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Randolph County Schools: Student Handbook
Graduation Project Guidelines
The Graduation Project is designed to give students an opportunity to explore a topic of interest; therefore, students need
to choose topics wisely.

The Research Paper will follow these guidelines:
 5-8 pages (not including outline and works cited)
 Double-spaced, 1” margins, 12 pt. Times New Roman Font
 Works Cited page with at least 5 sources (MLA format unless otherwise approved)
o Include at least one primary source (interview, email, survey, etc.)
o Include at least two Internet sources (excluding general encyclopedias)
o Include at least two print sources (book, magazine, pamphlet, brochure)
 No general encyclopedias of any type (Wikipedia, Americana, Encarta, etc.)

The Product will follow these guidelines:
 Adhere to approved letter of intent and product plan
 Be a natural extension of the research topic (must be related)
 Requires a minimum of 15 documented hours to complete (8 face-to-face hours with at least 3 mentor contacts)
 Be tangible (physical or written) or intangible (performance, skill, or experience)
 Must have visual (photographs or videotape) documentation of the experience (at least 5-7 pictures including one
with the student and mentor together)
 Product or evidence must be present at Graduation Project presentation
 Product must represent a learning stretch

The Portfolio will follow these guidelines:
 Contain all assignments required to complete the project (See attached list of items in portfolio section)
 Contain all required forms signed by the appropriate person(s)
 Contain the product self-evaluation that explains detailed student reflection of the process
 Be organized according to the portfolio requirements (See attached list)

The Presentation will follow these guidelines:
 Present a 6-9 minute speech on research paper and product
 Maintain a professional demeanor
 Present in front of community/school panel of judges who will score the speech using approved rubrics
 Incorporate a visual aid
 Videotapes used as a visual must not exceed the allotted time

1st Nine Weeks 2nd Nine Weeks
Paper 40% Product 20%
Paper Process 10% Portfolio 10%
Presentation 20%

 Students must show proficiency in all components as outlined by rubric standards or participate in
required remediation
 All components must be completed in order
 Not completing any component of the Graduation Project will result in failure of the course and failure to
meet Randolph County graduation requirements

Randolph County Schools: Graduation Project Student Handbook 1
Plagiarism and Misrepresentation
Has anyone ever stolen something from you? How did the theft of your property make you feel? If you could
have prevented the theft, would you have taken action to prevent someone from stealing from you? A writer
feels the same way when an individual “steals” his ideas and words without giving him credit.

Academic integrity and honesty are vital parts of the Graduation Project process. The responsibility for what
you learn and how you conduct yourself during the course of this project is yours. Your morals, ethics, and
choices can strongly affect the end result of your Graduation Project. It is your obligation to make sure that you
in no way plagiarize or misrepresent yourself or your assignments in any manner during the course of the four
parts of this project. If you are found to have plagiarized or misrepresented yourself or your work in any way,
you jeopardize your eligibility for graduation.

Plagiarism is defined as using the ideas or words of another individual as one’s own. Any information that you
obtain from a source should be documented within your paper using parenthetical documentation and on your
works cited page. You should follow MLA guidelines in writing your paper. The Graduation Project committee
should be able to authenticate all sources used during the course of your research. If you have any information
within your research paper that a teacher cannot substantiate with the sources you provide, then you will face
the consequences of being found guilty of committing plagiarism.

What denotes plagiarism?
 Directly copying more than three words from a source without using quotation marks and/or without
giving credit to the author
 Using an author’s ideas within a paper without citing the source of the idea
 Incorrectly citing or failing to cite sources within the paper
 Not paraphrasing the information correctly and completely
 Using another person’s work, in part or whole, as your own work
 Using work that you have completed for another class or teacher without approval (You may add to
previous research, but you must have approval to do so.)
 Using research that you do not include with the copies of your sources in your research paper envelope
 Using sources that you do not cite on your works cited page
 Passing on your work to another student in another class or school

Misrepresentation is defined as a person making false claims or submitting falsified documentation.

What denotes misrepresentation?
 Claiming you have no previous experience or knowledge in a given area when you actually do
 Falsifying documents and assignments
 Using a family member as a mentor
 Allowing other people to complete portions of your tasks
 Committing any breach of any project assignment

As part of your letter of intent, you will acknowledge that you have read this page and the accompanying
Randolph County Schools’ Plagiarism Policy. Before you turn in that assignment, check that you are clear on
the meanings of plagiarism and misrepresentation and the ways to avoid both.

Randolph County Schools: Graduation Project Student Handbook 2
Randolph County Schools: Plagiarism Policy
Plagiarize – to steal or pass of the words or ideas of others as one’s own; to use words or ideas without
crediting the source; to commit literary theft
--Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary

Please note: Plagiarism can be intentional or unintentional. Using a printed source, a non-print source, or an
internet source and not crediting it will be considered plagiarism.

