Etowah seniors are ready to graduate, and administration is helping by revamping the Senior Project this year to give students three different pathways that students can choose.

In previous years, the Senior Project has been a year-long process. Teachers joked that senior literature classes should be renamed “Senior Project classes.” Principal Horn noticed the problem and pushed for change. Streamlined and renamed the Senior Capstone, it will be part of first semester only.

Students can still choose the “Solving A Real-World Problem” option to create a product, but it does not necessarily have to correspond with the student’s desired career pathway. The second and more popular option is the “Post-Secondary Choices” pathway. This consists of students planning for life after high school and recording what they do in preparation for the future. For the third option, “Developing Leadership Skills,” students are required to create and host an event for the community.

The “Solving A Real-World Problem” and “Developing Leadership Skills” pathways are more traditional options while “Post-Secondary Choices” is the most practical. Many students are choosing this pathway because the requirements are all experiences that need to be taken care of this year. For example, a student’s five learning experiences can be actions such as applying to college or taking the SAT.

Last year, seniors presented their “Stand and Deliver” in May after spending the whole year working on their projects. This year, they will be done by the end of first semester. Horn wants the Senior Capstone to be finished in one semester, so it frees second semester for curriculum and exam preparation.

In addition to the required research paper, students must reflect on five learning experiences, complete an electronic portfolio, and the presentation itself. Another way senior capstones are different is that students no longer need a mentor to guide them through the process of their project.

The grade counts for 20 percent of seniors’ first semester literature grade. Seniors should choose something they are passionate about for their Senior Capstone. When seniors return after semester break, they no longer have the fear of senior project looming large in the horizon. They will be one step closer to graduation.