Judges Sign Up

You need to have your judge sign up for one of the nights of the presentations.  Click here for the link to the website to sign up.  Remember, your judges need to sign up before May 11th.   If your mentor cannot be a judge, you need to find someone else to be a judge or your grade will be severely impacted.

Letter of Intent Example

Jane Doe

102 South Novato Blvd

Novato, CA 94947

October 2, 2014

Novato High School

625 Arthur St

Novato, CA 94947

Dear Senior Project Committee Members,

For my senior project I intend to learn how to preserve food through learning to can.  This is a skill that I have no experience in and would like to be able to preserve a variety of foods.  Although I know how to cook and I have experience in using the dehydrator to preserve fruits, canning is a skill that has made me nervous.

Learning to can will be a multistep process.  First I am going to read Ball’s Complete Book of Home Preserving to understand the steps and basics of the canning process.  I will be working with my mentor on multiple weekends to can progressively more challenging foods.  The first thing we will can will be jam as it is the easiest.  On following weekends I will learn to can salsa, apple butter and pickles.  All of these will use the water bath method.  Finally I will learn the more challenging aspects of canning using the pressure canning method.  My final two goals will be to can vegetable stock and beef stew.  

Each weekend that my mentor and I work together I will be documenting our process with photos and videos.  After each session I will create entries to my blog to share what I have learned with others.  My blog will be both a resource for others learning to can as well as a place for me to reflect on my progress, failures and successes. 

My mentor will be my neighbor, Jill Smith.  She is a retired nurse who has forty years of canning experience.  Jill has even entered some of her preserves and pickles into the county fair and won several blue ribbons.   As she has the canning equipment, and I do not, we will be canning in her kitchen. Jill can be reached at 555-555-5555 or emailed at jillsmith@gmail.com.

I am very excited to be learning how to preserve food though canning.  I hope that I will be able to give my creations as gifts to friends and family as well as keep practicing and experimenting each year.  Someday I hope to have a garden and being able to preserve my own foods will be both meaningful and helpful way to preserve my harvests.

Sincerely,

Jane Doe

 ___________________                                 ___________________         

Student Signature                                           Parent Signature

I 
understand that I am a mentor for the Novato High student and that I am expected to serve on the judging panel for the NHS Senior Project Presentations on May 18th or 19th.

___________________

Mentor Signature

Letter of Intent

Your letter of intent is due on October 6th.  Your letter needs to be in a formal business letter format.  Examples and directions can be found here:

Click here for directions on how to format the letter.

Click here for an example business letter format.

Senior Project Rubric

Click here to download rubric.

Senior Project Calander

Click here to download the calendar.

Senior Project Directions Packet

Click here to download the directions packet.

Novato High’s Senior Project

Directions Packet 2014-2015

KEEP THIS PACKET THROUGH THE YEAR, REFER TO IT OFTEN

            All seniors at Novato High School are required to complete the Senior Project prior to graduation.  This challenges high school seniors to demonstrate their academic, personal, and life knowledge in an experiential way, and requires students to engage in an endeavor that represents a significant personal challenge.  Each student will work under the guidance of a mentor who will advise the student throughout the process toward completing his or her goal. The Senior Project culminates with a presentation of the entire project to be judged by a panel of community members.             

This project provides a chance for the students to explore a topic of personal interest, and provides them with the opportunity to gain important skills that will serve them well as they enter into the next phase of their life—college, trade school, military or employment.  As students work on their project, they will gain meaningful life experience and develop valuable leadership, communication, project management, time management, cooperative work, and negotiation skills.  In addition it will provide further practice in meeting deadlines, conflict management, public speaking, serving the community, presentation preparation, and self-motivation. 

Typically the project consists of students choosing a topic of interest, researching ways in which they can engage with their topic, having an experience directly related to the topic, keeping a journal or artifacts demonstrating their work, creating a formal portfolio of work—followed by the final step, which is a panel-judged presentation and subsequent reflection.

