29 Mentor Description 30 Mentor Arrangements 31 Mentor Commitment Form 32 Mentor Information Letter 33 Mentor Progress Check 34 Product

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1 29 Mentor Description 30 Mentor Arrangements 31 Mentor Commitment Form 32 Mentor Information Letter 33 Mentor Progress Check 34 Product Mentor/Independent Work Log 35 Mentor Evaluation of Physical Product 36 Thank-you Letter Format and Sample 38 Onslow County Product Component Rubric 39 State Product Component Rubric

2 Mentor Description Finding a Mentor A mentor is a person who develops an on-going one-on-one relationship with a Northside student to help develop his/her product. A mentor s role is to encourage, listen, give advice, advocate, act as a role model and share information and experience to help produce a product. You are allowed to take an excused ½ day to meet with your mentor. You must complete the ½ Day Excused Absence with Mentor Form found on appendix page 104 with prior approval. A Mentor... is selected by you, not assigned. must be at least 21 years old should be knowledgeable in the topic you have selected. easily available to work with you. confirms the validity of the research findings in your research paper. A Mentor Cannot be a relative. do the work for you. (They may assist you.) purchase supplies for you. be a NSH teacher. verifies that the product has been completed, and signs off on the mentor log. confirms the number of hours you spend working on your project. helps you define the exact product you will do. To be sure that your mentor meets requirements, complete the following Your mentor is an expert in your topic field. Your mentor is neither a relative or NSH teacher/staff. Your mentor is at least 21. Your mentor will be available to you throughout the GP process. Your mentor is enthusiastic about helping you during the GP process. Your mentor is a local resident. Your teacher can easily reach your mentor. If the answer to any of these questions is no, you need to rethink your choice of mentor. NSH staff/teacher may not serve as a mentor unless approved by Mrs. Johnson and Graduation Project Coordinators. STUDENTS MUST FIND A MENTOR IN THE COMMUNITY!!!

3 Mentoring Arrangements Calling to Arrange a Mentorship Listed below are some tips to help you, the Graduation Project student, arrange for a mentorship. Space is provided so that you can write out the required information before making a call. Remember to have a pencil and paper ready when you make the call. Practice before calling. Many people whom you call will not know what mentoring for the Graduation Project entails. If you explain who you are and give an explanation of what is mentoring, the person will be more likely to grant your request. Calling can be scary for some of you; breathe deeply and be yourself. 1. Introduce yourself. 2. Explain the reason for your call. 3. Explain mentoring if the person is not familiar with the responsibilities of a Graduation Project mentor. 4. Request a mentorship opportunity. 5. When you get a positive response, arrange a date and a time at his/her convenience and at his/her place of employment or site approved by your parent(s)/guardian(s). 6. If the person cannot accommodate your request for a mentorship, ask if s/he could suggest another person you might contact. 7. Thank the person for his/her time. Let him/her know you are looking forward to meeting with him/her. ****The Day of the Mentorship Meeting**** 1. Dress appropriately for the workplace. See Presentation Attire page Be on time for your appointment. 3. Have your list of questions ready and be prepared to ask them. 4. Be courteous. Turn off all electronic devices! 5. Thank the person for his/her time. 6. Ask for a business card so that you know where to send a thank-you note. 7. Send the thank-you letter (VERY IMPORTANT). See page 36.

4 Mentor Commitment Form Each Graduation Northside High School student will need to have a mentor who is experienced in the student s Graduation Project area and who will be willing to help the student with his/her research and product. 2. give information to the student. 3. provide guidance for the student. 4. be a resource. 5. help the student identify the exact product that he/she plans to complete. 6. give support and encouragement to the student. 7. not do the project for the student. 8. help the student stretch to go beyond his/her current skills and attempt something that he/she has not previously tried. 9. verify that the product has been completed by the student. 10. confirm/verify the number of hours spent working on the product. A mentor should be at least a 21 year-old adult who resides in the community or in a nearby location but is not related to the student and does not teach at NSH. If you have any questions or would like to be a judge of other students presentations, please contact the Graduation Project coordinator at I (Print mentor s name) understand what will be expected of me as a mentor, and I agree to be a mentor for (Print student s full name) with his/her Graduation Project of Mentor s Address: Mentor s Home Phone: Cell: Mentor s Mentor s Signature: Date: Student s Signature: Date:

