On June 2, dozens of Acera students showcased their Inquiry, Maker and Passion Projects at the school’s IMPposium. There were science experiments using CRISPR, explorations of cybersecurity and 3D modeling, carving and building with wood, computer programming projects, original fiction and artwork, and more.
A hallmark of Acera’s Upper School program, IMP Projects are critical drivers of intrinsic motivation. Students can propose any project they are passionate about, organizing a community service project, developing a video game or website, or creating an elaborate costume or dress. Every week, students have blocks of time to design, create, problem solve, and iterate on a project of their choosing, while concurrently learning project management skills.
IMP projects are a way for kids to get excited about something, to find a mentor who can help them learn about the thing that they want to learn about, and create something that makes them feel proud. This fosters a sense of purpose that motivates them to want to improve in areas of weakness, because they are bringing alive something that’s important to them!
