HANOVER HIGH SCHOOL
CULMINATING PROJECT
Goals of the Culminating Project
The major goal of the Culminating Project is to challenge students to go beyond those learnings that occur as the result of their prescribed educational program. The students are challenged to complete a project or community service that demonstrates their intellectual, physical and creative abilities. In doing so, students will be fulfilling a second goal that relates to the Pennsylvania Curriculum Regulations found in Chapter 4 which states that students will “apply, analyze, synthesize and evaluate information and communicate significant knowledge and understanding.” The Culminating Project provides the format upon which these requirements may be displayed, satisfying the graduation requirements as specified in Chapter 4, Section 4.24.
Personal growth and satisfaction are additional goals associated with the Culminating Project. Students will derive a sense of accomplishment through the completion and “ownership” of a body of works that is a reflection of their interests and abilities. Opportunities to expand their personal knowledge, explore career paths, and apply learnings to real-life situations will serve to benefit the student’s growth and promote lifelong learning.
Definition of the Culminating Project
The Culminating Project is a major undertaking that must be successfully completed as part of a student’s graduation requirements. Working with a mentor, a student will develop and complete a project, or community service experience, of educational significance. Although various forms of assistance will be made available, the primary initiative for completion of the project lies with the student. Because selection of a project topic will be derived from the student based on such factors as interest and knowledge, few limits will be placed on what subjects a student may choose. While prior knowledge may be advantageous, a project topic should not be rejected solely on the basis of lack of background knowledge.
Culminating Project Criteria
In order for a Culminating Project to be accepted, it must:
- Extend beyond the established curriculum
- Involve some type of quality academic research
- Include the analysis, synthesis and application of information
- Display the ability to communicate understandings
Include a journal that documents the project experiences
Include a satisfactory oral presentation, a final paper, and a product presented to an evaluation panel by the student.
If completing community service, a minimum of 30-documented hours of service.
Culminating Project Guidelines
Junior Year:
Select a topic or community service location to be the focus of the project
Submit a word-processed proposal for the project with signatures of parent/guardian, outside advisor or community service supervisor, and mentor.
Maintain a journal detailing the project experiences and all activities necessary to finish the project successfully
Senior Year:
Submit a final word-processed paper including summary of research, explanation of process, and self-evaluation
Produce a product or have provide documentation of 30-hours of service
Present the project orally to an evaluation panel
Respond to questions posed by the evaluation panel
Participate in ongoing self-evaluation activities with the mentor.
Culminating Project Proposal****
In order to have a Culminating Project approved, each student must submit a word-processed culminating project proposal to his/her mentor using the Culminating Project Proposal Form at Appendix B. This form can be accessed using the district network. The proposal must contain the following components:
Purpose and Objective: The student will provide a written statement explaining the value, impact, and importance of a project or what he/she hopes to achieve by completing the project.
Reason for Selection: A statement will be given to explain why the student has chosen the particular project or service location.
Completion Strategies: A plan will be submitted indicating the data gathering techniques and/or procedures to be used in order to complete the project.
Timeline: Periodic checkpoints will be included as a means of monitoring progress. The timeline should identify specific tasks and their completion dates.
Resources and Materials:
Signatures: For final approval, the proposal must contain the dated signatures of the student, advisor (where applicable), parent/guardian, and mentor.
Students will submit proposals to their mentors near the end of the 1st marking period of their junior year. Subsequently, all mentors will review the proposal, and then submit proposals to the Culminating Project Review Committee for grading. The Review Committee will evaluate all proposals and award each proposal one of the following grades: approved, approved with recommendations, or disapproved.__
Students receiving an approved grade may begin to work on their project, upon receipt of their approved proposal. Students receiving an approved with recommendations grade will receive specific comments from the Culminating Project Review Committee on how to improve the quality of the proposal and the project. These students must revise their proposals to incorporate the recommendations made by the committee. Once the student has revised his/her proposal, he/she must resubmit the proposal for approval. Students receiving a disapproval grade may rewrite and resubmit their original proposal or submit a different proposal on an entirely different topic.__
Students must receive an approved or approved with recommendations grade on their proposal before any work may begin on the culminating project.****
Culminating Project Journal
Students shall maintain a personal journal that documents all of the activities related to completion of their project. The following suggestions are made with regard to the journal:
- Students should keep this journal with them at all times, especially on the Wednesday of each month devoted to mentoring, unless the student’s mentor or a teacher asks to review it.
