WHAT IS SENIOR PROJECT?
A SHORT TUTORIAL
A CHANCE TO LEARN AND BECOME AN “EXPERT” ON
ALMOST ANYTHING YOU ARE INTERESTED IN!!

As long as it meets a few criteria…………..
MAIN PARTS OF A SENIOR PROJECT
Research Paper
 2. Product (Including Mentor Hours)
 3. Presentation
 4. Portfolio

1.
RESEARCH PAPER
Completed Note Pages
 Outline
 8-10 pages
 8-10 sources
 4 sources must be non-internet
 Parenthetical references
 1 source must be from your personal interview
with an expert
 12 point font, double spaced, Times New Roman
 Works Cited Page
 Cover page

RESEARCH PAPER
Can’t be very broad ( example: art, fishing,)
 But don’t want to be super specific, you have to
write 10 pages ( example: being a human statue
at Bele Chere, catching catfish with your bare
hands)
 Find a happy medium ( oil painting, fly-fishing)
 Weebly

PRODUCT
Must spend at least 15 hours outside of class
Examples
1.
Learning some type of skill ( dance, music, martial
art, underwater basket weaving)
2.
Making something (clothing, art, banjo)
3.
Training or Certification ( CPR, 1st aid, star
trekology)
4.
Participating or creating a program…
5.
You must have something physical to show for your
product.
6.
5 hours must be signed off with your mentor the
other 10 must be documented as well ….this goes in
your mentor/product log.
MORE ON THE PRODUCT…
Must relate to the paper
 Must be able to find a LOCAL expert you can
meet with and be mentored by.
 Should be inexpensive, the best things in life are
free!!
 Must show proof of work and hours, through
pictures, mentor log, video, bringing your mentor
to school!
 Weebly

PRESENTATION
Must be 8-12 minutes long
 Must have visuals, such as a PowerPoint,
product, pictures, videos
 Focus on – overview of paper, who your mentor
was, what you learned, why you chose your topic,
what you struggles with, what your product was
 Judges will be 4 professionals from the area
 Weebly

PRESENTATION
Must dress like a professional
 Must be on time to presentation
 Must shake hands and introduce yourself to the
judges

PORTFOLIO
Documents all of your hard work online using a
Weebly account. This will include:
 Proposal
 Resume
 Final draft of paper
 Work Cited
 Product Description
 Product Evaluation
 Pictures
 Mentor Documentation and Product Logs
 Self-Evaluation
FINDING A TOPIC…..
Hmmm…
GOOD IDEAS
Pick a career you are maybe interested in
pursuing
 Pick a hobby you have always wanted to learn
 Pick something in the community that you would
like to improve…
 Think of a time in history or historical figure you
are interested in.

VERY IMPORTANT


Your research paper, product, mentor, must all
be related.
You must have a paper and product idea to get
approved.
FINDING A MENTOR
1. Should be an expert in your area
 Should be at least 21 years old
 2. Should be willing to meet with you at least 4
times in the semester
 3. Must be interviewed
 4. May have a chance to come in and give a little
speech for extra credit……

EXAMPLES OF A GOOD SENIOR PROJECT
Learn about the history of knitting (paper)knit
your own scarves and blanket(product)  mentor
was in charge of a knitting club
 Learn about history of pottery  make own
pottery (product)  mentor owned pottery studio

MORE GOOD EXAMPLES
Paper on wilderness survival  went to a
survival camp  mentor was instructor
 Paper on digital animation  made an animation
 mentor was ab tech professor
 Paper on guitars  student made their own
guitar mentor was woodworker

WHAT’S MOST IMPORTANT….
“PICK A SUBJECT YOU ACTUALLY WANT TO LEARN ABOUT!!
IF YOU ARE NOT HAVING FUN WITH YOUR PROJECTS, ITS YOUR OWN
FAULT FOR PICKING A LAME TOPIC!!”
-TOM COPELAND- GRADUATION PROJECT COORDINATOR
3,2,1

After viewing the presentation write down:
3 things you learned
 2 things you found interesting
 1 Questions you still have
