By Joe Rizza

The senior experience in high schools throughout Long Island typically consists of proms, applying to college, cruising through the late spring days while compiling a series of memories. As the year winds down, students fight the urge to cut classes, or in some cases, give in as spring fever blows in through the school's open windows. At Mineola High School, though, the entire senior experience is more complex and, as students prepare to turn the page in their academic lives, more worthwhile.

While senior year may tend to be the least desirable time for students to concentrate on school work, a program instituted four years ago gives seniors perhaps one of their most valuable experiences. During their final days at Mineola High Schools, students are finding out what it may be like to be a movie director or a psychologist or any other profession that may interest them.

"Seniors in their senior year tend to slump," explains Mineola High School Principal Jay Lewis. "Somehow when college applications are in, students tend to lose focus."

Rather than thinking of senior year as a time to breeze through the remaining days of high school, Mineola educators thought of a way to make senior year more meaningful. Four years ago, the Senior Project Program was instituted in Mineola High School's tech prep English courses, which comprised about 45 students. Implementing change in high school may be difficult since students are accustomed to conventional education. However, Mr. Lewis, in describing the institution of the program as one of the major changes in the school over the last five years, and supporters of the program believe it serves a multitude of purposes - developing relationship with mentors, providing students with abilities to network, developing independent learning techniques while also developing self reliance and confidence. The program, therefore, helps students make the transition from high school to whatever follows.

Much like in college where students are often required to write a thesis, the Senior Project Program requires students to research a topic, propose an idea, work in a location having to do with the topic while keeping their observations on record in a project journal and then ultimately making the presentation of their project.

According to Mr. Lewis, the senior projects enable the district to break away somewhat from conventional classroom education and thereby get students ready for the type of work that may be required of them in college and "the real world."

The program has been so successful that last year, the high school required all students to complete a senior project. Ann Zaffarese, the high school's coordinator for the program, and Mr. Lewis believe the program helps bridge the gap between high school and college or the work place by giving students hands-on experience in a field they are interested in. Many times, working in a particular field helps students decide which way their career path will lead.

With students encouraged to pursue a topic they want to know more about, the district's seniors are transformed from students just trying to get through the warm spring days to movie producers and therapists as they work through internships, service learning experience, original research or any other means by which students can utilize the vast tools and knowledge they have amassed during their entire academic careers. Students can select a wide range of topics, just about anything that would fascinate a young person whose option are practically limitless.

Mineola High School senior Lauren Wenzel has had an interest in both dance and psychology so she chose to do her senior project on dance therapy. As part of the minimum 20 hours of the on-site and out-of-the-classroom experience, Ms. Wenzel worked in a psychiatric ward where she interacted with some of the patients.

In her discussions with the patients, she developed relationships with them. Untrusting people began to trust her and so she knew she was in her element. After the presentation of her senior project at a recent meeting of the Mineola Board of Education, Ms. Wenzel spoke of the senior project as an enriching experience. Since she was interested in a career in psychology, the project only confirmed that the field of social work or therapy in the direction she wishes her career to go.

Senior James Benedetto has always been interested in directing. For his senior project, Benedetto wrote, directed and film a movie, The Glory of the Lights, that may give the producers of the Sopranos some ideas.

The 12-minute feature movie utilized fellow students as actors and was filmed about the community. The film drew a few laughs and a round of applause upon its conclusion from those gathered at the board of education meeting.

Students find that not only do they receive praise for their programs, but also experience that which will serve them well in the future. "We have all the kids from the advanced placement to the English as a second language kids to the special education kids, kids who think they can't do it, or think they don't know how to talk to people or are afraid to go out into businesses. They come back and say thank you and rave to us that they got so much out of it," Mrs. Zaffarese said. "Many of our kids have gotten offers for part-time jobs as a result of their experiences. Ninety-nine percent of the kids have a positive experience with it."

Every school year, each senior chooses a subject and then conducts research in order to write a senior project proposal. After a pre-proposal and final proposal are reviewed by teachers and fine-tuned by students, permission is granted to conduct the project. Students then often go out into the field of their choice.

Mentors work with students and are in contact with teachers. Carmela Bernacchio of Parent & Child Education (PACE) acted as one of the mentors. "The projects show the students the bridge from what they are learning in school to what they are going to be doing after their education," she said.

Perhaps, most importantly, students get a taste of what it's like to be in a certain profession before they are even out of their teens. It sure beats cutting classes or pulling senior pranks. "I'm always impressed with what they are able to accomplish and how they bring all their experience together," said Mrs. Zaffarese. "Many high schools don't feel like they're doing a good enough job preparing students for the real world. With this, we're moving a step closer to doing that. Not only are they learning about the topic, they are also learning valuable life skills - how to network, how to call people on the phone, keep appointments, things that often, we, as adults, take for granted."