5 Dear Mentor: Mentor Information Letter Thank you for agreeing to be a mentor for s Graduation Project. To help clarify your role in this assignment, the High School Graduation Project Committee has prepared the following guidelines. Graduation Project is a four-phased assignment completed during a student s final year in high school. This assignment involves writing a research paper, developing a physical product, compiling a portfolio and making an oral presentation before a small group of faculty, staff, and community members. Your role will be the second phase of helping the student to develop a physical product. 1. The first phase of the Graduation Project is the research paper, which was completed during the junior year with the understanding that it will be refined during the senior year. 2. The second phase of the Graduation Project is the development of a physical product. Product completion date is the date of your practice presentation. Presentations will be (fill in the dates). Your primary role is to verify that the student has invested a minimum of 15 hours towards the completion of this product: 4 hours must be with a mentor. Any advice or assistance you can offer will not only increase the quality of the product, but will also enhance the overall learning experience of the student. At every visit, please complete a Mentor Progress Check with the student. These forms verify that you have seen the product in various stages of its development and can attest to the student s involvement. The student will return these forms to his/her teacher. This phase concludes your role as a mentor in the GRADUATION PROJECT. Also, complete a Mentor Evaluation of Physical Product Form of your mentoring experience, a copy of which is enclosed. Please complete this form at the end of your mentoring experience and return it to the student. The student will independently compile a portfolio that reflects the journey of the Graduation Project. You may assist the student by taking pictures and/or videos of his/her progress. However, you have no other responsibility in the completion of the portfolio. Thank you again for taking time from your busy schedule to share your knowledge and expertise with this student. Please feel free to contact your student s Homeroom teacher or the Graduation Project Coordinators if you have any questions regarding your role as a mentor. Northside High School: Advisor:

6 Mentor Progress Check Students must document the contacts with the mentor and should present a log sheet to his/her mentor at each visit. The log should be completed by the mentor and signed. There should be a total of 4 hours of contacts with the mentor. Student: Date: Student spent from o clock to o clock Total time today: Please comment on the following categories: 1. Progress or actual work completed today: Excellent Average Below Average 2. Did the student use his/her time wisely today? Somewhat 3. What should the student do before the next visit with you? 4. What are the goals for the next visit? Mentor Signature: Student Signature: COPY AS NEEDED: Contact hours must total 4 hours

7 COPY AS NEEDED Product Mentor and Independent Work Log Mentor Must Sign His or Her Full Name (No Initials) DATE AMOUNT OF TIME IN INCREMENTS OF HALF HOURS SUCH AS 1 1/2 HOURS DESCRIPTION OF TASKS COMPLETED. WRITE LEGIBLY IN MATURE SENTENCES USING BLACK INK. OF MENTOR (NO INITIALS) If you worked independently, write Independent in this section.

8 Mentor Evaluation of Physical Product The mentor who can verify the student s work throughout the product process should complete this form. After completion of this form, please give to the student so he/she can give to his/her advisor. This form will be evidence to be placed in the student s portfolio. Student s Name: Mentor s Name: Mentor s Home #: Cell #: Mentor s 1. Please describe which aspect of the student s product you have witnessed in progress. 2. How many hours can you verify that the student has worked on the product? 3. Describe any growth in attitude or skills you observed as the student completed the product. 4. Describe what the best moment was for the student in completion of the product. Criteria Outstanding Above Average Evidence of learning stretch Commitment of completion Evidence of responsibility Goal of excellence Average Below Average Not Evident Demonstration of mature behavior Management of time Comment: Mentor s Signature: Date:

9 Thank-You Letter Format The words thank you are powerful that will take you far in life, especially in the workplace. A verbal thank-you is thoughtful and polite, but a written one is even more thoughtful. 1. Write a minimum of TWO thank you letters. Compose and type a thank-you letter to your mentor, interviewee and to anyone else who provides assistance. See the sample letter on next page. 2. Be sincere and prompt (preferably less than a week after the occasion). 3. Avoid sending a form letter that could apply to anything; say exactly what this person did to merit your thanks. 4. The form of a thank-you letter is like that of a business letter, but it is shorter. Type the note with Times New Roman 12 pt. font and 1-inch margins. 5. Proofread, run spell-check, and make corrections. Have a classmate proofread the letter. 6. ASK YOUR ENGLISH TEACHER or ADVISOR TO PROOFREAD IT. Make corrections. Proofread the letter again. 7. When the letter is perfect, sign it in black ink. 8. Address the envelopes correctly and place a stamp on each. 9. Photocopy each signed letter. These photocopies will be included in your portfolio for judges review. 10. Follow your teacher s instructions on mailing the letters.