The following additional items should be included in the journal or folder:
Entries that document research/work in progress and personal insights gained.
Copies of all correspondence relating to the project.
Receipts for items purchased.
Pictures, sketches, plans, and notes relating to work on a project.
Meetings with the student’s mentor and/or administrators concerning the project.
Other personal insights and observations.
Journals will be evaluated throughout the junior and senior years. In May of the student’s junior year, journals will be turned into the mentor to determine whether or not adequate progress has been made on the project since the student’s proposal was approved. Students who do not submit their journals at this time receive an “F” on their report card for the 4th marking period. During the senior year, journals are also checked. The points earned for the journal will be worth 20% of the student’s final culminating project grade.
If the final journal is late, the student loses 10 of the possible 20 points for the first day late. After the first day, the student loses another 2 points for each day late.
Culminating Project Papers
** _During the process of completing the culminating project, students will write a 2-page paper that will summarize and evaluate the completed project. The papers will be introduced within English class, with assistance provided. Papers will be turned into the students mentor in November of senior year. The points earned for the final paper will be worth 20% of the student’s final culminating project grade. _**
The senior paper will consist of the following:
Introduction:
This paragraph should give a brief description of your project. In 5-7 sentences you should describe:
- How you got the idea for your project
- Why you decided to do this project
- How you started the project.
Body:
The next paragraph is your main paragraph and that should be 10-20 sentences. You may even decide to split the body paragraph into two paragraphs. The body should express the process of the project and how you felt you did on the project. Consider the following questions in your reflection:
- Was it what you expected?
- Was it harder or easier?
- Were you able to follow the timeline you had set up or was that unrealistic?
- What about your budget? Was that feasible or did you end up spending more? What about supplies?
If you completed community service, discuss what your expectations were and if they were realistic. Would you do your project or community service again?
Conclusion:
The conclusion should simply finish up your thoughts on the project/community service. Your last paragraph should be 5-7 sentences long.
- Did you feel it was worthwhile?
- Did you learn anything from what you did? If so, what?
(This can be positive or negative.)
Do you think this project helped you think more like an adult and a member of society?
Did this prepare you for the real world in any way, shape, or form?
Your final paper should be typed, double spaced, and a minimum of 2-pages long. Finally, you will need a cover paper for your paper.__
If the final paper is late, the student loses 10 of the possible 20 points for the first day late. After the first day, the student loses another 2 points for each day late. Students must turn in a completed final paper in order to receive a satisfactory grade on the culminating project.
Culminating Project Evaluation
In evaluating the Culminating Project, the following guidelines will be utilized:
The project is worth 100 points and will be evaluated on the basis of five major areas.
Please note students will lose 50% of their earned grade for any lateness on assignments, regardless of attendance or illness on any of the due dates.
Journal. To be turned in and graded by mentor.(20 points)
Final Paper. To be turned in and graded by mentor.(20 points)
Product/Community Service. Evidence of project/hours completed (30 points)
Oral Presentation. An oral presentation to an evaluation panel (20 points)
Questions and Answers. Responses to the questions posed by the panel(10 points)
In order to achieve a passing evaluation, a student must obtain a minimum of 65 points on a 100-point scale.
In the event a student fails to earn a satisfactory score, the student will be provided, within one week, direction and recommendations as to how the project may be improved in order to achieve a passing status. Additionally, the student will be given specific guidance on the time frame for resubmitting his/her project. Students failing to obtain a passing grade on their initial or subsequent presentations must receive a passing grade on their project by the last day of senior examinations in order to meet the culminating project graduation requirement and commence with their classmates.
Plagiarism committed during any portion of the project will be handled in accordance with the consequences specified in the Academic Dishonesty section of the Student Handbook.
Student Progress Report
The mentor will inform students who fail to maintain satisfactory progress in the Culminating Project process of their situation. This will be done through a pass/fail grade and/or comments on the report card. The particular difficulty will also be communicated to the parent(s)/guardian in the form of a written progress report that will be signed and returned by the student’s parent/guardian. A conference with the student and the parent/guardian may also be required.
Seniors who receive a negative progress report, or juniors who receive a negative progress report during the fourth marking period, will forfeit senior privileges through the end of the first marking period of their senior year or until a satisfactory report is issued by the mentor.