From Randolph County Schools’ Information Guide and Code of Conduct:

Rule 5: Cheating: Copyright Violations; Standards of Integrity

No student shall engage in the following behaviors, which violate standards on integrity:

a. cheating, including the actual giving or receiving of any unauthorized assistance or the actual giving or
receiving of an unfair advantage on any form of academic work;

b. plagiarizing, including the copying of language, structure, idea, and/or thought of another and
representing it as one’s own original work;

c. providing verbal or written statements of false information to school officials and/or parents with regard
to any report card, attendance matter, grades or progress reports, discipline matters, or any other school
business;

d. violating copyright laws, including unauthorized reproduction, duplication, and/or use of printed or
electronic work, computer software, or other copyrighted material; or

e. other acts or inaction constituting verbal or written statements of untruth.

Violation of this rule may result in disciplinary action in accordance with school rules or standards. For repeated
or serious violations of this policy, the principal may suspend a student for up to ten days.

Guideline Consequence: Zero on assignment; ISS; OSS for up to five days; OSS for up to ten days for repeated
or serious violations.

From Randolph County Schools’ Telecommunications Code of Ethics:

12. Appropriate bibliographic citations must be given for all information obtained via the Internet. It is
unethical to plagiarize Internet resources just as it is unethical to plagiarize print resources.

Randolph County Schools: Graduation Project Student Handbook 3
Graduation Project Contract
Student Name _________________________________________Student Cell Phone__________________________
Student Home Phone _______________________ Student E-mail Address__________________________________
Student Address _________________________________________________________________________________
(street address) (city, zip code)
Parent/Guardian Name ___________________________________________ E-mail Address ___________________
Parent/Guardian Phone Numbers ____________________________________________________________________
Advisor Name _______________________________

Advisor Requirements
 The Advisor must be a certified school employee. Relatives who are certified school employees may not serve
as advisors to their own students.

Student Responsibilities:
 Identify a viable product
 Successfully complete all components of the Graduation Project: research paper, product, portfolio, and oral
presentation
 Work on the four components individually, unless otherwise approved for modification to this requirement
 Submit all letters, forms, and paperwork by designated deadlines
 Seek advice and assistance when needed
 Maintain documentation of completed tasks and timelines
 Identify and maintain regular contact with academic advisors and project mentors as the Graduation Project is
created and developed
 Employ a variety of communication techniques, such as the letter of intent, interviews, phone calls, and electronic
communication, as project work progresses
 Research and write a research paper on a selected topic that addresses state and local guidelines
 Complete and document a minimum of 15 hours of verifiable work outside the regular school day on the product
component
 Prepare a reflective portfolio documenting work completed and make the portfolio available for the review panel
in advance of the oral presentation
 Making a presentation to the review panel that is assessed as acceptable by the panel

Parent/Guardian Responsibilities:
 Help students remember key dates by posting a Graduation Project calendar in a prominent place in the home
 Read student’s research paper and offer feedback
 Stay in communication with student’s mentor on a regular basis
 Do not hesitate to ask questions of the Graduation Project academic advisor, Graduation Project coordinator and
student’s mentor
 Listen to student’s presentation and offer information and/or suggestions that may be helpful

Advisor Responsibilities:
 Build relationships
 Help to maintain documentation of forms for the portfolio
 Complete advisor log and portfolio checklist
 Stay with advisees through completion of all four components
 Report to coordinator as components are completed
 Conduct and accomplish set goals listed for meetings

Randolph County Schools: Graduation Project Student Handbook 4
 Review the student’s presentation and offer suggestions for improvement
 Sign and date the advisor log
 Read and comment on all written work
 Assist student by offering suggestions on finding and contacting a mentor
 Verify product authenticity with mentor
 Honestly evaluate the student’s progress
 Recognize and assist with problems
 Offer ideas to the student when he/she needs help
 Encourage the student throughout the process
 Schedule additional meetings with student as needed
 Grade the portfolio using the rubric

Ethics Statement: I will endeavor to ensure that all parts of the Graduation Project will be completed honestly and
with integrity. I am indicating my awareness that this Graduation Project will not contain plagiarized materials,
inaccurate data, or fraudulent signatures. I assert that I have read the Plagiarism and Misrepresentation guidelines
and Randolph County Schools’ Plagiarism Policy by signing below. I also assert that I have reviewed the
responsibilities outlined above.

Student: I will accept the responsibilities as outlined in my approved letter of intent and will not change my product
without approval from the Graduation Project coordinator(s) and/or Advisory Board. I will also endeavor to commit no
acts of plagiarism and misrepresentation during the course of the Graduation Project. I understand that any such acts on
my part may affect my graduation eligibility.

Parent/Guardian: I indicate approval of my child's topic, product idea, and selected mentor and will accept all product
costs. I assert that I have reviewed the information on plagiarism and misrepresentation and discussed both with my child.
I certify that I have reviewed my responsibilities as outline above.

Advisor: I verify that I will work with my advisee to complete this application and help throughout the course of the
project. I verify that I have reviewed the information regarding plagiarism and misrepresentation and discussed both with
my advisee. I certify that I have reviewed my responsibilities as outlined above.

