Group of Greensburg Salem students call for end of senior projects

A group of Greensburg Salem High School seniors is calling on the district to cancel senior projects because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Student Tyler Allen uploaded a video on the subject to YouTube Tuesday. It had been viewed over 6,000 times as of Sunday morning.

“It’s been held over everyone’s head as a looming thing: You have to complete this or you can’t graduate,” he said.

Greensburg Salem High School has required senior projects for 12 years. Students pick their projects, which can take many forms — such as internships, scientific research or film-making.

Allen had hoped to intern with a video production company, but the company is struggling because of the pandemic, he said.

Other students’ projects require materials or technology they might not have at home and they can’t get in school because the building is closed, Allen said.

Principal David Zilli said the project is a vital part of students’ senior year.

“Our graduates feel this is the most valuable thing that they do in their high school career,” he said. “This is an opportunity for students to really drive their own learning.”

The pandemic has made things more difficult, but Zilli said students can come to teachers, advisers and administrators for guidance.

He met virtually with Allen and other students before and after the video was released to talk about steps they could take to complete their projects successfully despite the challenges.

“We just have to game plan and find a way to alter that project, so that they can still demonstrate meaningful learning, just in a different manner,” Zilli said.

Allen said he doesn’t believe these options are enough to help students successfully complete their projects.

Senior Dakota Francis said the project adds too much stress in an academic year that is already full of it.

“A lot of the students believe that the senior project is supposed to be a main priority, and it’s just added a lot of stress for a good amount of us,” he said.

Many students have struggled to adjust to virtual learning, he said. Francis created an online survey for his fellow seniors. Of the 117 respondents, nearly a quarter said they were failing at least one class.

In his video, Allen said a large number of students are failing their classes.

Zilli said he doesn’t know where Allen got those statistics, or if they are accurate. He said more students are failing this year, but faculty and staff are taking steps to reverse the slide.

“We’re working to engage all our students and make sure all our students are successful,” he said.

Allen and Francis said they and other students are considering a boycott of senior projects if administrators don’t intervene.

“We’re not doing it just because we’re teenagers and this is a rebellious phase of doing this,” Francis said. “We’re doing this because this is a very stressful time.”

Zilli said the senior project is sticking around this year.

“This is an expectation, and yet we’re going to find ways to support you, and we’re going to find ways for you as students to be successful,” he said.