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Senior Projects on Display at High School

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Today, in the HHS Athletic Center, graduating seniors put their Senior Capstone projects on display for their classmates and parents to see. 

The HHS Senior Capstone Experience is an opportunity for Hopkinton seniors, who are in good academic standing, to develop and engage in a meaningful summative project to demonstrate their fulfillment of the vision of a Hopkinton High School graduate.

Seniors applied to participate and included an outline of the planned activities they would experience during their 4 weeks of exploration. They also selected an adult mentor to guide them through their project. 

Some students worked in groups and others worked individually. Here are few of the standout projects.

Isabella Scalora and Bailey Harrigan – Gambian Dress

Why did you decide to build a dress?

We had a close connection with a woman from Gambia, and our mentor is a fashion designer. After connecting with her we were inspired by her, so we decided to make this dress.

Bella Scalora (L) and Bailey Harrigan (R)

Where did you get the materials? 

We learned that In Gambia they use a wax fabric that’s very stiff any many of their dresses are made out of it. We were able to order the material on Amazon. And then we made the belts and lining from cotton.

How long did it take to put it together? 

The designing process took about two weeks and the actual dress making was about two and half weeks.

What did you learn about dress making, and Gambia, that you didn’t know before?

We learned that the dress making tradition has started to become more modern over the years. Until recently, it was common for Gambian women to cover their shoulders and knees, but now it is more common to see shoulders exposed, and sometimes the knees too. We also learned how to sew a lot better!

Izak Peterson, Gus Norton and Miguel Linera – Go Kart

What inspired you to build a Go Kart? 

We really wanted to build a project that we could have fun with and we thought a Go Kart would be cool. Originally we thought maybe we’d build a boat but we figured with the water it would be difficult to showcase.

From L-R: Miguel Linera, Izak Peterson and Gus Norton

Where did you get the parts for this? 

We got the metal from a friend who is a welder. We bought the motor on OfferUp. We got some leather for the seat from a friend, and all the small stuff like nuts and bolts we picked up at Lowes. We spent about $200 on it total.

What did you learn about the process that you didn’t know before?

It takes lots of planning. You really have to plan ahead and stick with it. It took us about four weeks to complete, and this last week we were working almost 12 hours per day. It was a grind toward the end.

Now that the project is finished, who gets to keep it? 

We’re not sure! We’re going to try to keep improving it to see how far we can take it.

Dhanu Senthilkumarn, Div Srivastava, Aditya Sathishkumar and Erik Berlin – Cuisine from around the World

Div Srivistava

Where are your teammates?

They’re inside, serving Beignets and Tres Leches cake!

Tell me about this project.

This project is about the historical significance of food from different parts of the world, and the ingredients and techniques that have been used throughout history. 

What are you making right now, and what did you learn? 

These are Argentinian hot dogs, called Choripán. They’re served with Chimichurri sauce and they’re very popular. Many of the ingredients in the sauce came as a result of Spanish colonization. They brought with them herbs and spices that became used widely across society.

Max Nye – A chair made with hand tools

What inspired you to build this? 

I went to elementary school at Dedham Country Day School, and one of our projects was to build a chair in the wood shop. I wanted to try it again, but on my own.

Max Nye with his first chair (R) and his second.

Where did you find the materials? 

I bought the wood at Lowes and ordered the fabric and foam cushion on Amazon. 

How long did it take?

I think about 50-60 hours. 

What did you learn about making this chair that you didn’t know before?

Last time my teacher helped me through it a lot. This time I had to work through the roadblocks on my own. Cutting the back slats was difficult, and also figuring out the precise cuts needed and making sure the holes were drilled properly. It was difficult to get the angles correct because the seat is flared out a bit.

Kylie Skiba and Ishita Khurana – Training to be a EMT

Why did you choose this project?

We both want to go to medical school and we figured this was a good way to get clinical experience. 

Ashita Khurana and Kylie Skiba

Where did you train? 

We trained at Keefe Tech and the National EMS Institute in Attleboro. 

What were some of the highlights from your classes? 

We learned how to transport patients safely and how to provide basic first-aid and life saving techniques. One of the things we hadn’t considered was the mental health aspect of emergency medical services. Working in this field takes a toll on people’s mental health because they see things people don’t usually see on a daily basis.

Did you want to be a doctor more or less after this experience?

Definitely more. It was great clinical experience and we saw how much more there is we could do.

Where are you attending college?

Boston College (Kylie) and Brown University (Ishita). 


And with that, the class of 2023 are done!

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