Linden High School Counseling Department

EDP

Linden High School Class of 2008

Senior Exit Project

Who am I?

Where am I going?

How am I going to get there?

“A dream is just a dream.  A goal is a dream with a plan and a deadline.”

- Harvey MacKay

Dear Senior,

It is the hope of the administration, faculty, and staff that the education you received at Linden Community Schools has given you a solid foundation to prepare you for the challenges that lie ahead.  To ensure this, it is our goal that 100% of our graduating seniors will fully research and develop a plan for their futures.  This goal hinges on the following principle: it is the right of every student to know how to develop and practice the process of determining goals and constructing a plan for achieving those goals and meeting future challenges.

Since eighth grade, you have been working on your educational development plan (EDP).  Every year you have been asked to pick a career pathway, complete career-planning projects, set goals, and reflect on the many programs and activities you have participated in while at Linden High School.  Now, it is time to put all of this information together and create a comprehensive plan for your future.  Does this mean this is what you must do with your life?  No, this plan is a road map of where you want to go today and how you’ll get there.  As you grow and change, your plans may change.  The important skill to walk away with is the ability to assess yourself (Who am I?), to clearly define what you want to achieve (Where am I going?), and the ability to develop a plan for achieving your goal (How am I going to get there?).  The Senior Exit Project will enable you to practice those skills.

The purpose of the senior project is to have each student develop a process to adapt to any changes life puts in front of you.  The process may be more important than the product.  Throughout your life, it is important that you take time to reflect on the three questions (Who am I? Where am I going? How am I going to get there?) to help maintain focus on your goals despite obstacles that come your way.

Harvey MacKay said, “A dream is just a dream.  A goal is a dream with a plan and a deadline.”  It is our dream that every graduating student is prepared and feels they have the tools necessary to make their dreams a reality.

Senior Exit Project

Personal Narrative:

The personal narrative is meant to answer three questions

-         Who am I?

-         Where am I going?

-         How am I going to get there?

Format:

Paragraph 1 – Introduction

-         Find a famous quote that you feel best expresses you.

-         Explain the quote in your own words and how it applies to you.

-         Last sentence should be your thesis statement.

o       Thesis statement should sum up your qualities in one sentence.

o       Ex. “I am a hard-working student who is looking for a career where I can help people.”

Paragraph 2 – Who am I?

-         List three qualities or personality traits that best describe who you are.

a.       ________________

b.      ________________

c.       ________________

-         Take each of these three and expand on them.  Give specific examples of these qualities and discuss them.

Paragraph 3 – Where am I going?

-         Describe the career in which you ultimately see yourself.

o       Identify that career by name (ex. nurse, electrical engineer, teacher, etc.)

o       Describe short and long term career goals

-         Describe the lifestyle for which you ultimately aspire.

o       Describe long and short term personal goals

§         Family

§         Possessions – house, car, boat, etc.

§         Extra activities – church, volunteer work, sports, vacations, etc.

Paragraph 4 – How am I going to get there?

-         Describe the education you plan to obtain.

o       Describe the schooling you’ll need and where you will attend.

o       Describe the classes you’ll take.

o       Discuss any apprenticeships or internships you’ll take part in.

o       If no formal education is needed, describe what type of training you’ll need for your career choice.

-         Describe how you plan to fund your education or pay your bills during your training.

o       Jobs

o       Scholarships

o       Loans

-         Describe how you plan to live while pursuing training for your career.

o       Campus living

o       Apartment

o       Live with parents

Paragraph 5 – Conclusion

-         Restate your thesis

-         Summarize main points

-         Close with personal statement about yourself

Portfolio:

Portfolio must be saved in a three ring binder. 

All parts must be displayed in a plastic page holder.  Each section must have a divider page with something about you on it.

Cover should have your name and something that reflects who you are.  This could include pictures, a quote, career choices, filed of study, or anything else you think describes you.

The portfolio should have a professional appearance so it can easily be utilized during college and job interviews.

Contents include

1.      Table of contents

2.      Resume (print using Career Cruising)

3.      Copy of EDP (print using Career Cruising)

4.      Copy of transcripts (print from parentweb)

5.      Copy of attendance records(print from parentweb)

6.      Copy of your personal narrative (Who am I? Where am I going? How am I going to get there?)

7.      A sample of best work (if the sample of best work is not a written assignment, you may take a picture of it to put in your portfolio, ex. art project)

8.      A letter of recommendation from someone other than a teacher

9.      Any additional sections you feel will enhance your portfolio and provide a clearer picture of who you are (skills, achievements, etc)

Letter of Recommendation Request Form

(Please give at least a one week notice to prepare the letter)

First Name                                                     Last Name

As you prepare college, scholarship and job applications, you may need to ask for a letter of recommendation.  You should complete this document and save it to your “H” drive for easy access.  This will assist people in writing “about you” rather than just listing your accomplishments.

I am requesting this letter for: (Check on below)

College Application______     (Name of College/School) _____________________

Scholarship ______(Name/Type of Scholarship) ___________________________

Job/Apprenticeship _____ (Name of Business) ____________________________

General Letter of Recommendation ________

List five characteristics that describe you:

            1. 

                2. 

                3. 

                4. 

                5. 

What do you consider your major strength(s)?

Academic Accomplishments:

Honors/Recognitions:

Other notable accomplishments:

Favorite Subject(s):

Activities in-school:

Activities out of school:

Career Objective(s):

Exit Presentation:

The goal of the exit presentation is to showcase who you are and where you’re going.  You’ll be answering the three questions: Who am I? Where am I going? How am I going to get there?  To enhance the appeal of your presentation, you must have a PowerPoint presentation that corresponds to your talking points.

Use the content of your personal narrative as the outline for the presentation.  In general, presentations will be 15-20 slides long. 

The exit presentations will be 8-15 minutes in length.

Organize your presentation in the following manner:

Introduction

            Start with an attention-getter

            Introduce yourself

Body  

Who am I?

Where am I going?

How am I going to get there?

Conclusion

            Summarize what you’ve already said

            Give your final thoughts about your future and your future plans