I’m a Mentor, Now What?

Thank you for serving as a Senior Project mentor. The following is a breakdown of the Senior Project fieldwork and mentor requirements along with specific ways you can assist your mentee/s. If you have any questions throughout the process, please contact the Senior Project Coordinator: Ms. Monique Mora at (562)698-8121 extension 5226 or email at . For your reference, there is also a Senior Project website, which can be reached through the Pioneer High School home page. The website contains all of the Senior Project forms along with other important information that pertains to the project. Thank you again for serving as a mentor.

Mentor Requirements:

  • Be over 21 years of age.
  • Be a non-relative.
  • Be available for consultation.
  • More than one mentor? Yes, students can have more than one mentor.
  • Mentor is knowledgeable regarding the Senior Project topic-The Academic Mentor
  • OR/AND Mentor is knowledgeable regarding the students’ Proof of Project-Fieldwork Mentor
  • For example, if a student’s topic is global warming and the student is going to create a painting of planet Earth on canvas then the student would most likely have two mentors: one mentor who is knowledgeable about global warming(the Academic Mentor), and another mentor who is knowledgeable about art and can guide the student through the painting process(Fieldwork Mentor)
  • If a mentor is knowledgeable about both the topic and the Proof of Project the student has chosen to create then the mentor can serve as the sole mentor.
  • The academic mentor can assist students with research during the research paper process along with prepping the student for the Senior Project presentation.
  • The Mentor/s do not have to be physically present while the student completes all of their Proof of Project hours, but students must check in with his or her mentor and update the mentor on his or her project progress. Additionally, students must show the mentor/s pictures and video of him or her completing the Proof of Project. It is highly encouraged that students meet with his or her mentor, at the beginning of the project, to set up a fieldwork/meeting schedule, so the mentor can monitor the student’s progress and sign off on the student’s fieldwork throughout the project.
  • Mentors can further assist students by:
  • Reading student’s research paper rough drafts
  • Helping the student practice his or her presentation

Mentor Forms

All Mentors need to complete:

  • Mentor Commitment Form
  • Sign Timeline for the hours he or she can verify as the mentor

Fieldwork Hours and Grades:

A-Distinguished-31+ hours ***If students complete 31 hours or more, he or she will earn a pin to be worn at graduation.***

B-Commendable-29-21 hours

C-Adequate-21-15 hours

F-Not Yet There-Anything below 15 hours

***ALL seniors must complete a minimum of 15 hours in order to meet the District's Senior Project fieldwork requirement.***

Fieldwork-Proof of Project

All Seniors must have a completed Proof of Project. The Proof of Project is a finished product that the senior creates during his or her fieldwork hours. Seniors must spend at least a minimum of fifteen hours creating his or her Proof of Project, and the student must present the proof of project during his or her presentation to theSenior Project judges.

The Dos-Below is a list of Proof of Project ideas:

  • Create an original graphic novel, storyboard, book of poetry, book of short stories, novel, novella, play, monologue
  • Create an original recipe book, garden with seed boxes
  • Create a teaching lesson and film yourself teaching
  • Create an original documentary, commercial, radio broadcast, short film, news segment, or a skit
  • Create a diagram, model
  • Build a computer, a robot, solar panel
  • Create a physical experiment
  • Design and sew an item of clothing
  • Create an original painting, sculpture, mural, paper mache piece
  • Create an original choreographed dance piece
  • Create an exercise manual with photographs of you demonstrating proper techniques along with a meal plan
  • Create and maintain a blog or a website
  • Organize an event to raise money for a specific cause-you will need to show a donation receipt and a video of the event as your proof of project
  • Compose an original song and perform, create an instrumental piece and perform, create an album or a score to a film you create
  • Create a magazine, advice column, newspaper that you circulate to your peers on campus
  • Create music, film, food, and/or art reviews

The Don’ts:

  • Students are NOT permitted to make display boards
  • Students are not permitted to create surveys for fieldwork hours
  • Students cannot do observations for fieldwork hours
  • Students cannot solely volunteer for the first 15 hours
  • Students are not permitted to create a pamphlet/brochure as the sole proofs of project. Exception: If a student organizes an event, such as a health fair booth, he or she can create a pamphlet/ brochure to pass out at the health fair booth he or she created. But creating the pamphlet will only count as an hour toward the fifteen required hours.

Fieldwork Hour Limitations:

  • Students cannot be paid for fieldwork
  • Students cannot receive school credit for fieldwork hours
  • Students cannot complete fieldwork during his or her school hours
  • Students can work on proof of project during nutrition and lunch hours
  • Once students complete 15 fieldwork hours in which he or she creates the Proof of Project, students can then volunteer for additional hours at any of the pre-approved fieldwork locations. The additional hours must relate to the students’ topic.

Pre-Approved Fieldwork Locations:

  • Leos’ Club
  • Art Club
  • S-Club
  • Pink Ribbon Club
  • Titans for Christ
  • Environmental Club
  • Culinary Arts Club
  • PREP Fieldtrips
  • Learning Garden
  • Speech and Debate
  • Additional clubs at Pioneer High School
  • Audit a course/class at Whittier College, Rio Hondo and Cerritos College
  • Presbyterian Hospital
  • Shelters Right Hand
  • Salvation Army
  • Whittier Narrows Nature Center
  • Students CAN spend more than 15 hours creating his or her Proof of Project

Fieldwork Credit

Seniors submit fieldwork to his or her English teacher. In order to receive credit, seniors need to submit the following when checking in fieldwork:

  • Fieldwork pictures(students need a minimum of 6 pictures, yet it highly encouraged that students take at least 15 pictures throughout the experience)
  • Students need to be in the pictures
  • Mentor/s need to be in at least one picture
  • Completed timeline with mentors’ signatures to reflect the completed hours
  • Student needs to type fieldwork logs that document his or her proof of project experience.