"It feels good," says Renee St. Clair, a Portland Adventist Academy (PAA) senior. "Kind of intimidating, but definitively good." St. Clair graduated on June 3, along with 60 other seniors, and faces the future armed with a diploma from PAA.
But before St. Clair marched she had to complete her final PAA requirement: the senior project.
The senior project demonstrates various practical skills each student has acquired, such as communication and problem-solving skills and the ability to manage their time. For many PAA seniors, the project takes the full year to plan and implement. Seniors usually choose a project related to a career interest or to one of their hobbies. "Photography is my project," says St. Clair. "I'm considering it as a major for college next year."
Other projects reflect a deep passion. "John Moore is translating an entire book of the Bible to Greek," says Joan Oksenholt, teacher and senior project coordinator. "Sophie Grice is researching and training for a marathon."
Depth and dedication is not a prerequisite for a PAA diploma. But the faculty and staff do find that it is a character trait commonly honed by the time they graduate. The PAA senior project is a tool that molds these positive forces in their lives.
