................................................................. 25
Exchange Students................................................................................................................................................... 25
Senior Seminars .......................................................................................................................................... 26
Timeline ..................................................................................................................................................... 27
Class 2013 Culminating Project Guidelines
Page 2
Table of Contents /Experience Guidelines – Class 2009
Project/Experience Guidelines – Class 2013
The primary purpose of the Senior Project is to prepare to take the next step after high school. Far too many
students end walking out the doors after of graduation with a diploma in hand, but no direction to their lives.
Our senior project is designed to prevent that. Instead, our students will be prepared to take the next step in
their lives once they graduate, whether that is furthering their education, entering the workforce, or serving our
country.
Every senior will complete an interview, career portfolio, and a five year plan. This project/experience should be
aligned with the student’s career goals and relate to a specific career pathway. Every senior is required to spend a
minimum of 10-hours completing the project/experience. The student will also spend a considerable amount of
time preparing for the interview, creating their five year plan, documenting the process of the job shadow (or
original project) and creating a career portfolio.
Attitude
The first step in a successful and beneficial for you, it is important that you approach this with the proper attitude.
You will spend a significant amount of time working on this project and others are going to volunteer their time to
make the experience as beneficial as possible for you. Take this opportunity to find out more about your future.
Do not waste your time and the time of others by taking this lightly. Use this time to learn and make yourself a
better future. The Senior Project is designed to help you make better decisions in regards to your future. Students
often make choices for their future with too little information and because of that they will spend years pursuing the
wrong major or career. This ends up being very costly and time consuming. About two out of three students in
college change majors at least one. The number one reason people change majors is because they simply didn’t
research the career properly. Someone wanting to become a nurse to “help people” may not like the higher level
math and science required will then change majors. Students entering the workforce or military may find that they
grow bored of a career or find that their skill sets do not let them advance as they anticipated. There are over 1,500
different academic programs of study (majors) reported by colleges, but students only know handful of programs.
There are over 850 groups of occupations each of which may have many specialized occupation within the group.
Use this project to make certain that you want to pursue your desired career, or to find out that you do not want
this career. Both are valuable.
Selecting a Project
(assignment: career assessment worksheet)
In order for the student to get the most benefit of the senior project, the project must be relevant to the students’
post-secondary goals. If the student chooses a project that does not relate to their future goals, then it essentially
becomes a waste of time for everyone. While it may not be possible to job shadow the ideal career that you want
since medical and military fields can be difficult, use the opportunity to try out another career that you might be
interested in pursuing instead or try to get as close as you can.
Your project must relate to your future career and/or educational goals and one of the following Career Interest
Areas of Focus: This means that if you want to be a surgeon, you should have a job shadow in the career field of
medicine. It doesn’t have to be a surgeon that you job shadow. The goal is to get as close as you can to your
career, but it does not have to be the exact career you plan on pursuing.

Arts and Communication: People who are artistic and creative are employed in this pathway. These
pathways may include fashion design, graphic design and production, film and cinema studies fine arts,
journalism, foreign languages, radio and television broadcasting, advertising and music production.
Class 2013 Culminating Project Guidelines
Page 3
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Business Finance & Operation: These career pathways appeal to those who value organization and detail
work. Careers may include accounting, research and assessment, operations management, finance, stocks
and bonds, and economics.

Business Marketing & Management: These pathways may include careers that appeal to those
individuals who are enterprising and persuasive in nature including careers of public relations, sales,
marketing, hospitality and tourism, computer/information systems, retailing, small business ownership, and
management.

Science & Engineering: People who are realistic and enjoy getting things accomplished are found in this
career pathway. These pathways may include engineering, computer programming, drafting, scientific
research, management, landscaping, forestry, turf management, and related horticulture occupations.

Social & Health Services: People who put the education and well-being of others at the top of what is
important to them are drawn to this career pathway. It may include careers related to health and community,
economic, political, and social systems. It may also include law enforcement, nursing, counseling, childcare,
cosmetology, and medicine.

