Throughout Grade 10, students work on a personal project as the capstone for their International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP). Personal projects focus on a passion that revolves around a challenge that is motivating and interesting to the individual student. Each year, students produce unique projects that are completed during a six-month independent research process with the ultimate goal being that students appreciate the process of learning, create a project that meets their learning style, and produce a product or outcome they can take pride in.
The MYP Personal Project allows students to further enhance STS’ belief in developing students to be independent, lifelong learners. In the following examples, students are using their Personal Project experience and ideas as a starting point, and finding opportunities beyond the classroom.
A luring start in Senior School
Emil Lindvall ’20 used his passion for fishing in Florida, to create an innovative fishing lure that changes colour with the temperature of the water. Through his personal experience of fishing in Florida, Emil found that depending on the time of year, there would be different species of fish in the water due to the temperature of the water. Each species requires a different lure that can be costly for fishermen. Emil shared his lures with fellow fishermen while fishing in Florida over the spring break. This created so much interest in his lures, that he has since created a website to sell them. Using the global context of scientific and technological innovation, Emil was able to research, ideate and create a functional product based on fish migration patterns, material composition and consumer needs.
Beyond the classroom
Allison Simpson '17, is currently attending UBC in the engineering program with the goal of entering the Biomedical Engineering Program. In her first year of university, she was accepted as a member of the Biomedical Engineering Student Team (BEST), a mentorship opportunity for students to shadow full team members and learn how to approach medical problems using the design cycle and brainstorm innovative solutions.
In Grade 10, Allison, a ski racer at the time, witnessed many of her team members struggle with ACL knee injuries. Through her Personal Project, she set out to design a knee brace for downhill skiers that would have a unique clip at the bottom which would attach to the ski boot.
When applying for BEST, she was able to share her personal project to demonstrate her ability to use the design cycle to create an innovative solution for downhill skiers struggling with ACL injuries. Today, Allison is working with BEST to design rehabilitation products for stroke patients. Her team at UBC has created an innovative music-to-movement device to help stroke patients work on their fine motor skills as well as electronic devices to help patients turn their door knobs and hold cylindrical objects.
