Senior Project students celebrate a year of hard work and accomplishments

June 8, 2023

Seventeen WVHS seniors celebrated the wrap-up of their Senior Projects during a banquet and sashing ceremony on Tuesday evening. Senior Project advisors Jeanine Fogler and Nick DiLeo hosted the dinner in the high school atrium, before inviting the gathered family, friends and mentors into the auditorium for the presentation of Senior Project graduation sashes.

View a Senior Project boards and sashing ceremony slideshow after this story.

The Tuesday night event was preceded by the students presenting their final boards to panels of judges made up of WVCSD faculty and administration, as well as community members and Senior Project alumni. There were three panel sessions of 20 minutes each on Monday evening.

On hand to show her support for the seniors, was the keynote speaker from the Senior Project kick-off ceremony in the fall — and friend to WVCSD — WNBC-TV anchor Pat Battle. Ms. Battle was excited to return to Warwick to see the results of the hard work the students have put in since she first got to know them and their goals for the project. She even arrived in her Wildcats tee and a pair of complementary gold pants!

“I wouldn’t have missed it for anything,” said Ms. Battle. “These young people have done such outstanding, creative work and shown such dedication throughout the year; I’m blown away seeing their final results. I am so happy to be back here and see the students’ excitement for all they have accomplished!”

The nationally recognized Senior Project program at Warwick Valley High School has been specialized over its 18 years, into the unique independent study opportunity it is today. The program combines project-based learning with real-world work and professional networking.

Senior Project provides an overall experience and helps develop skills that are invaluable as students graduate into today’s increasingly connected, global community.

View a Senior Project boards and sashing ceremony slideshow after this story.

Senior Project students must complete these four key components.

The Project
What each student chooses to study, and goals they set to accomplish with their mentor.
The Paper
A collegiate-level paper, seven to 10 pages in length, on their topic, which presents the students’ knowledge of their topic, including findings and outcomes.
The Portfolio
This piece chronicles each student’s process, including documentation, correspondences, photos, and anything else related to the project.
The Presentation
Students give an oral presentation on their topic and outcomes to a panel of judges drawn from the District and the community.

This year’s projects included rebuilding an antique truck, creating fused glass art, learning to play the guitar, creating a video game, promoting a rock concert, and more. At the Tuesday night sashing ceremony, students were also given their graded portfolios.

A special congratulations goes to John Ruskiewicz, who received the Senior Project Excellence Award for his impeccable work restoraing a 1948 Chevrolet Loadmaster truck!

“This has been a great year with some absolutely fantastic students,” said Ms. Fogler. “And, like every year, I’ve been touched by the bonds and camaraderie these students share, and the enthusiastic support they give one another. During boards, they wait in the lobby until the last of them has finished, and the cheering, the high fives… every year, it just brings us so much joy and pride.”

View a Senior Project boards and sashing ceremony slideshow after this story.

The final Senior Project board session ends, and then this happened…