Student Signature ____________________________________ Date ______________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature ____________________________ Date ______________________________
Advisor Signature ____________________________________ Date ______________________________

Randolph County Schools: Graduation Project Student Handbook 5
Letter of Intent
This letter is a formal declaration to your advisor, mentor, and parents of your intentions for the Graduation
Project. You will submit your letter to your English teacher, who will in turn submit to the Graduation Project
Committee, which will either approve or disapprove your topic. Therefore, think seriously about choosing an
appropriate topic in terms of scope and available resources that will prove a stretch for you.

Once this letter has been approved by the Graduation Project committee, the topic may not be changed without
re-initiating the process. In the event that your topic is not approved, you will have to resubmit to the
Graduation Project coordinator and begin the process again.

Please include the following information in a business letter format:
Paragraph 1: What is the topic?
 What is the general area of interest?
 What is the interest level?
 What is your background in this topic? (Remember: This project requires you to stretch your
learning. Too much prior knowledge or experience may disqualify the topic.)

Paragraph 2: What is the research?
 What is the essential question to be answered by completing your project?
 What will you research?
 What types of sources will be used? (One source must be a primary source!)

Paragraph 3: What is the product? BE AS SPECIFIC AS POSSIBLE IN THIS SECTION OF THE LETTER.
 What will you do for 15+ hours?
 Clearly state the name and qualifications of your intended mentor in this topic area
 How will the mentor provide expertise? What will your mentor’s role in the completion of
your product?
 How does the product connect to your research?
 How do you plan to provide proof/documentation of the product?
 If any kind of fundraiser or charity drive is involved, you must provide ALL of the details
related to the fundraiser or charity drive (who, what, when, where, how) and state who will
be responsible for handling any monies involved.
 If any unusual costs or issues are associated with your product, tell the committee that your
family has discussed the matter and is prepared for to handle any costs or other issues
associated with your product.
 If your product involves a performance or teaching an educational lesson, you must provide
ALL of the details related to the performance or lesson (who, what, when, where).

Paragraph 4: Ethics Statement
 Paraphrase and abide by the following statement in your Letter of Intent, indicating that you
understand the definition of and consequences for plagiarism and misrepresentation:

Randolph County Schools’ Ethics Statement:
I am aware of the definitions of plagiarism and misrepresentation. I understand that I will fail if I plagiarize
any component of the Graduation Project. I pledge that no part of my project will come from plagiarizing
sources, and I will not misrepresent myself in any way.

Randolph County Schools: Graduation Project Student Handbook 6
Format of the Letter of Intent

[Set all margins to 1”. Go under Paragraph. Under Spacing, set your line spacing on single and make sure the
before and after is set on 0 point.]

Street Address
City, State Zip Code
Date (Enter four times)

Graduation Project Committee
Randleman High School
4396 Tigers Den Road
Randleman, NC 27317 (Enter twice)

Dear Graduation Project Committee: (Enter twice)

Paragraph 1: Give an introduction to the topic of research you have chosen. Explain the reason you have chosen
this research and the knowledge you have in the field of study before you actually begin the research. (Enter
twice)

Paragraph 2: Explain what you specifically intend to study about your topic (a narrow focus; an angle) and what
methods of research you will use (Internet, books, periodicals, interviews, etc.) (Enter twice)

Paragraph 3: Describe the product or performance you intend to create. (Enter twice)

Paragraph 4: State that you understand the definition of plagiarism and its consequences. Pledge not to
plagiarize or misrepresent yourself during any aspect of the Graduation Project. (Enter twice)

Sincerely, (Enter four times)

(Your signature, in black ink goes here!)

Your typed name (exactly as you sign it above)

Randolph County Schools: Graduation Project Student Handbook 7
1515 Main Street
Randleman, North Carolina 27317 (this is your personal, mailing address)
August 28, 2011 (hit enter 4 times)

Graduation Project Letter of Intent Review Committee
Randleman High School
4396 Tigers Den Road
Randleman, North Carolina 27317 (hit enter 2 times)

Dear Committee Members: (hit enter 2 times)

Last year I had to go through two weeks of testing for leukemia. Fortunately, the test results were normal, but
during this time, I became extremely interested in oncology research and treatment. Thus, I have chosen to
focus on oncology treatment and its effects on leukemia patients as the topic for my Graduation Project. Since
the time that I had to undergo testing, I have wanted to work with cancer patients, for I can relate to their
experiences because I have been there myself. (hit enter 2 times)

My Graduation Project research paper will focus on the following essential question: What are the defining
moments in the development of leukemia research and treatment; and what physical and emotional effects can
leukemia treatment have upon a patient? I intend to use the Internet, print material, and interviews with local
oncologists in order to obtain the information needed to write this research paper. (hit enter 2 times)

For my product, I will volunteer at Camp Carefree, a camp for terminally-ill children in Guilford County. I
have already spoken with the director of the camp and realize that patient privacy and other legal issues will
govern my work at the camp, but the director has assured me that he will work with me to fulfill the
requirements of the Graduation Project. During my training and service at Camp Carefree, I will produce a
video to be used for recruiting and training future volunteers; this training video will also serve as
documentation of my volunteer time at Camp Carefree. My family is supportive of this project and is providing
the gas money needed for me to travel to Guilford County to complete my Graduation Project. (hit enter 2
times)

