This past Wednesday, the Tenth Grade Thesis Expo took place in the gymnasium. All the tenth-grade students set up their boards and computers, effectively taking over the basketball courts. The students presented all sorts of projects, ranging from writing novels, to creating video games, to designing clothes . The possibilities were truly endless for the project, as students were given much creative freedom. But, what exactly is this project, and why is it meaningful?

First, let’s start with some background information regarding this wonderful project. This is a project for all sophomores where they begin brainstorming at the beginning of the year, alongside project coordinator, Ms. Christina Florez. Students come up with a topic first, and after it is approved, they make a project timeline, in order to make sure that they have a set path and a more organized schedule. Afterwards, students work and finalize their projects over the course of several months. Finally, in April, students have to make sure that their projects and presentations are ready for the Expo!

According to Ms. Florez, “This project helps students explore their passion. This is the only time that students will be given a chance to do exactly what they want to do and learn what they want to learn,” showing exactly why this is such an amazing opportunity. The thesis has had a tremendous impact on students, as shown by Kenan Ben-Shalom, who wrote a novella. Kenan claims, “By giving me the opportunity to use this project to write my novella, Change of Fate, I was able to grow as a writer, and explore topics outside of my comfort zone.” This is exactly what the thesis is for, as many students got to do things that they would have never imagined they would have had the opportunity to do.

Not only has this project affected the students, but it has also affected the judges, teachers, and parents who walked around the gymnasium, viewing all the projects. High School English Teacher, Ms. Hilary Brownstein, states, “I am so proud of all of the hard work and dedication the tenth graders put into their thesis projects. I learned that the class is made up of incredibly unique, passionate, creative, and hard-working individuals. It was so wonderful to see a different side of my students and to see how proud they were of what they accomplished. Even after having many of them in my classroom for two years, I still learned something new about them through the thesis, and I am looking forward to seeing them continue to shine.” 

Overall, this project is a wonderful experience, where students have the opportunity to find out more about themselves while doing something that they love. Everyone in the Scheck Hillel community should have the opportunity to witness these projects, as they are fascinating. It is not very often that students get the opportunity to work on something that truly interests them.