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During their senior year, Whitinsville Christian School students are offered the choice of writing a research paper or completing a Senior Capstone Project, a program launched seven years ago. The Capstone Project is year-long endeavor that must expand the student’s knowledge of a topic, be recorded in a blog, and be supported by a mentor. Students make a final presentation of their project to the Capstone Committee at the end of the school year. Historically, 10-15% of students choose to complete a Capstone Project. Fourteen students from the class of 2018 (over 30%) have chosen to take on this challenge. This year’s projects include working with WCS athletes, drawing cartoons for elementary school Spanish students, volunteerism, a fashion show, and artistic endeavors including a short film and a photography exhibit.

For his project, Isaiah Hart produced a very realistic scene to show the possible results of distracted driving. Isaiah has served as a volunteer with the Harrisville, RI Fire Department for years. Because of his experience responding to accidents, he knew a Capstone Project would be an effective way to show teens the consequences of texting and driving. Fellow students acted in a video ending in a crash scene. The entire high school student body then went outside to see many first responders arriving at the “accident scene”, treating the injured, and questioning the driver. Next, students saw an ER scene in which the passenger was pronounced deceased, followed by a funeral scene, and arrest of the distracted driver. Isaiah coordinated many first responders, Direnzo Towing, and Boucher Funeral Home to make the scenario feel very real. “I am so proud of Isaiah!” said WCS business teacher, Sherri Watters. “He has worked so hard on this project which has such a huge impact on our entire high school, students and teachers.”