Class of 2021 Senior ISPs Lead Students on Journey of Self-Discovery and Service

St. Margaret’s senior class spent most of the month of May engaged in their Independent Senior Project, a capstone experience that sent St. Margaret’s 98 seniors in many different directions as they pursue passions, learn more about potential careers and give back to the community.

The goal of ISPs is to create a meaningful transition for seniors from the structure of high school to the independence of college, as students demonstrate the effectiveness of St. Margaret’s mission to prepare young people for living lives of learning, leadership and service.

With health and safety guidelines in place forcing some limitations to ISP options, students nonetheless could take ISP in many different directions, including:  

An internship or an apprenticeship: Working with a business or organization to learn more about a given field or career.

Service learning: Working with a partner organization.

A creative project: Engaging in a creative endeavor, including visual and performing arts or other creative avenues.

An academic inquiry. Diving into a topic of interest, and talking to experts or practitioners in the field to deepen understanding.

Multiple-industry exploration. Exploring a set of industries to gain a better understanding of options.

A job. Working a minimum of 15 hours a week at a job during the ISP window.

Here’s a look at what some students in the class of 2021 are pursuing for their ISP:

Gabriela Sanchez dedicated her ISP toward taking the first steps in learning a new language: Darija, the Moroccan dialect of Arabic. Gabriela planned 63 hours of immersion and practice over three weeks through reading and writing, videos, online radio, and interactions with native speakers online.

“Ultimately, the goal is to be able to have an effective conversation with someone in Darija,” Gabriela said. “Thus, my emphasis will be placed more on speaking and listening comprehension rather than reading or writing.”

Nicole Tavoussi spent her ISP learning how to play the santur, a musical instrument with roots in ancient Persian history. She demonstrated what she learned through a video played at her ISP presentation this week.

 

Nicole Acacio is considering a future in medicine; and spent her ISP shadowing an OB-GYN to see the day-to-day work of a doctor.

Elsewhere, Seychelle Balog interned for Human Option on their teen dating violence awareness campaign. She worked with their community education team to prepare for a virtual conference and a vigil for victims of domestic violence. She has also spent time giving presentations, leading discussions and breakout rooms, and coordinating ambassador service projects.

 

A few St. Margaret’s seniors are having valuable ISP experience made possible by Tartan Alumni.

Katherine Collier learned about apparel design under the tutelage of Olivia Santora ’13, a senior designer for the textile and technology company FutureStitch.

Sophia Wang also learned about graphic design, and applied user feedback to products under the mentorship of Samantha Larsen ’13, a UX researcher at Wayfair.

 

Seven seniors took part in 12-mile day hike of Tahquitz Peak, with a stretch along the famed Pacific Crest Trail, as part of their ISP. The trip, led by Positive Adventures Guide, included a night camping in Idyllwild and a rugged hike in an alpine environment topping out at 8,846 feet above sea level.

Those seven aren’t the only ones pushing their limits in the wilderness. Logan Wojcik made an attempt to summit Mount Whitney, the tallest peak in the contiguous United States, for his ISP. The buildup included training hikes, logistical preparations, understanding the physiological effects of altitude on the body, and learning more about leave-no-trace principals in the outdoors.