There is a new final project for the seniors. The Echo talked with twelfth grade English teacher Rebecca Tucker-Smith to get the facts.

The senior project differs from past senior speeches because it’s less focused on giving a polished performance. Instead, the revamped project is more about doing something real that truly matters to students.

Senior speeches at Mount Greylock have usually been short presentations delivered to the student’s class and their loved ones. These speeches were often built around a funny story or big lesson students found impactful.

The new project asks students to slow down, think about their own lives and create something that shows who they are right now.

One major change is that the project begins with reading a book simply because the student cares about it. Senior speeches never required students to spend weeks reading anything, so this step already makes the project feel differentiated and more personal.

The “Do” part of the project also sets it apart. Instead of simply writing and giving a speech, students design an experience connected to their interests or future plans. This can mean volunteering, learning a new skill, building something, or exploring a question they’ve always wondered about.

The Senior Portrait, the written narrative that replaces the speech, also changes the tone. Students write about who they are, how they became that person, and how they hope to grow. This is a big shift from the more polished style of past speeches.

Finally, the way students share their work has changed. Senior speeches were always public events. The Senior Portrait is shared at minimum within English classes, but you have the option to share more widely only if the student wants to. This may make the project feel more respectful and less stressful.

“They aren’t ending,” said Tucker-Smith, clearing up any remaining confusion.

The new project is a mere addition to go along with the senior speeches as a source of reflection on students’ lives. The end of high school is an important milestone, with many students entering adulthood.

Overall, the new project is more reflective, more flexible and more focused on real growth than any senior speech before it, setting it apart from any final thing that the senior students have ever done before.