One of the most distinct parts of the Upper School’s curriculum has been the Senior Project during May. Over the course of the month, seniors choose any passion they are interested in pursuing and create an in-depth project around it. Yet, the independence given to seniors hasn’t worked out as expected over the years.
After speaking with various alumni, Hannah Niles, the 12th-grade dean, found that many of them wished that “there was more emphasis put on…concluding or celebrating high school”. To them, it felt like the teachers and the School were saying that they weren’t wanted anymore, and the project was just a way to get rid of seniors who were no longer interested in contributing to the School anymore.
Therefore, this year, the School and Niles have decided to change the project into the Senior Legacy Project. While the name has changed, Niles believes that confusion and worry over the new changes are overblown. She recognizes students’ worries but wants to assure them that not too much has changed, with the largest difference being the need for “there…to be a more robust plan and thought in why people are choosing their projects”. However, the biggest surprise came in the form of a check-in required every week during the senior project.
It is definitely frustrating for many to learn of this requirement, but some seniors are more understanding of the changes than others. Last year, projects such as trying tacos around the bay and cold showers clearly didn’t have the substance expected of them. After understanding all of this, senior Artero Mercado said, “I can definitely see why teachers would be upset and frustrated with these types of projects, and based on this, attempt to make changes to the requirements to make it more substantive.”
However, ultimately, many seniors, including Alex Zhu, are “surprised and disappointed in the change because it forces [them] to find an alternative to previous plans,” but this change isn’t meant to destroy or replace the previous legacy and appeal of senior projects. Rather, it is meant to evolve the project into something that leaves a lasting impact on our community.