10 Thank-You Letter Format Sample 133 Hummingbird Lane Jacksonville, North Carolina October 7, 2012 Insert 3 single spaces Return Address and Date line Mr. Theodore Pookeepsie Inside Address 25 Whatever Lane (Person receiving the letter) Jacksonville, North Carolina Dear Mr. Pookeepsie: Salutation Body Your help as my mentor during Graduation Project has been invaluable. I have learned so much under your guidance throughout the process of refinishing my family s heirloom dining room furniture. Without your expertise, outlining the steps I needed to do, I could not have completed this project. As you know, the finished product is beautiful, and my entire family is pleased with the outcome. Also, the information you provided during the interview for my research paper added the detail I needed for a thorough discussion of my topic, Refinishing Antiques. I did well on my paper, and, knowing this background information, I feel confident I can answer the judges questions about it. You have helped me in so many ways. I appreciate the time you took for me during this semester and sharing your knowledge with me. Thank you for your time and assistance. Sincerely, Elmer Buddusky Complimentary Close Your signature (signed in cursive in black ink) Keyed Signature

11 Onslow County Schools Graduation Project: Product Component Rubric Please review the explanation of the standards established by the North Carolina Dept. of Public Instruction and the criteria for reaching each standard level. Use those guidelines to evaluate the student s product. Student: Topic: Time Exemplary Satisfactory Developing/ Emerging Exceeds number of recommended hours. Demonstrates effective time management. Learning Stretch and Depth of Knowledge Chooses a challenging product representing a significant learning stretch Demonstrates a logical and relevant link to research topic. Demonstrates critical analysis of research in producing an original product Demonstrates significant creative thinking, decisionmaking, reasoning, and/or problem-solving Demonstrates extensive connection to real-world situations Quality of Work/Effort Exhibits creative and exceptional results using talents, abilities, and varied resources Displays extensive use of detail Shows evidence of consistent self-directed actions Displays evidence of exceptional technical skills Ethics Consistently demonstrates ethical standards in product development Resubmission Necessary Successfully Completed: Not Successfully Completed: Judge: Date: Students who fail to meet Satisfactory or above on any of the criteria will have the opportunity to make corrections and re-present the product by the Deadline for Approved Products. Failure to achieve an approved product may result in a repeat of the project unless extenuating circumstances have been documented and given prior approval.

12 State Product Component Rubric Review the descriptions below to determine the criteria used to evaluate the Graduation Project product. In order to successfully complete this component, students must earn at least satisfactory status on all criteria. <<<<<<< Successful Completion >>>>>>>> <<<<<<<<<<< Has Not Completed >>>>>>>> Exemplary Satisfactory Developing/Emerging Resubmission Necessary Time Exceeds number of recommended hours. Meets number of recommended hours. Demonstrates effective Demonstrates sufficient use time management. of time management. Learning Stretch and Depth of Knowledge Chooses a challenging product representing a significant learning stretch Demonstrates a logical and relevant link to research topic. Demonstrates critical analysis of research in producing an original product Demonstrates significant creative thinking, decisionmaking, reasoning, and/or problem-solving Demonstrates extensive connection to real-world situations Quality of Work/Effort Exhibits creative and exceptional results using talents, abilities, and varied resources Displays extensive use of detail Shows evidence of consistent self-directed actions Displays evidence of exceptional technical skills Ethics Consistently demonstrates ethical standards in product development Chooses a product representing a sufficient learning stretch Demonstrates an adequate and relevant link to research topic. Demonstrates reasonable evaluation of research in producing an original product Demonstrates sufficient creative thinking, decisionmaking, reasoning, and/or problem-solving Demonstrates sufficient connection to real- world situations Exhibits adequate results using talents, abilities, and varied resources Displays sufficient use of detail Shows evidence of requiring some prompting for selfdirected actions Displays evidence of competent technical skills Generally demonstrates ethical standards in product development Does not meet number of recommended hours. Demonstrates minimum use of time management. Chooses a product representing a limited learning stretch Demonstrates a minimal link to research topic. Demonstrates limited understanding of research in producing an original product Demonstrates limited creative thinking, decisionmaking, reasoning, and/or problem-solving Demonstrates limited connection to real-world situations Exhibits ineffective results using talents, abilities, and varied resources Displays minimum use of detail Shows evidence of requiring continuous prompting for actions Displays evidence of minimal technical skills Demonstrates limited understanding and application of ethical standards in product development Shows evidence of little to no hours invested. Demonstrates no use of time management. Chooses a product with no learning stretch Shows no link to research topic. Demonstrates no understanding of research in producing an original product Demonstrates no evidence of creative thinking, decisionmaking, reasoning, and/or problem-solving Demonstrates no connection to real- world situations Exhibits unacceptable or no results Lacks use of detail Shows no evidence of selfdirected actions Displays no evidence of technical skills Demonstrates unethical standards in product development Not Submitted Fails to submit product Fails to submit product Fails to submit product Fails to submit product