What is your ultimate strategy for success on a school project? by Mia

What is your ultimate strategy for success on a school project? by Mia - December 2017 Scholarship Essay

Varsity Tutors Scholarship Entry

Mia Tranchina
French Settlement High School
French Settlement, Louisiana

What is your ultimate strategy for success on a school project? – Varsity Tutors Scholarship Essay

School projects have always been important to me. I have been driven by good grades my entire school career. When I was in elementary school, I liked to work on my projects alone. Most of my science fair and social studies fair projects were top winners each year. I loved the satisfaction of knowing I worked and research on a topic for months to the best of my ability. My hard work paid off by the awards and ribbons I won.

Fast forward to high school, and school projects have become a group effort. This has been an adjustment for me. I was always used to going with my ideas and making the final project decisions. Now, I have had to learn to step back and not always take charge.

When I have a current class project, teachers place us into random selected groups. This has caused my project strategy to totally change. With various ideas and topics being thrown around, teamwork comes into play. It’s not always my idea that is chosen. I do not get upset about it, I see it as a part of growing up and preparing for my future education.

My classmates often look to me to be the leader. I encourage other students to step up and take charge. I now try to find the talents each one of our group members hold. For example, someone may be terrified to talk in front of the class, but their strength is putting together a great power point presentation. A classmate may be a great illustrator, while another may be organized to keep the group text meetings in order. Everyone has a very important role to play in a group project, you just have to tap into each person’s strengths. This is key in the success of the group.

My mother has been a business owner for almost 20 years. She shares with me the topics talked about at Chamber of Commerce events and conventions. For years I have heard in the local business community that my Millennial generation lacks communication skills. There is less face to face communication and more communication by technology. Text, email, Facebook likes, Snapchat and Instagram is how my generation relates and communicates with each other most of the time. There is no talking on the phone or sitting around a conference table talking for hours. It’s now FaceTime and liking posts. Technology has definitely changed my generation.

A few years ago, I heard the guest speaker at my Uncle Ryan’s college graduation from LSU, say that a new graduate will get hired on their technical skills, and fired on their communication skills. I have tucked that phrase in the back of my mind and have thought about it often. My current education is preparing me for my future career, but communication skills is what bridges the gaps between all generations in a workforce. Although my generation has grown up on technology overload, we need to put emphasis on communicating with others. Working with a random group of people on a class school project makes us use different aspects of our communication skills.

Usually a class group nominates a peer to be the leader, but it’s the leader’s responsibility to make sure each classmate has an assigned task. Tasks include the leader, graphic designer, researchers, power point designer, and presentation speakers to name a few. Each classmate has a very important role to make the outcome of the project a success. I see this model working in real life too. Not everyone of my classmates are destined to go to a four-year college like I plan, but they have other talents to show the world.

I now sit back and try not to get nominated as a school project head leader. My peers look to me first, but I have been in charge for years. It’s their turn to shine and take the lead role. Even though I exceed my work expectations on projects, I try to inspire new leaders. Someone that does not think they can lead or present the project, feels satisfied as the final presentation is accomplished. I see the value in making everyone feel important in the work that they contribute the school project. This is how the real world works. There are many different ideas that have to be meshed together for the final project result to be a success. Hopefully by my inspiration of different project leaders, and encouragement of various communication skills, will prepare our future leaders for the workforce. Teachers must know what they are doing by making students participate in a high school group projects. The hard work and outcome can have lasting effects.