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South Effingham

High SchoolCapstone Project

Student Handbook

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South Effingham High SchoolCapstone Project Student Handbook

The Capstone Project at South Effingham High School

THE PURPOSE OF THE CAPSTONE PROJECT:

The SEHS Capstone Project is designed to provide the student with the opportunity to apply all that the student has learned in high school to a project which will extend the student’s learning, stretch the student’s potential, and challenge the student’s abilities. The work of the SEHS Capstone Project consists of four major pillars: paper, mentor, portfolio, and presentation. The goal is to choose a topic that relates to the student’s pathway and explore it. The Capstone Project Concept has been highly acclaimed and proven successful in many high schools across the country.

The Capstone Project must be successfully completed as a component of the student’s senior English class and as a component of their pathway, which is required for all students who will graduate with a regular education diploma. Through the project, the student is able to demonstrate accumulated skills in time-management, research, problem-solving, human interaction, organization, and public-speaking. This is appropriate because these are the very skills and abilities which the student will be expected to demonstrate as college students and/or employees.

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THE FOUR PHASES OF THE CAPSTONE PROJECT:

Each phase must be completed and graded before credit will be given on the next component.

The first is a research paper. The student must research and document information on a subject that relates to the student’s pathway -- a subject in which the student has an interest, but is not already an expert. The student’s research must be a worthwhile stretch beyond what the student already knows. A sample grading rubric is attached.

The second phase requires the student to obtain and work with a mentor to assist in advising the student throughout the project. The student’s mentor must be someone who is knowledgeable or a professional in the area of the student’s interest. The student’s mentor will be guiding the student. If the student’s mentor is not available in a nearby area and it will be a hardship on the student to meet with them face-to-face, then virtual mentoring can be a consideration. An example would be SKYPE, email, Facebook, or any other electronic means of communication where a student and mentor can share questions and gain information related to the career field without face-to-face contact. The student will have the responsibility of obtaining a mentor and the student must submit a signed Mentor/Mentee Agreement Form. This is an agreement between the school, the mentor, the student, and the parent. Students must also maintain a log of hours (Mentoring Log) spent with the mentor and are required to spend a minimum of eight (8) hours with their mentor to complete the project.

The third phase of the Project is the portfolio. The student must keep good records of their progress and preserve everything in a portfolio that demonstrates their journey throughout the entire Capstone Project. Components of the portfolio will be graded throughout the capstone process. The portfolio may be in a notebook form or kept electronically. This portfolio provides physical documentation of the career-related capstone project journey.

The final phase of the project will be the presentation. This will be a speech of between three to five minutes. The student will be assigned a date and time for their presentation well in advance. A grading rubric is attached. In the presentation, the student may share any tangible evidence/application of the skills and knowledge acquired from the capstone project. Presentations would consist of the student’s purpose and reasons for choosing the career area, new information gained about the career, and plans for pursuing additional information about the education and training needed for entering the chosen career area. Presentations may be given before a panel of judges.

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Requirements for Successful Completion of Capstone Project PAPER 1. A minimum of three references. A personal interview counts as a source. 2. MLA Style 3. Three to five typed, double-spaced pages in Times New Roman, 12 point type 4. One inch margins 5. Works Cited page 6. Mixture of writer's words, quotes, paraphrases 7. Free from plagiarism (Plagiarism is cheating and results in an automatic zero on the paper. It also prohibits the student continuing with the other components of the project.) All papers will be run through a plagiarism checker.8. Turned in on or before due date

MENTOR1. Minimum of eight (8) contact hours with mentor 2. Mentor time log required

PORTFOLIO 1. Title/Cover page 2. Table of Contents 3. Letter of Introduction/Work Philosophy/Goals4. Resume/Cover Letter5. Clean Copy of Research Paper 6. Mentor Logs 7. Photograph of the student with the student Mentor 8. Thank-You Note to Mentor 9. Supplemental Items including pictures, letters, plans, receipts

PRESENTATION 1. Between 3 and 5 minutes long 2. Judged on content and delivery 3. Appropriate business-style dress 4. Portfolio available to panel

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Consequences of Failure to Meet Deadlines

One of the most important skills that the SEHS Capstone Project teaches is time-management. By breaking up the components into required deadlines, students will learn how to take a large project and tackle it in manageable segments. This is a vital skill both for college and for the workplace. Students must also learn to meet deadlines. If a deadline is not met, consequences will follow as outlined below.

