Bedford Area
School District
Culminating Electronic Portfolio
Student Guidelines
Dear Student,
All students graduating from the Bedford Area School District must complete a
culminating project according to the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Students
graduating in 2013 and beyond will complete a culminating electronic portfolio and exit
interview instead of the traditional service, career, creative or technical projects of the past. The
project will consist of career exploration preparing you to pursue your dream job. Many of the
required items will be embedded within the curriculum of your classes. We have provided you
with more flexibility in your junior and senior years to allow for exploration of any career
interests you may pursue when you graduate.
The purpose of this manual is for you and your parent/guardian to review to ensure a
thorough understanding of the electronic portfolio components by including very specific details
and procedures. We encourage you to explore various career options as you develop your
portfolio, and reflect back on the portfolio components as you continue through your high school
career. The state standards require students to “apply, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate
information to communicate significant knowledge and understanding.” An exit interview will
be a part of the culminating project. The exit interview will take place with a panel of teachers,
administrators, and guidance staff in your senior year. The purpose of the exit interview is to
analyze your electronic portfolio, and to articulate the reasons why you explored particular areas
of interest. Additionally, interviewing is an essential skill that will benefit you in the future.
Freshman Year
1. Set up electronic portfolio
 Place a folder on your rack server titled, “Electronic Portfolio”
 Within the electronic portfolio, create a folder labeled freshman, sophomore, junior,
and senior
2. Sophomore year academic planning calendar
 Obtain the sophomore year planning calendar from the high school website and save
it to your rack server.
 The academic planning calendar should be used to help focus you on a pathway for
success after graduation. As you begin to work towards your future goals you want to
use the calendar to maximize your strengths to help prepare you for your future.
 Complete the calendar during the spring of your freshman year in advisory, and place
it in the freshman year folder.
3. Graduation checklist
 Obtain the graduation checklist from the high school website and save it to your rack
server.
 The graduation checklist is to be used as an unofficial transcript for you to have
electronically.
 Complete your freshman year courses and all other information you are able to, then
place it in the freshmen year folder.
 Begin planning to determine if you plan to be eligible to be a part of the Scholars’
Program
4. Have your advisory teacher check off and approve that you have
successfully completed items 1-3
Sophomore Year
1. During your Library Science course you must complete the following activities:
o
Education Planner --- www.educationplanner.org
 Career Planning
 Career Planning Checklists
 Find Careers
 Explore Salary and Pay
 Self Assessments
 What kind of student are you?
 What’s your learning style?
 Which study habits can you improve?
 How strong is your character?
 Preparing for school
 Download “What to Look for in a School: A Checklist”, complete
and save the pdf file in your e-portfolio
 Complete list of 5-10 things you are looking for in a post-secondary
institution and then:
o Complete College Matchmaker
o
PA Career Zone --- www.pacareerzone.org
 Create an account
 Assessments
 Quick Assessment
 Interest Profiler
 Skills Profiler
 Work Importance Profiler
 Complete a journal entry summarizing what you learned from
completing the previous four assessments and educationplanner.org
 Explore Job Families
 Research several job family clusters
o After researching job families, select three and research
fields of study in those families you would need if you
would decide to pursue these occupations
 Complete a journal entry summarizing what you learned from
researching job family clusters and fields of study and
educationplanner.org
 Complete the Career Decision-Making System (CDM) assessment
 Lastly, print and save to your e-portfolio from the Portfolio Summary Report
2. Three page paper – “Where I see myself in five years”
o
Paper will be completed in English class near the end of April as part of the English
curriculum

o
This paper should contain information learned by the student during Library
Science.
The final version of the paper should be saved in the sophomore year folder of your
electronic portfolio
3. Parent Involvement Activity---Mapping your Future
4. Academic Planning Calendar for junior year
5. Graduation checklist
6. Have your advisory teacher check off and approve that you have
successfully completed items 1-5
Junior Year
Students must complete five of the following options:
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Job shadow with reflection (include job shadow reflection form in your electronic portfolio)
Complete the ASVAB test (include score report in your electronic portfolio)
o The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery is the most widely used multipleaptitude test battery in the world. As an aptitude test, the ASVAB measures your
strengths, weaknesses, and potential for future success. The ASVAB also provides you
with career information for various civilian and military occupations and is an indicator
for success in future endeavors whether you choose to go to college, vocational school, or
a military career
Education Planner --- www.educationplanner.org
 Career Planning
 Career Planning Checklists
 Find Careers
 Explore Salary and Pay
 Self Assessments
 What kind of student are you?
 What’s your learning style?
 Which study habits can you improve?
 How strong is your character?
 Preparing for school
 Download “What to Look for in a School: A Checklist”, complete and
save the pdf file in your e-portfolio
 Complete list of 5-10 things you are looking for in a post-secondary
institution and then:
o Complete College Matchmaker
 Write a one page reflection on what you learned by doing the assignments on
Education Planner
PA Career Zone --- www.pacareerzone.org
 Create an account
 Assessments
 Quick Assessment
 Interest Profiler
 Skills Profiler
 Work Importance Profiler
 Complete a journal entry summarizing what you learned from
completing the previous four assessments and educationplanner.org
 Explore Job Families
 Research several job family clusters


