Senior projects are an important part of any high school’s curriculum. I should know, I had to complete one for graduation from Cedarcrest High School. I started with little knowledge of how to manage such a long-term project but in the end, I learned skills I continue to use today.

I agree with Mr. Searle in his belief that no student who puts in the time and effort should fail the senior project. I am sure requirements have changed in the 4 years since I attended Cedarcrest, but students have the opportunity to revise papers and they have the grading rubric to know what mistakes will give them a passing grade, including how many points will be deducted for grammatical errors.

Long after graduation, my senior project has proved a valuable experience. As a freshman at Lewis and Clark College, I was prepared for researching and writing term papers because of my senior project. Currently, as an Americorps volunteer in our nation’s capital, I use the speaking skills and long-term planning skills I first honed in high school. My experience with senior projects and the benefits they provide led me back to Cedarcrest to sit as a panelist during students’ final presentations.

I have seen both sides of Cedarcrest’s senior project, as a student and as a community panelist. Both experiences demonstrated to me that the Cedarcrest curriculum is sound. Senior projects do not place an unfair burden on high-school seniors – they provide valuable research, writing and speaking skills that will only aid students once they are in college or the workplace.

Rebecca Harviston

Bethesda, Maryland

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