Students MUST do each of the following components in the order in which they are assigned. Since each component of the Capstone Project must be completed before the next component is begun, it is vital that students complete assignments on time.

Deadlines for due dates will be set by the student’s individual English teacher. Failure to meet a deadline will result in a penalty of 10 points (or 10%) for each day late up to 3 days; after the third late day, the final grade on that component will be a zero. Please note, all material for the component must be submitted even if the work is more than three days late (grade = 0) in order to continue with the remainder of the Capstone Project. If a student feels that he/she has a legitimate excuse for being late on a component and should not be penalized, the student will have to address the English teacher to make a personal appeal.

REMEMBER: Failure to complete one or more components of the Capstone Project will result in a zero on that component and all components that follow.

I. RESEARCH PAPER- Counts as a Test Grade in your Senior English class

The student MUST obtain approval from their CTAE Level 3 teacher for both the research paper topic and the product. Your English teacher will break the research paper into required components, including a thesis statement, an outline, note-cards, a rough draft, and a final draft. Be sure you are aware of all the deadlines and that you meet them.

Students who do not complete a research paper or who are caught cheating on any component of their research paper are ineligible to do the remaining components of the Capstone Project and will have a zero as a test grade reflected in their English grade.

II. MENTOR LOG - Counts as a Test Grade in your CTAE, JROTC, Fine Arts or Foreign Language classStudents must obtain and spend a minimum of 8 contact hours with a mentor. The Mentor Log must be completed.

*5 hours or less with mentor = 0 for the product and no presentation (grade of 0 for presentation) **Over 6 hours but less than 8 = 50% of the mentor’s evaluation; you will be allowed to present

III. PORTFOLIO - Counts as a Test Grade in your CTAE, JROTC, Fine Arts or Foreign Language classStudents will keep a portfolio of their work, which will ultimately be graded for completeness by the CTAE, JROTC, Fine Arts or Foreign Language teacher. Students MUST have completed

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their research paper, and the school must have received the Mentor Evaluation Form in order for the student to be eligible for a portfolio grade.

IV. PRESENTATION - Counts as a Test Grade in your CTAE, JROTC, Fine Arts or Foreign Language classStudents who have successfully completed all three previous components by the deadlines established are eligible to give a presentation. I understand the above information and agree to accept the consequences for failing to comply with the requirements.

Signature of Student: Date:

I understand the responsibilities of my son/daughter in submitting materials by the deadlines established and in maintaining academic honesty and integrity.

Signature of Parent: Date:

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Research Topic Selection Guidelines

The research topic should be one that relates to your pathway as well as one in which you are highly interested, but not yet an expert. If you have been a black belt in karate and have studied martial arts for many years, you probably already know a great deal about the subject of karate; this would not qualify as a "learning stretch."

The research topic should be broad enough to allow you access to enough information, but narrow enough to make the research scope reasonable. For example, a student choosing the topic First Aid would find it impossible to include everything about first aid (home remedies, history of emergency services, the treatment of burns, the evolution of first aid courses, etc). On the other hand, a student choosing to research the Application of Band-Aids to Skin Abrasions would probably have difficulty finding enough information. A more reasonable topic might be Lifesaving Techniques Used by Emergency Medical Technicians.

The research topic should be one that is intellectually and creatively challenging. Take care not to choose a topic that is limited to relatively simple ideas or one that has little application or extension possibilities. Such a choice would make the resulting paper, product, and presentation uninteresting for both you and the judges. The topic should represent an intellectual stretch for you and one that is worthy of investigation.

Be mindful that your topic should lend itself to the creation of a product, learning of a skill, or performance of a community service. Choose your topic with the ultimate product in mind. Some students even begin by determining something they would love to do or make (product) and tailor their research topic around their product.

Avoid choosing topics that might involve expenses that you are not prepared to handle. There is no required expenditure for the research or the product. If you do not drive, do NOT plan research that requires you going to distant locales; if you do not have much money, do not plan research that will involve purchasing costly equipment or committing you to a series of expensive lessons. Keep in mind that your grade on the research/product is not affected by your expenditures.

Topics that are illegal, immoral, dangerous to you or to someone else, or prohibited by Effingham County Schools will not be approved. For example, avoid experiments that are potentially explosive; stay away from activities such as handling poisonous snakes; steer clear of investigations of pornography web sites or other unsavory areas.

Primary research shows originality and intellectual maturity. Choose a topic that will allow you to do a personal interview, survey, scientific experiment, etc. for research.

Before making your final choice, do some preliminary research. Investigate your main areas of interest to be sure that you can locate abundant research material to complete your paper. This exploration might open new possibilities for your final topic.

Use good judgment when selecting your topic. Your topic must be approved by your

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CTAE, JROTC, Fine Arts or Foreign Language teacher. Select a topic that is complex enough to warrant your time and one that you will be proud to share with others. Do not waste time investigating topics that will be rejected.

Student/Mentor Responsibilities The Capstone student is responsible for:

Securing an appropriate Mentor. Completing and submitting all required Mentor forms. Being prepared and punctual for all appointments with Mentor. Transportation to and from Mentor location. Communicating with Mentor, as needed, in a timely manner. Spending a minimum of 8 contact hours with the Mentor. If you are having any issues

with fulfilling your hours due to scheduling conflicts, see your CTAE, JROTC, Fine Arts or Foreign Language teacher promptly.

Mentor is not responsible for any costs.

Mentor qualifications: Must be an adult (at least 21 years of age). Must be an expert or professional in the field/area of mentoring.

A Capstone Project Mentor is responsible for: Advising and assisting student in the planning and completion of the research paper.

Suggested resources I can use to find a mentor: Friends of family Associates through civic organizations Community businesses Effingham County teachers / personnel Professional organizations Other educational facilities

Write a Thank You Note to your Mentor

Your mentor has spent many hours helping you through your Capstone Project, so it is important that you express your thanks. Rather than purchase a printed thank-you note, take the time to write a personal note or write a thank-you letter. Here are some guidelines to follow: 1. Start your thank-you with Dear ,

2. Be sure to include mention of what you are thanking your mentor for. A statement beginning with, “I want to thank you for all of the hours you spent helping me carve my walking stick,” or “I want to thank you for allowing me into your classroom to observe and help the children develop their reading skills.” Express your thanks simply and directly.

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3. Next, include a line or two to say specifically what you appreciate about your mentor: a specific quality, feature, or action would be appropriate. “You were always there when I needed you, and you always seemed happy to see me when I arrived for our sessions,” or “Your skill on the guitar was an inspiration to me throughout each of my lessons,” or “You had such great patience with me, even when I made really big mistakes.” Just be sure that you are honest in your comments.

4. Finally, you should end the note with a general statement such as, “You have really made a difference in my life, and for that I am truly grateful,” or “My Senior Project would not have turned out so well without your help,” or “You have really opened my eyes to how helpful an adult can be,” or “I hope that you will continue to mentor young people, because you have so much to offer.”

5. Some further thoughts: Be sure to close the note with a word or phrase such as "Sincerely," or "With gratitude,"

and then sign your name. Whatever you do, never belittle your mentor’s help in any way. Make sure your mentor’s last impression of you is a good one.

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PORTFOLIO CHECKLIST

I. Cover Sheet for the front cover of the 3-ring binder • Graphic or Unique Design

• Name

• School

• Occupation or Career Pathway

II. Table of Contents

III. Introduction

Letter of Introduction This is the major self-reflective piece in the portfolio. This describes the qualities and goals of the individual and introduces the various parts of the portfolio, including the significance of the work included.

Work Philosophy Discuss the responsibilities, expectations, and work ethics you believe to be important for an outstanding employee. Include information about how your personal characteristics compare to those listed in your discussion.

Goals This may include two to five year goals for the student

IV. Employability Skills

Resume Cover Letter

V. Clean Copy of the Research Paper

VI. Mentor

Mentor Log Photograph of student with mentor Thank-You Note to Mentor

VII. Supplemental Items including pictures, letters, plans, receipts, etc.

Presentations: A Guide

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Areas of consideration for your presentation should be:

Content / Talking Points Delivery & Appearance

CONTENT/TALKING POINTS

Your speech should attempt to anticipate questions that might be asked about your Capstone Project, and to answer those questions before they are asked. Certain questions should be answered by ALL presenters; other questions depend upon your particular Capstone Project.

1. Questions to be answered by all presenters

-Why did you pick this topic for your research? - What did you hope to gain by researching this topic? - What DID you gain from your research? - How did you tie in your product to your research topic? - What was your “stretch” in doing this particular product? - What role did your mentor play in your product? Explain the process you went through in doing your product. -What challenges did you face in doing your Capstone Project? - What were the benefits you derived (if any) from doing this project? - What costs did you encounter?

