Juniors, part two

One of the most successful aspects of our Board Night has been the inclusion of juniors as Room Hosts. Just another example of the beauty of delegation and involving a wide portion of the school population.

We ask for volunteers about a month before the night is scheduled to commence. The juniors who volunteer are responsible for hanging directional and room signs, double-checking all the technology, equipment, and portfolios that are supposed to be in the room, and generally making sure the room is clean and ready for presentations.

(I should probably mention that we hold Board Night once every semester with about thirty rooms running simultaneously. We average three evaluators--wish we had more--and five presentations per room. The evaluators view the portfolios after dinner and training and before the presenters arrive.)

During presentations, the juniors go to the "Green Room" (the library ) to get the presenters as their time approaches. They chat with the seniors on the way to the room (seems to put the seniors a little more at ease) and help them carry any equipment or visual aids they might have. The Room Hosts also serve as our timers during the process. If a problem with technology should arise (as it sometimes does, right?) the Room Host serves as a runner to our technology assistant.

After all the presentations have been given, the Room Host gathers the forms and portfolios, and delivers them to our Green Room for distribution among the teachers. They then put the room back in order, deliver any technology carts to the library, and remove the directional and room signs.

They are the hardest working group on Board Night and they LOVE it. They compete for spots and receive nothing for it other than a sneak peek into Board Night. For them, that is an extremely valuable peek. Past Room Hosts have told us that just being a part of the excitement has alleviated a lot of their fear and even inspired them to start thinking about their projects sooner. Can't ask for more than that, can we?

Getting the Juniors On Board

Now that Senior Project is over for the seniors, it’s time to move on to the next victims—the juniors! At ACRHS, we allow juniors to propose their physical projects (which we call “Practical Experiences”) at the end of their junior year. This allows them to include some opportunities that might only happen over a summer. In addition, it is our answer to parents who complain that seniors have too much to do during the senior year. All those college admissions essays and such. (Why is that always the argument anyway? How long does it take to write an essay on your favorite quality and what you can offer to a university?).

When the juniors have their whole class registration meeting with the counselor, I pop in and let them know that Early Proposal is a possibility. Of the 150 forms I handed out, about 40 proposed and were accepted this year. It’s lots more work for us, but I think the benefits outweigh the headache.

Here are the top ten FAQs regarding Early Start:

Is it the same proposal process that seniors go through? Yes.

Am I committed to that topic once I propose and receive acceptance? No. If things don’t work out for that topic over the summer, you can always fall back on the regular proposal time during your English class.

Can I teach myself a skill? No. You must at all times be supervised by an adult over the age of 25 who is not your relative.

Will that supervisor be contacted? Yes. The Senior Project Coordinator and the Community Coordinator verify completion of all projects during the summer and during the school year.

What is an argumentative paper? Check out http://www.rscc.cc.tn.us/owl&writingcenter/OWL/Argument.html for some guidelines.

Who will help me propose my letter? (and cut the wheat, and make the bread . . .hee hee, just kidding) The librarians are glad to help guide you in the proposal process. In addition, many of our teachers have been evaluators and are familiar with the process.

What is the committee looking for? They are looking for detail and emotional investment. They want to know why the project you are proposing is appropriate for you and your future.

What if I can’t get my Expert in the Field form signed (for ACRHS, the “Expert in the Field” is a mentor specific to the Practical Experience phase)? You may have the Expert fax it in, but no proposal will be approved without that form attached.

What if I do my project and then change my mind about the paper I proposed? You may alter your paper so long as the topic still relates to the project you completed. You will have to submit your revised topic to committee.

What should I do as I complete my Practical Experience? Document, document, document. Did I mention that you need to document? Journals, pictures, video, audio, etc. You can’t document enough.

The juniors and the parents have appreciated this extra time and the opportunity to get some things “out of the way” before the big senior year. By allowing this freedom, we have gained more community and parent support. We hear less whining about the “workload” and have fewer students freaking out at the last minute. Fewer freakouts=good.

Another way we get juniors involved and a great way to get them to begin thinking about their own projects is by making them "Ambassadors" on Board Night. I’ll post about that tomorrow.