December 2014 Dear Student, Today you will be receiving a guide for 2015-2016 graduation projects. In your packet, you will find an updated guide for completing your project, keeping a journal and time log, and preparing your brief presentation. You will be responsible for keeping this packet for future reference. In the event that you lose your copy of the guidelines, you may consult the school district s website (www.lebanon.k12.pa.us) or the Cedar Times website (thelebanoncedartimes.com). The Graduation Project at LHS consists of 30 hours of community service. All projects must receive my approval. If you have already had your project approved, you may proceed with your project. If you have not had your project formally approved, you must do so by April 1, 2015. Full-time CTC students will be completing their projects at Lebanon County CTC, not at Lebanon High School next fall. Part-time CTC students will present their projects at Lebanon High School. In the event that you score proficient or advanced on the Keystone exams for Algebra I, Literature, and Biology, you will be exempt from submitting the reflection paper or doing the oral presentation. However, submitting accurate proposals, completing a minimum 30 hours of community service, keeping a log of your hours, and composing a journal about your experiences remain part of your graduation requirements. All due dates for the project are on the Project Timeline page of the attached guidelines. Please refer to this timeline, as the dates must be adhered to if you wish to participate in senior class activities and the Lebanon High School commencement ceremony. Students who need assistance with finding an approved agency, keeping a journal, composing a paper, or creating a visual should see a teacher or Mrs. Kidron as soon as possible. They will be happy to assist you. Students, wishing to complete their projects early, should contact me three weeks prior to the date they wish to present their projects. We hope this booklet will make the process of completing the graduation project easier for you. Please contact me if you need additional help for your project. Sincerely, William Giovino, Principal
Senior Project 2
Senior Project 3 Lebanon High School Graduation Project Guidelines Last Updated 11/21/14
Senior Project 4 Table of Contents Checklist for Completing The LHS project 5 Rubric 7 Guidelines for the Culminating Graduation Project 8 Requirements of the project 10 Proposal 11 Time Cards 12 Reflective Journal 13 Reflection Paper 14 Final Presentation 15 Suggested Service Opportunities 17 Sample Reflection Paper 19
Senior Project 5 Checklist for Completing the Lebanon High School Graduation Project Check off each step as completed. Description Date Due Meet for graduation project orientation in December 2014 Mentoring. Receive Graduation Project Folder. Decide where you are performing your community January- March 2015 service. Contact that organization as soon as possible Complete proposal and get it signed by January - March 2015 supervisor/advisor at the organization. Make sure Parent/Guardian signs form. Submit proposal to Mrs. Kidron with appropriate On or before April 1, signatures. Mrs. Kidron will submit to Mr. Giovino 2015 for principal s signature. Receive copy of proposal during Mentoring. 3 rd Week of April Letters sent home for those students without a 1st Week of May proposal Verify total number of hours owed. Basic June 2015 guideline is 30 hours plus any leftover detentions from Freshman, Sophomore and Junior years. Complete service hours. April through September 2015 Letter is sent home listing project and total number June 2015 of hours. Verify the project and update the proposal if needed. Reflective Journal is complete as hours are June-September 2015 performed. Time cards are signed by supervisor June-September 2015
Senior Project 6 Keystone exam results are received by the High August 2015 School and letters notifying students of proficiency are sent Complete Reflection Paper. On or Before November 1, 2015 Submit time cards, journal and reflective paper On or Before to Mrs. Kidron. If everything is turned in prior November 1, 2015 to November 1, the presentation is waived for those who need to present. Create visual for presentation November 2015 Check that your proposal on file matches your On or before November service hours. If not, update your proposal. 1, 2015 Complete presentation. All paperwork, hours and End of Winter Term presentations MUST be complete. Final Project presentations will be held during the school day during the Fall and Winter Terms. All presentations MUST be completed by the end of the Winter Term.
Senior Project 7 Rubric for Graduation Project Reflection Papers Passing The purpose of the paper is clearly stated. There is a functional arrangement of content with evident and/or subtle transitions. There is use of a variety of words and sentence structures to create a consistent writer s voice and tone appropriate to the audience (no run-on sentences or sentence fragments). There is sufficient control of grammar, mechanics, spelling, usage, and sentence formation (3-5 different kinds of mistakes). The paper precisely adheres to the MLA format established by LHS. Failing There is minimal evidence of a specific topic. There is limited or inaccurate content (in need of additional explanation or information). There is a confused or illogical arrangement of content. There is evidence of limited word choice and control of sentence structure (5-6 run-on sentences and/or sentence fragments). There is limited control of grammar, mechanics, spelling, usage, and sentence formation (6-8 different kinds of mistakes). The paper does not adhere to the MLA format established by LHS.