I am aware of the definitions of plagiarism and misrepresentation. I understand that I will fail if I plagiarize any
component of the Graduation Project. I pledge that no part of my project will come from plagiarizing sources,
and I will not misrepresent myself in any way. (hit enter 2 times)

Sincerely, (hit enter 4 times)

(sign your name with a blue or black ink pen here)

Bea A. Student

*Used thanks to Petal High School and Providence Grove High School

Randolph County Schools: Graduation Project Student Handbook 8
Letter of Intent Review

Student: _________________________________________
Advisor: _________________________________________
English Teacher: __________________________________

Paper:

_____ Accepted

_____ Resubmit after making the following revisions:
_____ There are numerous spelling, sentence structure, and grammar errors.
_____ Your research topic needs to be more clearly identified and stated
_____ The topic is too broad (cannot be adequately discussed in a five to seven page
paper).
_____ The topic may be too narrow (required sources could be extremely difficult to obtain).
_____ The research topic needs an angle or slant. No argumentative thesis is apparent.
_____ The research topic is to simplistic.
_____ The research topic is unrelated to the product.
_____ This proposal has elements which violate school district policies.
_____ Other:

Product:
_____ Accepted

_____ Resubmit after making the following revisions:
_____ More specific explanation of the product is necessary.
_____ There is not apparent “learning stretch” in the product.
_____ The product resembles a project that is already part of the high school curriculum.
_____ Difficulties may exist in finding a mentor in this topic or field
_____ The product has already been completed by numerous students.
_____ The product involves too much expense.
_____ The product is too simplistic.
_____ The product has potentially dangerous elements.
_____ The product would not require a minimum of fifteen hours to complete.
_____ Other:

Please consider these recommendations to strengthen or change your topic. Once you revise your Letter
of Intent, resubmit your Letter of Intent to your English teacher for consideration.
Randolph County Schools: Graduation Project Student Handbook 9
Mentoring Guidelines
(These guidelines should be given to your mentor at your first meeting.)

The requirements of the Graduation Project mentors are as follows:
 The mentor may NOT be a member of the student’s family and must be at least 21 years of age.

 The mentor will assist the student in designing a product in the area of study for the Graduation Project.
The product must logically connect to the research. The product need not be solely based upon the
research, as the paper was designed to be very limited, but the two should be clearly related. The product
could be something tangible or something abstract such as time spent volunteering in the community. A
visual aid is required to be produced to document the completion of the product.

 The mentor will assist the student in establishing objectives and keeping a log of all activities completed
on the product. The student is required to spend a minimum of fifteen hours on the product and should
have contact with the mentor a minimum of three times. Eight of the minimum fifteen hours must be
face-to-face contact with the mentor.

 The contact with the mentor should be spent discussing, assisting, and providing guidance on the
product. The purpose is not to waste time or materials, but to gain some “real world” experience and
knowledge before leaving high school. Please contact the student’s project adviser if the student is not
keeping appointments.

 In order to determine the student’s grade for the product, the mentor will provide feedback about both
the student and the product. The mentor will complete the mentor’s product evaluation rubric and
send it to the student’s English IV upon completion.

Mentors are asked to contact the advisor with any questions or concerns. The advisor may periodically call you
to check the student’s progress and your reactions as to the validity of the student’s work. Thank you again for
agreeing to assist a student in this exciting and meaningful endeavor.

Student Name: _____________________________ Student E-mail: ___________________________
Student Contact Numbers: __________________________________________________________________
Faculty Advisor: _________________________________ Advisor E-mail:______________________
School Name: ____________________________________ School Phone Number: _______________
English IV Teacher: ______________________________ School Fax Number: _________________

Randolph County Schools: Graduation Project Student Handbook 10
Randleman High School
Mentor Consent Form
I have read the mentoring guidelines and agree to serve as a mentor to _____________________ as he/she
produces a product on the topic of ______________________. My signature certifies that I am not related to
the student, am at least 21 years of age, and understand my role as a mentor. I agree to regularly meet with the
student until his/her product is completed. I further agree that I will complete all paperwork on a timely basis
and verify the accuracy of same information on the student’s time log.

Mentor signature ______________________________________

Date of agreement ______________________ Age of mentor: ________________

Printed name of mentor_________________________ Business name___________________

Address of mentor _____________________________________________________________

Mentor business number____________________ Cell phone__________________________

Email address (if available) ______________________________________________________

Student Contract

I understand that I am responsible for making and keeping all appointments with my mentor. I also understand
that I am responsible for keeping a log of my work and of our contacts. Thank you in advance for your
willingness to be part of my education and preparation for graduation.

Student signature______________________________________ Date____________________

Student home phone________________________________ Cell phone__________________

Advisor name: ______________________________

Advisor signature: ______________________________________

I agree to allow my child, _______________________, to work with _________________________ as his/her
mentor for the Graduation Project.

