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Big Idea Senior Projects

What is a Senior Capstone?

A senior capstone is designed to culminate a student’s full educational experience and showcase college and career readiness in conjunction with personal interest. Successful completion of this capstone is a requirement for graduation, but with support, self-determination, self-advocacy and this guide, students grow and succeed in this exciting project. 

The SVA senior capstone aligns with SVA’s vision to prepare students to be life-long learners and honorable leaders of tomorrow. As students research and pursue personal, real-world interests, they will show their ability to apply, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information. These are all vital skills for success in their coming, new adventure. Part of SVA’s mission is to support seniors in researching, discovering, and pursuing a personal interest relating to their future in the same culture of exploration where they are respected, valued, and known for the content of their character. 

Through this capstone, students meld the founding principles and pillars of SVA by

Seniors have four capstone project options to fit their personal interests. All options require students to work with a mentor qualified to help in the student’s purpose and project goal. Each option also requires meaningful research and field experience. Students log work hours, track budgets, create media, and present the experience. Along with the presentation students must also submit a tangible visual created to show learning and growth during the project. This quality visual is considered “physical evidence” and should be informational, educational, and professional.

Option #1: Community Service 

This option requires students to make a visible impact within the school or community. This may be completed as a group project according to group guidelines and expectations. The student(s) must organize all aspects of the project and community service. Students must be more than just a helper, unless it includes volunteering/participation in a minimum of 3 separate and unrelated organizations. 

Option #2: Career Focus

This option requires students to determine a specific career field and explore it fully. Through research and job shadowing, students are responsible to discuss where the field is today, where it is headed, what schooling (if any) is needed, what challenges they may personally face, and how they plan on meeting and overcoming those challenges. This option is for individual completion and may not be completed as a group. 

During the 2020-2021 school year, a majority of students chose this topic in the following career fields: 

Mechanical engineering, culinary arts, conceptual art, nursing, biofeedback, graphic design, theater education, dental, the air force, writer, eSports casting, animation, sales, politics, hospitality management, physical therapy, veterinary services, accounting, photography, forensic psychology, sports medicine, surgical, software engineering, non-profit interests groups, photography, and social services. 

This project type solidified many of the students’ interests and informed them on how to begin their journey. Other students realized through their career project that they would not pursue it. For example, a student that explored a career in the culinary arts learned that it would be more beneficial to pursue a career in another field and continue culinary passions as a hobby to protect the enjoyment of cooking. Another student exploring physical therapy determined that her main goal was to help and care for others. While she enjoyed learning about physical therapy, she decided that a career in nursing would be the better option. 

Option #3: Product Design

This capstone allows students to explore a special interest that will result in an actual product. They define a problem or issue and research it. After a firm understanding of the issue, they design an actual solution. Students would invent or create a viable strategy or a product that solves a problem that would benefit the community or world. Examples of this project could include: organizing and painting a mural, creating a publication, inventing, etc.) The student(s) must create a product that is of greater quality than just a model or superficial design. 

Projects for the 2020-2021 school year included: 

Option #4: Teaching Experience

This capstone allows students to explore a special interest that will result in one or more teaching experiences. Students design a teaching experience that benefits the community or group of people in a particular area of interest. The student(s) must teach comprehensive classes, a clinic, workshop, seminar, or show. This could include conducting assemblies. They may not be pep rallies or school based assemblies. 

In 2020-2021, one student chose this project and taught a workshop to help others understand the positive benefits of pop culture conventions. This project was carefully designed and even addressed the effects of Covid and how an online pop culture convention supported the mental health of those quarantined and the loneliness of isolation.

SkyView Academy
6161 Business Center Drive
Highlands Ranch, CO 80130
303-471-8439

Questions?:
communications@svak12.org

Enrollment?:
enrollment@svak12.org 

SkyView Academy Nondiscrimination Notice: SkyView Academy does not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, ancestry, need for special education services, or any other grounds prohibited by law. SkyView Academy serves students with disabilities and English Learners and provides services to students as required by state and federal law. For more information, visit the Student Support Services page under Schools.

 

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