TUITION-FREE PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS

CARMEL, IN                                                                                                        NOBLESVILLE, IN

Options Charter School’s Senior Institute Project is a unique graduation requirement above and beyond course credits and Graduation Qualifying Exam (GQE) scores specified by Indiana’s State Department of Education.  To comprehend the importance of the project, the student should fully understand the School’s Mission Statement as adopted by the Central Indiana Options in Education Board of Directors.  It reads:

Options Charter School provides a caring community to those students who are seeking an alternative to the traditional high school program. Our focus is on the educational success and health and wellness of each student. Our goal is to develop responsible individuals who are skilled problem solvers and caring, productive citizens.

Throughout this project the student will have the support of the teacher/mentor, the Senior Institute Advisory Panel, and classmates; however, this project is independent.  The student will demonstrate his/her ability to develop the project, define tasks, implement an action plan, organize, and communicate.   The student will be demonstrating that he/she is a “responsible individual who is a skilled problem solver and a caring, productive citizen.”

These are the skills young people need to leave the somewhat protective environment of high school and be successful in the larger society as a post-secondary student, employee, and family member.

DESIGNING THE  PROJECT

The Senior Institute Project has four general guidelines.  Students must demonstrate that they have followed these guidelines throughout the project. 

1.The project must be interesting to the student.

We have found this to be the most important guideline of the four.  The SI Project will most likely require more hours of dedication and focus than any one project the student has ever done.  Therefore, the student must be interested and motivated.  Like a profession to be chosen in the future, if a person enjoys the activity, the hours of commitment are exciting and don’t seem like a job or an assignment.

2.The project must benefit a community.

While we believe this project will benefit the student, it must also benefit others.  Ideally, this project will be sustainable.  A one-time shot to perform some temporary service is not adequate.  That is community service, not an SI Project.  This project should be of on-going value or it must be easily repeatable by others who can follow the plans to keep the program going.

3.The project must demonstrate prior learning.

The student is earning a diploma by demonstrating he or she has acquired the skills expected of a high school graduate.  Depending on the project, the student will bring in many of the skills taught K-12.  This will include subject-specific skills as well as socialization skills.  The senior must demonstrate that he or she can produce high-quality work, but must also demonstrate the ability to work well with others, communicate appropriately, make sound judgments and think critically to solve problems that arise.

4.The project must give the student a chance to learn something new.

While the project may involve a skill or interest the student has already acquired, the project must build new skills and new knowledge.  This may be subject-specific, but it is more often related to new ways to organize and plan, new tools to aid communication, and new ways to deal with problems or obstacles.

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