Dear Students,
You are the GENIUSES of the world, what are you going to contribute? You will have the summer to explore a passion of knowing or doing. Roll up your sleeves and lean in to your curiosity! Summer Passion Projects count toward your completion of seminar each year. Each student will be sharing their project as part of our Passion Project Fair on Tuesday, August 20th at 6pm.
What's a Passion Project?
A passion project is an individualized or independent project that allows you to pursue your own areas of interest or — as the name suggests — passion. In a passion project, students have an opportunity to dive into a specific skill, topic, or medium. Above all, passion projects give you an opportunity to pursue interests outside of school and the good news is, you don’t have to do it alone. While passion projects can be individual undertakings, group passion projects are also worthwhile, too. The choice is yours!
So, what type of passion projects could you do? The sky is the limit, but take time to explore some ideas below!
So, what type of passion projects could you do? The sky is the limit, but take time to explore some ideas below!
RESEARCH
Research is an excellent way to demonstrate your commitment and ability to take initiative in your interests.
1. Creating a machine learning algorithm to predict the price of bitcoin using subreddit data (and then tracking a portfolio over a year to see its effectiveness).
2. Studying Billboard trends to conduct a research project on the rising popularity of hip-hop music.
3. Creating a research project on the presence of fractals in nature.
1. Creating a machine learning algorithm to predict the price of bitcoin using subreddit data (and then tracking a portfolio over a year to see its effectiveness).
2. Studying Billboard trends to conduct a research project on the rising popularity of hip-hop music.
3. Creating a research project on the presence of fractals in nature.
Community Impact
Get engaged in in your community and do good! Go beyond community service and take initiative to drive change.
1. Develop a blog that is focused on uncovering hidden history.
2. Build a podcast that interviews community leaders.
3. Organize a neighborhood garage sale for repurposing.
4. Start a letter-writing campaign to help influence political change.
1. Develop a blog that is focused on uncovering hidden history.
2. Build a podcast that interviews community leaders.
3. Organize a neighborhood garage sale for repurposing.
4. Start a letter-writing campaign to help influence political change.
ORGANIZE AN EVENT
Live events are a great way to show engagement with the community.
1. Curate a line up of your favorite local musicians and host live gigs online.
2. Go live on YouTube to talk about interesting developments in international politics.
3. Create a virtual tour of an area that you feel needs more attention.
4. Organize a game-a-thon to raise money for a local nonprofit.
1. Curate a line up of your favorite local musicians and host live gigs online.
2. Go live on YouTube to talk about interesting developments in international politics.
3. Create a virtual tour of an area that you feel needs more attention.
4. Organize a game-a-thon to raise money for a local nonprofit.
Creative
Get your creative juices flowing and bring new life to the world.
1. Write short stories or poems, for yourself or for publication.
2. Likewise, you can create your own comic book or graphic novels.
3. Learn how to shoot professional photography.
4. Curate a gallery of your own artwork.
5. Write your own literary magazine or blog based on the books you've read.
1. Write short stories or poems, for yourself or for publication.
2. Likewise, you can create your own comic book or graphic novels.
3. Learn how to shoot professional photography.
4. Curate a gallery of your own artwork.
5. Write your own literary magazine or blog based on the books you've read.
ACTIVITY & TRAVEL
Adventure is an exciting part of life! Getting active and trying new things can be a great way to find new passions.
1. Train for a 5K or other long-distance races.
2. Take lessons for a new sport you enjoy but have never played before.
3. Travel to new and unexpected places!
1. Train for a 5K or other long-distance races.
2. Take lessons for a new sport you enjoy but have never played before.
3. Travel to new and unexpected places!
Environmental
There are many ways we can all step up and do our part for our environment.
1. Create a cleanup initiative to help remove litter from roadways.
2. Plant trees and other native botanicals to help produce cleaner air.
3. Get involved in removing invasive species, like kudzu.
1. Create a cleanup initiative to help remove litter from roadways.
2. Plant trees and other native botanicals to help produce cleaner air.
3. Get involved in removing invasive species, like kudzu.
Step by Step
There is no right way to get started on a passion project, but here are some key steps that you don't want to miss!
1. Think about what you're interested in and like to do.
2. Pick a direction and gather the best people to help you make it happen - family is often a great place to start!
3. Set your deadlines. Look at your calendar and make a plan of action.
4. Get to work. Summer goes by quicker than you think!
5. Document it. Pictures, video, physical art pieces, etc. You'll need evidence for your presentation.
6. Wrap up! Don't forget to say thank you to anyone who helped along the way.
7. Put it all together.
8. Share your passion! Create a deliverable (presentation, video, gallery etc.) for your passion project. Each student will be sharing their project as part of our Passion Project Fair on Tuesday, August 20th at 6pm.
1. Think about what you're interested in and like to do.
2. Pick a direction and gather the best people to help you make it happen - family is often a great place to start!
3. Set your deadlines. Look at your calendar and make a plan of action.
4. Get to work. Summer goes by quicker than you think!
5. Document it. Pictures, video, physical art pieces, etc. You'll need evidence for your presentation.
6. Wrap up! Don't forget to say thank you to anyone who helped along the way.
7. Put it all together.
8. Share your passion! Create a deliverable (presentation, video, gallery etc.) for your passion project. Each student will be sharing their project as part of our Passion Project Fair on Tuesday, August 20th at 6pm.
Whether it’s getting outside and exploring nature or staying home with a paper and pencil, any passion project you choose will have its benefits! We can't wait to see what you bring to life this summer!
- Lynnhaven Faculty
- Lynnhaven Faculty
