MEA Seniors Project the Mission

For seniors at Mount Ellis Academy (MEA) in Bozeman, Mont., much of the second semester is focused on a senior project that requires students to apply four years' worth of academic studies while using personal gifts to solve real-world problems. Here are four student projects that have made a difference in the world:

Mackenzie Dixson, whose younger brother is autistic, did in-depth research on how autism impacts families as well as its causes and treatments. She went a step further and organized a 5K race that raised more than $1,800 for the scientific search for both the prevention and cure of autism.

Sarah Ojeda has a burden for students from low-income families to be able to attend MEA. She did extensive research on both the level of need and the sources of help. She applied her significant talent as a vocalist to raise money for the MEA student aid fund. During alumni weekend in April, Ojeda shared her musical talents by performing a benefit concert. Weaving together music, testimony and heartfelt appeal, Ojeda inspired alumni to continue their already strong support for student aid at MEA.

Alix Harris, Emily Jones and Jonathan Lehman have a passion for strong science instruction in elementary schools. During their own elementary years in small Adventist schools, they remembered that there were lab activities at the end of each chapter in their science books. They didn't always get to conduct the labs. So they decided to record lab demonstrations on video for those rarely used elementary lab activities. The result is Kaboom, a DVD of quality science lab demonstrations provided to Montana Adventist elementary schools.

The MEA mission statement calls for all to: Discover the reality of our Creator; Develop our God-given gifts; Serve in His Kingdom. Senior projects help students live this mission in the world.