Students in the Class of 2030 shared their research with fellow students, faculty, staff, administrators, family and friends during the Eighth Grade Capstone Showcase on April 24 in the Berry Performing Arts Center.
The Eighth Grade Capstone is an action research project that extends over several months. Students respond to an essential question, which introduces them to the complexity of problems for which there are no easy answers. Students are encouraged to explore an issue of global significance and personal relevance by cultivating a range of research skills. This multi-disciplinary project builds reading, writing, research, artistic, critical thinking and presentation skills while also fostering curiosity, collaboration, teamwork and resilience.
Ms. Dorri Ramati, eighth grade English teacher, provided expert leadership to guide the students through the Capstone process this year. She mentored them through the research process and exploration of this year’s essential question: When does an individual take a stand about a problem they see in the world?
Capstone topics were selected by students with Ms. Ramati’s assistance, and focused on issues of global and national significance as well as personal relevance. The Capstone project, among other skills, develops students’ writing and presentation skills while preparing them for the rigors of Upper School critical inquiry.
Over the course of six months, students are asked to consider the problems they see in the world, develop a research question and conduct research on it, formulate a thesis based on that research, create an outline and then a first draft of their paper. After consulting with Ms. Ramati and working with ninth grade Capstone peers, students revise their work to submit their final paper.
The final part of the project is to create a trifold that they use to present their research to the W+H community. Students not only become experts about their topics, but they also create a sense of excitement and inspiration for their younger peers as they anticipate their own Capstone projects.
This year’s 22 presentations were segmented into five groups: Society, Technology, Science, Education, and Health & the Environment. These groups were organized in a Gallery Walk in the PAC lobby, where students and faculty attended a morning session and parents were invited for the afternoon.
Eighth grade students Melanie Diaz ’30, Rishi Kishore ’30, Harper Rubinsky ’30 and Jeremiah Simeonidis ’30 provided a brief presentation prior to the afternoon session explaining the Capstone process before the gallery walk and post-event reception in the front courtyard. The long day marked the end of a challenging process with rewarding results.
"This year, the Capstone research projects covered such a varied and interesting array of topics! Once again, I was impressed not only at the seriousness with which the students approached their work, but also with their growing confidence with each part of the project,” Ms. Ramati said. “As they continue on their educational journey, I hope they realize that they can set the bar higher than they think and use the skills they now have to achieve their goals. Well done, eighth grade!”
“I am so proud of the incredible work of all of our eighth graders,” Mrs. Rogers added. “The Capstone Research project is a major undertaking that really tasks our students with thinking critically and developing a passion and carrying it with them through the entire school year – no easy feat! Their excitement and presentations are a testament to their learning and to the fantastic support and guidance of Ms. Ramati, and this sets them up for enormous success as Upper Schoolers next year.”