LIVE OAK, CA (MPG) - Upon entering the gym at Live Oak High School last Wednesday, May 29^th, visitors were met with a wall of noise as excited senior students showcased their Senior Projects. The Ron Pritchard gym, home to this year’s Senior Class Project Fair, saw a steady crowd of parents, friends and fellow students come through to view the various projects of this year’s outgoing 2019 Senior Class Projects on display.

At Live Oak High School, Senior Projects have been a requirement of graduation for a little over 20 years. Senior Project Program Advisors, teachers Mike Fredericks and David Anderson, were the driving force behind the initiation and continuation of the program at Live Oak High School. The process includes the submission of a research paper on the topic, a proposal to a panel of teachers, a video presentation, executing the project and of course, participation at the Senior Project Fair.

Students have a mentor, usually a teacher, and are required to give back to the community through service-based projects.

A standard senior project requires 20 hours of work or service – an example of which would be organizing a blood drive as Senior Giulia Scognamiglio did. Seniors can also take a more personal route and do something that helps develop a skillset or knowledge in a field that interested them. If the project is of a personal nature, say refinishing an electric guitar like Senior Isaac Duenas, or learning how to produce music, like Senior Angel Espinoza, an extra 10 hours is required for a total of 30.

Although hours of hard work were put forward, it was clear that the seniors also had a lot fun throughout the planning and implementation of their projects. Seniors at the fair excitedly visited each other’s stations and were happy to speak with visitors about their projects and their hopes for the future.