[ back ]
Senior projects offer real-life experiences
(by Sue Hoffman - June 17, 2009)
Senior projects offer real-life experiences
By SUE HOFFMAN
From learning about Solon's new master plan, to contributing her ideas for the city's Web site, 2009 Solon High School graduate Anne Kosnik gained insight into the business world during her recent two-week senior project at City Hall.
Working with Peggy Weil Dorfman, manager of economic development, Ms. Kosnik received a whirlwind tour of city business. She visited the city's industrial area, attended a business show sponsored by several local chambers of commerce and helped with marketing projects at Mayor Kevin C. Patton's office and Solon Center for the Arts. She also reviewed Solon's master plan with Ms. Weil Dorfman and heard city Planning Director Robert S. Frankland's presentation on the subject to City Council.
"I learned about many aspects of a career in business and got the opportunity to see some of Solon's marketing ideas," Ms. Kosnik said. "Peggy showed me how Solon markets itself to other cities, residents in the community and businesses. She introduced me to one of its most recent marketing pieces: 'When It Gets Down to Business, Solon Gets It!'"
Aside from shadowing Ms. Weil Dorfman, Ms. Kosnik contributed her ideas to enhance the economic development Web pages and produced a flier for the Solon Center for the Arts.
Ms. Weil Dorfman said the senior project "is a great way for students to get experience in the real world. For me, it was valuable to have some fresh insight." For example, Ms. Kosnik contributed several ideas to enhance the Web site.
"I'm happy to report it's done," Ms. Weil Dorfman said. "She helped with other projects as well."
"The best way to achieve my goals was to watch how Peggy dealt with a situation and do the same," Ms. Kosnik said. While helping her with some of her daily projects, "I learned how to stay organized in the business field.
"Next year I will be studying business at Ohio Northern University, and I know that the experiences from these two weeks will help me immensely. I believe that senior project is a great opportunity for students to see what their futures might entail."
Ms. Kosnik was one of 394 Solon High School seniors who completed senior projects this year and reported on their experiences at an evening symposium for peers, parents, faculty and mentors. Those doing senior projects represented 90 percent of their class.
"I believe this project provides meaningful opportunities for students to explore different options for their future careers," Assistant Principal Antoine Campbell said. "It provides hands-on experience in real life situations, which is invaluable for students entering into post high school life."
Students headed to animal hospitals, schools, businesses, medical centers, fire and police departments, courtrooms, television stations, legislators' offices and sports facilities.
Chad Slomovitz found his dream job by shadowing Dr. Alan Cohen, a pediatric neurosurgeon at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital in Cleveland.
"There are so many fields in medicine," said Mr. Slomovitz, who will be a pre-med major at Emory University in Atlanta. "The senior project gave me more insight into the life of a surgeon. I loved it." He said a surgeon's practice, involving half the day with patients and the other half in the operating room, "provides a very nice balance."
Mr. Slomovitz shadowed Dr. Cohen, with Tejas Sathe, a classmate who will attend Princeton University. The students saw various minimally-invasive surgeries, which involve "as small an incision as possible," Mr. Slomovitz said.
Patients ranged from newborns to 18 years, and from patients seen for several years to new patients referred by the emergency room. "You get the whole spectrum," he said. They saw a 3-month-old whose head was partly flat. "We learned as time goes on and the skull develops, the head usually rounds out." An 18-year-old patient was seen for an injury around the eye.
Among the surgeries they observed was a ventriculostomy, in which a small perforation is made in the bottom of the third ventricle of the brain to drain fluid and relieve pressure for a patient with hydrocephalus.
The Solon students also observed a clinic for residents conducted by a resident doctor from Greece. At the clinic, medical residents practiced neurosurgery on cadavers.
That kind of practice is essential, Mr. Slomovitz said. "In neurosurgery, any mistake could be astronomical."
[ back ]