Parent signature: ______________________________________ Date: ____________________

Randolph County Schools: Graduation Project Student Handbook 11
Advisor Log Sheet - Graduation Project
Randleman High School – 2012-2013

A Graduation Project Advisor is a faculty member at school who assists with feedback,
encouragement, time management, and stress while providing support to accomplish the four
components of the Graduation Project. The Advisor Log is part of the student’s Portfolio
grade and will be checked in class periodically.
GRADUATION PROJECT ADVISOR CHECKLIST

Students should meet with their advisors for the following reasons, but are not limited to these meetings.
 Note card check (advisors should review source cards and read through some of the notes making sure
students are taking relevant notes for topic)

 Progress check every two (2) weeks (student should make the effort to schedule these meetings with the
advisor and let advisor know of any struggles or successes)
 Portfolio check (student should have advisor review Portfolio before its due date)

 Listening to speech at least once

Please use the Advisor Log found on the next page. Notice that the first meeting topic is filled in for you. There
are enough rows for you to complete all of your advisor visits.

Randolph County Schools: Graduation Project Student Handbook 12
Advisor Log
Date Topic Initials
Agreed to be advisor for student

Randolph County Schools: Graduation Project Student Handbook 13
Randolph County Schools: Graduation Project Student Handbook 14
 Interview Guide
As part of the Graduation Project, you will need to interview someone who is an expert in your topic area. We define an
expert as an individual who either has made a career choice in your topic area or is an expert hobbyist. You may
interview your mentor, or you may decide that you would rather interview someone else. This person will be considered a
primary source of research information because he or she has firsthand knowledge of your topic.

YOU MAY NOT INTERVIEW A MEMBER OF YOUR IMMEDIATE FAMILY (father, mother, sister, brother,
grandparent, aunt, uncle). You also cannot interview teenagers unless you have permission.

General Requirements:
1. It is your responsibility to schedule and keep your appointment.
2. After you have completed the interview, you will choose at least five (5) questions that contain information that
you may be able to use in your research paper. You will transcribe your expert’s responses to these five (5)
questions (see formatting instructions on following pages).
3. You will send your expert a thank-you letter within two weeks after you have completed the interview. You
need to make a copy of the thank you letter and stamped envelope before mailing
for your portfolio.
Steps for Conducting the Interview:
STEP ONE:
1. Decide on a person whose profession or avocation is pertinent to your topic.
2. Contact the individual to be interviewed. (Initial contact may be done by telephone). Call, introduce yourself,
explain why you are calling, and set up an appointment. Don’t just walk into the place of business. Your
expert is probably a busy person. Be courteous by setting a meeting time that he or she selects as more
convenient.

Step Two:
1. Design at least ten (10) questions based on your research topic.
2. Arrive on time and dress appropriately for the interview. (Females should wear a dress or dress pants and
blouse: males should wear dress pants {khaki pants} and a shirt with a tie.)
3. Introduce yourself to the person before the interview begins. (Remember to begin with a handshake.)
4. Follow the lead of the interviewee and be able to ask spontaneous questions.
5. Be time conscious. End interview in a timely manner.
6. Conclude interview with verbal thank-you and a handshake.
7. Send a thank you card to your interview subject within a week of the interview. Make a copy of the thank you
card for your Portfolio.

Randolph County Schools: Graduation Project Student Handbook 15
Graduation Project Interview Questions
Listed below are pointers to help make the interview process easier. The student going to the interview well prepared is
usually the one who gleans the most usable information.

1. The questions you ask in the interview should relate only to the topic of the research being conducted for the research
paper.

2. The questions should not be ones for which there is only a “yes” or “no” answer. You may even need to ask follow-up
questions to get more information from your interview subject if his/her answers are too short.

3. Construct the questions in terms of “where,” “why,” “how,” or “to what extent.”

4. Use the headings/topics created for your note cards/outline for the research paper as a guide in creating the questions
you use in the interview.
 Construct a general question about the thesis of the paper
 Make a question from each of the headings/topics

5. The number of questions you create will depend on the amount of time allotted for the actual interview. A good rule of
thumb would be to have on hand ten (10) well-constructed questions.

6. Type the questions with space between them prior to the interview, and then write the answers as the interviewee gives
them. Write down what the interviewee says word-for-word.

7. Be prepared during the interview to “piggy back” additional questions to the ones you have already written prior to the
interview.

8. You may want to tape record the interview for accuracy. If you do so, you must ask permission from the interviewee
first.

