The Project

Project Selection

1. Projects that are one day events will not be accepted. You / we will need to brainstorm ideas to extend your project idea beyond the one-day event.  The one-day event can be the culminating activity, but there will need to be other opportunities to show/display/community interaction your project ideas.

2.     

Facility Usage

1. School District: Any student desiring to use spaces and facilities within Godley ISD to conduct their Senior Project must indicate so on their Project Proposal Form. Following approval, it is the student’s responsibility to meet with Mr. Matherne to submit an online Facility Request form with the campus / district facility coordinator. When this meeting is held, the student should have already checked possible dates against the school district calendar.

2. Outside Venues: If a student wants to hold a function related to their Senior Project at a location off school premises, they must indicate so on their Project Proposal Form. Following approval, it is the student’s responsibility to meet with the owner of the proposed venue and discuss the location’s insurance policy. The Senior Project student will be asked to verify that they have done this by Mr. Matherne. Venues used by Senior Project students in the past have included Churches and various properties own by the City of Godley.

Fundraising

Senior Project is a wonderful opportunity to raise money for charities. Any money that is raised must be held by Mr. Matherne who will submit it into the proper school financial officer. However, it remains appropriate for the Senior Project student to keep track of monies raised through a profit / deductions budget. The Senior Project teacher will request that a check be written to the intended charity from the money raised by the Senior Project student. Students should not hold onto fundraising money and should not put the money into their own personal account. All fundraising money must be funneled through Godley ISD.

Mentor Requirements

• Be an expert or have knowledge in the field. This means that the mentor has significant experience in the subject that you wish to explore.

• Be over 21 years of age. Mentors must be adults, not your peers. Mentors can be employees of Godley ISD and specific and approved members of the community.

• Be a non-relative. Parents, brothers, sisters, or extended family do not qualify. 

• Be available for consultation throughout your Senior Project, as well as all monthly mentor meetings. Through a calendar invite and email communication, the Senior Project team will contact the mentor to verify that they will be working with you. However, the school is not responsible for transportation or setting up meetings between you and your mentor. The mentor must be able to verify that you completed your required hours. They will have paperwork to complete monthly regarding your project.

How to Find a Mentor

First, decide on your project. Then, try some of the following methods in order to find a mentor:

• Ask members within the community who are working in related fields

• Ask current or former teachers, coaches, and administrators

• Ask local businesses

• Contact local government agencies

If you ask a person to be your mentor and they say no, thank the person anyway and then say, “Are you able to refer me to someone else who has experience in the field?”

Questions to ask when you first meet your mentor

• What are you most looking forward to with Senior Project?

• What is your biggest concern with Senior Project?

• How effective are you at managing your time and meeting deadlines? 

• Do you get easily distracted from your goals?

• Would you describe yourself as a procrastinator?

• Do you prefer working alone or with others?

• Presentation skills: what are your strengths/weaknesses?

• Does the mentor have any resources or ideas that you could use with your SP papers?

Be sure to develop a schedule for meetings, exchange contact information (email addresses, phone numbers) and discuss the best way to reach one another which should be through email and calendar invites.

You and your mentor should talk about your expectations of one another: what level of responsibility they are expecting from you and the level of support you are expecting from them.