Demonstrating academic and personal success is a common occurrence throughout Palisade High School’s student body. From insane athletic skill to talented theatrics to global thinkers, Palisade cultivates well-rounded Bulldogs in the span of four years. Real growth begins sophomore year, which is especially illustrated at the annual Sophomore Project Expo.
As part of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP) curriculum, Palisade sophomores are required to complete a personal project that culminates inquiry, action, and reflection through a tangible result and detailed report. Developing skills such as research, planning, and self-management is a given when completing this project.
Among her roles as IB Business and Spanish teacher plus Student Counselor advisor, Ms. Kemper is the Sophomore Projects Coordinator. With 19 sophomore academic mentor classes, Kemper directs the mentor teachers and oversees each project to ensure validity and excellence throughout the process. “Each project was very spread out and diverse. We have a lot of different students with different interests.” says Kemper.
Through the projects, Palisade culture is undoubtedly reflected, especially through the promotion of IB characteristics, including five skillset categories coined as ATL skills and Learner Profile traits. Kemper notes, “You are doing different things and the process is different for every person. Someone might already be very open-minded but lack communication skills, so their project might be centered on improving that. That’s what’s nice about the project. The hope is that you’re showing who you are, especially with two years with MYP and IB characteristics.”
The annual expo is set up in the auxiliary gym with rows galore of interactive posterboards, presentations, and even engaging props such as 3D printed costumes or slime stations. During the expo, all grades are invited to walk and take notes of projects that interest them.
Sam Folnsby completed his sophomore project on junk journaling, justifying, “Journaling reduces anxiety, manages stress, helps you identify your negative thoughts and behaviors so you know how to change them.” Looking through a global lens, Folnsbee adds, “My main goal was to present journaling to teens who may be struggling. An average of 3,703 teenagers from 11 to 19 attempt suicide every single day and that number is devastatingly high. So, I want to offer a healthy coping mechanism like journaling because it really helped me and I want it to help others too.” His journals, adorned with grocery store receipts, colorful mood trackers, and mementos from trips, were on display for interactors to sift through. “For me, it is a way of memory keeping and experiencing moments again,” reflects Folnsbee. Even though Folnsbee wasn’t able to make and pass out journals at the expo like he intended, he successfully engaged the entire Palisade community. “I do think I got into a lot of people’s heads and touched them in some type of way which makes me feel accomplished,” concludes Folnsbee.
Another outstanding Sophomore Project was Mark Feghali’s and his development of his own fishing lure company called Mark’s Best Lures. Each lure was extremely versatile for a diverse range of species. Feghali considered individual biological rates to effectively catch more fish than the standard lure, sustain high quality and affordability, and create a product to be utilized by Palisade’s local community. “I was using all kinds of recycled lead to maintain sustainability. I also donated all of my proceeds to the PHS Fish Hatchery to preserve endangered species in our local Colorado River and keep the water rights that are associated with these things,” says Feghali. When constructing a Sophomore Project, personal narrative and intent is crucial to ensure authenticity and success. This is exactly what Feghali did, emphasizing, “Fishing has always been a passion of mine ever since I was four years old. When quarantine hit, I knew I had to do something with this passion instead of just letting it die. So, I developed my passion in a new way. I’ve been volunteering with the PHS Fish Hatchery and I’ve seen how great of an impact it’s had on our community.”
The expo was a grand success, engaging Palisade students, admin, families, and representatives from District 51. From learning how to lead climb to creating a children’s picture book, Palisade certainly houses a diverse pack of Bulldogs with immeasurable talents.
Although Sophomore Projects can’t quite be quantified in terms of success, Feghali and Folnsbee definitely touched the community’s heart with their skills of principled and caring attributes, straight from the IB Learner Profile.