9. You may want to include a typed copy of the interview questions and answers in your Portfolio.

Randolph County Schools: Graduation Project Student Handbook 16
Formatting the Interview Report
1. The first step is to choose the five (5) questions and answers that you wish to transcribe. Then copy verbatim
(word-for-word) the material that you have on your tape recording or your accurate notes. These will be the notes
from which you will work. Listen to the voice carefully to determine the punctuation in the report. Listen for
pauses, breaks in meaning, questions, or exclamations that might give you clues as to how to punctuate and space
your sentences. Use punctuation, such as dashes, colons, and/or periods, to convey the interviewee’s meaning to
the reader of your report. You use brackets [ ] to add information that is necessary to convey meaning to the
reader.
2. Use the MLA heading in the upper-left hand corner.
3. Single space remarks made by an individual speaker. Double space when you change speakers.
4. Begin your report with a paragraph that describes who the interviewee is and why you interviewed him or her.
Make sure that you include the time, date, and location of the interview.
5. When you type your report, use italics or underlining for the names of the people in the interview. You do not
need to use quotation marks for the actual statements.
6. Finish your report with a paragraph that evaluates the interview. Did it help you with your research?
Why or why not? Did you have any problems? What did you learn? What information was most helpful?
This closing paragraph should be a thoughtful reflection on the content of your interview.

Sample: Excerpt from an Interview Report

Randall 1
Sarah Randall

Ms. Teacher

Graduation Project

7 September 2011

Interview Report:
Beverly Fishel, Registered Dietician, LDN

Mrs. Beverly Fishel is a Registered Dietician and a Licensed Dietary Nurse. She currently
works with patients with very specific dietary needs. She manages the diet plans of people who are
battling diabetes and who must be very careful with the foods they eat. I interviewed Mrs. Fishel
about the growing problem in the United States of America with obesity. She shared her expert
knowledge on how to maintain a balanced diet that would satisfy all nutrition needs. I interviewed
Mrs. Fishel at Moses Cone Hospital in Greensboro, North Carolina on September 1 at 1:45 p.m.

Randall: Is there a number I should try to stay below for fat intake and
sodium/cholesterol intake?

Fishel: If it says you consume 5 percent of your daily value then you technically/ideally have
95 percent more to get. Twenty percent of calories coming from fat is about what you
want to shoot for. In a 2000 calorie diet, 44 grams of fat can be consumed in a day.
Typically for women 45 grams of fat per day is okay. For sodium, keeping it around
4,000 to 5,000 milligrams per day is a good idea. Cholesterol should be kept under
300 mg a day. A healthy individual could get by with a bit more.

Randolph County Schools: Graduation Project Student Handbook 17
Research Paper
The English Departments across Randolph County teach the MLA (Modern Language Association) Handbook for all
formatting and research papers.

Every student must turn in a manila envelope with all the work used to write the paper, including note cards, source
cards, previously graded or revised drafts, copies of articles, etc. If your teacher needs to check your sources or work,
he or she should be able to find copies of all of the information cited within your paper neatly organized and labeled
within the folder. Failure to submit material in the folder that is cited in your paper constitutes plagiarism and may
result in a paper that is not scoreable for this component of the Graduation Project.

Research Paper Requirements:

1. Title page
*Not required

2. Length of paper
*Minimum of five to eight pages of written text (not including Outline or Works
Cited)

3. Type/spacing
*Double-spaced
*Times New Roman 12 point font
*1” margins

4. Documentation
*MLA format using parenthetical documentation and headers

5. Outline with thesis

6.Works Cited page with a minimum of five references
*Include at least one primary source (interview, email, survey, etc.)
*Include at least two print sources (books, magazine, pamphlet, brochure, etc.)
*Include at least two Internet sources (excluding general encyclopedias such as
Wikipedia, World Book, Americana, Encarta, etc.)

7. The paper will be a mixture of the writer’s words, quotes, and paraphrases that adhere
to research ethics. Students should take special care to avoid plagiarism.

8. Must receive a passing score on the paper rubric or undergo remediation process.

9. A final revised copy of the paper must be kept in the Graduation Project folder to document completion of
this requirement.

Randolph County Schools: Graduation Project Student Handbook 18
The Product
The product occurs when the student works independently outside of school. The Product phase of Graduation
Project requires the student, with the assistance of a mentor, to create a Product that is logically connected to the
research. This Product requires a minimum of fifteen (15) hours of work. A minimum of eight (8) of the
Product hours must be face-to-face.

The student is expected to demonstrate knowledge of the topic, not just repeat facts from the paper, in order to
exhibit a learning stretch.

The Product must be active. The student must learn a new skill, complete volunteer work, or create something
during the Product phase of the Graduation Project. A Product may not solely consist of observing.

The Product phase allows the students to use individual creativity and talent. The student can build or create
something tangible, complete an activity, or volunteer in the community in a way that connects to the topic. The
student is required to produce visual documentation of the process of completing of the Product by having 5-7
pictures, one of which must show the student working with the mentor; however, all pictures must include the
student. Students must produce something tangible for their Product (physical or written) or intangible
(performance, skill, or experience).

Some examples of products are listed below:

Research Paper Topic* Physical Product

Cherokee pottery Learn how to make pottery
Homeless children (party) Volunteer at homeless shelter, do an event
Fashions of the 1800s` Design and sew an original costume
Ancient writing styles Learn to write calligraphy
Saltwater fly-fishing Learn to make a fly-fishing rod
Ghosts of Asheville Create ghost tour for Halloween

*Remember, research papers must prove a thesis. These are only examples of topics, not thesis statements.

