https://padlet.com/carolynderr/w9vb4er03hzc3o57 Points of Hope Across the Globe en-us 2021-09-30 02:42:54 UTC 2025-11-22 09:12:06 UTC hello@padlet.com carolynderr https://padlet.com/carolynderr/w9vb4er03hzc3o57/wish/1780075685 Climate Strike Advocacy
     After reading of immediate action needed to prevent irreversible environmental damage from happening, this MYP student stepped forward as an advocate for change. Inspired by worldwide efforts by teenage activists like Greta Thunburg, this personal project provided an avenue for active involvement through local strikes for climate action. Convinced that climate change threatens the mental and physical health of people around the world, "Taylor" weighed her initial sense of insecurity about leadership against her hope of making a positive difference. She energized high school classmates to join her in walking out of classes, marching together to City Hall and peacefully protesting for climate change reform. Taylor's activism continues today, long after "completing" the personal project. ]]> 2021-09-30 03:14:13 UTC https://padlet.com/carolynderr/w9vb4er03hzc3o57/wish/1780075685 carolynderr https://padlet.com/carolynderr/w9vb4er03hzc3o57/wish/1790050590 Computer Coding for Primary Students
    This personal project combines student passion and expertise with a desire to respond to a need in the community. It began with a student's interest in computer coding and a personal talent for speaking "computer," a skill that others are interested in learning, but might find intimidating.
In response to the personal project challenge, the student pursued the following challenging question: How can I create a free coding class for elementary students that is both fun and educational?" Along the way she discovered how difficult it is to teach, but she stuck to her goal, secured a free space at the local library to teach her class, developed the curriculum, and delivered an exciting learning experience for younger students. This project required development of self-management skills such as time management, task development, age-appropriate teaching strategies, and perseverance. The reward of providing meaningful service to young children enriched many lives.]]> 2021-10-04 15:24:37 UTC https://padlet.com/carolynderr/w9vb4er03hzc3o57/wish/1790050590 carolynderr https://padlet.com/carolynderr/w9vb4er03hzc3o57/wish/1794265905 Responding to increased demands for mental health resources during the COVID 19 pandemic, this personal project provides valuable service to others in many ways. The finished "Community Resource Canvas Page" provides easy access to current and relevant information about local mental health resources and services. The added convenience of having up-to-date information readily available increases the likelihood that others will use the site to make life easier during stressful times. Tracking data shows that students and adults alike from across the school district make use of this helpful resource.
Way to go!]]> 2021-10-05 19:46:21 UTC https://padlet.com/carolynderr/w9vb4er03hzc3o57/wish/1794265905 carolynderr https://padlet.com/carolynderr/w9vb4er03hzc3o57/wish/1831675439 MYP Year 3 Community Project
    It's hard to find anything pleasant to say about mosquitoes. Not only do their bites irritate the skin, but they also spread diseases such as West Nile, dengue, and malaria as they move from one victim to the next. 
This community project addresses the need to control mosquito populations using an understanding of ecology. Knowing that bats feed on mosquitoes, this student researched, planned and built a bat house to increase the number of bats living in the area. Bat numbers worldwide have been in decline for decades. Providing houses specifically designed for bats provides protection for these valuable mosquito predators. ]]> 2021-10-20 21:18:57 UTC https://padlet.com/carolynderr/w9vb4er03hzc3o57/wish/1831675439 carolynderr https://padlet.com/carolynderr/w9vb4er03hzc3o57/wish/1832424522      This Jones High School student knew she wanted to attend college, but as the first in her family to pursue this option, deciding on a college that met her needs seemed complicated and intimidating. The personal project provided an excellent opportunity to get curious about college offerings and to identify schools that would help her thrive. 
     After careful identification of her goals, interests, and talents, she reviewed promotional materials from a range of colleges and universities. Using a metric of her own design, she ranked the schools according to their fit with her needs, then selected her top three choices for in-person visits and detailed exploration. 
With two years of high school remaining, discoveries from this personal project help to inform course choices now and application efforts to come. By connecting her goals with college offerings, this student has taken giant steps towards making the most of the college experience. Well done!]]> 2021-10-21 03:45:09 UTC https://padlet.com/carolynderr/w9vb4er03hzc3o57/wish/1832424522 carolynderr https://padlet.com/carolynderr/w9vb4er03hzc3o57/wish/1871841274 Year 3 Community Project
   In a world where too many people find it necessary to flee their homeland and arrive without possessions in a new country, this community project demonstrates that young people can lead the way in making the world a better place.
   In response to growing numbers of refugee families arriving in Denver, CO, three Mackintosh Academy students organized a winter clothing drive to provide warm clothes for their new neighbors. By raising awareness of the need for specific items and uniting their community through kindness, these young leaders demonstrate that caring for others is action-oriented. 
What needs in your community might benefit from your thoughtful action?]]> 2021-11-06 18:11:07 UTC https://padlet.com/carolynderr/w9vb4er03hzc3o57/wish/1871841274 carolynderr https://padlet.com/carolynderr/w9vb4er03hzc3o57/wish/2223420826 What would it take to create and successfully launch a weather balloon capable of reaching altitudes of 30 miles above the Earth's surface? The personal project provided this scientist an opportunity to merge creative problem-solving with an interest in global weather systems. Click the video above to watch footage from the weather balloon in flight. Scientists in a neighboring country were able to locate the probe, making this a truly international experiment. 

"Citizen-scientists" contribute invaluably to our growing understanding of the world around us. Data collected from this weather balloon can be used to help answer questions about climate change and the dynamics of weather systems. Equally impressive, the student's well-developed process notebook and detailed reflection continue to inspire others in the pursuing perplexing questions of their own.

