The Plan by Mackenzie

The Plan by Mackenzie - December 2017 Scholarship Essay

1.Start a list. Lists are great, they make everything more organized and easier to see the steps. Plus, you get a feeling of satisfaction when you can cross something off.
2.Decide. Figure out what the project is about. Is it for history class? What decade is it in? Does it have to be about a specific person or country? A project for science class will often be very different than one for English class.
3.Limit. Determine the parameters. What does your project encompass? Do you have to make a power point presentation? Do you have to write an essay? Does your project need other participants, like competitors in a chili cook off?
4.Set deadlines. Doing a little bit every day adds up and makes it a lot easier to finish the problem on time. (Plus it’s less stressful) Make sure you get the project done in time for the deadline. It’s good to give yourself an extra day in case something goes awry or you decide to make a last minute change.
5.Do it! Work on the project itself. Draft an essay, review, and edit. Talk with people and recruit help if you need some manpower. Take pictures if you need too. Gather all your work into a power point, on a poster board, or whatever is needed.
6.Check you work. Have a peer or teacher review your work before you present. Try to get two or more people to look at your project, sometimes one person can overlook a mistake another person will easily catch.
7.Embellish. Add interesting items such as pictures or anecdotes to your project. For example, if your project is about Spain’s history and culture, you could bring some Spanish appetizers and pass them out before or after your presentation. Doing a science project about turtles? Track down a friendly kid and ask if you could borrow the reptile for a day.
8.Advertise. If you are presenting to the community, hang up flyers in public places to encourage viewers. Are you presenting after school? Ask the secretary to announce the time over the intercom.
9. Present. You could be presenting to a teacher, fellow classmates, or the entire community. Don't get nervous, there is always a way to make any topic interesting. Even if you project was a mandatory science fair about the life cycle of worms, have fun with it! Be animated and passionate when you are talking about your project. You put work into this thing, so own it!
10.Relax. Yay! You did it! Take a moment to pat yourself on the back for all of your efforts. Whether it was a week-long project or something that took months, you finished! Good job!