Before they graduate, Orcas Island High School students have a big task to tick off their list – senior projects.
These ventures are a culmination of a year of work and will be presented to an audience of community members, fellow students and faculty on June 8 for OASIS students in the school library and June 12 on campus for Orcas Island School seniors.
“The presentation is not simply to show off the project but a chance to explain the process of accomplishing it,” said Jill Sherman, OHS senior advisor. “The challenges, the surprises and modifications are often some of the best lessons.”
The students specialized their studies in an area of personal interest, and using that knowledge created everything from fundraising to musical endeavors to athletics.
Many projects were born out of a look at need in the community.
Orcas High School senior Mykal Keyes often drove by the food bank and just seeing the cars parked nearby made her want to jump into action.
Keyes is holding a benefit dinner for the food bank as her senior project. She is hoping to raise $1,000 with the dinner. School chef Zach Holley is helping with the endeavor.The menu will be enchiladas and people have a choice between chicken or bean, Spanish rice, coleslaw and lemonade or water. The dinner is on Thursday, May 9 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the school cafeteria. Keyes will be selling tickets at Island Market on May 5 from noon to 2 p.m. Tickets are $5 for kids and $10 for adults. You can also buy them directly from Keyes at mykal.keyes@gmail.com.
Morgan Sabine, another senior at Orcas Island High School, is organizing a half marathon through Moran State Park on May 4.
The race will start at 10 a.m. with the half marathon runners going first, followed by the 10K and then 5K. It is $25 to enter the run, which is called “The Human Race.” All funds will go to helping African villages have access to safe water. Sabine can be reached at 298-0073 or surfermoj@gmail.com. For more information, go to http://thehumanrace2013.blogspot.com.
Adelaine Newcombe is organizing a Hispanic and American children’s story time with Latin-American author Alma Flor Ada at the library on May 11, 11 a.m.
“My project is aimed toward getting the Hispanic community comfortable with the library and to strengthen the outreach program,” said Newcombe.
Jules Mann wanted to brighten the school’s environment with a school choir.
The group has performed at the school’s holiday concert in December, as well as singing for the senior center, and a final performance at the Music Advocacy Group concert in March.
She has applied for grants with Orcas Island Community Foundation and MAG to hopefully fund next year’s program.
“Starting the choir taught me more about leadership, management, and myself than I would have thought possible. I’ve discovered my own passion not just for making music, but for helping it grow and helping others experience it,” said Mann. “Music, both in and out of education, is beneficial to people everywhere and is one of the most beautiful things about the place we live. I have been given so much and I want to give it back.”
Other student projects include: Lana Bronn’s internship at Orcas Island Community Church, Jordan McGee’s work in the day care for all different ages and looking at the ways kids behaviors change over time, Chase James Drake is teaching a sixth grader soccer, Aidan McCormick has been working on a documentary about Vietnam veterans, Ruby Adrian taught cooking classes for high schoolers, Bailey Marie refurbished a boat, Annie Ryder received certification as a lifeguard, Daniel Briggs interned at the physical therapy clinic and Rylan Jupiter Date has fundraised at the community foundation through the booster club.
