Capstone Experience

1. Join the Capstone Google Classroom. This is where opportunities for internships, community projects, guest speakers, help wanted, volunteer opportunities, etc. will be shared. Be sure to turn your notifications on!

2. Make an appointment to see Mrs. Fragola in Room 408 to discuss your career goals. She will help you design a unique Capstone Experience that is tailored to meet your personal interests and needs.

3. Create a folder in Google Drive and save it as “Last, First, Capstone 2024” and share it with Mrs. Fragola, rfragola@reg4.k12.ct.us. Store all of your Capstone documents and assignments here.

4. Submit your Capstone Proposal and the signed contract (parental consent and transportation waiver) for approval before you get started.

Internship - This is the preferred and most common Capstone Experience. It is an opportunity for you to gain in-depth work experience from a professional in a field you are interested in pursuing after high school. Internships are unpaid learning experiences supervised by career mentors. You may use your own connections or Mrs. Fragola can help you reach out to prospective mentors. This professional experience will be an excellent resume-builder and your mentor will become a strong professional reference for you. Although you are not limited to this list, some placement sites might include accounting firms, architecture firms, art galleries, physician’s offices, engineering firms, government offices, health/fitness centers, hospitals/clinics, law offices/courthouses, libraries, museums/historical societies, non-profit organizations, nursing/rehabilitation centers, physical therapy centers, restaurants, retail establishments, schools, social service agencies, spas/salons, veterinary offices, etc.

Project-Based - A project-based Capstone should still relate to a career pathway you’re interested in pursuing after high school. It could be a community service activity or something that showcases a hobby or special talent. Your project-based Capstone must be supervised by a professional mentor to monitor your progress and help guide you along the way. You may use your own connections or Mrs. Fragola can help you reach out to prospective mentors. This experience will be an excellent resume-builder and your mentor will become a strong professional reference for you. Although you are not limited to this list, some projects might include creating an exhibit or documentary for a historical society, developing a portfolio of art or photographs for a non-profit organization, assembling a fundraiser for an organization that you are passionate about, training an animal (horse/dog) for a competition or show, conducting research in an area of interest and present your findings, producing a series of tutorial videos pertaining to your area of expertise, creating an informative web site for a non-profit organization or charity, composing music or design costumes for a theatrical performance, volunteering to work on an election campaign or political action committee, collaborating with your community to design and paint a town mural, tutoring a younger student in need, etc.

Work-Based Learning - Occasionally, students who are already employed may use their place of employment to satisfy their Capstone requirement. You will need to obtain approval from Mrs. Fragola or the administration. This Capstone Experience must align with your post-high school career goals. In order to receive Capstone credit for work-based learning, a mentor and specific learning objectives must be identified. Your mentor will help you gain in-depth work experience and teach you as much about business operations as possible. It is suggested you experience roles in various departments. This work experience will be an excellent resume-builder and your mentor will become a strong reference for you.

Job Shadowing - Students who are struggling to narrow down their career interests for one Capstone Experience may prefer to shadow a variety of occupations. In this case, we will arrange a number of full-day job shadows. Your final reflection will compare and contrast the different fields - daily activities, required education/experience, salaries, employment trends, opportunities for growth, challenges, etc.

Proposal, Contract, Parent Consent, and Transportation Waiver

To help you reach your 50-hour requirement, you may supplement your Capstone Experience by participating in any of the following activities listed in this section. Be sure to document your hours in a time log.

Naviance - In 10th grade, your school counselor asked you to participate in the Naviance Career Interest Profiler. Your interests may have changed since then. Naviance is still a great resource to explore new career interests and career clusters.

Career Exploration - There are a number of additional online resources available to help you discover your strengths and explore careers. O*NET is the nation's primary source of occupational information, sponsored by the US Department of Labor. Find, search, or browse over 900 occupations based on your goals and needs. Interest Profiler, My Next Move, Career Explorer, Job & Career ConneCTion

Guest Speakers - Throughout the year, Mrs. Fragola will invite guest speakers to Valley from a variety of professions. These guest speakers will be identified based on your expressed interests. It is important to keep Mrs. Fragola updated if your interests change so that she may invite relevant professionals and keep you informed about potential learning opportunities. Career Pathway Survey

Employer Research - Spend some time researching companies that you might be interested in working for. Be sure to explore their “Careers” pages to learn more about employment opportunities and required education and experience. Create a LinkedIn account to start networking, or an Indeed account to search current open positions. Manufacturing Jobs & Internships in CT

Resume Writing - Mrs. Fragola can help you develop or revise your resume and cover letter. As a high school senior, it is important that you have a working resume. We will focus on professional contact information, identifying and including keywords on your resume, writing a powerful resume objective, combining your technical skills with the transferable soft skills employers are looking for, and emphasizing your relevant coursework and academic achievements. Schedule a Meeting

Interview Strategies - Mrs. Fragola can help you prepare for a job interview. We will discuss the do’s and don’ts in an interview, body language, frequently asked interview questions and the best responses, mindset, and other interview strategies. Schedule a Meeting

Online Courses - There are thousands of online courses that you can audit for free. Some even provide certification opportunities. Search for topics/skills that interest you. As you complete the assigned coursework, keep them in our shared Google folder. At the end of the course, write a reflection on what you learned and how it impacted your college or career goals. Coursera, EdX, SkillUp CT

Time Log

It is important to think of your Capstone Experience as an independent study. Because you will be receiving educational credit for your experience, due dates are imperative. Failure to meet a quarterly deadline may result in loss of senior privileges and/or 3-hour detentions.