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



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

After researching job families, select three and research fields of study in those
families you would need if you would decide to pursue these occupations
Write a one page reflection on what you learned by doing the assignments on PA
Career Zone
Take SAT, ACT, or PSAT (include copies of scores in your electronic portfolio)
Post-secondary visit and reflection questions (include reflection in your electronic portfolio)
Attend post-secondary training with parent/guardian sponsored by BHS with a PHEAA
representative
Attend the College & Career Fair
Attend a College & Tech Fair for Specific Careers at BCTC
Take a SAT prep course
Volunteer five hours of community service – must have adult signature with documentation of
hours and work completed.
These items should be completed by October 1 of your senior year.
Students must complete the following:
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Academic Planning Calendar for senior year
Graduation checklist
Grade 12
Cover Letter/Resume
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This should be saved into senior folder of student’s electronic portfolio
Will be assigned and assessed in English class
o Students who are taking English virtually should contact the school to get the
requirements for this assignment
Exit reflection paper
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This paper will be 3-5 pages in length.
This should be saved into senior folder of student’s electronic portfolio.
Will be assigned and assessed in English Class
o Paper requirements will be given by English teachers
o Students who are taking English virtually should contact the school to get the
requirements for this assignment
Exit Interview
The purpose of the interview is for students to:
 Practice interview skills
 Communicate to the interview committee their future plans
 Utilize their electronic portfolio and the influences the activities have had on their choices
 Analyze and evaluate the opportunities provided by the Bedford Area School District
 Provide feedback to the high school on the effectiveness of the career portfolio
Note: The student must bring their resume and cover letter, and their electronic portfolio to the
interview. Students may make arrangements with a teacher in advance to borrow a computer.
Exit Questionnaire
 Online questionnaire to be completed during advisory period
Other items to consider:
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Register to vote
Complete Selective Service paperwork
Complete NCAA Clearinghouse application (division I or II student-athletes)
Attend FAFSA workshop sponsored by BHS
Apply for BHS Scholars Program if applicable
JOB SHADOW STUDENT REFLECTION FORM
Student:
Date of Job Shadow:
Total Number of Hours on Job Shadow:
Company:
Location:
(must be at least 5 hours)
Adult who was shadowed:
1.
Describe the department/work site you visited:
2.
What type of work activities did you observe during your job shadowing experience?
3.
What did you like best about your job shadowing experience?
4.
What did you like least about your job shadowing experience?
5.
What surprised you most about what you observed, heard, did, or learned?
6.
If you wanted to work in the department/work site you visited, what might you do to prepare
in the next five years, both in high school and afterwards?
7.
Would you consider a career in the type of industry in which you job shadowed? Why or
why not?
8.
From your perspective (your interests, abilities, and goals) identify aspects of the job that
were:
Positive:
Negative:
9. Did the job shadowing experience influence your career choice/goals?
How?
POST-SECONDARY VISIT - STUDENT REFLECTION FORM
Student:
School:
Date of Visit:
Location:
Adult who accompanied you on the visit:
1. What was your initial impression of the school you visited?
2. What did you like best about your experience?
3. What did you like least about your experience?
4. What surprised you most about what you observed, heard, did, or learned?
5. If you wanted to attend the school you visited, what might you do to prepare in the next
year?
6. From your perspective (your interests and goals) identify aspects of the visit that were:
a. Positive:
b. Negative:
7. Did the visit influence your school and/or career choice/goals? How?
Bedford High School Exit Interview Rubric
Student Name:
Date:
Reschedule:_________________
Preparedness
 Attire
 Hard copy of
artifacts
Delivery
 Articulation
 Eye contact
Content
 Thorough
 Planned
 Shows evidence of
clear pathway
Electronic Portfolio
 All items completed
and available
Comments:
Recommendations on areas that need improvement: