capstone project for senior high school

A Comprehensive Guide on High School Senior Capstone Projects (With Examples)

Reviewed by:

Rohan Jotwani

Former Admissions Committee Member, Columbia University

Reviewed: 3/8/24

As you near the end of your high school journey, it's time to explore the world of senior capstone projects.

If you're a high school student, especially in your senior year, you're likely gearing up for the culmination of your academic journey: the senior capstone project. 

In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through everything you need to know about capstone projects, complete with examples to spark your inspiration and help you succeed. Whether you're just starting to explore project ideas or fine-tuning your plans, you've come to the right place!

What Is a Capstone Project?

A capstone project is like the grand finale of your academic or personal journey. It's a focused effort that you tackle within a set timeframe, bringing together everything you've learned or accomplished. Unlike a passion project , which you can work on whenever you feel like it, a capstone project has a clear deadline.

For instance, let’s say you're a culinary arts student nearing graduation. Your passion lies in sustainable cooking practices, and for your capstone project, you decide to create a cookbook featuring locally sourced, eco-friendly recipes. 

Your cookbook project demands months of research, recipe development, testing, and layout design. It's a big commitment that demonstrates your expertise in culinary arts and your dedication to sustainable food practices.

Similarly, in school, a capstone project could take various forms, such as conducting research on a scientific topic, developing a business plan, or creating a multimedia presentation. These projects all reflect your broader interests and passions, demonstrating your skills and knowledge in a specific area.

Overall, your capstone project in high school is a major milestone, allowing you to demonstrate your expertise, creativity, and dedication. It's a chance to bring everything you've learned together and show what you're capable of achieving.

Different Between Capstone and Passion Project

Capstone projects are typically a mandatory part of a school or college program. They're serious business involving thorough research, problem-solving, and often collaboration with teachers or experts. The goal is to demonstrate your mastery of the subject matter and readiness to tackle real-world challenges.

On the other hand, passion projects are all about following your interests and doing something you love. You could focus on writing a novel, starting a community project, or diving into a hobby—passion projects are driven by personal motivation rather than academic requirements. They're more flexible and allow you to explore your passions on your own terms.

So, while both capstone and passion projects are valuable ways to dive deep into a topic you're passionate about, capstone projects are more structured and tied to academic goals, while passion projects offer more freedom and personal expression.

How to Find Ideas for Capstone Project

Looking for capstone project ideas? Let's take a look at some effective strategies to spark inspiration and find the perfect project for you.

Follow Your Interests

Think about what excites you the most. Do you love helping the environment or dreaming up better ways to teach? Pick a topic that really speaks to you. When you're passionate about what you're working on, you'll stay motivated and focused from start to finish.

Use What You've Learned

Consider the subjects you've learned in school. Think about how you can use that knowledge to solve real-life issues. For example, if you've studied marketing, you could create a marketing plan for a nearby business. Or, if you're good at finance, you could analyze a company's finances and propose ways to make them better.

Don't hesitate to reach out to your professors, advisors, or mentors for guidance. They've been through similar experiences and can offer valuable insights and suggestions. They might even be able to connect you with industry contacts or organizations that could provide support or resources for your project. Their feedback can help you refine your ideas and ensure you're on the right track.

Check Feasibility

As you narrow down your options, it's crucial to assess the feasibility of each potential project idea. Consider factors such as the availability of resources, the complexity of the task, and your own time constraints. 

While you want to choose a project that's challenging and meaningful, it's also essential to be realistic about what you can accomplish within the given timeframe. Setting achievable goals will increase your chances of success and prevent unnecessary stress along the way.

Identify Current Issues

Keep up to date with the latest news and trends in your field of study or topics that interest you. Identify important issues or new challenges that you could focus on for your capstone project. By addressing relevant and current topics, you can actively contribute to important discussions and possibly have a bigger impact with your project.

Consider Community Needs

Consider the issues that matter most to your local community or a specific group of people. Is there a problem or something missing that you could help with through your project? By talking to people in your community through volunteer work or doing surveys, you can find project ideas that match real needs and make a positive impact.

Broaden Your Horizons

Think outside the box! Don't stick to just one subject for your capstone project. Instead, think about how you can mix ideas from different areas. By combining different perspectives, you can come up with creative and innovative solutions that you might not have thought of otherwise. This can make your project stand out and bring new insights to your work.

Look for Inspiration from Previous Projects

When searching for ideas for your capstone project, take a look at projects completed by students who came before you. Looking at successful past projects can give you helpful ideas about topics, methods, and how big your project should be. 

Remember, it's important not to copy someone else's work exactly, but you can use it to inspire your own unique ideas and ways of doing things.

Think About Long-Term Goals

Think about how your capstone project can help you achieve your long-term goals, both in school and beyond. Are there particular skills you want to improve or experiences you want to have during the project? By making sure your project connects to your bigger plans, you can make it even more meaningful and helpful for your future journey.

Stay Flexible and Open-Minded

Stay open to exploring new directions and adjusting your project as you learn and receive feedback. Sometimes, the best projects come from unexpected changes or improvements along the way. Stay flexible and welcome the chance to learn and develop throughout your capstone project. 

By blending your interests, what you've learned in school, and advice from mentors, you can create a capstone project that shows off your abilities and makes a difference in your field or community.

Tips on How to Execute Capstone Project

Ready to tackle your capstone project head-on? Here are some practical tips to guide you through the execution process smoothly.

Junior Fall

Brainstorm Ideas : This is your chance to explore a wide range of topics and ideas that pique your interest. Consider what issues or subjects you're passionate about, what challenges you want to address, or what questions you want to explore further. Keep an open mind and jot down any potential project ideas that come to mind, even if they seem unconventional at first.

Set Goals : Once you've generated some project ideas, it's time to clarify your objectives. Think about what you want to accomplish with your capstone project and break it down into smaller, actionable goals. Consider both short-term goals, such as completing research or gathering resources, and long-term goals, such as presenting your findings or implementing a solution.

Junior Spring

Recruit and Fundraise : Depending on the scope of your project, you may need additional support from teammates or financial resources. Reach out to classmates, friends, or faculty members who share your interests and might be interested in collaborating on the project. Additionally, explore fundraising opportunities to secure funding for project-related expenses, such as materials, equipment, or travel.

Hit Milestones : As you begin working on your project, set specific milestones to track your progress and stay on schedule. These milestones could include completing research, conducting experiments or surveys, drafting project proposals or reports, or presenting preliminary findings to peers or advisors. Regularly assess your progress and adjust your approach as needed to ensure you're meeting your goals.

Rising Senior Summer

Stay Busy : Although summer break is a time for relaxation, don't let your momentum wane. Dedicate consistent time each week to work on your capstone project, whether it's conducting research, analyzing data, drafting project documents, or refining your presentation skills. Establish a schedule and stick to it to maintain progress and prevent last-minute rushes.

Stay Connected : While you may be physically distanced from campus during the summer months, stay connected with your advisors, mentors, or project collaborators through email, phone calls, or virtual meetings. Keep them updated on your progress, seek their input or feedback when needed, and leverage their expertise to overcome any challenges you encounter.

Senior Fall

Keep Pushing : As the new school year begins, ramp up your efforts and focus on achieving your project goals. Set new objectives for the upcoming semester and prioritize tasks that will bring you closer to project completion. If your project involves organizing events, conducting experiments, or presenting findings, plan and execute these activities with diligence and attention to detail.

Senior Spring

Plan Ahead : As you approach the final months of your capstone project, take time to reflect on your accomplishments and consider the next steps. Evaluate the impact of your project, gather feedback from stakeholders or participants, and identify any areas for improvement or follow-up activities. Prepare for project completion by documenting your findings, finalizing project deliverables, and communicating your results to relevant audiences.

By following these guidelines and staying committed to your goals, you'll be well-equipped to execute your capstone project successfully and make meaningful contributions to your field of study or community.

Common Mistakes

Let's take a look at nine common mistakes students make in their capstone projects, along with tips on how to sidestep them.

Choosing a Topic That’s Too Broad

Your topic should be relevant to your field of study, but many students make the mistake of selecting broad topics that lack focus. To avoid this, consult with professors or career advisors to narrow down your focus and ensure your topic is both relevant and manageable.

Choosing a Topic You Don’t Really Care About

Passion is key to success. If you're not genuinely interested in your topic, your motivation and enthusiasm will dwindle over time. Select a topic that excites you and aligns with your interests to stay engaged throughout the project.

Not Doing Your Research Properly

Research is the backbone of your project. Skipping this step or relying on inaccurate information can derail your project. Take the time to conduct thorough research, cite credible sources, and ensure the accuracy of your findings.

Not Writing Your Paper in the Correct Format

A well-structured paper is essential for clarity and coherence. Follow a standard format, including sections such as introduction, literature review, methods, results, and conclusion, to ensure your paper is organized and easy to follow.

Not Taking Advantage of All the Resources Available

Don't overlook the resources at your disposal, whether it's the library, the internet, peers, professors , or academic advisors. Utilize these resources for research, guidance, feedback, and support throughout your project.

Not Proofreading Thoroughly Enough

Typos, grammatical errors, and formatting inconsistencies can undermine the credibility of your project. Take the time to proofread your work multiple times, or enlist the help of a peer or professional proofreader to ensure your paper is error-free.

Forgetting to Reference Your Sources

Proper citation is essential to avoid plagiarism and give credit to the original sources of information. Ensure you cite all sources accurately and consistently throughout your paper, following the required citation style guidelines.

Poor Presentation

Your presentation is the final show of your hard work. Neglecting to prepare adequately or rushing through your presentation can detract from the quality of your project. Practice your presentation, create engaging visuals, and rehearse your delivery to captivate your audience.

Waiting Until the Last Minute to Start Writing Your Paper

Procrastination is a common pitfall that can lead to rushed and subpar work. Start early, create a timeline, and break down your project into manageable tasks to avoid last-minute stress and ensure a polished final product.

By steering clear of these common mistakes and approaching your capstone project with diligence and dedication, you'll set yourself up for success and leave a lasting impression with your academic masterpiece.

Ideas and Examples of Capstone Projects

Need some capstone project ideas for high school? Let’s take a look at some high school capstone project examples. 

• Study green marketing strategies that promote sustainability and environmental responsibility.

Engineering

• Develop a system to detect red traffic lights using image processing for safer roads.
• Create a solar panel system with adjustable angles to maximize energy capture.
• Analyze how social media can be used to effectively engage and retain customers through content marketing strategies.
• Design educational programs for nurses on asthma care and point-of-care testing protocols for accurate diagnosis and treatment.

Computer Science

• Develop a smartphone interface for managing medical records to improve accessibility and patient engagement.
• Design a web-based survey system for collecting feedback and analysis in academic or business settings.
• Evaluate the impact of project management practices on the success of political campaigns.
• Assess how technology influences accounting practices and the effectiveness of accounting software in improving financial reporting.
• Explore the benefits of virtual classrooms and digital engagement strategies for remote learning.

Information Technology

• Investigate cybersecurity issues and propose solutions to protect against threats like intrusion and data breaches.
• Create object recognition systems using machine learning for security surveillance and image analysis.

Looking to gain clarity on your senior capstone project? Here are some frequently asked questions to guide you through the process.

1. How Does a Capstone Project Differ from Other High School Projects?

A high school capstone project typically involves more in-depth research and interdisciplinary exploration compared to other projects.

2. How Do I Choose a Topic for My High School Capstone Project?

To choose a topic for your high school capstone project, consider your interests, skills, and academic goals, and seek advice from teachers or mentors.

3. Are High School Capstone Projects Required for Graduation?

High school capstone projects are not always required for graduation and can vary depending on the school or program.

4. Can High School Capstone Projects Be Related to Extracurricular Activities?

Yes, high school capstone projects can be related to extracurricular activities and allow students to integrate their interests and experiences into their academic projects.

Final Thoughts

In short, high school senior capstone projects are your chance to shine. By picking the right topic, steering clear of common pitfalls, and tapping into available resources, you can leave a lasting mark. Whether it's in marketing, engineering, education, or any other field, capstone projects let you show off your skills and get ready for what's next.

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Capstone projects for high school students: the ultimate guide.

A capstone project, otherwise known as a culminating project or a senior thesis, is a long-term, substantial assignment that you undertake in your final year of high school. If you are passionate about a particular subject a capstone project is the perfect way to demonstrate that passion to colleges, future employers, and your local community. 

Traditionally, a “capstone” is the final piece of brickwork or stone laid atop a building to complete it. It is the culminating step in a considerable process. For students, a capstone project is similar. It is a crowning achievement to tie together what you have learned in high school . Ideally, your capstone should relate to your academic accomplishments and demonstrate to colleges your mastery of the subject. 

Click above to watch a video on Capstone Projects.

Why are capstone projects important for high school students?

Capstone projects provide numerous benefits to students. Most obviously, they provide dedicated students with the opportunity to demonstrate their academic rigor and mastery of certain subjects. This is extremely useful in the context of college applications. However, there are several other important benefits that you can derive from this experience. 

• You may find that the simple process of designing your own project and carrying it to completion will engender self-belief and the confidence that you can undertake even greater projects. 
• A capstone project pushes you to hone your skills in public speaking, critical thinking, teamwork and leadership, research and collaboration, planning and organization, and many more. 
• You may be unsure of exactly what you want to focus on in college and beyond. 
• A capstone project gives you the chance to experiment with something that has always captured your academic attention. 
• If you are passionate about a hobby or discipline, a capstone project allows you to test whether you want to pursue this passion at a higher level. 
• This project will help solidify your goals and the focus of your academic future.
• One of the most significant aspects of a capstone project is the relationship that develops between mentor and student. 
• Many projects will require supervision or consultation with experts – often your teachers or members of your community. These relationships can provide innumerable benefits both in the long and short term. Tapping into the network of people around you, and showing respect and interest in their expertise will take you a long way. Most professionals love nothing more than discussing their passions with excited young people. 
• It never hurts to get more experts advocating for you and more community figures in your corner!
• Less seriously, senior year can often be a wasted year. You might find that – having already completed your standardized tests, applied to college, and completed most of your important courses – you no longer are engaged with school or required to complete much work. This is often seen as an opportunity for seniors to unwind, but there are dangers associated with this.
• Not least of which is the danger of losing academic momentum and developing poor habits. By undertaking a capstone project throughout senior year, you will be further engaged with schooling and less likely to suffer from the shock of returning to normalcy in freshman fall at college. 

How can a capstone project help you for college admissions?

College admissions is an extremely competitive and increasingly demanding process. As college applications become more and more comprehensive, students and parents have begun to see capstone projects as a way to gain an advantage. Many students are of the mistaken belief that colleges are primarily looking for well-rounded students.

Most high schoolers who are serious about college are encouraged to pursue interests even outside of their passions – you might have been told “you should play a sport, and an instrument, and be in the debate club, and volunteer locally, and travel!”

Apart from being stressful, and unattainable for the majority of young people, this is generally poor advice. Instead, it is better to have a handful of interests or passions that you can demonstrate a prolonged period of dedication to. This is where a capstone project fits in. 

Briefly imagine you are an aspiring scientist, determined to study biology at university. When you are applying to college you want to demonstrate that this passion is a deep one, and that it is a priority for you.

In that context, it makes much more sense to apply your time towards a study of local environmental degradation than towards an unrelated sport, club, or volunteer activity.

Additionally, colleges are becoming increasingly savvy about the affectations of prospective students. Showing a genuine, long-term interest in a particular academic discipline has reemerged as one of the surest ways to gain attention from the leading colleges.

You may also find that your capstone experience was so noteworthy or illuminating that you are inspired to write your personal statements or supplemental essays about it. At the very least, you will find that your capstone project helps tie together your academic pursuits and provides you with a useful narrative structure for college applications and interviews. 

How to brainstorm a capstone project

When sitting down to brainstorm a capstone project, it is important to remember that this is a personal process. It can be useful to study projects done by former students, to see what worked and what did not, and to encourage ideas of your own. But, ultimately, you want your capstone project to reflect your unique skills and interests.

Think about whatever you excel in academically. Or, perhaps, what you have always been passionate about but have long thought didn’t relate particularly to academics. Most importantly, consider what it is you want to focus your higher education and career on, and let that guide your decision.

There are limitless options for capstone projects. The only things to avoid are plagiarism and irrelevancy. Pick something that inspires you and that will provide you with a useful foundation to make the next step. If all else fails, ask people around you!

They may have a better idea of your strengths and weaknesses than you do. A simple conversation with a parent, friend, tutor, or teacher may lead you on a journey you never considered. 

How to find a capstone project

Trying to find an original capstone project can be challenging. In recent years, undertaking a capstone has become quite common with American students. As such, you might find it tricky to come up with an idea that doesn’t seem overdone or, worse, like plagiarism.

However, there is only one you! The composite parts of your interests may be shared by many, but the sum of your interests is unique to you. This means that sometimes you might find your best idea is an interdisciplinary one. 

Let us pretend you are a student who is interested in the environment, American history, and mapmaking. Now, if you were to try to come up with a capstone idea, you might begin by considering a study on the impact of environmental runoff in your local river or an investigation into the roots of different people living in your community.

You might then go online and see that such projects seem unoriginal or trite. Desperate and discouraged you might force yourself into one of these narrow approaches.

However, a better option would be to consider how to weave your many interests into one coherent capstone. For you, this could involve researching the construction and maintenance of wooded paths in your local forest or reservation going back to the precolonial era.

You might interview community leaders, study historical maps and texts, practice cartography, and ultimately enrich yourself in several areas at once. Needless to say, you would also produce a more authentic and unique capstone project. 

Consider: You are multifaceted, and the interactions of those facets are what makes you unique!

How long should a capstone project last?

Broadly speaking, a capstone project is intended to last for the bulk of your senior year. The majority of capstone projects are proposed in the summer between junior and senior year, or early in the fall, and then completed in the spring or summer of senior year.

However, there is no absolute rule here and indeed many schools encourage students to begin working on their capstone projects as early as freshman year. 

While there is no limit to how long you can work on your capstone project, there is a limit on how little. A capstone project by definition should be long-term and extensive. At a minimum, we are talking about several months.

The purpose is to demonstrate to colleges, your community, and yourself that you can undertake a project over a long period of time. This involves many skills that colleges prize, such as time management and planning, prioritization of tasks, determination, and diligence. 

Remember that a good capstone project cannot be rushed. You will likely want to be working on it for at least the bulk of your senior year. 

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How to design your own capstone project in simple steps.

• Proposal – Your big idea! The details of the proposal you will be expected to put forward will be different from school to school, but there are some general guidelines. A proposal should be initiated by the student and put forward to a professor, teacher, or community leader. This proposal should contain an observation and a hypothesis; review of existing literature; a planned study or experiment; and possible problems with the proposal. If the proposal is approved by an expert, you are ready to proceed to the next steps. 
• Anchor Experience – The main event! This is where you actually study something, observe, or conduct research. This may involve any number of things depending on your own project. This experience should usually involve a mentor and prolonged exposure to the subject at hand. 
• Portfolio – Evidence and conclusions of your work! Throughout your capstone project you should maintain a portfolio of all related writing, work, and research. Your portfolio should include any experiments run, observations recorded, or conclusions reached. It is what you will show to colleges to prove your work and what you will be expected to present at the end of your project. 
• Presentation – Defend your thesis or show it off! The final step of most capstone projects involves presenting your work to one or more experts in the field. Oftentimes, this just involves presenting your portfolio to the same teacher who approved your proposal and who has been acting as your mentor throughout. Sometimes, however, it may involve making a presentation before a large group of people and defending your thesis from questions and comments. The exact nature of your presentation will naturally differ depending on your choice of project. 

How to pick the best capstone project

Your capstone project should relate to your intended major . If you plan to study chemistry, don’t do a capstone project on romance literature. If you plan to study American history, don’t do a capstone project on marketing in your community.

If you have not yet decided what to major in or what you want to focus your college education on, then it makes sense to use your capstone project to experiment with something – try on the hat and see how it fits. 

Additionally, you want your capstone project to be something that inspires and motivates you. It is no good picking something that sounds brilliant and earthshaking in theory, but that will in practice bore or frustrate you. That is the surest way to produce poor quality work.

You should assess your own habits and motivations and come up with the best project that fits you. Colleges can usually tell a genuine interest from a manufactured one. Therefore, you should pick something which will allow you to show them your best work in a subject you are deeply immersed in. This will always produce the best results. 

While I have said previously that a capstone project can be a good opportunity to experiment with a possible interest, it is important to briefly elaborate on that to provide better context.

It is an opportunity to expand on a preexisting interest that you are not sure if you want to dedicate your education or career to. It is not an opportunity to manufacture a completely new interest. Remember, a capstone is meant to be the finishing touch on your entire schooling. It should always relate to and expand upon your previous work. 

It is therefore best to pick a capstone project that you function as the final step on a journey you have already been undertaking. If all else fails, consider your interests and passions and go from there. Even if it seems only tangentially related to academia, that would be better than choosing an academically sound project that doesn’t inspire you.

Capstone project examples

Conclusion: capstone projects in high school.

Be sure to discuss your options with your family and educators and consider what options work best for you given practical considerations. 

And, finally, do not be discouraged by the depth of capstone projects. Consider it not as a test to pass or fail, but rather an opportunity to learn, grow, and prove your unique brilliance!

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Capstone Projects for High School Students

Padya Paramita

February 10, 2020

As colleges get more and more selective, you might be worried about how you can stand out among the thousands of talented candidates. One useful tip to keep in mind is that admissions officers want students who are truly passionate about what they do and have gone above and beyond to demonstrate their interests. If you’ve got an academic subject, topic, or even hobby that you love, consider taking on one of the many possible capstone projects for high school students . 

It’s never too early to start brainstorming, especially when considering broad fields such as biology and economics. Finding a specific topic that relates to you personally is especially important with interests such as writing and art that are common for many applicants. To guide you through the process, I have outlined what exactly is meant by capstone projects for high school students , provided some topic suggestions to give you an idea of what yours might look like, and finally, outlined how your project can benefit your chances in the college admissions process. 

What is a Capstone Project?

Capstone projects for high school students can take many different forms, depending on the topics that resonate with you, and what is feasible based on your location and the time you’re willing to spend. If you’d like a more concrete way to convey your skills, effort, and knowledge in a certain discipline, carrying out a capstone project - usually finished at the end of the school year - would be an effective way to reflect your interest. Throughout the project, you should make a plan, conduct research, maintain a portfolio if applicable, keep track of your progress, and finally, present it.

Students usually carry out these projects individually, but sometimes, depending on the breadth of the topic, form a group. You might want to find a mentor as a resource, though it’s not required. Choose a mentor who offers expertise in the field. For example, your history teacher can assist you on a paper about World War II, while your English teacher should be your go-to if you’re working on a poetry collection.

Once your project is ready, you should present your hard work in a form that makes sense for the field of your choice. Capstone projects for high school students could come to life in the form of a paper, video, public presentation, or something even more specific such as an app or book. You might submit it to a panel of your teachers or supervisors for a grade if applicable.

Brainstorming Topics for Capstone Projects for High School Students

Brainstorming capstone projects for high school students can be difficult. Where do you even start? Narrow down topics based on your intended major, career interest, or a problem in your community you’d want to tackle. You could even find an academic approach to one of your favorite extracurricular activities!

The project can take many forms. If you’re interested in studying filmmaking, you could create a short movie or documentary. If you’re conducting biological research, you could write an academic paper and try to get it published. Check out the following table, which we’ve divided up by fields, in order to inspire ideas for your own initiative as you continue brainstorming capstone projects for high school students . 

As you can see, there is a world of possibilities. Your projects can also be on a relatively small scale if you don’t have the resources or the time. If you have multiple interests, you can combine various fields, such as art and business, engineering and biology, writing and social justice. If you’re thinking about pursuing one of these capstone projects for high school students , carefully consider what you can genuinely put the most effort into and create something that is unique to you!

How Can a Capstone Project Help You in the Admissions Process?

You might be wondering whether conducting capstone projects for high school students helps with your college applications. If done well, such work can impress admissions officers, as it would show that you aren’t afraid of taking initiative. If you work on the project with a team, this could be a great demonstration of your leadership and collaboration skills. Over the course of your work, depending on your project, you can also hone your research, writing, and public speaking skills. 

Colleges appreciate students who are specialized in one or two particular areas. Starting your own capstone project can effectively emphasize your passion for your major or prospective career. Considering that you will probably work very hard on the project and that it might end up having a deep impact on you (and vice versa), you could find yourself writing your personal statement or supplemental essays on the experience. Having worked on a project like this would portray clear ambition on your part. Admissions officers would get a strong impression of the ways you would contribute to the campus community. 

At the end of the day, the sole purpose of your project shouldn’t be just to boost your application profile. Genuinely work hard on your project and make sure your reasons behind pursuing it are convincing. Admissions officers will organically get a sense of your intellectual pursuits and commitment to creating something beyond what’s expected out of your academic interests. 

Capstone projects for high school students not only convey your passion towards a field, but they help you develop and hone skills that can benefit you throughout the rest of your life. Remember, that taking on such a project requires time, dedication, and patience, so don’t tackle something huge unless you can handle it. But if you commit to it with enthusiasm and determination, your efforts can go a long way toward increasing your knowledge, impressing colleges, and positively contributing to your community. Good luck!

Tags : applying to college , capstone projects for high school students , what is a capstone project , excelling in high school , projects in high school

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Best Senior Project Ideas for High School Students + 42 Real Student Examples

A senior project is one of the best ways you can make your application stand out to top schools like Harvard and Stanford. It can tell your story beyond academics. It can demonstrate leadership, ambition, initiative and impact. And it can make an impact on the world.  

Choosing the right senior project can be tough. As a Former Johns Hopkins Admissions Officer and a Senior Strategist at Crimson, I’ve helped hundreds of students do it. In this post, I’ll show you my process for choosing a topic for your senior project. I’ll also show you real examples of senior projects that helped students get accepted to the Ivy League, Stanford, MIT, Duke, and more.

What is a Senior Project?

A senior project is also known as a “capstone project.” It’s a long-term project in which you can explore a topic that interests you outside the classroom. It can take many different forms, including:

• A detailed research paper
• An art exhibition
• A tech invention
• A business or startup
• A community service project
• A social media channel or podcast 

It's all about picking something that resonates with you and showcases your abilities.

The impact of a well-done senior project extends beyond the classroom. It can enhance your college applications by showing your commitment and skills. It can set you apart in an application pool with thousands of academically qualified students. 

Finally, the experience and skills you gain from your senior project can be valuable in future careers.

What are the Benefits of a Senior Project?

Most students applying to Top 20 universities have strong grades and test scores. Academics are important, but they only get your foot in the door. To make your application stand out, you need impactful extracurriculars. This is where a senior project comes in. 

If you’re like most students applying, you won't already have a clear area of excellence in your application, like a national or international accolade. You’ll have to show your excellence in terms of the time and commitment you’ve given to their community. Senior projects are a great way to do this.

With a successful senior project, you can:

• Showcase personal qualities. Since a senior project is entirely yours, it showcases your ability to own and execute a unique project from start to finish. This shows leadership, initiative, and intellectual curiosity — qualities that admissions officers are looking for. A senior project can also show that you’re service-oriented, a creative thinker, looking for a challenge, and can overcome barriers.
• Demonstrate passion and dedication. A senior project shows that you’re passionate about a specific field and can commit to a long-term vision.
• Develop transferable skills. You’ll inevitably learn skills like time management, research, collaboration, or technical skills.
• Become an expert in the subject matter. By going deep into a topic, you’ll develop expertise that you might not get through passive learning.

Remember: Your senior project speaks volumes about who you are and why you deserve a place on campus!

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Best Senior Project Ideas

The best senior project ideas are long-term, unique to you, and measurably impactful. I’ll show you some specific examples of senior projects by students who were admitted to top schools. But first, here are some general ideas to get you thinking.

• Design and implement a community garden, teaching sustainable agriculture practices and providing fresh produce to local food banks.
• Start a state-wide traveling library that reaches underserved communities.
• Develop a series of workshops for senior citizens or underprivileged youth to teach them basic computer skills, internet safety, and how to use essential software.
• Create a campaign to promote environmental awareness and conservation efforts in your community, focusing on recycling, reducing plastic use, or conserving local wildlife habitats.
• Establish a mentorship program pairing high school students with elementary or middle school students to provide academic support, life advice, and positive role models.
• Organize a cultural awareness event that celebrates diversity through music, dance, food, and educational workshops, fostering a more inclusive community.
• Launch a mental health awareness campaign that includes workshops, guest speakers, and resources to destigmatize mental health issues among teenagers.
• Research and implement a small-scale renewable energy project, such as installing solar panels for a community center or designing a wind turbine model for school use.
• Conduct and record interviews with community elders or veterans to preserve local history, culminating in a public presentation or digital archive.
• Develop an art therapy program for children in hospitals or shelters, providing an outlet for expression and emotional healing through creative activities.
• Create a series of workshops for your community focusing on fitness, nutrition, and healthy lifestyle choices, including sessions on exercise and cooking.
• Design and lead a financial literacy course for high school students, covering budgeting, saving, investing, and understanding credit.
• Research and write a book or guide on the history of your town or a specific aspect of it, such as architectural landmarks, founding families, or significant events.
• Start a coding club for elementary or middle school students, teaching them the basics of programming through fun and interactive projects.
• Organize public speaking workshops for students, helping them build confidence and communication skills through practice and feedback.
• Coordinate a STEM fair to encourage girls in elementary and middle school to explore science, technology, engineering, and math through hands-on activities and demonstrations.
• Produce a documentary film that explores a social issue relevant to your community, such as homelessness, addiction, or education inequality.
• Lead a project to refurbish a local playground. Fundraise, design, and collaborate with city officials to provide a safe and enjoyable space for children.
• Set up an ESL (English as a Second Language) tutoring program for immigrants and refugees in your community to help them improve their English skills and better integrate into society.
• Design and implement an anti-bullying campaign for your school or community, including awareness activities, support resources, and strategies for prevention.
• Organize a sustainable fashion show that promotes eco-friendly fashion choices, upcycling, and local designers, raising awareness about the environmental impact of the fashion industry.
• Start a podcast, blog, Youtube channel, or social media channel about a topic that interests you. Aim to reach a national or international audience.
• Start a club at your school and build its impact beyond your own school ecosystem.
• Start a campaign around an issue you care about and create change at your school, like “Meatless Mondays.”
• Create a competition for innovative startups
• Develop a product or service and sell it online. Create a business plan, marketing materials, and a way to track your progress.
• Fundraise for an existing charity or nonprofit.
• Found a new charity or nonprofit.
• Create or raise money for a scholarship fund.

Successful Real Senior Project Examples

To help you get a clear picture of what your senior project could look like, I’m going to share some actual senior projects that Crimson students have done. Below are 13 real examples of senior projects by students who were accepted to top universities like MIT, Stanford the Ivy League, Johns Hopkins, and UC Berkeley.

Business & Finance 

Student accepted to mit.

Impact: Local

This student trained 24 unique groups (120+ people) to create innovative startups for 3 competitions. They also created a 15-lesson curriculum and online team-matching algorithm for the competitions.

Student accepted to Stanford

Impact: International

This student founded an organization to educate K–8 students on social entrepreneurship. It grew to 32 chapters with 12,453 members in 4 continents. It was endorsed by the UN, LinkedIn, and InnovateX.

Student accepted to UC Berkeley and USC

Inspired by a college business case competition, this student focused his senior project on creating a business competition for high school students. He invited students from 8 local high schools and had 500 participants. He also arranged judges from a widely-known bank and a university. To leave a lasting impact, he created an executive board within his high school so this event will continue after he graduates.

Social & Political Sciences

Student accepted to harvard.

This student created a 501(c)(3) nonprofit for equitable public speaking resources. They also held a public speaking-themed summer camp for 70+ students and raised $2,000 for a local speech center.

Student accepted to Yale

Impact: Statewide

This student coalesced over 15 assault prevention organizations to develop two bills for the 2023 Oregon legislative session. Their effort instituted a $20 million education grant program and youth network.

Medicine & Healthcare

Student accepted to brown.

Impact: National

This student produced and edited 140+ mental health articles to uplift youth. The articles got over 12,000 reads. The student also hosted a podcast interviewing women leaders with over 40 episodes.

Student accepted to Carnegie Mellon

Impact: Local and National

This student built a COVID outbreak detection platform with ML. It got over 10,000 views. They also prototyped a compact translation tool with Michigan hospitals for non-native English speakers.

This student designed a chemotherapy symptom-tracking app to improve treatment. They then pitched it to industry experts and won Best Elevator Pitch of over 70 teams.

Student accepted to Cornell and Johns Hopkins

This student knew she wanted to major in biomedical engineering. She created a children’s medical book series called “My Little Doctor” to teach young kids how to address emergencies, wounds, and household medications. The books included personal illustrations, which also showcased her artistic talent. The books were sold by 150 doctor’s offices throughout NYC.

Math & Computer Science

Student accepted to columbia.

This student programmed AI to patrol an endangered turtle nesting site using drones. They partnered with a resort, launched an open source platform, and expanded the project internationally.

Student accepted to Dartmouth

This student worked on the solidity development of crypto currencies, NFTs, DAOs, DApps. They were responsible for project, client, and social media management. They also supervised 3 employees.

This student created a virtual musical theater camp for kids ages 6-12 during the COVID-19 pandemic. They managed the camp’s Instagram, website, and Facebook. They taught 25 kids and produced 5 shows.

Student accepted to Harvard and Brown

This student founded an organization to make music education accessible. It included a lead team of 35 members. It grew to 9 branches in 7 countries, impacted 15,000 students online, taught 1.6k lessons, and saved parents $40K. It raises $10k annually. This student was a TD Scholarship Finalist, YODA, and SHAD Fellow.

What are the criteria for a successful senior project?

If you only take away one thing from this article, let it be this: The best senior projects are personal to you and have a measurable impact. When you are contemplating a senior project idea, ask yourself:

• “Am I interested in this topic?” As in, interested enough to spend the next year thinking a LOT about it.
• “Can I show a measurable impact with this project, preferably at the local, national, or international level?”

Let’s use tutoring as an example. Tons of students include tutoring on their applications as one of their extracurriculars. Does tutoring pass the test if we ask our two questions?

• Am I interested in the topic? If you’re tutoring in a subject you love, the answer could be a yes.
• “Can I show a measurable impact with this project?” This one is tricky. Of course, tutoring one or even a few students makes an impact on the lives of those students. But is the impact local, national, or international? Not exactly.

So instead of tutoring a few students on your own, maybe you can create a tutoring club with 30 tutors supporting 100 students at your school. If you want to expand your impact, you can bring your tutoring services into an elementary school or into other schools in your community. You can even create a charter and get your tutoring club into high schools throughout the country, world, or online.

By thinking bigger, you can turn most conventional extracurricular ideas into an impactful, standout senior project idea.

How to Choose a Topic for Your Senior Project

I’ve helped hundreds of students develop successful senior projects. This is the process we use:

• Make a list of your major interests. These could be academics, hobbies, anything! 
• Now write down problems or areas of exploration that relate to those interests.
• Narrow down your choices to one or two that are academically relevant, relevant to your interests and goals,  interesting enough for you to explore, and have enough published data.
• Identify a problem that you can address in this area with a solution that you identify. This will be the subject of your senior project!

Let’s walk through these steps using a hypothetical student as an example.

Senior Project Topic Brainstorm Example

• List interests.  

Maya is a junior with dreams of attending an Ivy League school. She's always been fascinated by environmental science, particularly renewable energy sources. She also enjoys coding and app development. Outside of academics, Maya volunteers at a local animal shelter and is an avid runner.

• List problems or areas of exploration related to those interests.  

For environmental science, Maya is concerned about the inefficiency of current solar panels in low-light conditions. 

In coding, she notes the lack of user-friendly apps that promote environmental awareness among teens. 

Her volunteering experiences make her wonder how technology can assist animal shelters in improving animal adoption rates.

• Narrow down the choices.

After considering her list, Maya decides to focus on environmental science and coding, as these are her academic interests and she sees herself pursuing them in the future. She finds the intersection of these fields particularly interesting and ripe for exploration. Plus, she discovers ample published data on renewable energy technologies and app development, confirming the feasibility of her project idea.

4. Identify a Problem and Solution

Maya identifies a specific problem: the gap in environmental awareness among her peers and the lack of engaging tools to educate and encourage sustainable practices. She decides to address this by developing a mobile app that gamifies environmental education and sustainability practices, targeting high school students.

Senior Project: EcoChallenge App Development

Maya's senior project, the "EcoChallenge" app, aims to make learning about environmental science fun and actionable. The app includes quizzes on environmental topics, challenges to reduce carbon footprints, and a feature to track and share progress on social media, encouraging collective action among users.

Project Execution

Over the course of her junior year, Maya dedicates herself to researching environmental science principles, studying app development, and designing an engaging user interface. She reaches out to her environmental science teacher and a local app developer for mentorship, receiving valuable feedback to refine her project.

Outcome and Impact

Maya presents her completed app at her school's science fair, receiving accolades for its innovation, educational value, and potential to make a real-world impact. She submits the EcoChallenge app as a central piece of her college applications, including a detailed report on her research, development process, and user feedback.

The Bottom Line

Your senior project can be one of the most important pieces of your college application. It can also make a difference in the world. 

As you shape your senior project, see how many of these elements you can apply to it:

• Makes measurable impact. What does success look like, and how will you measure it?
• Presents an innovative solution to an existing issue. Is this solving a problem?
• Is oriented to the community. Is this making my community/country/the world a better place?
• Is interdisciplinary. Can I blend more than one of my interests? Can I get professionals from other fields to collaborate on this project?
• Is related to your field of study. Will this make my academic interests clear?

Basically, think about something you care about. Take it beyond something standard and ask, “What can I do that would allow me to help my community and leave a greater impact?”

Even after reading all these examples, I know that choosing an idea for your own senior project can be tough. If you need help choosing and executing a standout senior project, book a free consultation with one of our academic advisers. Crimson’s extracurricular mentors can help you combine your interests into an impactful senior project that makes you stand out to top college admissions officers.

Building The Perfect Application

Passion projects and extracurriculars are just one piece of the puzzle. It could be difficult to navigate the ins and outs of the college admission process, but you don’t have to go through it alone.

Working with an expert strategist is a surefire way to perfect your application. Students working with our strategists are 7x more likely to gain admission into their dream university.

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Let your passion project be your ticket to a top university!

Crimson students are up to 4x more likely to gain admission into top universities book a free consultation to learn more about how we can help you get there.

What are Capstone Projects? The Complete Guide to Capstone Projects in High School & Middle School

In athletics, there are competitive matches; in the performing arts, there are stage performances. If you imagine school as a series of practices, capstones are the “big game”.

They provide an opportunity for learners to get their ideas out into the world by working on a project they are passionate about while making an impact on their community.

Already know about Capstones? Skip to Capstone Project Ideas

Looking for advice skip to capstone project tips, what are capstone projects, capstone project definition.

A middle school or high school capstone is a culminating experience where students design and execute a significant and impactful project, often in their final academic year. This project requires students to apply knowledge and skills from various subjects while addressing real-world issues.

A typical capstone project includes the following stages: research, planning, execution, iteration, and presentation. It aims to showcase a student’s critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills while fostering a deep understanding of the subject matter and its practical applications.

Projects can take various forms, such as a product or service prototype, a community service initiative, an action research paper, a multimedia presentation, or a performance, depending on the educational context and the student's interests.

Why Capstones?

The value of capstone projects extends beyond academic requirements. They provide a platform for students to delve into their passions and take ownership of their educational experience. As students immerse themselves in these projects, they not only contribute to their personal growth as well-rounded students, but they also make valuable contributions to their communities.

Capstones provide an opportunity for students to learn for the sake of learning, where research is rooted in what they are actually interested in, and where all of the foundational skills built in prior years suddenly have relevance. They serve as a bridge between classroom learning and real-world application, empowering students to demonstrate their readiness to embark on their next chapter, whether that be in higher education or the workforce.

How Capstones Improve Learning

Capstones create meaning in a learner’s life that can be transformational. Our philosophy at Unrulr is: when learners see the relevancy of learning a technical skill— and it's documented, shared, and celebrated—they're going to learn it at a much faster rate than had they not seen the relevancy. Also, the data shows that capstones or senior projects can help 12th graders avoid "senioritis" by providing students with a reason to remain engaged.

The main goal of capstone projects is to promote comprehensive learning. They aim to nurture a wide range of 21st century skills that go beyond subject-specific knowledge:

Application of Learning: Capstone projects bridge the gap between theory and practice. They encourage high school students to apply what they've learned in various subjects to real-world situations, enhancing their understanding and retention of knowledge.

Deepened Understanding: By immersing themselves in a specific topic of interest, students gain a deeper understanding of complex issues and nuances that traditional classroom settings may not fully capture.

Interdisciplinary Learning: Capstone projects often require high school students to draw from multiple disciplines to address multifaceted challenges. This interdisciplinary approach nurtures a holistic view of problems and solutions.

Research Skills: Students develop research skills, from conducting literature reviews to collecting and analyzing data to interviewing key stakeholders, fostering a foundation for academic and professional pursuits.

Critical Thinking: The complexities of capstone projects demand critical thinking. Students learn to evaluate information, assess perspectives, and make well-reasoned decisions.

Problem-Solving: Engaging in capstone projects hones problem-solving abilities. Students encounter obstacles, experiment with solutions, and adapt strategies as needed.

Creativity: Students have the opportunity to explore creative solutions and innovative approaches, encouraging imaginative thinking and originality. Additionally, students have the opportunity to work on creative projects, such as art installations or performances.

Communication: Capstone projects teach students to effectively convey ideas, findings, and progress. Students refine skills in expressing complex concepts, adapting messages, collaborating in teams, and delivering confident presentations. Additionally, regular reflection moments foster self-awareness and a deeper understanding of their journey.

How Capstones Help Students Get Into College

In an increasingly competitive landscape, college admissions seek students who exhibit not only academic prowess but also a commitment to growth and a willingness to embrace challenges. High school capstone projects provide a perfect platform for students to stand out.

Learners are able to showcase evidence of who they are and what they've worked on. Regardless of GPA or SAT score, when a college can see who a learner is and what they're capable of— what they care about— it’s so much more valuable than just a narrative essay.

When detailed in college applications, capstone projects showcase a student's dedication, initiative, and ability to see a long-term project through to completion. Admissions officers recognize that these projects demand a level of commitment and resilience that goes beyond standardized testing, and indicate a student's potential for success in college and beyond.

How Capstones Prepare Students for Life After Graduation

High school capstone projects have a significant advantage: they mirror the demands of the real world. From project planning and research to time management and effective communication, students gain practical skills that extend far beyond their classrooms. The collaborative nature of many capstone projects also cultivates teamwork and interpersonal skills, essential in today's interconnected world.

Also, capstone projects often require students to engage with their communities. This engagement nurtures civic responsibility and a deep understanding of the societal impact of their work. As they identify and address real issues, students learn the value of empathy, cultural awareness, and ethical decision-making—these are critical SEL skills.

We’ve seen capstones and the work that's come out of them be used for jobs and internships. A learner is able to showcase what they've built and how they worked on it. When projects are documented, this kind of evidence is appealing to potential employers, and can be more impactful than a generic resume that blends in with the rest.

Capstones can build confidence for learners by providing an opportunity to test out ideas in the safe environment of a school. Learners can launch entrepreneurial ventures, lead impactful campaigns, or champion social justice initiatives, and then they can carry that forward after graduation and into their future careers.

Real-World Capstone Example: Student Farmers Market

“Don’t let your age stop you." - Chris Blake (Trinity's teacher)

Trinity embarked on an environmental science capstone project during her senior year. Her challenge was to enhance the school's sustainability. She identified a major issue faced by her school and the larger community: the heavy reliance on imported food in Hawaiʻi.

Empowered by the agency to choose her own direction, Trinity initiated an on-campus, student-led farmer's market. Through this endeavor, she honed various skills, even delving into web design to create a  website for the market. This experience ignited her passion for sustainability and farmers markets. It also boosted her self-confidence and taught her to leverage her age to her own benefit.

After graduating and attending a youth entrepreneurship summer camp, Trinity co-founded Mauka Market , the world’s first regenerative e-commerce and pop-up marketplace. Trinity's journey has culminated in her sole ownership of Mauka Market.

To learn more about Trinity's inspiring journey, listen to our podcast episode .

Capstone Project Ideas

Here are a few more examples of middle school or high school capstone project ideas that highlight some of the possibilities:

1. Design a Sustainable Energy Solution for the School | STEM

Students in this project might investigate renewable energy sources, conduct energy audits, and propose innovative ways to reduce the school's carbon footprint and stem environmental degradation. They could then design and build wind turbines or set up solar panels and analyze the cost-effectiveness of their solutions.

2. Create a Social Impact Documentary | Humanities

Students interested in social issues might create a documentary that sheds light on a particular challenge in their community, such as mental health challenges or food insecurity. They would conduct interviews, gather data, and present their findings through a compelling film that raises awareness and encourages change.

3. Curate an Art Exhibition | Arts

Artistic students could curate an art exhibition that explores a specific theme, technique, or art movement. They would select artworks, write artist statements, and design the exhibition space to convey a narrative to visitors. Student could be encouraged to collaborate with their peers to coordinate a larger art show, providing the opportunity to develop their communication and cooperative planning skills.

4. Establish a Community or School Garden | Community Service

Students interested in a community service project might initiate a project to establish a local community or school garden. They would plan the garden layout, engage the community (or school), and document the garden's development, from seed planting to harvest. For an added STEM component, students could try different methods of gardening across multiple plots and collect and analyze data on growth rates.

5. Launch a Student-Run Business | Business & Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurial students might start a business within their school, such as a student-run café or an online store. They would handle all aspects, from market research and product development to marketing and financial management.

Personalizing Student Projects

Keep in mind, projects should be personalized to the interests and skillset of each student, while also taking into account your learning community's unique learning objects or portrait of a graduate. A well-planned capstone experience will help prepare students for college and their professional careers. Devoting class time to guide students through introspection and identity reflection will significantly aid in preparing them to generate project ideas that hold personal meaning and captivate their interest.

How to implement capstone projects

Successfully integrating capstone projects with your learners involves several crucial stages:

1. Ideation Encourage learners to explore their interests, identifying topics that resonate with them. In addition, have students consider what impact they want to create in their community. This phase is about sparking curiosity and allowing them to select projects that will hold their attention over the course of a semester or year. For a helpful exercise you can run with your students, check out our Heart, Head, and Purpose lesson plan .

2. Research: Guide students in conducting thorough research related to their chosen topics. This phase is essential for building a strong foundation of knowledge and understanding, which will inform the entire capstone journey.

3. Project Management & Planning: Teach project management skills that enable students to break their projects into manageable steps. Encourage students to create a quarter, semester, or year-long plan, depending on the duration of the capstone project. This stage emphasizes effective organization and time management, ensuring that progress remains steady.

4. Project Implementation & Documentation: This is the heart of the capstone journey. Students actively work on their projects, translating ideas into tangible outcomes. Simultaneously, they document and reflect on their progress, challenges, and successes to create a comprehensive record to draw from during their final presentations.

5. Final Presentation/Showcase: Offer students the opportunity to present their finished projects to an audience of key stakeholders at a culminating showcase event. This stage hones communication and public speaking skills, allowing learners to articulate their findings, insights, and the learning journey itself.

6. Reflection & Assessment: After completing their projects, encourage students to reflect on the entire experience. This process aids in recognizing personal growth, skill development, and the challenges overcome. Use these reflections to assess the overall effectiveness of the capstone process.

By carefully guiding learners through these stages, you create a structured and meaningful capstone experience that fosters skill development, critical thinking, and self-confidence.

Tips for running capstone projects

Sold on capstones? Here are our tips for running successful capstone projects:

Tip #1: Cultivate skills ahead of senior year (or 8th grade)

Begin laying the groundwork for capstone success by nurturing essential skills well before students reach their final year.

By initiating skill development at an earlier stage, educators can effectively equip learners with the capabilities and confidence needed to excel in their culminating project.

Tip #2: Implement weekly check-ins for clear progress tracking

Consider incorporating a weekly check-in system to keep tabs on your learners' progress. It will be the first time that many students will be embarking on a long-term project or being tasked with transforming their ideas into tangible realities. This transition can be overwhelming. To smooth this process, offer supportive scaffolding and introduce project management concepts.

By establishing weekly check-ins, you create a valuable framework for following your learners' progress and providing timely guidance.

Tip #3: Embrace your learners' identities, skills, and passions

A crucial aspect of capstone success is aligning it with your learners' unique identities, backgrounds, and life experiences. To do this, foster a culture of openness and trust through thorough ideation and an emphasis on vulnerability. Give ample space for learners to explore their interests, skills, and capacities, as well as the problems they aspire to solve in the world.

By dedicating time to these aspects, you enhance the overall value of the capstone experience.

Tip #4: Foster a capstone community

It’s important to engage essential players within the school ecosystem as you shape your program. This includes collaborating with college counseling, admissions teams, and the advancement office to facilitate mentorship opportunities for students. Equally vital is the participation of department heads (e.g. English and Social Studies) to co-create rubrics and align essential components of the capstone experience. By seamlessly weaving these elements into the fabric of existing courses, you create a continuous connection from ninth grade to twelfth grade.

Consider organizing several exhibition days throughout the capstone journey, rather than just at the end, to ensure that key stakeholders in a learner's academic journey remain informed and involved in the capstone experience. Capstones possess the remarkable potential to transform learning into a truly community-driven endeavor.

Unrulr: The ultimate capstone tool

Unrulr addresses a common challenge for capstone educators: how to monitor students' progress without overwhelming them with assignments and rigid milestones.

Unrulr empowers students to shape their capstone narratives and share their ongoing progress by documenting the evolution of their projects and capturing their reflections throughout their learning journey.

Learners can delve into each other's posts and reflections and add comments, transforming their capstone experience into an active and collaborative community.

Book a demo or create an Unrulr account today.

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What is a Capstone Project in High School?

What’s covered:, what are capstone projects, how do capstone projects benefit high schoolers, should my child complete a capstone project, what are some examples of capstone projects.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a capstone as a “high point: crowning achievement” which, in many ways, defines a capstone project for high schoolers. Capstone projects require students to use all of the skills they’ve built over the course of their schooling to complete a substantial project that highlights their educational and intellectual experience.  

A high school capstone project is a way for students to demonstrate the culmination of skills and knowledge gained through their academic career by completing a long-term, multi-faceted project.

Typically performed at the end of a student’s high school career, students commonly choose a topic, profession, or social problem to explore and work with a mentor in that field of interest. The mentor guides the student through the project—sharing their knowledge of the field, teaching new skills, ensuring the student stays on task, and fostering a professional, real-world experience.

Over the course of the project, students conduct research, maintain a portfolio detailing the steps taken, and create a final paper, product, or presentation that demonstrates what they’ve learned. Often times, a final presentation is given to a panel of teachers, experts in the field, and community members.

One of the primary benefits of a capstone project to a high school student is that it highlights their educational accomplishments. Capstone projects provide students with the opportunity to exhibit their capacity for learning and allow them to show off the critical thinking skills they’ve built.

Colleges search for well-rounded students and the multi-faceted nature of a capstone project allows students to display a wide range of skills to prospective schools—writing, research, teamwork, planning, self-sufficiency and public speaking are just a sampling of the many skills used by a student to complete such a rigorous project. Capstone projects are a great way to indicate to potential colleges that a student is prepared for the demands of higher education.

Capstone projects also benefit high school students by creating self-confidence and building a sense of preparedness for college. A student who has successfully completed a thorough study of a subject and collaborated with an older, experienced mentor is likely to feel ready to take the next step academically. Capstone projects can also add a sense of purpose to a time where interest in education often wanes—consider it a cure for senioritis.  

Lastly, capstone projects let students immerse themselves in a field of interest. For some students, it solidifies their interest in a field and clarifies a degree path; others may learn through their capstone project that the field they chose isn’t as interesting as they thought. Either way, it helps create a sense of certainty before taking expensive college courses.

Though there are numerous benefits to undertaking a capstone project, the question remains: should your child complete one? The simple answer is yes. Completing a capstone project can be a feather in the cap of any prospective college student, so long as the project doesn’t interfere with any of the student’s other activities or interests that may be attractive to colleges and universities.

Colleges are always searching for students who maintain a high grade point average (GPA) while challenging themselves academically. The long-term, intense study of a subject will certainly make a student’s academic prowess evident to prospective schools, but this is only valuable if it doesn’t interfere with their studies and negatively affect their GPA. Students challenging themselves with a capstone project should be careful not to undertake the project at the expense of their other intellectual pursuits.

Colleges also seek out well-rounded students and you can make the argument that the focused study of one subject is out of line with what colleges and universities hope to see in a student. It’s true that capstone projects highlight the possession of a diverse skill set in a student, but colleges look for students with a wide range of interests in addition to skills. Students should not take up a capstone project if it means sacrificing extracurricular activities and other interests.

On a more personal level, students should ask themselves what they want to accomplish via a capstone project. The best projects are often the ones where the student is most passionate. If a student has a sincere interest in the deeper exploration of a field, it should be encouraged and their excitement and enthusiasm for the field can be felt in their work. If a student is solely tackling a capstone project to wow colleges, there is most likely a better way to impress schools more in line with the student’s interest.

Looking to get a better sense of what a capstone project is or looking for an idea to get started on your own capstone project? Here are some examples:

Business: Study digital marketing and create a digital marketing plan for a local business to help increase awareness and drive sales.

STEM: Learn about video game or app development and conceptualize, design, and build a working game or app.

Athletics: Research training and nutrition, build a training plan and diet, and perform in an athletic competition (a triathlon or marathon, for example).

Community Service: Learn about the work non-profits do, get first-hand experience volunteering with a local non-profit, and build a plan to create an organization that serves your community.

Film: Research what makes an effective public service announcement (PSA) and write, direct, and film a PSA that addresses a concern in your community.

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The value of senior capstone projects

by: Hank Pellissier | Updated: September 14, 2022

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Richard W. Riley, a former U.S. Secretary of Education, once called senior year of high school a “wasteland.” So bored, tired, and burned out are these soon-to-be-graduates that their apathy is often reframed as a disease: Senioritis. A dreaded affliction, Senioritis is the culprit for everything from skipping class to forgetting homework — and evokes protestations like, “Why? It’s pointless!”

Though parents and teachers may be inclined to blame teens, experts point to the way we’ve designed high schools. Just as 17- and 18-year-olds can see their whole lives changing — whether they’re headed to college or embarking on a career path — little about their daily life has changed. Their high school schedule isn’t focused on their fast-approaching futures. They know where they’re headed next year. Their grades no longer matter so much. Traditional high school is built around these external measures, and now that they no longer carry as much weight, the whole endeavor does, indeed, seem rather pointless.

What can be done about this plague called Senioritis?

Some high schools have set about making learning relevant by clearing time from seniors’ regular academic schedule so they can work on a capstone project. Senior capstones are ambitious, long-term, in-depth projects during senior year of high school that culminate in written and oral presentations. Not only do they prepare students for college-level work, they help keep the focus on learning in a year plagued by distractions and flagging motivation. And because they are based on the student’s choice, they also allow students to explore a topic or field they might want to pursue as a college major or career.

Depending on the student’s passions, this could range from an aspiring artist researching a local community’s history and painting a public mural, a fashionista designing a new line of clothing and writing an analysis of its inspiration, a future scientist studying soil samples in the nearby elementary school garden and presenting to the local school board on the soil’s safety issues. Many capstone projects combine what is traditionally thought of as “academic” work (writing, research, science) with something more hands-on or creative, such as art, invention, public presentations, marketing, activism, or public service.

Students research their topic over time, take notes, synthesize and analyze what they learn, and then demonstrate their conclusions in a paper, short film, or other product. They also give an oral presentation to a panel of evaluating teachers, peers, and/or experts. Senior capstones are often interdisciplinary, connected to the local community, and include interviews, scientific observations, and sometimes fieldwork, volunteering, or even internships.

Why are senior capstone projects important?

An August 2013 research report examining multiple high schools found that senior capstones both helped students stay engaged with school and were linked to positive outcomes. Teens completing capstones in North Carolina “received job offers, internships, and scholarships”; students in Louisiana reported that the capstone experience “influenced their future goals or plans;” and seniors in Massachusetts reported that their capstone projects helped them in college interviews and built their confidence and self-motivation.

When implemented well, senior capstone projects can…

• Boost self-confidence by giving students a chance to excel in an area of in-depth learning.
• Prepare kids for college-level work, which often requires more rigorous standards and deeper knowledge that typical high school coursework.
• Keep students engaged in the last year of high school by allowing them to pursue something they’re passionate about.
• Give students an opportunity to build and display crucial skills, including critical thinking, research, public speaking, media literacy, strategic thinking, self-sufficiency, and goal-setting.
• Help students explore their interests, sometimes helping students decide which college major and/or career path to pursue (or not).
• Help students find a sense of purpose in terms of how they want to contribute to the world.

How senior capstone projects work

Senior capstone projects can take on different forms and schedules at different schools but typically the student 1) chooses a topic, social problem, or profession that intrigues them, 2) spends several months deeply investigating the subject via research, interviews, and internships, and finally, 3) delivers the product in a paper, presentation, or performance that fully demonstrates the academic skills and knowledge they’ve acquired.

Some schools, like Denver School of Science and Technology: Montview High School , reduce students’ academic schedules during the spring semester to give them more time for their projects.

Capstones are frequently undertaken at the end of high school as a culminating experience, but they’re also tackled earlier, so students can showcase the accomplishment on their college applications. For example, the Jefferson County Open School (JCOS) in Lakewood, CO has one of the oldest capstone programs in the U.S. The school’s “Passages” program requires every student to do six capstone projects to graduate. Each of the six “passages” has a different focus — career exploration, adventure, creative expression, global awareness, logical inquiry, and practical skills — and each involves kids “doing something, an action element,” explains Principal Scott Bain. “They’re not just an academic task.”

“Capstones are a window into a kid’s skill set. They’re also windows into understanding who you are and what you value — personally, socially, intellectually — and what you want to do with your life,” Bain says.

When capstones don’t work

Critics suggest that senior capstone projects are far from a miracle cure, especially in schools where a majority of the students do not have strong academic skills. Deep rigorous learning requires more academic skills, not fewer. Although elite, private schools have successfully used capstones for centuries, EdTrust writer Carlton Jordan points out that the students are accustomed to extensive, in-depth writing. Jordan argues that capstones in predominantly Black and Latino urban schools often fall far short because the students are not sufficiently prepared for the task.

Senior capstone programs can also reinforce existing inequities. In a more haphazard program, students may be expected to use their parents’ connections to reach out to mentors or community members, instead of school staff making sure every student has a feasible plan for carrying out their project.

Key factors to consider:

• Time constraints: Students from low-income families who need to work, take care of family members, or do extensive household chores, may not be able to dedicate as much time to a capstone project as their more affluent classmates.
• Access issues: Students who want to explore their interest in an elite career via a capstone may have an advantage if they have family or friends of family in that occupation — and be at a disadvantage if they do not.
• Implementation issues: Senior capstones are sometimes used as graduation requirement alternatives for students who are expected to fail graduation exams. This enables schools to offer diplomas to students without basic literacy and math skills.
• Additional implementation issues: Conversely, senior capstones are sometimes designed for a few high-performing students, leaving out most of the senior class.

Key takeaways

• Ask if the school has senior capstone projects. If they do, ask to see the guidelines and some successful sample projects.
• No capstone projects at your child’s high school? Ask the principal and 12th grade teachers if researching and producing an in-depth project is an academic option for all students.

For educators:

• If your school doesn’t have capstones, build mini capstones into your class by helping students create multi-faceted, multi-month projects of their own choosing. Help your students create timelines with reasonable interim goals, so they’re not overwhelmed with last-minute tasks.
• Connect students, especially those from underserved communities, to experts, local groups, and resource materials to help them in their research.
• Push students gently out of their comfort zone, to think and work harder than they’ve done in the past.

For administrators:

• If your high schools do not yet have capstone programs, read this research report on different ways schools have implemented them.
• Start a pilot project with one innovative teacher or school site. Attend capstone presentations and urge other administrators, faculty members, and community members to attend and present feedback.

This article is part of our Transforming High School series , a collection of stories, videos, and podcasts exploring the practices that prepare students for success in college and beyond.

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Can ‘Capstone Projects’ Deepen Learning for High School Seniors?

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Oakland, Calif.

Fremont High School teacher Maya Brodkey is laying out the next building block in her students’ high school graduation project—a yearlong assessment oriented around a research question students have developed on a social issue like homelessness, war, or vaping. They’ve already conducted hours of online research and written essay drafts outlining their problems; the next step is to deepen their understanding and gain additional perspectives through field research, including an interview.

Students can choose to use focus groups, which Brodkey points out can elicit great information about why people hold the beliefs they do, but can be hard to schedule. They can conduct a one-on-one interview with an expert, with the knowledge that any single anecdote or position is necessarily limited. Or they can draft a survey to get superficial feedback from a wide range of people, which sounds like a lot of fun to these seniors—until Brodkey explains that it also means collecting and analyzing the resulting data, and all those data are limited by how the students frame their questions.

She references student Joanna Gonzalez’s topic, which is on immigration policy and racism, clearly a front-burner issue in this diverse school system of 50,000.

“You can’t just do a survey for immigrants. What does that mean? Are you asking people if they immigrated in a particular category? Are they a particular age? Did they immigrate and now have citizenship? Are they the children of immigrants?” she points out.

The students gather in groups to start thinking about what kind of field research they will choose. Only a handful have ever conducted a formal interview before, and most are a little nervous.

It’s no wonder: For most students, researching and writing about their topics represents the most sustained piece of writing they’ve had to do in high school, and field research isn’t even the last step. To graduate, they’ll have to craft a presentation about their topic for their entire school and respond to questions posed by a panel of teachers, almost as if they’re defending a thesis.

In High Demand

Oakland’s Graduate Capstone Project, as it’s called, provides a comprehensive look at how policymakers might think of structuring a yearlong performance test. Around 16 states have policies encouraging similar projects for high school graduation, but most of them don’t require it, and implementation of the projects tends to be uneven.

There’s nothing unique about the Oakland assessment’s individual pieces. What’s unusual is how they’re knit together comprehensively, with an eye toward making sure students’ mastery of research, writing, and oral skills matches the needs of what comes next for them .

“We really tried to learn from the mistakes of the past and think of this as not just a compliance policy,” said Young Whan Choi, the district’s manager of performance assessments. “It gives us an opportunity to improve the quality of the learning experience for students and develop some shared understanding of what we mean by a high-quality research paper, and a high-quality presentation, and what it means to be an Oakland graduate.”

All those skills are in high demand not only by colleges but also by employers, who say that few young people have the requisite oral-presentation or writing skills they expect of new hires.

“I have had students who have come back years later and said, ‘Having all these deadlines for different parts of the project helped me meet them for college,’ ” said James Barbuto, who teaches in nearby Skyline High School and oversees the capstone projects there. “I’ve never had a student who’s not been successful in some way, or gotten something out of it.”

Oakland teachers like Brodkey have encouraged students to select topics they’ve personally been touched by or feel passionate about. Partly, that’s because students need something complex enough to sustain a whole year. More importantly, it’s simply more authentic to a post-high-school world than topics like dress codes or cafeteria food.

“It sets them up to have a strong argument,” she said. “And with regard to civic education and engagement, when you pick a real issue, it’s easier to have a sense of agency.”

Joanna’s classmate Vtee is examining problems faced by the Cambodian community here, many of whom are still suffering the aftereffects of the 1979 Khmer Rouge genocide. Another student, who fled from violence in Yemen a few years ago, has chosen to research the effect of the civil war there on youths.

Tuuta Fili is among those students who’ve picked homelessness. “I had a best friend in elementary school who lived in his car for half a year and a motel for a year. And he still made it to school and stuff,” Fili said.

Laptop computer in hand, he mulls over the fieldwork assignment, thinking about whom to interview. An idea occurs to him: Near one of the downtown Oakland subway stops, there’s a new housing development for people experiencing homelessness. Maybe one of the developers would agree to be interviewed about the challenges and costs of creating affordable housing for his project, he thinks.

A Renaissance

Oakland’s efforts constitute a renaissance of sorts for the program. District policy has required seniors to engage in a “serious research project or exhibition” since 2005. But until recently there was little consistency in student projects, according to Choi. Teachers treated oversight of the graduation project like a hot potato, a duty they passed off to one another in an “it’s your turn” rite of passage.

In effect, Choi said, the requirement contributed to stratification in the district: Some students got an opportunity to write in-depth research papers, but others didn’t—sometimes within the same high school.

In 2012, the district latched onto the requirement as a lever to focus the senior year and improve student civic engagement. During the first few years Oakland first worked with students in career and technical education, but over the last few years grant support has expanded the capstone projects to the general curriculum.

These evolutions have been implemented from the bottom up, rather than as a mandate. The Oakland district still gives high schools flexibility to decide whether to make the capstone a separate course or to work it into an existing one. And the district didn’t initially use common scoring guidelines to judge students’ writing, field research, or oral-presentation skills.

But as groups of teachers started adopting them on their own, they saw how it gave them a shared language for discussing student work, and improved equity by making sure each project was being judged by the same set of standards. Now, the district disseminates three sets of guidelines to all—one for the written paper, one on conducting field research, and one on the presentation—and offers teachers training on them.

For now, actual scoring procedures differ from school to school. At Fremont High, drafts of student papers are shared among faculty, and final versions are blind-scored by at least two educators. Students know that their work will have to satisfy even their most finicky teachers.

Not all schools have adopted the full Graduate Capstone Project—some still do a less-formal project or use a simpler scoring system. But the culture around the capstones is growing. For the class of 2018, two-thirds of graduating seniors participated in the full project.

Shaping Instruction

For teachers like Brodkey and Barbuto, the capstone truly comes down to instruction, not testing. It’s required them to rethink their own teaching approaches.

Both teachers say one of the most challenging lessons they teach has to do with sourcing , especially in identifying skewed news articles and making sure students weigh multiple, conflicting perspectives on their topics.

Barbuto has students read each source they turn up at least three times: once to weigh its credibility, including by looking at the publisher’s credentials and purpose; next, reading for background and context; and finally, synthesizing and seeing how it complements or alters their overall conclusions about their topic.

There’s also the big task of simply keeping tabs on students’ progress and providing the right supports, like helping them identify and link up to experts for their interviews.

Students feel the pressure, too. Senior Janeli Romero-Garcia describes the project as difficult, but doable.

“We’re not doing it all in a rush,” she said. “There are pieces here and pieces there, and they’re all coming together.”

Teachers are also thinking about how they want to see the capstone project evolve next.

Barbuto would like to see colleagues in earlier grades beginning to familiarize themselves with the scoring frameworks, so that it’s easier to help students build the foundational skills over time.

“When we first started doing this years ago, the immediate feedback from the students was that it was too much to expect them to master these skills in senior year. They needed to be practicing it every year,” he said.

Brodkey wants to double down on the social justice, community focus of her capstone teaching, inching the projects closer to action civics, in which students not only identify and research a problem but also try to use civic channels to help solve it.

“We continue to ask questions about: Should we keep capstone as a separate class? Should we fold it into English?” she said. “But there is not a question about whether we should do the project.”

A version of this article appeared in the February 06, 2019 edition of Education Week as Can ‘Capstone Projects’ Deepen Learning for High School Seniors?

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, senior capstone project - what to expect.

Hey everyone! I've heard people mention that they're working on their 'senior capstone projects,' and I'm curious about what that entails. What exactly is a capstone project, and what should I expect when my time comes to do one?

Hello! A senior capstone project is a culminating and interdisciplinary assignment typically required in your final year of high school or college. It is designed to showcase the knowledge and skills you have acquired throughout your education. Capstone projects can take various forms, like a research paper, an in-depth study, an original art piece, or even the implementation of a solution to a real-world issue.

When it's time for you to work on your capstone project, here's what you can expect:

1) Topic selection: You'll begin by choosing a topic that aligns with your major or an area of interest. It's essential to pick something you're passionate about and can sustain your enthusiasm throughout the duration of the project.

2) Proposal: After selecting a topic, you'll need to prepare a proposal outlining the scope of your project, its objectives, and the methods you'll use to achieve them.

3) Research and planning: Once your proposal is approved, you'll spend a significant amount of time researching and gathering information related to your topic. You'll also create a detailed plan outlining the steps you'll take to complete your project.

4) Execution: This is the phase where you actually create or implement your capstone project. Depending on the nature of your project, this could mean writing a research paper, developing a website or app, or creating an engaging art piece.

5) Presentation: After completing your project, you'll present your work to a panel of teachers, mentors, or other relevant professionals. This can take the form of an oral presentation, a written report, or a showcase of the finished product. You'll also need to be prepared to answer questions and discuss your findings in detail.

6) Evaluation and grading: Your capstone project will be evaluated based on various parameters, such as the quality of your research, the execution of your project, and how effectively you present your work. The grade you receive will likely have a significant impact on your final academic performance.

Throughout the process, it's normal to expect some challenges, such as time management or unforeseen issues with your project. However, with dedication and perseverance, you can successfully complete your capstone project and gain invaluable skills in problem-solving, project management, and communication to help you as you move forward in your academic or professional life.

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CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

Created by the Great Schools Partnership , the GLOSSARY OF EDUCATION REFORM is a comprehensive online resource that describes widely used school-improvement terms, concepts, and strategies for journalists, parents, and community members. | Learn more »

Capstone Project

Also called a capstone experience , culminating project , or  senior exhibition , among many other terms, a capstone project is a multifaceted assignment that serves as a culminating academic and intellectual experience for students, typically during their final year of high school or middle school, or at the end of an academic program or learning-pathway experience . While similar in some ways to a college thesis, capstone projects may take a wide variety of forms, but most are long-term investigative projects that culminate in a final product, presentation, or performance. For example, students may be asked to select a topic, profession, or social problem that interests them, conduct research on the subject, maintain a portfolio of findings or results, create a final product demonstrating their learning acquisition or conclusions (a paper, short film, or multimedia presentation, for example), and give an oral presentation on the project to a panel of teachers, experts, and community members who collectively evaluate its quality.

Capstone projects are generally designed to encourage students to think critically, solve challenging problems, and develop skills such as oral communication, public speaking, research skills, media literacy, teamwork, planning, self-sufficiency, or goal setting—i.e., skills that will help prepare them for college, modern careers, and adult life. In most cases, the projects are also interdisciplinary, in the sense that they require students to apply skills or investigate issues across many different subject areas or domains of knowledge. Capstone projects also tend to encourage students to connect their projects to community issues or problems, and to integrate outside-of-school learning experiences, including activities such as interviews, scientific observations, or internships.

While capstone projects can take a wide variety of forms from school to school, a few examples will help to illustrate both the concept and the general educational intentions:

• Writing, directing, and filming a public-service announcement that will be aired on public-access television
• Designing and building a product, computer program, app, or robot to address a specific need, such as assisting the disabled
• Interning at a nonprofit organization or a legislator’s office to learn more about strategies and policies intended to address social problems, such as poverty, hunger, or homelessness
• Conducting a scientific study over several months or a year to determine the ecological or environmental impact of changes to a local habitat
• Researching an industry or market, and creating a viable business plan for a proposed company that is then “pitched” to a panel of local business leaders

For related discussions, see authentic learning , portfolio ,  relevance , and 21st century skills .

As a school-reform strategy, capstone projects are often an extension of more systemic school-improvement models or certain teaching philosophies or strategies, such as 21st century skills, community-based learning , proficiency-based learning , project-based learning , or student-centered learning , to name just a few.

The following are a few representative educational goals of capstone projects:

• Increasing the academic rigor of the senior year. Historically, high school students have taken a lighter course load or left school early during their twelfth-grade year, which can contribute to learning loss or insufficient preparation for first-year college work. A more academically and intellectually challenging senior year, filled with demanding but stimulating learning experiences such as a capstone project, the reasoning goes, can reduce senior-year learning loss , keep students in school longer (or otherwise engaged in learning), and increase preparation for college and work.
• Increasing student motivation and engagement. The creative nature of capstone projects, which are typically self-selected by students and based on personal interests, can strengthen student motivation to learn, particularly during a time (twelfth grade) when academic motivation and engagement tend to wane.
• Increasing educational and career aspirations. By involving students in long-term projects that intersect with personal interests and professional aspirations, capstone projects can help students with future planning, goal setting, postsecondary decisions, and career exploration—particularly for those students who may be unfocused, uncertain, or indecisive about their post-graduation plans and aspirations.
• Improving student confidence and self-perceptions. Capstone projects typically require students to take on new responsibilities, be more self-directed, set goals, and follow through on commitments. Completing such projects can boost self-esteem, build confidence, and teach students about the value of accomplishment. Students may also become role models for younger students, which can cultivate leadership abilities and have positive cultural effects within a school.
• Demonstrating learning and proficiency. As one of many educational strategies broadly known as demonstrations of learning , capstone projects can be used to determine student proficiency (in the acquisition of knowledge and skills) or readiness (for college and work) by requiring them to demonstrate what they have learned over the course of their project

In recent years, the capstone-project concept has also entered the domain of state policy. In Rhode Island, for example, the state’s high school graduation requirements stipulate that seniors must complete two out of three assessment options, one of which can be a capstone project. Several other states require students to complete some form of senior project, while in other states such projects may be optional, and students who complete a capstone project may receive special honors or diploma recognition.

Most criticism of or debate about capstone projects is not focused on the strategy itself, or its intrinsic or potential educational value, but rather on the quality of its execution—i.e., capstone projects tend to be criticized when they are poorly designed or reflect low academic standards, or when students are allowed to complete relatively superficial projects of low educational value. In addition, if teachers and students consider capstone projects to be a formality, lower-quality products typically result. And if the projects reflect consistently low standards, quality, and educational value year after year, educators, students, parents, and community members may come to view capstone projects as a waste of time or resources.

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The OTHS Senior Capstone is the culminating piece to earning your Honors, Humanities or STEM Diploma. The requirements for completing your Capstone Project include:

• A student-selected topic
• A written proposal
• A 15 minute oral presentation which includes a visual component
• A formal research paper in APA or MLA format
• A bibliography of your research sources
• A presentation of your research and products at the Senior Capstone Exhibition Night
• A written self-evaluation of the process

Types of Capstone Projects

Analysis projects

This type of project requires substantial background research that will form a foundation for a unique interpretation or analysis of your topic. You may conduct a survey and analyze the responses, design and complete an experiment, or analyze two sides to an issue in a pro and con debate. A traditional science fair project is an example of an analysis project, but an analysis project could also involve research on a local issue of community concern.

Exhibition Projects

This type of project allows you to create and present an original composition for public appreciation. With an exhibition project you have the opportunity to apply skills in an area that is of intense personal interest to you, such as art, music, architecture or graphic design for example. Examples of exhibition projects include a dance performance, a reading of original poetry, an art exhibit, a photography exhibit, or a show of fashion designs. The end product of an exhibition project is the original work you produce.

Demonstration Projects 

This type of project encourages you to create, repair, or restore. You will demonstrate the use of the appropriate tools or equipment, discuss or illustrate techniques, and present a finished product. Demonstration projects include restoring a classic car or building a greenhouse. The end product is the item you created, repaired, or restored.

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Optional Shucker capstone results in impassioned projects

By Louisa Brown ’24

In previous years, fellows in Furman University’s Shucker Center for Leadership Development were required to complete a capstone project as part of the program curriculum. The results were as varied as the level of commitment and dedication students could apply to the work.

Now for the first time, the project component is optional, so that fellows with the motivation, time to dedicate to a project, and the passion for the project, can commit to the endeavor, ensuring these projects achieve maximum impact in the community.

“The Shucker Capstone Scholar experience is a special opportunity that directly aligns with the Furman Advantage,” said Natalie Kindler, assistant director of the Shucker Center for Leadership Development. “We are thrilled to be able to give students an opportunity to apply their learning, step outside of their comfort zones and strengthen their leadership skills that they have developed throughout the course of our program.”

To support the Capstone Scholars, the Shucker Center provides a $500 stipend that can be used toward each project. Starting in January, the Scholars meet weekly to share their progress, receive feedback and hold each other accountable in finishing the project before the end of the spring semester.

This year, five students proposed project ideas related to a subject that they are passionate about, that fix a problem they see in the community. These five projects exemplify each student’s leadership through the way they take initiative, communicate professionally and problem solve in order to reach their goal.

Mary Katherine Lancaster ’26 and Mia Mantovani ’26 are creating a middle school readiness program for the local after-school non-profit, Neighborhood Focus. After volunteering there last semester, the pair noticed that several students were nervous about the transition from elementary to middle school. To help resolve this problem, Lancaster and Mantovani are creating a four-week curriculum and launching a school supply drive to help the students at Neighborhood Focus prepare for middle school physically, emotionally and academically.

Abbeyglen Fulford ’26 is partnering with the Greenville Queer Wellness Center, a local non-profit that provides resources for the queer community. She plans to create and lead a four-week curriculum that helps queer youth understand their identities through art. Fulford is using her background as a neuroscience major to design the curriculum by researching articles and meeting with her professors.

