The Haystack

The student news site of Wheat Ridge High School

The student news site of Wheat Ridge High School

The Haystack

The student news site of Wheat Ridge High School

The Haystack

How to Conquer Capstone

How to Conquer Capstone

By Virginia Cooper

The anticipation of graduation almost always clouds seniors’ minds, but what they don’t remember is that there is another part of senior year they should be preparing for and that is Capstone.

Each year, the rumor spreads that Capstone has ceased and it’s the end to a daunting and dreadful project, but English teachers always reassure students that it will likely never leave the halls of Wheat Ridge.

Most seniors either view Capstone as a stress-fueled project teachers want to torment them with, or as another thing they need to do to see the caps fly high at graduation. Whatever you are feeling juniors, let me tell you to stop, breathe and listen to these helpful hints so Capstone doesn’t consume your senior year.

Pick your topic wisely. Your teachers will stress this and, for once, just listen to them. The main topics that are almost always chosen have something to do with health, environment or drug awareness. Among those topics are the highly controversial ones like abortion laws, same-sex marriage and gun laws. If you still have one I haven’t mentioned let me rule out anything like ‘how has technology influenced society.’ If your topic does fall under one of these, try to deviate from the norm as much as possible. Think about something you’ve never heard someone mention so that you stand out. Senior Jenna Tannaccio says, “I think it’s super important to choose a topic you actually enjoy and not something you think will just work.” Although it is important to pick a topic that isn’t repetitive or typical, make sure you choose a topic that you are interested in. It is easy to lose interest in a topic, and remember you have to stick with it throughout the year.

If you are satisfied with your topic, start thinking about how it is going to work throughout the rest of the year. For Capstone, you will have to write an essay, make a product and present this product to a panel of judges from the community. Most students have a microscopic view of Capstone, but if you already cannot think of a possible product, chances are you are setting yourself up for failure. It is sometimes hard to think about the future when you have an essay staring you down, but the product is an important facet of the project that students occasionally fail to grasp.

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The essay is the first start of the long journey of Capstone, so be prepared to spend hours putting together an essay you probably are not used to. Many seniors take on the challenge of procrastinating and writing the essay a week, day or night before it is due, but trust me when I say do not do that. All you will get out of procrastination is a bad grade or, if you are really lucky, a grade that screams mediocre. Senior Lupe Velez stresses just that idea saying, “Don’t procrastinate until the end, and do everything the right way. Make sure you get legitimate sources, mentors, and experts.” If you just cannot figure out how to tackle the essay, talk to your teacher. They are there to help and they will if you ask. The essay is so much easier when you know what you are doing and have time to do just that.

For the rest of Capstone, make a product that truly reflects your topic and put time into it so your teacher can tell you actually deserve a good grade. Seniors start slacking when the product time comes around, but if you listen to senior Dylan Mechling and “keep up with the deadlines,” your senior year will be that much easier.

Capstone is meant to challenge you as a student and also prepare you for the demand that work and college will be asking but, if you can “accept the change and grow from Capstone,” as Senior Erika Porras puts it, then you’ll be ready to face what will come up next in the path you choose to take.

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