Randolph County Schools: Graduation Project Student Handbook 19
Product Plan
1. Describe your proposed product giving as much detail as possible:

2. How does your product relate to your research topic?

3. What materials are needed?

4. What is the estimated cost of the materials?

5. What is the estimated time required to complete this product?

6. What skills are needed to complete this product?

7. What will be your mentor’s role in the completion of this product?

**Lesson plans and fundraiser plans must be attached to the Product Plan for approval.

Student Signature: _________________________Advisor Signature: _________________________
Parent Signature: __________________________Mentor Signature: __________________________

Randolph County Schools: Graduation Project Student Handbook 20
Product Time Log and Verification Sheet
(Type and expand to fit your hours.)
Mentor name (printed):__________________________ Topic:____________________________ Student name
(printed):__________________________ Product: _________________________

Face-to-Face Mentor Contact Time (Must Equal 8 or more hours with a minimum of 3 face-to-face
contacts with mentor!)
Date Total Time Activity Student Mentor
(Minutes) Initials Initials
Product Plan Creation

Individual Time Spent on Product (not face-to-face)
Date Total Time Activity Student Mentor
(Minutes) Initials Initials

Total Product Hours
Face-to-Face (must equal 8 or more hours) =
Individual Product Time =
Total Time (must equal at least 15 hours) =

Remember that you must have at least 5 interactions (face-to-face, e-mail, phone, letter, etc.) with your mentor.
Date Product Completed: _________________
Student Signature: _______________________ Parent Signature: _________________________
Mentor Signature: _______________________ Advisor Signature: ________________________

Randolph County Schools: Graduation Project Student Handbook 21
Product Time Log and Verification Expansion Sheet
(Use this only if you run out of room on original sheet; Erase these instructions before printing!)

Face-to Face Mentor Contact Time (Must Equal 8 or more hours with min. of 3 contacts)
Date Total Time Activity Student Mentor
(Minutes) Initials Initials

Individual Time Spent on Product (not face-to-face)
Date Total Time Activity Student Mentor
(Minutes) Initials Initials

Randolph County Schools: Graduation Project Student Handbook 22
Product/Performance Self-evaluation
(To be completed by the student and turned in with the Portfolio)

Student name _________________________________ Date _____________________

Research topic ___________________________________________________________

1. Describe your product/performance:

2. How many hours did you spend preparing your product/performance? ____________

3. What date did you start? ____________________ finish? ______________________

4. What materials did you use?

5. What did you learn from this product/performance?
1.

6. What problems did you encounter? How did you overcome these problems?

Randolph County Schools: Graduation Project Student Handbook 23
7. How did your product/performance and your research paper topic connect?

8. Did your product/performance turn out the way you had planned? Explain:

9. What would you have done differently?

10. What did you learn about yourself?

11. What level (Above Average, Average, or Below Average) do you think you have achieved? Justify your
response:

Randolph County Schools: Graduation Project Student Handbook 24
Portfolio
Students are required to maintain a portfolio in which they keep records and materials relating to the product. A
copy of required forms, the research paper, the mentor/advisor/parent documentation, and any additional
artifacts should be included in this portion of the Graduation Project. Use the checklist below as a guideline for
the contents of the portfolio.

 Students should create a professional portfolio documenting the process they have followed throughout
the Graduation Project process.
 Each item of the portfolio should be typed in Times New Roman, 12 point font.
 All photographs should be accompanied by typed captions.
 All items should be edited for correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization.
 The portfolio should be organized in a binder, and each item should be placed in clear plastic sleeves.

PORTFOLIO CHECKLIST

 Title Page
 Table of Contents
 Timeline
 Letter to the Judges
 Letter of Intent
 Graduation Project Contract with student, parent, and advisor signatures
 Research Paper
 Outline with thesis
 Research Paper (Final Draft, 5-7 Pages, following MLA guidelines)
 Works Cited

 Proof of Product
o Product Plan
o Product Time Verification Log
o Product Self-Evaluation Form
o 5-7 pictures (one with mentor) and typed captions
o Mentor Consent Form

 Self-reflection

 Resume (Do not include GPA)

 Advisor Contact Log

 Miscellaneous Artifacts ( including Advisor Contact Log)

Randolph County Schools: Graduation Project Student Handbook 25
Letter to the Judges
On presentation night, the first impression that the judges will form will be based on your portfolio. The letter to
the judges is very important. Make this letter interesting, clear, and correct.

The purpose of the letter is to introduce yourself and your project to the judges. Consequently, the letter should
contain the following:

 A paragraph introducing yourself and explaining why you chose this project.
 A paragraph summarizing the research and product.
 A paragraph explaining what you learned and/or gained from your project.
 Any other topics that you wish to include.

In the appropriate paragraphs in the letter, you might want to mention one or several of the following:

 Family background and support.
 Schooling, intense learning experiences
 Hobbies, interests, passions
 Goals, driving principles, dreams, plans for the future
 Handicaps or unusual circumstances, obstacles overcome, problems solved
 Special experiences related to the project
 Relationship of the project to a career goal
 Expressions of gratitude to those who gave you special support
 Your views on any subject that you think will give the judges useful information about you as a person
and a graduate

Use correct business form in writing your letter. The proper format is attached.