Senior Project 8 Guidelines for the Culminating Graduation Project Community Service is the type of project that the students of Lebanon High School have available to them. This allows them, as members of the Lebanon community, to give back to the community in which they live. A community service project may not be used for class credit. This project is to be completed during a student s free time. Volunteers are not paid for their services. A volunteer coordinator (someone who is employed by the agency for which the student is volunteering) must supervisor the student. The coordinator may not be a friend, a parent or other relative. Approved agencies for community service include, but are not limited to, the following: 21 st Century Grant after-school program The American Youth Basketball Association Biddy Basketball Cedar Haven Friends of All Animals The Good Samaritan Hospital Habitat for Humanity The Humane Society of Lebanon County The Lebanon Council for the Arts Lebanon County Christian Ministries The Lebanon Literacy Council The Lebanon office of WIC, Domestic Violence intervention The Lebanon Rescue Mission
Senior Project 9 The Lebanon School District s Super Summer Camp The Lebanon Valley Family YMCA The Lebanon VA Medical Center The Migrant Education Program Mission trips affiliated with churches, youth groups, or service organizations The Renova Center The Salvation Army Spang Crest Manor Summer athletic camps at L.H.S. Toys for Tots Exceptions Special education students, with the exception of those students enrolled in Life Skills classes, will be expected to do the graduation project. Any modifications and/or adaptations for the project should be noted in each student s IEP (Individual Learning Plan). The student s case manager is responsible for including these modifications and/or adaptations in the IEP and assisting each student in completing the project. Students enrolled in Life Skills classes are exempt from the senior project. Students who move into the district during their senior year will be given an alternative deadline for their projects. Any additional accommodations will be made at the discretion of the principal. If a new student has completed his/her project at another school in Pennsylvania and there is official documentation from the previous school that the project has been completed, the principal will not require the student to complete an additional project.
Senior Project 10 Requirements of the project The basic requirements of the project are the same for all students. The exceptions include those students who are proficient or higher on the Algebra I, Literature and Biology portions of their Keystone exams. The requirements are as follows: A proposal, approved by the principal, describing what is being done and where. This includes appropriate signatures of approval. A minimum of 30 unpaid hours of volunteer service with documentation o Any outstanding detentions will be added to this total at the end of each school year. Make sure to check your total before you consider your hours complete. A journal describing the activities and reflecting on the time spent. A reflection paper with a minimum of 2 typed pages on your community service experience Excused if proficient on Keystones. Successful oral presentation of 10 to 20 minutes in length Excused if proficient on Keystones. A visual or visuals that complement the volunteering experience Posters, PowerPoint presentations, and movies are acceptable visuals. Excused if proficient on Keystones.
Senior Project 11 Proposal Proposal forms can be found in your Graduation Project Packet. Additional forms can be found in the High School Library. A proposal identifies where you will be serving your service hours and what you will be doing. The form must be completed and turned in prior to beginning your service hours. There are four (4) signatures required for a completed proposal: the student, the parent/guardian of the student, the advisor or supervisor of the organization with whom you will be working, the high school principal. Please complete the first three (3) signatures prior to submitting the proposal to Mrs. Kidron in the Library. Mrs. Kidron will review the proposal and submit it to the principal for signature. Once approved, the student can start working on their community service hours. If a student wants to complete their service hours at more than one organization, they will need to submit a proposal for each organization. An approved proposal(s) matching the actual service hours must be on file prior to submitting the project paperwork.
Senior Project 12 Time Cards Time cards can be found in your Graduation Project Packet. Additional Cards can be found in the High School Office or the High School Library. What does the documentation of hours include? Documentation of hours involves completing a volunteer hours card with the signature of the adult supervisor. This is a log stating the date, time, and places of activities with the name of the volunteer coordinator s signature and phone number The time cards should include the following information: o Name printed on the log card o Organization or agency sponsoring your community service o Person who supervised you (signature of volunteer coordinator) Should the organization that you are working for track your hours on their own system, please make sure to obtain a copy of the time log with signatures from the organization. For example, The Good Samaritan Hospital tracks the hours that a volunteer spends on the computer. All that is needed is a copy of the printout signed by the volunteer coordinator. Sample Time Card Front of Card Back of Card
Senior Project 13 Reflective Journal Journal Entries pages are included in your Graduation Project Booklet. If you need additional pages, please use paper that will fit into the folder. Journal Entry pages may be either typed or hand written. If hand written, please make sure that they are legible. What should your community service journal look like? After each day of community service spend some time recalling your experience. Then write your journal entry. What you did specific information about the training, duties, and responsibilities Who was served Your feelings about what you did each day What you learned about yourself from this experience What you learned about other people from this experience. How you would rate this experience
Senior Project 14 Reflection Paper The brief reflection paper is a thoughtful description of the community service experience and how it affected you. Students who are proficient or higher on the Algebra I, Literature and Biology portions of the Keystone exams are exempt from this activity. What should your 2-page-graduation-project reflection paper include? An introduction which explains the who, the what, the where, the when, the why, and the how of your community service A brief introduction to the organization or agency sponsoring your community service and how they help the community. Your personal biography is NOT a part of this paper. Your reflections on this experience as a whole This paper should be typed and set up in standard MLA Format o Double-Spaced o First page should include:! Name! Graduation Project! Date in the format 1 November 2014! Title of the project (centered) o Do not include extra spaces between paragraphs.