Paisley Gerasimovich ’25 is using her passion for education to design and facilitate a series of three events for students to learn about careers in education. Gerasimovich noticed that many students assume that education majors always become teachers, even though there are a variety of careers in the field. She is hoping to share the importance of studying education and to encourage more students to consider the major.

Chace Sledge ’26 is working on a program that will connect local high schoolers to professionals, so they can begin to explore potential career paths before college. Many students do not have the resources available to explore career options before college, which prevents them from making informed decisions about their post-graduation goals. Sledge hopes to reconcile this inequality by providing networking opportunities to local students.

The Capstone Scholars are not required to continue their project after this semester, but they hope that the legacy of their project will continue through its impact in the community, or through future Furman student leaders.

Louisa Brown ’24, a math and Spanish major from Greenville, South Carolina, will work for Bank of America as a global operations analyst in the Enterprise Transaction Services subdivision after graduation in May. Among other awards she won the Delaney Medal in Mathematics for the highest math GPA.

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News from the Columbia Climate School

Student Spotlight: Navigating Sustainable Development for My Career Through Capstone Projects

Lylia Saurel

Adrienne Day

Marcella Petiprin and Andrew Pontius, two seniors from the Undergraduate Program in Sustainable Development (SDEV) program, have completed capstone projects at Columbia’s Climate School. They share some of their experiences and advice for students who wish to pursue an academic career in sustainability.

Marcella Petiprin was born in Flint, Michigan, and grew up passionate about the outdoors with a focus on water. Her family owns a Christmas tree farm and she is enthusiastic about giving back to the community. She currently sits on the board of the Flint Classroom Support Fund.

What drew you to the sustainable development major or special concentration?

I was most excited to discover that the sustainable development curriculum was one that focused on the social and economic features of environmental and climate issues. While I initially came to Columbia as an environmental science major, I’d always been aware of and interested in the important interactions between people and the environment because, to me, understanding these interactions is fundamental to making the monumental changes necessary to combat climate change and environmental degradation.

What advice do you have for students who wish to enroll in the Sustainable Development program?

My advice is to take as many cross-listed courses as possible. The sustainable development major is unique in the wide breadth of courses offered in different departments, and I wish I’d taken advantage of more economics, engineering and environmental biology courses. Through the Sustainable Development program, not only have I been able to build a strong foundation in Earth and environmental science, I’ve been able to explore how to build upon them in the real world and to shift the priorities of businesses and governments toward a more sustainable future.

What was your favorite class in the Sustainable Development program and why?

The energy law course with Michael Gerrard sparked my interest in renewable energy, motivated me to choose a career path in the energy sector, and gave me a robust foundation of knowledge which has been supremely valuable.

How did the program shape your understanding of sustainability?

The program has most strongly expanded my view of sustainability as being universally applicable. Sustainability is important and accessible to all people, all communities and all sectors. Sustainability is not only a discipline in and of itself, but a part of all other disciplines. While this certainly expands the scope of sustainability, it also gives me great hope for a future where sustainability is an ingrained practice for everyone.

Can you talk about your capstone project? 

The Pearl River in Jackson, Mississippi, has a major flooding issue exacerbated by a local precedent of permitting development in the floodplain and bureaucratic gridlock within local, regional and state authorities, which has prevented Jackson from moving forward on any new flood control projects for nearly 40 years. In a partnership facilitated by the Community and College Partners Program (C2P2), our capstone project has been working with the nonprofit Mississippi Citizens United for Prosperity (MCUP).

We developed a detailed community survey to make up for a historical lack of tangible data on the scale of flooding and the direct and indirect impacts on the local neighborhoods. Our visit to Jackson and direct engagement with the local community improved our understanding of the issue tremendously. We noticed there was a lack of understanding of relevant hydrology principles, available flood management options, as well as the private, nonprofit and political interests, which were all vying for public support, all stemming from a lack of centralized information.

Ultimately the capstone workshop was one of the most rewarding experiences of my academic career. It was incredibly meaningful to work with MCUP to develop deliverables that would be useful to the community and have a positive impact. My advice for future groups, those working with MCUP and in general, is not to underestimate nor underutilize local embedded knowledge. There is a long history of privileged students parachuting into communities with backgrounds that are often different than our own and attempting to implement what we idealize as effective solutions, but it is extremely important to remember that the people who live in these communities are informed, knowledgeable, thoughtful and should be engaged in problem-solving every step of the way.

Andrew Pontius is originally from Bremerton, Washington. Before joining the Sustainable Development program at Columbia, he had an 11-year dance career in Seattle and Europe where he toured and performed in both ballet and contemporary dance. As a lover of the outdoors, Andrew has also lived on a sailboat in Seattle.

During my time in Dresden, Germany, I had fantastic roommates who encouraged me to be more mindful about my consumption and to live more efficiently. That is how my concern with consumption and waste started, but then once back in Seattle, waking up in the morning to ash everywhere from nearby forest fires was a real wake-up call. Without the beauty of our natural world, what is there?

Do it! We need everyone tackling sustainability problems and how to share resources for all. There are a lot of great classes to choose from, so be curious and try new things. The workload is heavy, but professors are very supportive. If you’re searching for a way to connect with a grassroots community organization, I would recommend completing a capstone with Radley Horton .

What were your favorite classes in the Sustainable Development program and why?

As someone with interests in the future of energy in the US, the energy law class with Michael Gerrard was one of my favorites and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about energy. The Catskills watershed class was a very cool way to learn about New York City’s deep roots and history for sourcing its water. All the sustainable development professors I’ve had the chance to work with were kind, approachable and inspiring.

This is an empowering degree and I’m very thankful to have gone through such a rigorous yet enjoyable program. The program taught me that sustainability means different things for different people and that not everyone can afford to switch how they source and use energy or what products they buy. My classes have highlighted that sustainable development is a complex issue that needs to be addressed from a variety of angles.

Can you talk about your capstone project and what it entailed?

The Jackson Mississippi capstone group collaborated with a community organization on flood-related research. Together, we developed a comprehensive survey and crafted an informative story map for their webpage. Additionally, utilizing a Problem Tree framework—an approach to problem identification and solution generation used in engineering—we identified and connected various direct and indirect causes and effects of flooding in Jackson, providing valuable insights for the community.

The best part of the capstone project was working with local community members and getting to know people who fight for the well-being of their community. We conducted research while visiting the neighborhoods most impacted by persistent flooding. There are of course work expectations, but it is also somewhat freeform, so you have to apply yourself to learn and contribute to the group. The project taught me about comprehensive social and Earth sciences that informed both my personal and professional lives.

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Senior Maggie Garber McClary set to become first music and peacebuilding grad

After her first two semesters at EMU, Maggie Garber McClary , who was then undecided in her major, had an idea for a program that would combine the two areas she loved studying most.

“I found that I really enjoyed both my music classes and my peacebuilding classes,” McClary said. “So, I approached [EMU Music Professor] Benjamin Bergey and asked him, ‘What would it look like to pair them?’”

Her question couldn’t have come at a better time.

“He told me, ‘This is crazy, but there’s this major I’ve been working on,’” McClary recalled from her conversation with Bergey. “It was this moment of total serendipity.”

In 2019, Bergey began developing the music and peacebuilding program, a passion project of his, following his dissertation work on the topic. He had been seeking approval to add the major when McClary approached him with her idea. The first-of-its-kind major, available only at EMU, trains students to creatively transform conflict by using music to build common ground, facilitate healing and create a space of storytelling. It was formally added to EMU’s list of programs in 2021. Learn more about the music and peacebuilding program by visiting emu.edu/music/peacebuilding .

Now, McClary, a senior, is set to become the first graduate of the program. Three other EMU students, junior Reah Clymer and sophomores Eli Stoll and Miriam Rhodes , are following her lead as music and peacebuilding majors. Bergey said McClary is “a wonderful first graduate as she exemplifies the ethos of the program.”

“Maggie is deeply empathetic, seeking to listen and care well for others,” he said. “She cares about justice at any level of life, and she infuses music into all she does.”

McClary said it means a lot to her knowing she’s able to set a good example for others to follow.

“One of the hardest things about being the first major is that I didn’t know what it would look like,” she said. “Peacebuilding is such a broad umbrella that encompasses so many things, and music is the same. I feel like I’ve been holding out my arms and soaking in as much as I can.”

Her path to music and peacebuilding

Feeling burnt out in high school, the Broadway, Virginia, native had been planning to take a gap year after graduating in 2020. She visited EMU during Honors Weekend and said coming here to study “just felt right.”

“I thought, ‘You know what, maybe a gap year is not for me,’” she said, “and I turned around and decided to come to EMU instead.”

McClary grew up with music all around her. She learned to play the piano at a young age, performing hymn melodies at Grace Mennonite Fellowship Church, and then mastered the guitar. At Broadway High School, she was part of the auditioned choirs, participated in musicals during each of her four years, and competed in the marching band and color guard.

As she sharpened her musical abilities, she was becoming more active in peace and justice causes. McClary participated in the March for Our Lives (2018) in Washington, D.C., to oppose gun violence, attended Mennonite Convention and was one of the first members of the Virginia Mennonite Youth Council.

As a student at EMU, McClary has been active in events with Mennonite Action, a grassroots movement committed to public actions to bring about a lasting peace in Israel and Palestine. She took part in a recent march and hymn-sing outside City Hall in Harrisonburg, calling on city leaders to support a cease-fire.

“That’s music and peacebuilding in action,” she said about the event held in February. 

McClary, who spent her intercultural in Peru, is also a member of the Chamber Singers, an auditioned touring choir that uses music to build connection and community. She said one of the most valuable skills she’s learned in music and peacebuilding is constant self-evaluation. She asks herself: “What is my perspective? Who am I talking to? What is the context and the history? What am I trying to do?”

“I’ve become better at moving through the world by examining myself and asking these questions,” McClary said. “They can be hard questions sometimes, but I feel like I’ve grown so much by doing that.”

Moving forward

For her senior capstone project, McClary hosted a “Musical Haven” space in the Student Union. From 1 to 4 p.m. on April 1, students, musicians and anyone else could join her in playing one of the many instruments available. Music could be made with singing bowls, gourd rattles, a mandolin, two guitars and a cajon drum. 

“Music is powerful as a healing tool,” said McClary, who presented on her capstone on April 10. “It can be emotional, social and even physical healing. I fell in love with this idea of using music to heal and promote well-being in peoples’ lives. … The semester was wrapping up, so there’s greater stress among students. I think it was valuable to have this space.”

After graduating in May, McClary plans to work one last summer at Kenbrook Bible Camp in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, with her husband. Other than that, her future plans are wide open. But, before she leaves EMU, she’s been working on a duet from the musical Little Women with friend and fellow music and peacebuilding major Clymer.

“It’s all about saying goodbye,” McClary said. “It’ll be cathartic … a good way to feel those feelings and then let them go.”

She said she would like to see the music and peacebuilding program grow to eventually host regular events, bring in guest speakers and become a greater part of campus life. Donors can support the program by contributing at emu.edu/donate .

Looking back, she isn’t sure what she would’ve studied had the major not been an option.

“Honestly, if I didn’t major in music and peacebuilding, I might’ve dropped out,” she said. “I’m not really sure. I think it was a special time for the major to come together.”

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Congrats, Maggie!

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