Technology, Trades & Manufacturing: People who are attracted to careers in this pathway are
inquisitive and like to ponder data and issues. Pathway careers include those related to the technologies
necessary to design, develop, install, or maintain physical systems. This pathway may include engineering,
welding, mechanics, electronics, computer technology, videography, web related services, automotive related
occupations, and telecommunications.
Career Assessment Worksheet
When considering which career you are going to pursue after high school, it is important that the career fit three
important criteria. The career should fit with each individual’s interests, aptitudes and offer a quality of life that
the student desires. If any of these are missing the career will not be satisfying. Complete the career assessment
worksheet to show that the career you are job shadowing fits you interests, abilities and desired quality of life.
Project/Experience Options
Students have a choice of two general categories: Job Shadow or Original Project. Students are allowed and
encouraged to customize (mix and match) options. All projects require pre-approval by the Senior Project
Committee.
Option 1 – Job Shadow
The job shadow option requires that the student select a job to shadow that relates to a career goal and a
specific career pathway and find someone in the field to observe. The student observes an employee at the
work-site to gain valuable career information and may perform some tasks while under supervision.
The student must spend a minimum of 10 hours on the actual job. The specific requirements follow:

Must be in the profession of the student’s prospective career.

Complete career research pertaining to the prospective career including the potential opportunities
(career outlook), education required, entry level salary, and potential for career growth.

Must have an adult mentor who is over 21 years of age, not a relative, and has professional experience in
the prospective career field. The mentor is responsible for verifying the hours completed on the
project and for completing an evaluation.
Class 2013 Culminating Project Guidelines
Page 4
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Proposal cover sheet.
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Photos of the experience

Work log or journal.

A mentor and self-evaluation
Option 2 – Original Project
The original project option requires that the student select a project that is directly related to the chosen
career pathway. The student will create a physical project. The student will need to produce physical
evidence of the project. Physical evidence may include but is not limited to the following:

Original Product Itself or Model

Newsletter

Manual

Video Production

Business or Marketing Plan

Blueprints
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Web Site

Brochure
The student must spend a minimum of 10 hours creating the original project and the mentor
must be able to work with the student during this process. The specific requirements follow:

Must be in the profession of the student’s prospective career.

Complete career research pertaining to the prospective career including the potential opportunities
(career outlook), education required, entry level salary, and potential for career growth.

Must have an adult mentor who is over 21 years of age, not a relative, and has professional
experience in the prospective career field. The mentor is responsible for verifying the hours
completed on the project and for completing an evaluation.
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Proposal cover sheet.
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Work log or journal.
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The physical project and/or photos.
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A mentor and self-evaluation

A mentor interview
Class 2013 Culminating Project Guidelines
Page 5
Choosing a Mentor
It is very important that you choose a mentor who has professional experience within the
profession and that your mentor can provide guidance and support throughout this
process.
How do I find a mentor?
Ask people! People are your best resource. Ask friends, family, teachers, etc. if they know anybody in your
topic area who would be willing to mentor you. Search in the community for someone working in the field.
If you have been involved with an organization doing service learning, they may be of help to you.
What can a mentor do for me?
A mentor verifies the hours you have spent either job shadowing, creating an original project, or interning.
Additionally, they can answer questions, provide guidance, provide encouragement and motivation, give
information on how to access resources, and just provide general support. Your mentor can also provide a
lot of “how to” information for your project.
Who can be a mentor?
An adult, 21 years or older, who has at least 5 years of professional expertise and experience in your career
focus area.
Who can NOT be a mentor?
Parents cannot be mentors unless you get pre-approval from Mr. Spakousky. Medical Lake High School
teachers cannot be mentors unless you get pre-approval from Mr. Spakousky.
Can a teacher be a mentor?
Students are strongly discouraged from having a Medical Lake High School teacher as a mentor. Students
should look outside of their current high school in order to gain a broader experience.
Class 2013 Culminating Project Guidelines
Page 6
The Project – Required Elements (Beginning of Project)
The Project Proposal and Approval
Once the student has selected a topic, they will need to complete a project proposal. The project proposal is a
worksheet where the student describes the project, identifies the mentor, and gains approval. The purpose of the
project proposal is to define and defend the culminating project, indicating the measurable result of the project at its
completion, and to gain approval to pursue the project. A worksheet can be obtained at the end of this packet.
Content Requirements
The project proposal should address the following:

Summary of the proposed project including a description of the tangible product (I.E. Photos,
PowerPoint or other Artifacts) that verify the project

Explanation of how the project will benefit/connect to the student’s future

Description of how the project is a learning stretch (What is hoped to be learned)

Mentor name, workplace, and experience (How are they qualified to be a mentor?)