Project Overview—Each Student Will:

·      Select a project—choose a project idea that inspires and challenges you

·      Find a mentor who is available to help guide you throughout the project

·      Work on project throughout the school year

·      Complete progress checks and project-related assignments

·      Produce a project portfolio

·      Create an online aspect to your project—either a blog or website

·      Present your journey to the judging panel

·      Reflection

Details:

Grade:

            The senior project presentation will be 20 percent of your second semester English grade.  In addition, various other assignments will be required throughout the year and will go on your English grade.

Timeline:

September 16/17^th:      Project overview in the library

October 6^th:               Letters of Intent Due

October 10^th:               Committee of teachers reviews Letters of Intent

October 14/15^th:          Letters of Intent passed back with approval or rejection

October 20^th:               Revised Letter of Intent due (if needed)

December 8^th:              First progress check-in completed in class

January 30^th:               Second progress check-in due

March 16^th:                 Third progress check-in due

May 8^th:                      Website and Presentation Visual Aid Due

May 8-12^th:                 Practice presentation in class

May 18^th - 19^th:          Competed Portfolio Due and Seniors Present to Judges

May 28^th:                    Final Reflection Due

Trouble or Questions?

            First, ask your English teacher.  If you are still unsure, speak to MS. ROBERTS, as she is the head of the Senior Project Committee (room 2604 or email her at LRoberts@nusd.org).

You will likely experience trouble and setbacks in this project, as you will in life.  We expect you to be flexible and proactive when you experience problems.  However, if you have an issue so severe you can no longer complete your project, you may have to start over with a new project.  If this happens to you, see MS. ROBERTS (room 2604 or LRoberts@nusd.org).  If you need to start over, she will be the one to approve your new project. 

Want more information?

            All handouts and information for the senior project can be found online at NOVATOSENIORPROJECT.BLOGSPOT.COM.  You are expected to keep this directions packet for the year.  If you lose it, the packet can be found on the senior project website.

Projects:

            Pick something that stretches you outside your comfort zone, allows for personal growth and transformation, and will in some way contribute to your community or your own future by building character or skills.

            Your project should be something substantial that will take at least 50 hours to complete.  It can be a skill, a project, a performance, or many other products. Your project should have a final product or culminating event.  As you consider your many options, be sure to consider your current skills, your interests, whether the project is financially feasible for you and how you can demonstrate your process in a meaningful manner.

            Project must be completed from October 13^th to May 1^st.

Excellent Projects from last year—The Students:

·      Wrote, cast, directed, promoted and starred in comedy show

·      Painted a large mural

·      Learned to cook and made a cookbook of family recipes

·      Designed, planted and maintained a draught-tolerant garden

Guidelines and Projects that will not be approved:

·      Dieting and losing weight

·      No learning to sing or learning a new language

·      Projects should be outside your expertise (for example, an MSA visual artist cannot do a painting, a tennis player cannot play tennis).  However, projects will be considered that are in your field but go beyond your expertise (for example, a visual artist who paints a mural)

·      Exercise programs that lead to events such as a 5k run are not acceptable.  For example, running in the Bay to Breakers cannot be your project. You CAN do 100k bike rides, triathlons, marathons and half marathons if this significantly pushes you past your current abilities and occur between Oct 13^th and May 1^st.

·      Taking classes is a great way to learn a new skill but your project cannot consist of only taking a class (for example, scuba class, welding, etc).  Your project must have a product and go beyond the class itself.

·      The final product cannot be the only aspect.  For example, if you are going to sew a prom dress, the project needs to demonstrate the series of garments that you sew to build your skill before sewing your final prom dress.

·      Projects that “double-dip.” It cannot be an internship you were already going to get credit for or involve community service hours that you count towards your graduation community service hours.

·      Be sure that project is not too large a task for the time given.  For example, learning a programing language to create a video game is something that would take years.  Your mentor might be helpful in coming up with a challenging but still doable project.

