SENIOR PROJECT
All seniors in BCSC are required to complete a Senior Project in order to graduate. The Columbus Signature Academy Senior Project allows students an opportunity to design work that is meaningful to them, to explore endeavors that fuel their passions, and to bridge a student’s high school experience with their future goals. In this year-long project, students showcase their mastery of CSA’s mission and demonstrate that they have acquired the skills needed for lifelong learning and success in a changing world. CSA believes that this requirement allows students to demonstrate the skills they have acquired during high school in a way that a standardized test cannot measure. Students complete several benchmarks along the way. Please note that the dates listed on the front cover are immovable benchmarks that all students must meet in order to remain on track for completion. Students who do not complete each of the benchmarks are in jeopardy of not graduating. Failure to meet a benchmark will result in a conference with parents and administration. Once a student has completed the missing benchmark, they will receive the lowest passing grade for that assignment. Students should get into the habit of checking agendas, calendars, syllabi, and this booklet to ensure they meet your benchmarks.
As students plan their projects, they should consider the following criteria: Projects may not be fundraisers, nor should it include an arbitrary fundraising event. Many students pitch a project idea that needs to be funded. They end up spending most of their time raising money and not enough time doing a project. Grant writing or other fundraising initiatives that relate to the project may be permissible and will be attended to on an individual basis. Be aware that this community has fundraiser fatigue. Students should be selective and purposeful with any permitted fundraising endeavor. Projects must target an audience outside of CSA New Tech, unless specifically requested by a staff member. Creating something with a CSA audience in mind is not a stretch. Reach beyond our doors for marketing, service, etc. Students should not direct all of their marketing campaigns at the CSA audience, though they may invite us to be in their audience. Students may work alone or in a group. When selecting group members, students should consider the work ethic and agency of their partners to ensure it reflects the grade they desire. Choosing wisely is imperative as teams become year-long group members. Ideally, your Projects will foster a legacy by providing education, advocacy, research or a cultural contribution (art, writing, etc.). Consider the following examples: Contribution/Service to School (Build a windmill to offset electricity usage), Contribution/Service to Humanity (Create a Pride Fest), Contribution/Service to Culture (Paint a mural at Fodrea), Contribution/Service to Society (Host a women’s conference), Contribution/Service to a Profession (Host Alpha-1 testing clinic). Projects should seek to answer the “why?” of a particular area of inquiry. Projects should demonstrate students have mastered the CSA Mission Outcomes: Know themselves and their talents well, identify areas for personal growth and create and identify paths that will fulfill their own destinies. Learn through collaboration with family, business, and community. Possess a strong sense of civic responsibility. Embrace and celebrate differences and appreciate individuality. Think critically and practice 21st century skills. Think creatively to solve authentic, real world problems. Sustain healthy, trusting relationships that support a safe learning environment.