Improving ACT scores, keeping elementary students engaged in science education and implementing search engine optimization in retail websites are only a few of the research project results that 58 Blackman High School students showed off recently.
The school’s Blackman Collegiate Academy (BCA) held its fourth annual Capstone Symposium on Monday, March 4. Capstone is the name of the research project that is the culmination of the academy, Principal Leisa Justus said.
The BCA’s goal is to prepare students for success not only in college but also for after college, said Holly Cunningham, anEnglish teacher and Senior Capstone instructor. The curriculum includes students learning critical thinking skills and gaining life experience in a student’s chosen field.
The 2018 class had three National Merit semifinalists and 16 valedictorians, according to BCA’s website.
ACT tutoring
Keagan Hemsley was one of the Class of 2019 BCA students displaying his project at the symposium.
Hemsley, a National Merit semifinalist, titled his project, “Methods of Improving ACT Scores in Tennessee.” His most recent ACT composite score was 31, he said.
Hemsley said he decided to take action after students with higher ACT scores, like himself, did not qualify for the school’s ACT prep program. He created a tutoring curriculum for a small group of students and worked with seven volunteer tutors to administer a practice test last October.
“With only a little help and guidance even advanced students could improve their scores,” Hemsley said.
While he expected the scores to improve, the amount of increase surprised him, he said. Teachers told him that a 0.3-point increase would be significant — his tutoring resulted in a group composite increase of 1.1 points collectively. Some students’ subject score results increased from between 5 to 9 points. Part of his curriculum will be used next year at Blackman.
Hemsley said he plans to major in either physics or engineering, and he is awaiting letters of acceptance before deciding on which college to attend. He said he will be a valedictorian and is a candidate for the Presidential Scholarship. His interests include trap shooting, reading and bowling.
Hemsley was one of 58 students displaying their project results at the symposium. Three others shared their work.
Healthcare marketing
One of those was Ayesha Dean, whose project was titled, “Marketing’s Impact on Health Awareness.”
One of several subcategories focused on male cancer and how non-profit organization No-Shave November used social media to grow awareness and raise money.
She also researched The Roberta Baines Wheeler Pulmonary Hypertension Awareness Day event, which increase awareness of the disease. The annual event uses activities like line dancing, a 5K and health screenings and surveys participants on their knowledge of pulmonary hypertension.
Ayesha said she wants to work in marketing and earn an MBA.
SEO optimization
Another project, titled, “Investing in Search Engine Optimization,” was conducted by Abigail Swanson. Her project focused on optimizing SEO and using YouTube for her family’s online and brick-and-mortar businesses selling CBD products, including Gen 1:29. Swanson said she taught a marketing class about her methods.
She said she plans to attend Lee University.
Reforming science education
A fourth student, Mitchell Gale, presented a study titled, “Reforming the Standard Education Model to Best Prepare Children for a Life of Science and Inquiry.” Gale said he studied the reasons students lose interest in the sciences after the third grade. The topic is important because science- and engineering-related jobs are projected to be some of the most needed in the near future, he said.
He concluded that testing, sitting at desks all day being lectured to and being discouraged from asking questions were factors, he said. He developed a curriculum using hands-on learning that teaches students how to think and ask questions and used it in a fifth-grade classroom.
Gale said he plans to major in physics and eventually become a neurosurgeon.