Students in this semester's Junior/Senior Project course at Newtown High School recently wrapped up a semester's worth of effort.

The course is designed to offer students the chance to explore a subject or career they are passionate about outside of the classroom. When the students present their projects each semester, a panel of judges are present to review the efforts. Educators Peg Ragaini, Elizabeth Hanna, and Susan McConnell oversee the course.

Before presenting their projects on May 31, three of four students spoke to The Newtown Bee about their chosen areas of research at a May 24 rehearsal.

For his project, NHS junior Brendan Smith said he restored a 1987 Jeep, "mainly for the need of a car."

"Through resources here at the school and within the state, I was able to get it from a frame with an engine to a fully working vehicle," said Brendan.

The project overall took longer than he thought it would, but Brendan said he learned to "stay persistent."

"I was able to take it back and forth to school this week," said Brendan.

NHS junior Kai-Li Davey organized a unified track meet called Little Feet Meet for kindergarten through fifth grade athletes and partners. The event partnered students with intellectual disabilities with "their typical peers," according to Kai-Li. The event was held on May 19 in the high school's gymnasium.

"I was very pleased with my turnout," said Kai-Li, adding that her project taught her how to communicate better. She shared later, "I loved this class. I thought it was a great learning experience."

NHS Junior Andrew Gardner said he wanted to learn to design and propose a roller coaster for Quassy Amusement Park in Middlebury. He worked with the park on his project, and he used software on his home computer called NoLimits 2 to make his design.

Andrew said he learned about types of rides and feasibility through his project. He hopes some of his ideas may be used in an eventual ride at the park.

"I learned that zoning and construction of different rides... just how specific and calculated everything is," said Andrew, when asked what he learned most from his project.

Overall, Andrew said the class was "awesome" for allowing him to study something he is passionate about.

The fourth NHS senior, Lisa Enaye, said her project was to create a children's mystery chapter book. The book included racially diverse characters and an accompanying braille embossment for visually impaired readers, according to Lisa.

"I believe in diversifying different art forms, and I have always had a passion for literature. I wanted to write an engaging novel for children that could re-spark a love for reading and write a book that a wider audience could read. That is essentially where the braille aspect came in," wrote Lisa in an e-mail on June 8.

Writing for a visually impaired audience, she said, allowed her to grow in her writing. She said she learned to write descriptive scenes and characters without focusing on visuals.

"I enjoyed the class," Lisa noted. "I had a lot of fun doing an independent project my junior year and wanted to try my hands at something new. Writing a book has always been a goal of mine, and through this class, I was able to accomplish it. I also loved seeing the projects of the other students in my class. It was amazing watching their dreams and passions become a reality at their final presentations."