Personal Project presentations mark the end of a long process that all sophomores in the Middle Years Programme complete. It is a project about commitment, with a goal of starting a new project and successfully following through and completing it. It consists of students choosing something they want to learn how to do or make. The student has to determine the materials needed, research about their goal, and devote time to completing the project. They finalize everything by writing an essay about the experience, and creating a presentation that they will show to their classmates and teachers.  This is an opportunity for them to show off their hard work and get a look at what the other students have been working on at the same time. Each personal project is different from the next, so the presentations show the wide range of creativity and originality of everyone’s peers. For a glimpse into one of the projects, Bennett Lee gives his insight: “My personal project is a website of photos taken from the past couple of months. This was mainly inspired by my uncle’s new job as a professional photographer.” Each student brings their own perspective and experiences into each project, making each year of sophomores’ presentations refreshing and unique. 

  The personal projects are a beast to conquer but are definitely worth it by the end. Lee says, “I am satisfied with the final result.” Presenting in front of peers and teachers is no easy task, but when asked, Lee said, “I am not nervous at all for my presentation because I know that I did my best on the project and am excited to share the project with anyone.” This project is something that takes hard work and commitment and leads the students to want to share their accomplishments. It gives English teachers the chance to learn more about the interests and capabilities of the students they teach in the classroom. They vary from year to year, but some highlights of this year’s projects include 3D printed movie props, a greenhouse made from recycled materials, and building a new guitar. 

  Taking place in the media center, over 400 sophomores gave their long awaited presentations over a four-day time span. These have been the first presentations in a few years due to Covid, so the students did not really know what to expect, but it seems that they went well. Following the event, Lee reflects on the experience: “I think my presentation went great. I think everyone’s projects were very different, and so were the ways that they presented them.” These projects are rewarding, very fascinating, and now these tenth graders deserve a round of applause. Lee states, “I am glad that it is over, but at the same time it was a great way for me to practice something that I was really interested in.” Students such as Bennett will be joining the IB diploma program next year, which entails lots of hardwork and perseverance. The personal project experience was a glimpse into long-term projects such as the CAS project and extended essay, which is coming in the year to follow. Now that these are over, the sophomores will be continuing their hard work inside and outside of the classroom. Until next year, personal projects!