Mentors:

            As you learn something new, it is good to have a knowledgeable person to guide you.  For this project you will need to find a mentor who is experienced in the field of your project and who can be in communication with you for the full school year.  This person does not need to be someone local, but could be anywhere in the world as long as he or she can communicate with you.  Ideally, your mentor will be someone who can also be your judge, but this is not required.

Mentor Requirements:

·      An adult other than a teacher at Novato High School

·      An adult other than a parent of a senior at Novato High School

·      Must be over 21 years old

The mentor requirements are put in place to encourage students to go beyond their current social connections and to go out into the community for their mentor.  This is not to say that students cannot talk to teachers and parents for help with their project (this is, in fact, greatly encouraged), but teachers and parents cannot be their official mentors.

Judges:

            Students will need to have one judge for the one of the night of the presentations.  Ideally the mentor will be the judge, but if that is not possible the student is required to find a replacement judge.  The requirements for being a judge are the same as for being a mentor: no NHS teachers, no parents of NHS seniors and must be over 21 years of age.

            If you do not provide a judge, your grade will be severely impacted.

Judges (Mentor’s) Timeline and Duties Night of Presentation:

·      Arrive at 5:15 at the Novato High School library to check in

·      From 5:30-6: attend overview and receive instruction in the library

·      From 6-8:30: listen to and evaluate student senior project presentations

Judges Sign Up:

            Judges will need to sign up online to RSVP that they will be coming one of the nights of the presentations.  They can sign up any time between January 1^st and May 11^th. They should use the following link to sign up:

http://tinyurl.com/nbqeadh

Project Assignments:

