Passion Projects

The intended outcome of Ecology Learning Center’s week-long winter Passion Projects is to provide all students with the opportunity to explore their own unique interests and to develop skills that will prepare them for future learning and/or employment opportunities. Students will gain skills in project planning, completion, and presentation. They will also strengthen their skills in organization, public speaking, and self-reflection.

This activity aligns with the school’s mission by immersing students in an “authentic real-world learning” project of their choice, while providing students with ongoing guidance and feedback from faculty advisors and mentors.

ELC will measure students’ progress using  rubrics and a written narrative reflection. Rubrics will provide quantitative data by measuring five categories - planning, process, product, presentation, and reflection. A narrative reflection will provide qualitative data by asking students to write about the quality of their work, how they would re-do or revise their project, and what they learned about themselves throughout their Passion Project.

Samples of ELC Student Passion Projects for 2024 include:

• Projects which allowed students to demonstrate their talents e.g., creating paintings of extinct birds, crafting furniture, learning how to turn a tree into a bench, building a motorized bicycle, and creating a wooden 1776 flag.

• Projects that explored new interests for students included understanding solar power by building a solar powered fan, learning how to embroider, and working with a taxidermist to mount deer antlers as family trophies.

• Projects which provided students with the opportunity to share their interests and experiences such as in becoming a volunteer firefighter, caring for snakes, or sharing a  recent experience touring South African countries.