It seems each school year brings a new rumor about the senior project and whether it is here to stay at Camas High School. For the 2018-2019 school year, there are, in fact, changes coming to the senior project, but it is not going anywhere; instead, it is evolving. Next year will host a renewed focus on making the process smoother for students, increasing community involvement, and focusing on quality, not quantity.

Here is a look at some of the changes coming to the graduating class of 2019:

• Starting next year, senior project proposals will be simplified and submitted via Google Forms, leaving behind the annoying paperwork of the past.
• Students will no longer have their project simply “approved” or “denied” but will instead receive a red, yellow or green light status to indicate whether they can move forward.
• The once 38-page handbook has also been consolidated to just 24 pages.
• All three kinds of projects (job shadow, volunteer, construction or creation) now have all the same requirements, rather than a unique set.
• Mentors will only be responsible for two forms to verify hours, rather than the previous four forms.

The timeline for the project will be similar but with three exceptions:

• E-portfolio sites must be constructed in December.
• An additional 10-hour checkpoint may be conducted.
• The deadline for the completed e-portfolio is moving out two weeks to accommodate the AP testing schedule.

So, what stays the same?

• The analytical research paper remains intact, using a 6-trait writing rubric.
• The physical project is still 20-40 hours of documented extracurricular work.
• Background-checked mentors are still required.
• Seniors will continue to give board presentations; 7-11 minutes for proficient and 8-10 minutes for potentially excellent speeches.