Outline of the factors that are needed to complete the project. (time, money, supplies, other
resources, etc)

Signatures of the student, parent, mentor and senior project committee member.
This document will be placed in the front of the portfolio and should be completed in black ink.
Career Research Summary (an example is given at the end of this packet)
Students are required to research the prospective career and create a career research outline.
The outline must include the following items:

Career Outlook – It is important to know whether or not the career you choose will be long lasting.
What good is it to pursue a career where only to find out that the career is disappearing? You will
need to know the answers to the following questions. Is the career growing? What is the demand
for the profession? Are there particular areas of the country or world where the job is in higher
demand?

Education Requirements – In order to decide whether or not you want to go through the trouble of
going into the career. What education (how long and expensive), training, or special certifications
are required for this profession?

Entry Level Salary – You need to know if you are going to be able to live a lifestyle you want on the
first few years you enter the career. Research how much the average person earns during in the
career. This is the entry level salary (Not Median Salary). How much does a typical first year
employee earn?

Professional Growth – It is also important to look how a person can advance in this career field.
Many careers are exciting at first, but end up being routine and boring after five years. Look to see
what opportunities exist for your career advancement/promotions? ( This describes how many opportunities for
promotion, not growth outlooks for the occupation).
Class 2013 Culminating Project Guidelines
Page 7
During Project
During the actual course of the project there are a few pieces of paperwork that you must complete. Below are a
list of the forms and brief directions on how to complete them. All forms are at the end of this packet.
Work Log
It is essential that you keep a DETAILED work log as you complete your project. Your log must be completed at
the end of each of your daily experiences. Your mentor needs to sign the work log. Please bring the log with you
every time you are working on your project/experience.
--Please make copies of your blank work log in case you log more hours than one sheet can accommodate.--
Mentor Interview
Your mentor is a valuable resource and can provide you with real world insights about the career you are exploring.
You will need complete the “Mentor Interview Sheet”. A sample mentor summary is provided at the end of this
document.
After Project
Evaluation Form
Upon completion of your hours, fill out the self-evaluation form and then ask your mentor to fill out the other side.
They may then mail the form back to the high school or pass it back to you. The evaluation form is to be included
in your career portolio.
Mentor Thank You Letter
Your mentor has spent a great deal of time with you and it is proper to thank them. When you complete your
project you must write a thank you letter to your mentor in appreciation of the time this person has given you. This
letter must be PRE-APPROVED by Mr. Spakousky or your CWP teacher. Create a copy and include it in your
career portfolio.
The thank you letter is a professional document and must be error free. The following is offered as a guide:

Paragraph 1: Thank the mentor for his/her time, support and guidance given.

Paragraph 2: Describe what you valued most about this project.

Paragraph 3: Explain what you plan to do based upon this experience.
The technical requirements for the letter to the judges include the following:


Must be in the formal business format (Full-Block Style: See example)
Must be signed in blue or black ink
Class 2013 Culminating Project Guidelines
Page 8
The Career Portfolio & Job Interview – Required Elements
Once a student has determined which career they want to pursue, we want to give them skills to be able to
obtain a job in that career field. Students will conduct a mock job interview before a panel of professionals in
their chosen career cluster. This will help the students gain valuable knowledge about the interview process and
the skills necessary to conduct a job winning interview. Furthermore, students will also receive advice about
how to best pursue the career and potentially gain contacts for possible jobs upon graduation. In order to
conduct winning interview students will create a career portfolio to assist them in the interview process. This
will be broken into three parts.
Community Service
Students will need to complete a total of 40 hours of community service during their high school career. It is
recommended that they complete a minimum of 10 hours each year. Students cannot collect more than 20
hours from any one source. The community service reflects very well on the student and shows a desire to help
improve the community around them. It also gives students useful skills and experience that employers are
looking for. Furthermore, community service is becoming a more important component of college and
scholarship applications.
Career Portfolio
Students should develop a framework to build a career portfolio that they should continue to use throughout
their lives. The career portfolio allows the prospective employer to see the quality of work of the employee.
For teachers, this would mean their best lesson plans. For mechanics it would mean vehicles and jobs they have
done. For doctors it may be trial research and studies. Graphic Artists would use this to show their best work to
potential customers. At this point, the students may not have the career specific works, but we want to make the
career portfolio as good as possible. Students should remember that this is a framework that will change. The
following is list of minimum requirements that should be included in the career portfolio. These items should
be referred to during the interview.
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Updated resume
Letter of Application
Awards & Accomplishments
Career best works
An example of written and oral communication
Evidence of community service
Interview and Preparation
Students should be prepared for the interview and have knowledge of how to answer many of the questions that
are common in an interview. The following are some examples of basic interview questions that you may
encounter. A full list of potential questions can be found on the school districts website.