1. Letter of Intent with Mentor Information and Completed Calendar Due: October 6th	In this letter you will formally propose what you would like to accomplish for your Senior Project. This letter is signed by you, your parents, and your mentor.  The NHS Senior Project Committee will review the letter and either approve, approve contingently, or deny your proposal.  This letter will become part of your portfolio for your final presentation, so do not lose it. The letter must include the following: ·      A thorough description of the project and your reason for selecting it.  Be sure to provide enough detail to have your project approved. ·      Your objectives and how you plan to accomplish them ·      A description of your mentor’s relevant experience and expected role, as well as his or her contact information ·      Enough detail to fill two pages, typed, and double spaced ·      At the bottom of the letter type the following statement, I understand that I am a mentor for the Novato High student and that I am expected to serve on the judging panel for the NHS Senior Project Presentations on May 18th or 19th. ·      Give a signature line for you, your parent or guardian and your mentor.  Have all parties sign the letter. Your letter must follow these directions: ·      Be in business letter style format ·      Address the letter “To the Novato High School Senior Project Committee” ·      Organized so that it flows logically, including appropriate introduction and conclusion ·      Edited and error free ·      Provide lines for signatures of you, your parents and your mentor Note: See the Senior Project website for an example letter. Calendar:             In addition to your Letter of Intent, you must include a completed project calendar.  You will use the calendar provided in this packet on page 10. Fill it in with your expected timeline for all stages of your project. You may want to set yourself goals on the calendar as well. You will not be graded on adhering to this calendar, but you will be expected to plan out when and how you will complete all the steps needed.  This calendar must be turned in with your letter of intent.
2. First Progress Check	In-class assignment to be completed on December 8th Progress reflection response. Write a one-page hand-written response about what you have completed so far on your Senior Project. What are the next steps you have?
3. Second Progress Check DUE: January 30th	Progress reflection response.  Write a one-page typed reflection on how the project is going so far.  Explain what you have completed, what problems you have encountered, and how you feel about the project so far. This thoughtful and reflective response will be turned in to your English teacher.  You will also include this progress reflection written response in your final portfolio.
4. Third Progress Check DUE: March 16th	Online element check (refer to next assignment section for a full description of the online component).  You should have put significant work into your blog or website by this point in the project.  It doesn’t need to be finished, but you need to share the web address with your teacher to show the progress you are making on your project and online component. Your blog or website must at minimum contain: pictures, text, and links. To submit this progress check, email your English teacher a link to your website or blog. In the message line of your email, include your full name and period number.
5. Online Component and Visual Aide Due: May 8th	Online Component:     Students need to be technology and internet savvy.  For your Senior Project you must create an online aspect.  This could be a blog that documents your process, or it could be a website you create after completing your project—which could be used as a resource for others who are trying to compete the same task. Your blog or website needs to be polished and refined.  It must include text, pictures and links. To submit your completed blog or website, email your English teacher a link to your website or blog. In the message line of your email, include your full name and period number.     Visual Aid: You may use your blog or website as your visual aid during your presentation.  If you choose to not use it, however, you must create a visual aid.  This could be an online presentation like Prezi or Google Slides, a poster, or a physical object that you created.          To submit your visual aid, email your teacher with a link (include your full name and period) or bring your visual aid to class on May 8th.
6. Portfolio DUE: May 18th or 19th	The portfolio will be given to your judges as a written documentation of your project.  There are some aspects that will be required and others that you may want to include in your portfolio and will vary greatly depending on your project.  As you put your portfolio together, consider how you can use it as an additional visual aide.  You can direct the judges to look at specific pages as you present, and you can have hard copies of your presentation in it in case of internet connectivity problems. Required Components: ·      Title page: Title of Senior Project, your name and date ·      Table of Contents ·      Polished and edited Letter of Intent with signed approval letter and calendar ·      Progress Reflection Letter (second progress check-in) ·      Polished and edited Process Paper Optional Components: ·      Pictures ·      Documents ·      Journal entries ·      Email correspondences ·      Printed copy of your online presentation ·      Printed copy of your website or blog Process Paper: (3-5 pages)             This paper will explain the process and journey you have completed during this project.  In it you will also consider what you have learned in this project. Questions you may want to address in your process paper: ·      What did you do for your Senior Project? ·      What steps did you take to complete your project? ·      What obstacles did you encounter? ·      What changes or modifications did you make?  ·      What have you learned about yourself during this project?  What are you proud of?  Note: The process paper will receive two grades, as it will be both a part of your portfolio grade and an essay grade in your English class.
7. Presentation: Bring three copies of your polished portfolio and have your visual aid ready DUE: May 18th if your last name starts with the letter A-L Due: May 19th if your last name starts with M-Z.	Presentation Protocol: 1.     You have between 10 to15 minutes to present your project to the judges.  During this time you may use visual aids and refer to the portfolio. 2.     Judges will have 5 minutes to ask questions about the project. 3.     Judges will have 5 minutes to complete the feedback form. Components of your formal presentation: ·      You are required to have a visual element to your presentation and are highly encouraged to use multi-media.  If you want to use the computer for your presentation, you must have something that is available online, as you may not use a flash drive.  Consider using Prezi, presenting your website or blog, or using another online tool. ·      Describe in detail the process of completing your project ·      Describe the major steps or benchmarks for the project in chronological order ·      Explain what your end product consists of and why this was a challenge for you ·      Explain your successes and your personal reflection of the project The night of the presentation:             You are responsible for coming to The Café by 5:30 to check in.  You must have all of your materials with you because you may not leave after checking in. ·      Each senior will present in front of two to three judges who will grade your project (see page 10 of this packet for the rubric the judges will use to grade your presentation). ·      Five to six students will be assigned to a room ahead of time and will be in the room as other students present. ·      You may have your family in the room with you during the presentation if you wish. ·      You may leave once you have presented to the judges, you may stay in the room to watch the other presenters, or you may leave the room but stay on campus until the end of the night to see the feedback from your judges.
8. Final Reflections (2 pages) Due: May 28th	After your project is completed and your presentation is finished, write a two-page reflection on the entire process.  You may consider these following questions for your response, but are not required to answer them all.      What has this project taught you?  In what ways have your grown?  What was the most challenging aspect of this process?  What has been the most rewarding aspect of this process?  How was your experience presenting to the judges? How do you feel about the senior projects overall?