Tabor students have the opportunity to pursue an independent project during the last semester of their Tabor career. Since many of these projects take a long time to plan and to be approved, students begin planning at the start of their senior year, organizing schedules and sorting out the details of their project.
This spring, 21 seniors took part in the senior project program. From internships to kite boarding, students take advantage of this opportunity to pursue a wide range of interests.
Some students decided to look into a potential career. For example, Carly Cote interned with the New Bedford Public Health Department for seven weeks this spring. “It has absolutely reaffirmed that I want a career in public health,” says Cote, who did this project because of her interest in the field. She found her project to have been worthwhile in that the foundation of all the work she did was based on making a healthier community.
Jessica Lowe is considering a potential future in coming back to Tabor to teach. Lowe enjoyed her Advanced Placement US History course last year and decided to return to it as a teacher’s assistant. From re-creating lesson plans to assisting in class, she has expanded her knowledge and interest through a deeper exploration of the subject. “Watching students discover that ‘a-ha’ moment and make connections beyond what their teacher is expecting them to do is just really a great experience,” reflects Lowe, who is still considering a career in teaching after doing this project.
While some Tabor students took advantage of this opportunity to explore potential career paths, others used it as a time to pursue interests that they would not otherwise have a chance to. Tabor dancers, Maddie Jamieson and Alex Osgood, have created shows that they have choreographed themselves. Osgood’s project, “My Show, My Story” involves singing, writing, and movie creation in addition to dance in which each part of the show tells an emotional story.
Jamieson has also created dances that reflect events, these being based on historical events. Jamieson includes a number of Tabor dancers in the show. “I’m positive now that I want teaching to always be in my life,” says Jamieson after experiencing the rewards of directing dancers.
Exploring his musical side, Josh Kim used a computer program to compose his own songs and wrote his own lyrics. Katie Mooney taught herself German and Lisa Kraemmer began to write and speak Russian, while Patrick Montolio tested his mechanical skills to create a custom motorcycle.
Ivy Torres has taken this opportunity to create a ceramic tree with caricature figures of people that have influenced her Tabor career. “This is my way of showing them how grateful I am that they came into my life,” says Torres of her motivation to use the ceramics skills that she has acquired in her time here.
All of the projects will be presented to the Tabor community in the final weeks of the school year. Tabor’s senior project program gives students the opportunity to further their education and interests outside the classroom and allows them to independently pursue their various passions.
By Julia O’Rourke