Junior Year

Join the Capstone Google Classroom.

Schedule a Capstone Consultation with Mrs. Fragola before the end of the year.

Quarter 1

Capstone Proposal (including contract, consent, and transportation waiver)

UELP Form (required for some unpaid internships)

Getting Started Journal Entry A

Quarter 2

Mentor Interview Journal Entry B

Progress Monitoring Meeting with Mrs. Fragola

Documentation of 25 Capstone Hours

Quarter 3

Documentation of 50 Capstone Hours

Final Reflection Journal Entry

Core Formal Presentation

Mentor Evaluation

Quarter 4

Hand-Written Thank You Note

Invitation to Partnership Breakfast

Your journal serves as a personal record of your Capstone experience. It documents your learning process from beginning to end. It is an opportunity for you to reflect on your unique Capstone experiences. Please save your journal entries as Google Docs in our shared Capstone folder (double-spaced, 12-point font). Create a folder in Google Drive and save it as “Last, First, Capstone 2024” and share it with Mrs. Fragola, rfragola@reg4.k12.ct.us.

Journal Entry A: Getting Started

What was your rationale for selecting your Capstone Experience?

What are the essential questions (big ideas) you intend to explore in your Capstone?

Describe your personal, academic, and career goals for your Capstone Experience.

What do you hope to learn from your Capstone Experience?

How does this Capstone build upon your interests or previous experiences?

How does this Capstone represent a learning stretch for you?

Journal Entry B: Mentor Interview

Create a list of questions to ask your mentor, conduct an interview, and take notes. Assimilate all of the information you gathered in the interview for your journal entry. Reflect on your next steps as a result of talking with your mentor.

How did you decide on this career?

What was your major and how have you used this in your position(s)?

What skills are most important for success?

What are your favorite/least favorite parts of your job?

What do you like most/least about your occupation?

What are some of the rewards/challenges you encounter?

What experiences should I engage in to be better prepared?

How is this field/industry changing?

What are some typical entry level jobs?

How do you work your way up in this industry?

Journal Entry C: Final Reflection

This journal entry should be 3-5 full pages in length. It is a self-evaluation on your entire Capstone Experience. Reflect on what you have accomplished, what you have learned, and what you might have done differently. Below are some suggested prompts to consider as you write your final reflection essay.

General Observations

What did you see, hear, and experience?

How did you feel about what you did, saw and heard?

What surprised, pleased, or puzzled you?

Were any elements of your essential questions answered?

What new/additional questions are emerging from your work?

Did your Capstone Experience meet your expectations?

What do you plan to do next?

Personal Reflections

Cite examples of your personal growth and understanding (intrapersonal skills).

Are you proud of your personal growth? Why or why not?

Describe your relationship with your mentor/colleagues/customers (interpersonal skills).

Describe a situation you did/did not handle well. What did you learn from it?

Comment on successes and challenges you encountered.

What behaviors/skills were responsible for facilitating your successes?

How can you look at those challenges in a positive or productive way?

What went right/wrong? How did you solve the problems that you encountered?

How will this experience impact your future college or career choices?

How did the Capstone Experience help you cultivate 21^st Century skills?

Could you be more effective at managing your time? If so, how?

What personal satisfactions did you gain from the Capstone Experience?

This is an opportunity for you to share your unique learning experience with your peers. Your final presentation will highlight what you have accomplished and learned as a result of successfully completing your Capstone Experience. Each student will give a 10-minute oral presentation to their Core class. See Mrs. Fragola if you’d rather present to a smaller group.

Format - Use Google Slides to help structure your presentation. Include any original photographs, artwork, sound, and/or video recordings to help your audience better understand what your Capstone Experience entailed and what was learned. You may use notes as a supplementary reference tool to help you deliver your presentation.

Introduction - Explain why you selected this Capstone Experience and what you hoped to gain from it. What were your essential questions (big ideas)? Introduce your mentor.

Content - Explain how your Capstone Experience was organized and planned. What were your responsibilities? Describe any specific skills learned along the way. Provide your audience with the necessary background, technical terms, concepts, or processes. Be sure to highlight what was most interesting and surprising to you. Did you encounter any challenges? If so, how did you overcome them?

Conclusion - Summarize your insights gained as a result of your Capstone Experience. Did you meet the goals you established at the beginning of your Capstone? How did your Capstone represent a learning stretch for you? Did your experience confirm or change your career goals? What would you do differently with your Capstone?

Q&A - After your presentation, plan for a brief question-and-answer session with your peers. Please answer honestly so we may all learn from your experiences.

Attire - Whenever giving a formal presentation, it is a good idea to dress accordingly. Wear something that will make you feel confident and appear professional. A good rule of thumb is to dress one notch nicer than what you would wear to your Capstone placement site.

Mentor Evaluations

UELP Student Agreement

UELP Employer Agreement