DELIVERY & APPEARANCE

A. Delivery 1. Note cards may be used, but they should not be read; use your visual outline as you proceed through your presentation (by pointing to items as you speak). 2. Feel free to walk around a bit, within a defined area. 3. Use your hands to gesture for emphasis if you are comfortable enough to do so. 4. Use voice inflection and repetition to highlight important points and to keep interest. 5. Make eye-contact with the audience 6. Face the audience at all times!

B. Appearance 1. You should be clean and well-groomed.

2. You should be dressed in a manner appropriate for a business presentation.

Rubric for Paper

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Name:_________________________________________

Category Description Does Not

Meet (0/1)

Approaching

(2)

Meets

(3)

Proficient

(4)

Exceeds

(5)Content Are the main ideas and

supporting details clear? Controlling idea is fully

focused Supporting ideas are

logical and appropriate There are enough

details to provide complete information

Organization

Is the essay well-organized? Each paragraph focuses

on one main idea Ideas are ordered

logically Transitions are used to

link ideas Syntax is clear

Style Is the essay clear and engaging? Appropriate and

descriptive word choices

Use of imagery or any other stylistic devices to engage the reader

Introduction gets the reader’s attention; conclusion provides closure

Sentence lengths and styles are varied

Conventions Does the essay adhere to rules of standard American English?

Punctuation, grammar, spelling, capitalization, and paragraph indention are all correct

Handwriting is legible

Notes:TOTAL POINTS: _____________ GRADE: _____________

Point conversion: 20 = 100, 19 = 95, 18 = 90, 17 = 85, 16 = 80, 15 = 75, 14 = 70, 13 = 65, 12 = 60, 11= 55, 10 = 50, 9 = 45, 8 = 40, 7 = 35, 6 = 30, 5= 25, 4 = 20

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Portfolio Rubric

Exemplary Proficient Satisfactory Unsatisfactory

Completeness (60 Points)

All required elements are included, in order, and complete 60

One required item is missing or insufficiently

completed 50

Two required items are missing or

insufficiently completed 40

Three or more required items are missing or insufficiently completed 30

Quality of Responses on

Reflective Journal (20

Points)

Responses and entries are detailed,

thoroughly explained, and

error free 20

Responses lack elaboration but are adequate.

Work may include 1 - 2

errors in conventions of

language 15

Responses do not include details and

elaboration. Responses

include 3 - 4 errors in

conventions of language. 10

Many responses lack

elaboration; more than 4

errors appear in conventions of

language. 5

Appearance (20 Points)

Appropriate elements of the

portfolio are typed and are professional in

appearance. 20

Portfolio is neatly typed

and pages are clean and

unsmudged, but portfolio may contain

typographical errors. 15

Portfolio lacks professional appearance; some pages may be crumpled or

smudged. Errors are evident throughout portfolio pages. 5

TOTAL POINTS ________ / 100 (Counts as a Test Grade)

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PORTFOLIO CHECKLIST

Item (In Order of Appearance)

Title/Cover Page

Table of Contents

Letter of Introduction/Work Philosophy/Goals

Resume/Cover Letter

Clean Copy of Research Paper

Mentor Logs

Photograph of the Student with the Mentor

Thank You Note to Mentor

Supplemental Items including pictures, letters, plans, receipts, etc.

Presentation Rubric

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Student Name______________________________________________Date______________________

Category Exemplary (4) Proficient (3) Needs Development (2)

Ineffective (1) Points

Language/Grammar

(Student speaks effectively and uses correct grammar)

Student uses a rich variety of words appropriate for context, has no grammatical errors, and uses excellent sentence structure

Student selects words appropriate for context, uses correct grammar and sentence structure

Student uses some words appropriate for the context, uses some correct grammar and sentence structure

Student uses words inappropriate for the context; uses little correct grammar and sentence structure

Organization/Time

(Student organizes ideas logically, connects key

points, uses time effectively)

Student presents information clearly and creatively; connects all key points; completes presentation within allotted time

Student presents information clearly; connects some key points; completes presentation allotted time

Student introduces the topic; little evidence of connecting key points; completes presentation within allotted time

Student has no introduction to the topic; no connecting of key points.