What questions are you hoping to explore? Dream big... this student shows us that the sky is no longer the limit to what you can do with your personal project.

]]> 2022-06-16 22:10:32 UTC https://padlet.com/carolynderr/w9vb4er03hzc3o57/wish/2223420826 carolynderr https://padlet.com/carolynderr/w9vb4er03hzc3o57/wish/2223428637 How often have you stopped long enough to appreciate the flavors, rituals, and stories wrapped up in the foods that you eat? This personal project investigated not only traditional foods from the student's Mexican heritage, but also the lively culture to which they belong. Throughout the project, lots of cooking took place, recipes were tried and perfected, and a website full of colorful images and cooking pro-tips was created for others to enjoy. 

Are you curious about your family heritage, its foods, traditions, celebrations, and rituals? The personal project might be the perfect opportunity for you to explore your roots in meaningful ways and to learn how culture impacts the way you view the world.

Buen provecho!]]> 2022-06-16 22:30:32 UTC https://padlet.com/carolynderr/w9vb4er03hzc3o57/wish/2223428637 carolynderr https://padlet.com/carolynderr/w9vb4er03hzc3o57/wish/2223449885 Any true poet knows the vulnerability that comes with sharing one's work. Poetry is an art form that begins in the heart and is carefully crafted word by word. It reflects the authenticity of the poet and their unique perspective of the world around them. Sharing this art with others takes courage because any feedback that results, good or bad, is an intrusion of the authenticity. 

I am inspired by this personal project because the poet used the opportunity to share not one, or two poems, but fifty of them, adding drawings to correspond with each one. 

Yet, as Romero Britto once observed, "Art is too important not to share." In spite of the risks involved, this student embraced vulnerability and invited public review and appreciation of personal artistic expression. It involved the curation of poems best representative of various themes of thought, organized carefully into a handmade, cork-bound book, embellished with silver-acrylic lettering and text narrations to help readers navigate the book with ease. 

What courage it must have taken to invite feedback from peers, family, and members of the school community to inform growth as an artist. Here's a shout out to all the artists out there... your willingness to share what is inwardly significant visible helps the rest of us live more vibrantly. Thank you for trusting the world with your art!]]> 2022-06-16 23:23:37 UTC https://padlet.com/carolynderr/w9vb4er03hzc3o57/wish/2223449885 carolynderr https://padlet.com/carolynderr/w9vb4er03hzc3o57/wish/2228234736      Motivated by two overlapping interests, this personal project combines action taken to protect the environment with pay-it-forward monetary donations to a local animal shelter. 
      Discouraged by research about the health of the environment, this student took action to collect soda can tabs and repurpose them into wearable art. By marketing the importance of environmental stewardship, these bracelets came to symbolize how even simple personal actions contribute to a more sustainable future. Donations made in exchange for a bracelet began to pile up, providing a source of funding for another cause of personal value, the care and protection of animals available for adoption at a local shelter. Creative thinking, research, persuasive messaging, and hard work combined to make this a memorable and successful project.
We each play a role in making a positive difference in the communities we hope to inhabit. How might your personal project make the world a better place?]]> 2022-06-22 23:09:39 UTC https://padlet.com/carolynderr/w9vb4er03hzc3o57/wish/2228234736 carolynderr https://padlet.com/carolynderr/w9vb4er03hzc3o57/wish/2229096212      One of the best ways to improve a skill is to teach it to others. That's precisely what this student did to get better at playing the ukulele. 
      Of course, teaching is not as easy as it might seem, so this student created a series of videos to guide ukulele beginners through the basics of playing the instrument. While the videos gave others freedom to learn on their own time, this step required the application of new skills in sequencing instruction and producing high quality videos.
      Soon, though, there was a group ready to play ukulele music together, so the project shifted to composing original music that featured basic skills while capturing the fun of playing as a group. 
      As a whole, this personal project required two separate learning goals and two unique product goals for its completion. It stood out in excellence because of its originality and strong connection to personal interest. For those who observed and participated in this project, it was also uplifting and fun, and that alone is a marker for project success!]]> 2022-06-23 18:16:49 UTC https://padlet.com/carolynderr/w9vb4er03hzc3o57/wish/2229096212 carolynderr https://padlet.com/carolynderr/w9vb4er03hzc3o57/wish/2653299546 "Sit down and tell me a story," read the sign hanging next to a couch located in a busy shopping mall. It was the only invitation this student in Quebec made to connect with strangers, but the simplicity of it proved surprisingly effective. Stories shared in person were transformed into a written collection of narratives from around the community and shared with others. 
   If you responded to an invitation like this, what story do you think worth sharing? 
If this was your project, what steps would you take to protect the privacy and respect of the original storyteller?]]> 2023-07-31 02:27:09 UTC https://padlet.com/carolynderr/w9vb4er03hzc3o57/wish/2653299546 carolynderr https://padlet.com/carolynderr/w9vb4er03hzc3o57/wish/2656840403 Check out this fashion display! This personal project set out to analyze outfits worn by the iconic English musician and actor Harry Styles throughout his career, beginning with his One Direction era and continuing into his work as a solo artist. The project goal included using the results of the analysis to predict what might come next in both Mr. Styles' personal fashion and in the trends they might launch as a result. 
And three cheers for bonus skills developed in creating Harry Styles models and an assortment of miniature outfits as well!]]> 2023-08-06 23:41:05 UTC https://padlet.com/carolynderr/w9vb4er03hzc3o57/wish/2656840403