The Senior Project is a Steward tradition, the capstone project of a student’s time here. This spring, the process was revamped by Academic Dean Melissa Freed and Middle/Upper School Librarian Crystal Hamlin.

“We approached the refresh by considering our mission,” Ms. Freed said. “We asked ourselves, ‘What is our why?’ What can we do that truly allows students to prepare for college and beyond?”

She continued to explain: “In the past, students would choose a topic, research it using scholarly resources, write a lengthy paper over Minimester, and present it in a speech format. This became problematic because of the rise of AI. We also wanted to make the project more engaging and a bonding experience for seniors.”

The new senior project, Ms. Hamlin shared, still has strong research and public speaking components. Students researched a topic of their choice and created a 7-10 minute podcast about it, including scripts, interviews, and production, guided by Ms. Hamlin and Alex Kight ’20, technology support specialist. They had to conduct at least two live interviews with research subjects. 

During Minimester week, seniors could be found at desks, in groups of comfortable chairs, and on the floor of the Upper School, working independently but also sharing ideas and laughter as they worked on their podcasts. Ms. Freed and Ms. Hamlin were delighted to see their vision come to life.

After Minimester, Middle School Theatre/Upper School Public Speaking Teacher Susan Sanford worked with the seniors to help them prepare for their presentations. They then presented their research (including a works cited, abstract, biographies, and reflection) in a tri-fold format at a fair-style evening event on April 8.

“The energy in the room was so high!” Ms. Freed said. “It was a much more interactive experience for students, advisors, and families, and watching the seniors talk about their projects with confidence and enthusiasm was a great change. They handled questions and conversations with adults beautifully, and I do firmly believe that this type of public speaking exercise will give them real-life experience for the future!”

Students chose a wide range of topics. Audrey Gunderson ’26 asked the question, “Is TikTok shaping political opinions among students?” and said, “In the past, the seniors spent the whole week working at home. I like that we’re spending the week together. I interviewed other students for my project, and learned that a lot of students don’t fact-check political videos after they watch them.”

Kenny Charles ’26 shared: “This year’s project is a lot more engaging. Being in school is beneficial. We’re more focused. I’m focused on the decline of AAU Basketball, an institution designed to promote youth sports that is now heavily monetized by brands and coaches. The kids’ development is not being prioritized.”

Maya Deasy ’26 wrote about dissociative disorders and interviewed a local psychologist. “I like this project because it gives us a lot of freedom and creativity to learn about a topic we like while talking to knowledgeable people. It’s not isolating.”

Hadley Trivas ’26 said her topic, how hospitals’ interiors can help patients recover, “makes me think about what I want to do later in life in my own job.” She interviewed local doctors.

Ms. Hamlin said, “I am so proud of our seniors’ work on this project. It truly brings together so many of the skills that they’ve learned over their time at Steward while also challenging them to make connections in the community, reaching out to contacts they’ve made and even new people! This will set them up for success for their future, whatever it holds!”