As each school year passes, senior classes prepare for their new life outside of high school, and with each graduating class brings the infamous senior portfolio. There are 29 documents required for the portfolios including some of the following: title page, table of contents, personal documents, statement of faith, resume, letters of recommendation, transcript, college application letter and work samples. All of the papers are to be included in a binder with clear page protectors.

Senior english teacher, Andrea Donaghe, has many requirements for the upcoming graduates.

“The main purpose in creating a portfolio is to begin creating and compiling all that students will need for an interview or will able to use as references for college and/or a job.”

Copies of the portfolio are gradually turned in throughout the year to Donaghe in order to keep the students on pace to have the project due on time.

“Grading is throughout the entire school year in English 12,” Donaghe said. “Each requirement of the portfolio is given a grade and recorded in the grade book. In total the entire portfolio process is worth over 500 points. It is a requirement for graduation. Students that fail to turn in their portfolio are referred to Principal Deffenbacher and Superintendent Brown.”

[fusion_soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/263328496″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”150″ iframe=”true” /]

Donaghe believes senior portfolios help to better prepare students for their new life outside of high school, and she appreciates her own students admiration towards the project as well.

“The senior portfolio prepares students for what colleges, businesses and future employers require (in hardcopy and online),” Donaghe said. “At the end of one student’s portfolio journey this year, I was very proud to hear him say ‘This was a really good idea, now all the paperwork I’m really ever going to need is together in one place.’”

Sierra Duffy, ‘16 found the portfolios to be both time consuming and beneficial.

“The portfolio took me most of the year to create, because I had to write over 25 papers for it. Though it was time consuming, I found the finished product of the portfolio to be something that I will keep forever, because of how important the paperwork is, as well as the memories I will receive from looking through it.”

The finished project was due on April 11, with all 29 documents and binder, to Donaghe. Later this week, the seniors will be using their portfolios in their senior interviews, May 13.

For more news, read: Campus commences for convocation, celebrates National Day of Prayer