As the Class of 2012 gets closer to its last days in high school, many seniors still have a few more requirements to complete, including a Senior Experience project. Students can choose to experience a profession, create and innovate using their talents and skills, volunteer and help their community, or explore any other interest.
Since the expansion of the Senior Experience program in 2011 to include mandatory “experiences” for AP students, the scope of projects has expanded. Senior Experience is now a requirement with a 60 hour commitment during their second semester.
“Senior Experience has started to become part of the culture at Schreiber,” said Assistant Principal Mr. Weiss who runs the program. “I presented it at all junior social studies classes and several juniors have already approached me about their projects.”
In the past, seniors have done projects ranging from publishing books to working overseas. This year’s seniors are currently working on a variety of projects which they will finish by the end of May.
Mural Painting
Seniors Elyse Belarge and Dan Preston are painting art over the white walls throughout the school. Both AP Art students are working on painting murals on the cafeteria wall and walls in the social studies wing.
“The cafeteria mural we originally started inspired us. We had so much fun doing it that we decided ‘why not just do more,’” said Belarge.
Belarge and Preston plan to extend the existing cafeteria mural to the back of the cafeteria. Additionally, working with the social studies department, they will paint “halls of tolerance” in two spots in the social studies wing.
Because both students are in multiple AP classes, they deferred their project until after the completion of all AP tests. This is an option for students taking more than three AP classes. However, deferring their project left them with only a few weeks to complete their project, and the required coordination with the janitors, the cafeteria schedule, and finding supervisors has been a point of their concern.
“Perhaps for me, the most stressful part of the whole experience is the impractical time frame we have to complete it. As a student only taking three APs, I only have a limited amount of time during the school day to complete my hours, and as an employed high school student, I have virtually no time after school hours to work on my project,” said Preston.
Belarge and Preston have already brainstormed, sketched, and extensively planned the murals, but now they need to fundraise for more paint and supplies in order to complete them. Once they accomplish this, they will resume painting.
Park Grand Opening
In efforts to improve the community, senior Sarah Autz got involved in a public works project in town. She, with active town members, has been organizing the grand opening of the eight year project to renovate Stannard’s Brook Park.
Mr. Myron Blumenfeld, chairperson of the Port Washington Parks Conservancy (PWPC), chose Autz to aid in the park project.
As part of her project, Autz assisted Ms. Valerie Taylor with planning the grand opening of the park. Autz’s main responsibility was to handle press and publicity for the event.
“My main inspiration for this project was Mr. Blumenfeld,” said Autz. “He has such passion for his project and such determination that I could not help but be inspired to do the best job possible.”
After doing research on the park and its history, Autz drafted a press release and letter to the editor in the Port Washington News and spread posters and signs around town. She gave posters to all science teachers and put up posters in store windows and on telephone poles around town.
“Most of the difficulties I faced dealt with communication issues,” said Autz. “Teachers and administrators did not effectively communicate with me, my mentor, or my sponsor.”
On May 19, the grand opening day, she helped set up, informed people about the park, and collected donations.
“After working with Mr. Blumenfeld I have found that Senior Experience can actually be somewhat enjoyable if it is a project that you believe in. I have learned that anyone can get involved in their community and make a difference,” said Autz.
Port Pediatrics
Some students have taken advantage of Senior Experience as an opportunity to work in a profession of interest. Senior Yanaira Hazoury is currently interning at Port pediatrics where she not only learns about the job of a doctor, but also contributes her own skills to the practice.
“I decided to do my internship at Port Pediatrics due to the fact that I am interested in medicine although it is a bit intimidating,” said Hazoury.
Her own experiences shaped her desire to work in healthcare.
“If I ever become a doctor I would hope to work with Doctors without Borders. When I went to the Dominican Republic this summer with my family, I saw both children and adults with injuries that seemed easily cured,” said Hazoury.
After contacting a sponsor and writing a proposal, Hazoury started shadowing her sponsor Dr. Wilkins to experience the daily life of a pediatrician. Since the start of her internship, she has learned how to perform a regular check-up and strep culture and to identify a healthy ear and throat and the symptoms of a cold.
Hazoury has learned new skills while working under a doctor, but she has also helped many patients with her own skills. Fluent in Spanish, she helps her sponsor by translating for Spanish patients.