Tell me a little about yourself?
Why do you believe you’re a good fit for this career?
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
What skills do you have that will help you succeed in this career?
Why should we hire you?
Class 2013 Culminating Project Guidelines
Page 9
The 5 year Plan – Required Elements
It is important that you have a plan for after graduation. The purpose of the plan is to guide you in your future. It
should clearly communicate the options you have considered.
Comparing Career Options Worksheet
This worksheet will help guide you to deciding on the best options for you to pursue your career. In this worksheet
you will compare several different paths to reaching your career. You might choose to compare which schools you
will want to attend, whether or not you will use the military to help pay for college, going into an apprenticeship, or
starting at a community college first.
Career Path Exit Plan
When people pursue a career, many people will often find that they may not be able to be successful in their chosen
career. Med schools only accept about 1-2% of the people that apply that means that many will find their dreams of
being a doctor out of reach. Others may find the math or science portions too difficult to be an engineer or a
scientist. That is why we choose a career path, not just a career. In the career path exit worksheet, you will detail
the different careers in the career path and identify different exit points. That way a person not able be a pediatric
doctor may still be able to work with children as a physician’s assistant.
5 Year Plan
In this worksheet, you will identify your plan for the next five years. You will define what you plan on doing for the
next five years. You will also explain your goals you wish to achieve.
Copy of Job Application or College Application (Real)
As part of your five year plan, you should be prepared to start the process of pursuing your career before you even
leave high school. You should have already applied for a job or a college. Include a college application or a job
application as part of the five year plan.
Class 2013 Culminating Project Guidelines
Page 10
The following outlines the requirements by portfolio section:
Career Portfolio- (used and turned in at the interview)

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Cover Sheet (outside the binder – includes your CWP teacher’s name & Advisor)
Title Page ( inside the binder – includes your name and your CWP teacher’s name)
Project Proposal Cover Sheet (Signed by Committee)
Letter of Application
Current Resume
Two Current Letters of Recommendation
Certifications (Microsoft, Food Handler, CPR, Life Guard, etc.)
Awards (Honor Roll, Athletic, Scholarships, SAT, HSPE, MAP, EOC, etc.)
Emphasis Best Works-These are works that you can relate to your career and will assist you
during the interview process.
Evidence from prior jobs (if applicable)
Service Learning Photos and Evidence
Job Shadow Experience
Other
Career Plan
Turned in Prior to Interview
 Career Research Summary
 Project Agreement Form
 Work Log /Journal (Min.10 hours recorded)
 Photos and Evidence
 Mentor Evaluation & Self Evaluation
 Mentor Interview
 Mentor Thank You Letter
Turned in After Interview
 Comparing Career Options Worksheet
 Copy Job Application or College Application (Real)
 Career Exit Plan
 5 Year Plan
Interview
The following will be topics addressed in the interview so you should have prepared answers
 Your History (Please tell me a little about yourself)
 Your Skills (So which skills do you have that would make you successful in this career?)
 Goal Setting (Where do you see yourself in 5 years? How do you set goals for yourself?)
 Teamwork (Tell me about a time you have had to deal with a difficult coworker/teammate?)
 Your Accomplishment (Why should we hire you?)
 Your Outlook on Life (Who is your role model and why?)
 Etc.
Class 2013 Culminating Project Guidelines
Page 11
Additional Information
Service Learning Documentation
Community service is designed to expand the horizons of Every Medical Lake High School student must fulfill a
service learning requirement in order to graduate. “Service” is defined as work done by the student without
monetary compensation and without promise of reward, award, or some other type of rank or status achieved in an
organization. This means that time spent fundraising to fund teams or clubs you are a part of do not count (starting
this year). Any hours or time spent fundraising by you for your club that goes to benefit another group is
considered community service and will count. Community service will not be counted for projects done during
class time. Community service must also you directly doing something for someone else. House sitting does not
count, while feeding someone’s dog and taking the dog on walks does count. Community service hours must be
acquired between the freshman and senior years. The hours must be completed during the school year, on
weekends, during the summer, etc. Students must initiate their own projects.
Your portfolio must include documentation of your service hours. You are required to show documentation
of a total of 40 hours (10 for each year). You should include photos of your community service.
The community service forms are located on Vol1_students drive in the folder titled “Templates.”
Best Works
You will be required to have best works as part of your career portfolio. You will refer to these during the interview
process. These should include anything that you have done in the past that will help show the quality of employ or
candidate. It is highly recommended that you include one example of your written communication and one
example of your ability to communicate with others. Nearly every occupation requires those skills in some form or
fashion. There is a form that you should complete that will help to be prepared for you interview. If you need help
coming up with ideas, please see Mr. Spakousky before school, after school, or during lunch.
Current Resume
A resume is a brief summary of your qualifications, skills, and background that represents your education and
experiences in terms relevant to the employment marketplace. Therefore, it is important for your resume to
represent you in a clear, well-organized, and easy-to-read style. Your resume should focus on the results you have
produced, using action verbs to indicate clearly the skills you used. There is a sample resume for entry level
applicants included in the back of this packet.
A resume is typically divided into the following sections:

