Senior Projects Tap Range of Interests
Rivers’ Class of 2017 showcased an impressive variety of interests, skills, and passions at the annual Senior Project presentations. In just over two weeks before graduation, they managed to imagine, design, and complete projects that ranged from launching rockets, to writing a Boston tour guide, to filming an original screenplay.
The Senior Project program has evolved since it began twenty-five years ago as trimester-long internships by a few students to the current model where every student spends the last few weeks of their career at Rivers immersed in something they either know they love, or have been curious about exploring. The required presentations at the conclusion of the program encourage the students to evaluate what they’ve learned from the experience, both positive and negative. The program is designed to give students as much room for creativity as possible, with the ultimate goal of providing them with inspiration for a possible future career or hobby.
Several seniors delved deep into the arts—both visual and performing—in which they had excelled over their years at Rivers. Frankie Ferrara turned out a massive collection of pottery of every shape and size. Kate Knight made dozens of ceramic bowls which she was selling to raise money for the Bedford Food Pantry. Alicia Bellido drew the eyes of each of her classmates – 90 in all – each one unique and recognizable. Sydney Epstein took photographs, while Jermaine Samuels drew portraits of his family.
Playwrights Josh Polanco Calderon, Omar Frometa, and Sofia Hennessey teamed up to write and produce a screenplay that explored how people react during difficult conversations about race and diversity. Instead of focusing on the speakers in the dialog, they videotaped the listener to capture their reactions to statements and force the audience to consider the impact words have on one another.
Ben Puritz, James Brennan, Blake Griffith, and Asher Leeming showcased the musical talents of their rock band. Nazeli Hagen rehearsed with and conducted the Upper School Chorus for a noontime concert, featuring solos from Ben Joiner ’18, Natalie Hall ’19, and Sara Stephenson ’18.
Several students interned with local businesses and organizations. Graydon Hewitt used the advice of an editor at Boston Business Journal to launch and then refine a blog on soccer, tracking the British professional teams and offering play-by-play commentary. Aidan Byrne interned at the State House for Representative Ken Gordon, researching background for upcoming bills before the House, while Tommy Tresca spent time learning about his family’s business.
R & D was on display too. Scott Selland, Jamie Carroll, and, Seamus Cullen designed, built, and decorated a full-size shuffleboard table—needless to say, the table got quite a workout during the event. Emma Roush and Azar Swain designed custom-made college-specific gear, from sneakers to sweatshirts. Robert Gallo spent his time in the engineering lab, studying how the trajectory of a rocket varied with the design of its cone and fins. He altered and printed the cones on the school’s 3D printer and the plywood fins of the laser cutter. Will Hewitt designed a robot to solve a Rubik’s cube, although he never got it to outperform his own personal record.
Food was another popular draw for budding chefs. Alexa Sheinkopf, standing behind a mouth-watering display of cupcake pops, interned in a bakery and realized that, while she’s always loved baking, the volume and time pressure of a professional setting took away much of the joy of baking for her. Cross that off her career list. Noah Lemley and Brendan Hamblet interned together at Antione’s Bakery and were offering made-to-order cream-filled pastries to a crowd who gathered to watch them wield the pastry bag with the confidence of master pâtissiers. Uli Schwendener and David Freedman explored their culinary heritages and offered up some of the traditional dishes they mastered at home.
Faculty, families, and student roamed the displays, intrigued by the dozens of other topics the seniors had pursued. What better way, on the brink of graduation, to feel in charge your life, than to spend a few weeks doing what you love to do.
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