Capstone Project

Partly inspired by Google’s famous 20% principle, which gives employees time to pursue and develop an alternative area of interest during the work week, the Capstone Project gives our 8th graders 48 hours to spend over the course of their third trimester to work on projects inspired by their curiosity, creativity, and passions. The culmination of these projects, part of our exhibition of learning events that the larger EBSB community can attend, includes displaying work and reflections of work in maker booths, TED Talks, documentaries, and performances.

What happens in Capstone class?

Project Agreements

  • Try things, take chances, and enjoy what you try

  • Be present - In our time together, this is the work

  • Respect the room, each other and their ideas

  • Worry collectively - Your support is in the room!

  • Embrace failure - It is inevitable!

  • Responsible breaks

  • Impressive behavior

Project Milestones

  • Create a project proposal & defend it in front of a Shark Tank panel.

  • Project proposal finalized and signed by the student, their parents, their cohort leader, and Kari.

  • Earn badges for research, interviews, site visits, mentor meetings, creating art, working with others, confronting challenges, and more!

  • Present final projects on Capstone Showcase Night!

Final Presentations

Presentations can take many forms, but some options are:

  • TED-style talk

  • Performance

  • Finished Product: Publication, Web site, Portfolio

  • Product Demo with Pitch

  • Video or Documentary

  • Multimedia Presentation

  • Reading of original poetry or a paper

  • Presentation of a Business Plan