Senior Project 15 Final Presentation The Final Presentation is required for any student who did not score Proficient or higher on their Algebra I, Literature and Biology Keystone exams. These presentations will be scheduled during the Fall and Winter terms at the discretion of the Principal. Should a student wish to present early, please see Mrs. Kidron to arrange for a date and time. If all paperwork time cards, reflective journal and reflective essay (if required) are turned in by the November 1 2015 due date, the presentation will be waived. What does the short presentation include? Personal Autobiography o This autobiography is NOT part of the reflection paper. This autobiography will be delivered orally. It is meant to be an ice-breaker. This part of the presentation gives you an opportunity to introduce yourself to your faculty panel so that the members of your panel will know you a little better.! Include information like: How long you have lived in Lebanon What schools you have attended What program you are enrolled in What your favorite and least favorite subjects have been What activities you have participated in at Lebanon High School, in the community, and/or at your church What your plans are after graduation A visual to support your presentation. This can include: o A poster with pictures from your experience
Senior Project 16 o A Powerpoint or other electronic presentation to illustrate your presentation o Some other type of show and tell items that illustrate your experience o Your visual should be colorful and pleasing to the eye. o You must also pay close attention to detail by spelling and capitalizing your captions correctly. Whenever possible, type your captions. o It is up to you to secure any pieces of technology needed for your presentation. If you do not know where to acquire the needed item, see Mrs. Kidron. Presentation o A 10-20 minute presentation explaining your experience. Please include:! Where you performed your community service! When did you perform your community service! What you did to help the organization! Why did you choose this organization! How you felt about the experience Good? Bad? Just Okay?! Would you recommend your experience to others and why
Senior Project 17 Suggested Service Opportunities Please note that these are suggestions. There are many non-profit organizations in Lebanon County that can use your help. American Foundation for Children with AIDS (AFCA) The American Foundation for Children with AIDS operates a warehouse in Lebanon where medical supplies are collected, sorted, cleaned and repackaged. These supplies are shipped to hospitals and clinics in sub-saharan Africa where children with HIV/AIDS receive medicine and medical treatment. Interested students should contact Betsy at bdorsey@afcaids.org or Miss Warlow at LHS. American Red Cross 1220 Mifflin Street Lebanon, PA 17046 717-272-2671 Baseball Field Maintenance Assist in the maintenance and upkeep of the baseball fields in the Lebanon area. Contact: Mr. Nordall, LHS Room A206 Biddy Basketball Municipal Building 400 South Eighth St. 717-273-6711, ext. 2472 Contact: Kathy Weis Cedar Haven 590 South Fifth Ave. Lebanon, PA 17042 717-274-0421 Summer ONLY Contact Diane Kline Note: If you are 18 or over, a criminal background check must be run before you may begin. Good Samaritan Hospital Fourth & Walnut Streets PO Box 1281 Lebanon, PA 17042-1281 717-270-7685 Contact: Ms. Tracy Johnsen Note: If you are 18 or over, a criminal background check must be run before you may begin. Friends of All Animals Lebanon, PA 717-272-6466 Habitat for Humanity of Lebanon County 1405 Birch Road Lebanon, PA 17042 717-273-3832 717-228-1490 Mrs. Maribel Gonzalez here at the high school is willing to work with students to coordinate getting hours completed. Please call her at 270-6816. Jack and Jill Preschool This is a preschool that holds a Science Festival. They need help with the Festival which will be held on May 12, 2012. Contact: Rita Moore Key Club This organization has many service opportunities throughout the year. Contact: Mrs. Terese Johnston Athletic Office, LHS
Senior Project 18 Lebanon Rescue Mission 439 South Sixth Street Lebanon, PA 17042 717-273-2301 Contacts: Mr. Chris Smith and Mr. Paul Topping Lebanon School District Elementary Summer School/After School Tutoring Southeast Elementary School Lebanon, PA 17042 717-273-9391 Contact: Mr. Craig Coletti Lebanon School District Middle School Summer Lebanon, PA 17042 717-273-9391 Contact: Ms. Dawn Connelly Lebanon Valley Council on the Arts 734 Willow St. 717-273-0033 Contact: Ms. Dorothy Perez Metamorphosis House Dreamscapes Watergardens 2155 State Route 343 (N. 7 th Street) Lebanon Contacts: Ms. Kaela Hogue 717-272-6555 Relay for Life Team Hope Mrs. Elizabeth Rivera LHS Library The Salvation Army 1031 Guilford St. Lebanon, PA 17046 717-273-2655 Spang Crest Manor 945 Duke St. Lebanon, PA 17042 717-274-1495 Special Olympics of Lebanon County PO Box 1018 Lebanon, PA 17042 717-272-1332 Lebanon Valley Family Y 201 N. Seventh St. Lebanon, PA 17046 717-273-2691 Lebanon Valley Youth for Christ Tutoring in afternoon at El Faro Church in Lebanon 2 days a week Contact Somer Parker 395-8703 Martin Luther King Center Type, address letters, make posters Rev. Vanessa Owens 717-272- 2799 519 Chestnut St.