Write a thorough letter; but remember that each judge’s time is limited. Write concisely, without unnecessary
wordiness (verbiage) and repetition (redundancies). Have your advisor and/or mentor proofread before
submitting.

Randolph County Schools: Graduation Project Student Handbook 26
(All margins should be set to 1”-file, page setup, margins)
(This is a sample. Remember your pledge not to plagiarize!)

Street address
City, state and zip code (all words are spelled out)
Month Day, 2011 (enter twice) EXAMPLE

Graduation Project Boards Judges
Randleman High School
4396 Tigers Den Road
Randleman, North Carolina 27317 (enter twice)

Dear Graduation Project Boards Judges: (enter twice)

I will soon be graduating from Randleman High School and would like to take this opportunity to tell you about
the things I have learned this year. I have lived in Randleman my entire life and look forward to graduating
from Randleman High School in June. I have been accepted to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
where I plan to major in dental hygiene (Enter twice).

I chose quilt making as my Graduation Project because my maternal grandmother made beautiful quilts.
Unfortunately, she died last year before I could learn the craft from her. I wanted to learn this craft to honor my
grandmother. My goal was to create a quilt to give my mother for her birthday. To make the quilt even more
special I recycled clothes from various family members, using fabric from my baby clothes, some of my
father’s shirts, and some of my grandmother’s dresses. (Enter twice)

The log cabin pattern I chose for my quilt turned out really well. I am anxious to give the quilt to my mom as a
gift. I hope it is special to her because I made it myself. I am proud of what I made, even though it was difficult
for me to learn to sew. I am proud to say that I can now follow a pattern and have learned a skill that I will put
to use in the future as I make more quilts. (Enter twice)

Thank you for taking the time to read my portfolio and to see my presentation. I hope that you will find them
interesting and that you will see how much work I put into them. (Enter twice)

Sincerely, (Enter four times)

(Your own signature in black ink goes here)

Ima Proud

Randolph County Schools: Graduation Project Student Handbook 27
Graduation Project Presentation Overview
In order to present, a student must have completed a research paper with proper citations, a product involving at
least 15 hours, and a portfolio documenting the evidence of the entire Graduation Project process. The challenge
you will now face will involve taking the information and presenting what you have learned to a panel of
judges. You will be expected to give a six-to-nine minute speech followed by an informal question and answer
session. You will be allowed time for video or audio during your presentation (excluding PowerPoint).

Your presentation will be based upon:

 Speech content

 Speech delivery

 Visual aids

 Learning stretch

 Time

 Appearance

 Questions from the judges

For more information on how your presentation will be judged, refer to the Graduation Project presentation
rubric. It will be helpful for you to understand that prior to your presentation the judges have reviewed your
portfolio. Thus, they are familiar with its contents and may ask you questions about it. It would be wise to ask
your advisor to create a list of questions judges may ask. It is better to be prepared than to be caught off-guard
by judges’ questions.

It is important to dress appropriately for this presentation. Please dress in a professional manner according to the
presentation topic. An example of this would be wearing a lab coat if the topic is stem cell research. A young
man should wear a dress shirt, tie and slacks unless project-specific attire is approved by the English IV
teacher. A young lady should wear a dress, skirt and top, or pantsuit that is in keeping with the school dress
code, unless the attire is project-specific and is approved by the English IV teacher. Accessories or body
modifications such as tongue, nose, eye, and other body piercings or tattoos may distract from the presentation.

Randolph County Schools: Graduation Project Student Handbook 28
Presentation Equipment Needs for Boards Night
Name_________________________________________

Standard/Honors/Resource (please circle) English Teacher _______________________________

Graduation Project Topic ________________________ Advisor ________________________________

In order to prepare for Boards presentation, please check all of the equipment necessary for your individual presentation.
All rooms will have a small table and a podium, except for science rooms, which have square teaching stations instead of
podiums. Bring masking tape if you need to hang a poster. Your English teacher will tell you your presentation time and
room number ahead of time.

Equipment Quantity

_____ TV/VCR/DVD _______

_____ Laptop/PowerPoint (you will not be allowed to use _______
your own laptop without prior permission)

_____ CD Player _______

_____ Easel for artwork, poster should be hung with tape _______

_____ Extension Cord _______

_____ Web Page _______

_____ Other: Please describe below: _______

If you have a PowerPoint presentation, is your presentation on CD or flash drive? ________________
PowerPoint presentations and Web pages must be burned to CD or save to a flash/USB drive. The media specialist must
have a copy of your PowerPoint or Web page by _________________________________.

The above list contains equipment available from RHS. It is your responsibility to acquire anything not specified above.

In order to schedule these presentations, we need to know of any possible conflicts. You should not plan to work or
engage in other appointments or events on the date designated for Presentations. If you have a legitimate reason to have a
later or earlier time, please explain why in the space below. Thank you.

Randolph County Schools: Graduation Project Student Handbook 29