Content/Career Knowledge Gained (Student presents

information in a manner that represents

understanding and knowledge of career)

Student presentation clearly defines the topic and the relation to the selected career; supports the topic with exceptional research and multiple resources; provides exceptional evidence of personal, academic, and career growth

Student presentation defines the topic and the relation to the selected career; supports the topic with research and some resources; provides some evidence of personal, academic, and career growth

Student presentation defines the topic but lacks a relation to the selected career; supports the topic with limited research and resources; provides little evidence of personal, academic, and career growth

Student presentation does not define the topic and lacks a relation to the selected career; supports the topic with no research and resources; provides no evidence of personal, academic, and career growth

Delivery/Communication (Student speaks clearly, maintains

eye contact and good posture, use of technology

and focus on topic)

Student gains attention through enthusiastic use of voice, tone, and enunciation; maintains constant eye contact and stands straight; innovative use of technology to illustrate focus of topic

Student gains attention through use of voice, tone, and enunciation; maintains eye contact and stands straight most of the time; use of technology to illustrate focus of topic

Student gains attention through some use of voice, tone, and enunciation; limited eye contact and good posture; limited use of technology to illustrate focus of topic

Student does not gain attention through use of voice, tone, and enunciation; little or no eye contact and good posture; no use of technology to illustrate focus of topic

Appearance

(Student is dressed appropriately for the

presentation)

Student dresses in appropriate and professional attire that is representative of the career area and articulates clearly why appropriate dress is

Student dresses in appropriate and professional attire that is representative of the career area

Student dresses in somewhat appropriate and professional attire that is representative of

Student does not dress in appropriate and professional attire that is representative of the career area

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important the career area

Total Points_______

RESUME RUBRIC5 4 3 2 1

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Content

Content is well organized and impressive to the audience

Content lacks clarity or

organization

Content lacks completeness,

clarity or organization.

Content needs additions,

clarifications and/or

organization.

Content is weak in several

aspects. Needs to be rewritten.

Language & Style

Strong, clear concise words

are used consistently.

Clarity of expression is consistent.

Phrases need attention to

clarity.

Phrases are too wordy and need revision to make

them more concise and

clear.

Phrases need revision to make them clear and

concise.

Phrasing is wordy and lacks

focus.

Presentation & Format

Uses clear and appropriate headers to organize

information. Tabs and

alignments are well designed. Demonstrates

attention to professionalism.

Headers are used but may

need revision to make them

appropriate and professional.

Use of tabs and alignments are good but may

need some adjustments.

Headers used but need

revision for professionalism. Use of tabs and

alignments need revision.

Resume has inconsistent use of alignments,

tabs and headers. Needs

revision.

Headers, tabs and alignment

needs to be reworked.

Grammar & Mechanics

Resume is free of grammatical

and/or punctuation

errors.

Resume contains 1 - 2

grammatical and/or

punctuation errors.

Resume contains 3 - 4

grammatical and/or

punctuation errors.

Resume contains 5 - 6

grammatical and/or

punctuation errors.

Resume contains more than 6 grammatical

and/or punctuation

errors.

Scoring Scale (Grade Equivalent): 18-20 (90-100) 13-17 (80-89) 8-12 (70-79) 4-7 (60-69) 0-3 (Below 60)

Total Points ________ x 5 = _________

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Mentor/Mentee Agreement Form for the SEHS Capstone Project

Mentor Name__________________________________________________________________

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Mentor Contact Information

Business Name or Occupation______________________________________________________

Street Address___________________________________________________________________

City, State, Zip___________________________________________________________________

Phone #_________________________________________________________________________

Email address____________________________________________________________________

Briefly describe the qualifications that you feel would make this mentor suitable for this student’s capstone project: (not to exceed 100 words—use back if, necessary):

Agreement

I agree to serve as a mentor for the duration of this project. During this period, I will provide information and experiences that would assist the mentee in completion of the project requirements. However, as a volunteer mentor, I also understand that I will not be held responsible or liable for the outcome of the project. An evaluation will be completed at the end of the mentoring period of time by both the mentor and the mentee.

Signatures

Student Signature___________________________________________ Date_______________

Parent Signature____________________________________________ Date_______________

Teacher/Advisor Signature____________________________________ Date______________

Mentor Signature___________________________________________ Date______________

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Project Mentoring Log

Name of Student

Name of Mentor Phone Number

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Company Name

Company Address

Date

Time Spent

Hours/

Minutes

Activities New Learning

Mentor

Initials

Student Signature:

Mentor Signature:

Parent Signature: