Project Connect
Senior Projects Connect Students to the CommunityBY MARY-TATE TEANEY ON DECEMBER 18, 2014
Project Connect is a program that allows high school seniors to try out new things, go after something they’re interested in, give back to the community and even step a little outside of their comfort zone.
“It’s a way for seniors to do something kind of academic, while giving back to the community,” senior Kelly Barnhill said. Every year, Rose seniors are required to participate in this event. So far, many students have already begun to get their projects started. “Seniors Billy Luzzi, Copeland Spell and I are doing a cookout called ‘Cookout for a Cure,’” Barnhill said. “It’s a way to get everyone to come out and have a good time and also raise money.” Students come up with different things and do to raise money for different causes. From bowties to basketball games to fashion shows, the seniors have come up with various ideas to raise money for different causes. “I am talking about the neo-natal intensive care unit,” senior Tiajai Whitfield said. “It is the unit for newborn babies that either have a sickness or are premature.” Whitfield is doing this so that she can help educate mothers about the factors that lead to having their baby admitted into the nicu. Along with other seniors, Whitfield thinks that seniors do Project Connect so that they can explore the world and get a better feel of what they might want to do in college or just learn more about what they are interested in. Senior Dylan Reid is doing a project on jazz band and history because he has been involved in it for four years and is something he’s interested in. Many seniors don’t just do their projects because they “have to.” They genuinely enjoy learning new things as well as not only benefiting themselves but helping benefit the community too. “I can go to middle schools and teach the younger level jazz band about jazz history and how to play better,” Reid said. Seniors Paige Skinner and Addy Robbins held a Zumbathon, led by the girls soccer team, at the school for their senior project. Zumba is a newer form of exercise that involves a lot of energy and dancing. “I’ve already raised $400 just from businesses donating and admissions,” Skinner said. Skinner said that half of the total money raised will go to science teacher Angie Byrne, a teacher at Rose who is currently going through chemotherapy for her breast cancer. All seniors have different reasons for doing the project they chose. Most seem to want to do their projects because it is something they want to pursue as a future career in college, some just choose projects based off of things they find intriguing and want to try out, and some simply just want a way to help out people in the community and benefit the public. Whitfield thinks that seniors must do Project Connect so that they can explore the world and get a better feel of what they might want to do in college or just learn more about what they are interested in. |
|