Tusker 102 Personal Experience Projects

Tusker 102 is a new class for sophomores at Somers High School that expands on the Tusker 101 class they took as freshmen. The class culminates in a Personal Project, a capstone project for the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (grades 6-10) with both digital and oral presentation components.

“Tusker 101 works on communication, social, and self-management skills, while Tusker 102 works on thinking and research skills,” said Erin Stewart, English and IB Film teacher at the high school.

At the start of the project, students were asked, "If you could spend your time learning anything you wanted, what would it be?" This allowed students to explore any area of study while setting learning goals, demonstrating their work, and ultimately creating a product.

“I created a cookbook filled with affordable and accessible recipes that use basic culinary techniques,” said Scotty Evans. “My goal was to improve my cooking skills while helping others, especially beginners, without needing expensive ingredients or advanced knowledge.”

Students began working on their projects in the fall. They were provided with a workbook and completed mini-lessons on researching, which were provided by the high school’s Research Media Specialist, Katherine Amato. Students were also guided through lessons on executive functioning skills that aided them in planning, preparing, and organizing their work throughout the project.

 “My learning goal was to explore how music could positively affect mental health, particularly in senior citizens,” said Smera Thekkenmar. “When planning my project, I created a timeline to ensure that I spent both time researching and practicing. Success for me was measured by feedback from patients and staff I played for at health facilities.”

Students met once every eight days throughout the year, with at least 25 cumulative hours spent working on their Personal Project. Once their research was complete, students created a digital presentation page and gave an oral presentation. Students chose to study a wide range of interests, including cooking, coding, hobbies, music, sports, heritage, and criminology.

This capstone project allowed students to hone their IB learner profile attributes in a real-life way, creating meaningful learning both inside and outside the classroom that they will take with them long after the project is complete.

“I learned that small acts like sharing music can have a powerful impact,” said Thekkenmar. “I also gained more confidence in performing and communicating with people in various situations. This project made me even more interested in how music therapy can be used in healthcare, which may influence my future plans.”