Identifying Information – name, current address and telephone number including an area code, and email
address.

Objective – state the field or organization type by which you wish to be employed
Examples: Seeking a position in retail. Seeking to obtain a position in the restaurant industry.

Education – name of the school, graduation date or projected graduation date, courses, relevant to the
position, GPA if over a 3.0

Experience – title of position, name and location with city and state, dates of employment/involvement,
description of responsibilities beginning with action verbs
Class 2013 Culminating Project Guidelines
Page 12

Awards, Accomplishments and Achievements – extracurricular activities, membership in clubs or
organizations.

Skills or Abilities – Especially if they are relevant to the job you are seeking. (Someone seeking a position in
Management Information Systems needs to let a potential employer know if they are fluent in Excel).

References – name, titles, addresses, phone numbers must be included. Reference may not be a relative.
You may be included on a separate reference sheet if you don’t have room to include them on the resume.
There are several acceptable formats for resumes; however, each format follows general guidelines.

Only include experiences, awards, and accomplishments acquired during high school.

Present your experiences and education in reverse chronological sequence, starting with the most recent.

Date, job title, organization’s name, location, and a description of your activities are listed as part of the
experience section.
Avoid using a Microsoft Word Wizard as these are generic templates. Wizards lack originality and fail to
make the best of who you are and what you have achieved. Employers want you to demonstrate computer
and organization skills; a wizard doesn’t allow you to showcase these skills.
Possible Word List (for resumes)
The following are words to consider using when describing your experience and accomplishments:
ambitious
caring
committed
confident in my abilities
consistent(ly)
cooperative
creative . . . team member
determined
diligently . . .
diplomatic
dynamic . . . public
speaker
eager
effective
efficient(ly) . . . energetic .
enthusiastic
excellent
extensive
focused
innovative . . . motivated
poised
positive productive
professional . . .
proficient
quick
reliable
sensitive
sincere . . . interest in
skilled/skillful
substantial
successful
team player
Accomplishment Ideas
The following list is provided to help you generate ideas:
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Member of the Junior Varsity Basketball Team (or whatever sport you are taking)
Ranked in the top third of the class in selling for school fund raisers and team sports.
Raised over $100 for "Kids against Cancer" (or any charity you have done this for).
Volunteer at Lakeside Church (tutor for reading, car wash, and clothing drive).
Intern at the State House of Representatives for one week as a Page.
Page for statewide YMCA student government (or whatever position you held).
Performed four community service projects this year (mention them).
Contributor to the school web site (or newspaper or member of Yearbook)
Created a web site for _________________.
Voted Most Valuable Player for _________________
Team member of the ________________ Recreation League.
Participated in __________ summer camp specializing in ____________.
Class 2013 Culminating Project Guidelines
Page 13
Tips and Hints
The following is offered to help guide you:



