Project by: Zander (12th Grade)
Project Advisor: Josh Marks
Student(s)’s Advisor(s): Kara Luce
Description of the Project: Researching personal finance practices and gaining a more comprehensive understanding of those topics in order to write a handbook for high school students
Final Product:
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Open in new tab Final Reflection on Learning:
This was a really fun and enlightening project. I was able to learn so much about managing my finances; it was all practical information. I’m really glad that I did this. Not only was I able to learn, but I was able to put together a small handbook that can help others learn exactly what I did. I went into this project hoping to answer questions, as I was worried that I would have a hard time with money after high school, as I started to become more financially independent. I feel a lot more prepared for things like getting a job or getting a credit card. I hope that students in the future have an interest in the same things I was interested in learning
Update on Progress from Weeks 1-3:
For the past month, I have been working on a draft of my handbook. It’s been more difficult than I’d imagined. I have a lot less information than I thought I did. Much of the information is something that I need to research on my own, and I’d been relying on Josh for information in the past. It seemed like he gave me so much information in the first trimester, but it’s hard to apply it to the draft; it’s a lot of the same points being reiterated. I have started to explore outside resources, which has been extremely helpful. I am hopeful that a full draft will be ready soon.
Update on Progress from Weeks 4-6:
I have been able to make significant progress on my draft. It has been hard to balance classwork and musical projects like the Jazz Ensemble or the Coffee House all happening at the same time. With everything winding to an end, it will be easier to dedicate more time to my Honors Project. The next steps are to finish drafting and start editing what I’ve written.
Update on Progress from Weeks 7-9:
I’ve finally finished! I pieced together the sections that I’d outlined in previous weeks. Step by step, it fell into place. I talked with Josh as I was writing, and he offered advice and suggestions for my work. I started by writing about borrowing, followed by a section on budgeting. This came about, as I realized that there were things missing before I could write the complimentary piece on saving. Next came the introduction and the conclusion. Those outlined my journey from beginning to end of this process. It went all the way back to September and the questions I started out with. The project has come full circle.
Trimester 1 Update:
Final Product (e.g., documents, images, video, audio, poster, display, etc.):
Final Reflection on Learning: This Honors Project has taught me a lot so far. I’ve learned about how credit works, how important balancing your checkbooks is, and more. I’ve also learned beyond the content of this project. I’ve been able to hone my note taking skills, gaining a greater appreciation for concrete notes; reflect on how I digest information, how my peers digest information. One major takeaway that I hoped to gain through this project was an increased understanding and connection to the socioeconomic world around me. It opened my eyes to how I relate to my peers, how I relate as a member of society, even how governments relate to each other. I look forward to continuing this project in Trimester 2, for all it can continue to teach me.
Update on Progress from Weeks 1-3 (include any photos or video if relevant): The first step to this project was to identify specific topics that we would be diving deeper into. This led us to three central questions: what do I need to know for high school; what do i need to know post high school; what do I need to know for the adult world? This is the framework into which I will view the four central topics that we’ve organized all the information to be sorted. Those four topics are Income and Expenses, Borrowing, Saving, and Investing. Looking forward, what is left to do is to start gathering resources which will help explain the topics and subtopics we’re researching, in order to solidify my understanding of these topics. The next step is all about the research.
Update on Progress from Weeks 4-6 (include any photos or video if relevant): Over the past few weeks, I have finished the preliminary idea generation. I have gone through basic topics to find subtopics I am curious about and feel are pertinent to the final product. We talked about, in a logical order, first understanding and balancing income and expenses, followed by borrowing, saving, and investing. The basic outline for the final product is done. What comes next is finding resources and reading material to deepen my surface level understandings.
Update on Progress from Weeks 7-9 (include any photos or video if relevant): The final weeks of the project were dedicated to organizing the final product of this project. It dealt with drafting outlines and compiling resources. As Josh and I discussed at the conception of this project, the timeline would need to extend into Trimester 2. This kind of writing requires many rounds of drafting and editing, which will start over the break (on my own initiative). We spent our time preparing for that. We discussed things like tone and voice of the handbook; key when considering the target audience. What comes next is largely the hard part: writing and publishing my work.
