Welcome to the Life of a Helix Charter High School Senior

You might think that because I am graduating with the class of 2014, I am one of these seniors, but in fact the high school I go to makes that lifestyle practically impossible. I am a senior at Helix Charter High School.

Helix Charter High School is a unique high school in many ways. The school requires that students go above and beyond simply attending classes. Helix requires that all students complete a Senior Project. This Senior Project is meant to challenge students by applying real world skills to a project of their choosing.

First, students must start with a detailed proposal (See pictures of my own proposal below). To get approved, projects must meet certain requirements: The project must take at least 20 hours, students must have a consultant who is experienced in the field of which the project is concerned, students must have parent signatures and a clearly outlined set of project steps.

The last and most challenging requirement of the Senior Project is somehow incorporating a “stretch.” In some way each project must challenge each student in a way that they haven’t been challenged before. It may be talking to adults and coordinating with them, or maybe a student is building something that  they have never built before.

Once Helix students get approved they are free to start on their projects.

The most challenging part of the whole project is setting aside time to getting it done. Unlike in a classroom where there is the teacher is always telling students to do their work, a senior project is completely self managed.

As you may have guessed, this isn’t just an informative statement… Ladies and Gents you are reading and participating in my Senior Project. By the end I will have written 6 articles that showcase the wonderful work and amazing projects the seniors at Helix are completing this year. I greatly appreciate all your feedback and critiques. Stay tuned for my first article.