Keep personal pronouns out of your descriptions.
Keep the resume to one page.
If references will not fit on one page, create separate reference sheet.
Letters of Recommendation
Two current (written within the past six months) letters of recommendations must be included. These letters
should be from people who can write about your work habits and personality qualities.
When asking someone to write you a letter of recommendation, select a person who has known you for at least one
year. The best recommendations come from people who know your skills and interests. Teachers can also provide
good letters of recommendations. For your portfolio only one of the letters should be from a teacher.
You are likely to get a better recommendation letter if you tell the person some points you would like him/her to
make about your skills, accomplishments, and strengths. (A form is available in the counseling center to assist you
with this.)
Project Documentation
It is required that there is evidence of the completed project. Evidence will prove the planning and execution you
did for your project, the close working relationship you had with your mentor, and the learning stretch this project
provided for you. It clearly shows that you met the 15-hour minimum requirement. The following outlines each
required element for the project:
Delivering the Interview
You should maintain eye contact with your audience and keep a steady pace. Speak with sufficient volume to be
heard. Impress your audience with a powerful story, an example or other facts associated with your experiences.
Enjoy yourself and know that you are the expert about yourself. At worst, this will be a beneficial experience for
you as nearly everyone Remember to thank your audience for listening.
Dressing for the Interview
First impressions are powerful! How you appear will impress the judges nearly as much as what you say. Dress
professionally and be clean as you would do for a job interview. Present a serious and mature appearance, adding
just a touch of your personal style.

Women are required to wear a blouse, skirt or full-length dress, slacks and closed-toed shoes. Nothing
sleeveless and no midriffs showing

Men are required to wear a button-up shirt, dress slacks, and dress shoes.
Class 2010 Culminating Project Guidelines
Page 14
Students with Special Circumstances
Students with Disabilities
Students with disabilities may require accommodations or modifications to complete their work. Student IEP’s or
504 plans will detail how each student will meet the culminating project requirements. The plan will include input
from people who are familiar with the student’s needs: the student, parent(s) or guardian, special education case
manager, special education teacher(s), and counselor.
Running Start
Students who are taking a CWP course equivalent through Running Start will complete the culminating project
independently. Students will be required to attend senior seminars. Running Start students must adhere to the
same published requirements and deadlines as all other students.
AP Euro Students
Students who are taking AP Euro as a CWP course equivalent will complete the culminating project independently.
Students will be required to attend senior seminars. Running Start students must adhere to the same published
requirements and deadlines as all other students.
Transfer Students
Students who transfer to Medical Lake High School from another district and are given Junior, Sophomore, or
Freshman standing will be required to complete all components of the culminating project.
Students who transfer into Medical Lake High School from another district during the senior year will be given the
project requirements adjusted for the amount of time enrolled in our school.
Exchange Students
Students who are attending Medical Lake High School as part of an exchange program will not be required to
complete a senior project. However, if a student is enrolled in CWP, they are required to make a presentation to
their CWP class. This presentation is an introduction of themselves. It should include an overview of why they
chose to participate in an exchange program, an introduction of their country and customs, and a review of their
experiences while attending Medical Lake High School.
Class 2010 Culminating Project Guidelines
Page 15
Senior Seminar Schedule
If you are a Running Start or AP Euro student, you have elected to complete the senior project with minimal
support. In order to alleviate your anxiety, we have developed a senior seminar program. You are required to
attend at least four senior seminars (one from each topic area). The purpose of these seminars is to provide you
with the needed information to be successful, answer questions, and to practice your presentation.
Senior Seminar (Tentative Dates)
Introduction to the Project and Expectations
(You must attend one of the scheduled dates and times)
Date
October 14
October 15
Time
Location
3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Room 402
7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.. Room 402
Portfolio & Project Requirements
(You must attend one of the scheduled dates and times)
Date
November 28
November 29
November 30
Time
3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.
3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Presentation Requirements
Location
Room 402
Room 402
Room 402
(You must attend one of the scheduled dates and times)
Date
January 13
January 14
January 15
Time
Location
3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Room 402
7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. Room 402
3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Room 402
Practice Interview
(You must sign up for one of the practice presentation dates)
You will want to sign-up for a practice time with Mr. Spakousky.
More information will be distributed at the January seminar.
All students are welcome to attend these seminars in order to gain additional support.
Class 2010 Culminating Project Guidelines
Page 16