One of the main requirements to be able to graduate on stage is to complete the Senior Portfolio. There are eight required artifacts for the Senior Portfolio and three or more optional artifacts for the Senior Portfolio Cord. The Senior Portfolio is due to homeroom teachers on March 1, 2025.
The eight requirements are a title page, cover letter, resume, FAFSA application, letter of recommendation, Service Learning project reflection, 12 annotated work samples, and a mock Interview. The cover letter and resume are the most urgent to complete as most homeroom teachers require them to be turned in by November 15.
While many students struggle with the resume and cover letter, they may become easier upon learning the criteria. The purpose of a cover letter is to act as an introduction to an employer. A cover letter requires contact information, such as a phone number, address, email address, and name. A cover letter should be around three paragraphs long and include an introductory paragraph, a paragraph describing the applicant’s skillset, and a paragraph describing why the applicant is interested in the job.
A resume is a document that details a person’s professional history and relevant skills. A resume should include the same contact information as the cover letter. Additionally, a resume should include an objective summary, any relevant experience, education, and skills. An applicant should also include volunteer experience or extracurriculars. Furthermore, if an applicant speaks another language, it should be included on the resume as many employers seek multilingual employees.
The presentation of a resume is also important. Many teachers recommend using Canva to find resume templates. The chronologically final part of a resume is a reference, which should be from a previous employer or anyone who can help the applicant look professional.
The rest of the requirements do not usually take as long as the cover letter or resume. The title page is the cover of a slideshow that contains the same information as the resume/cover letter, and a Kennedy High School logo and contact information. For the FAFSA application, just show proof of completing the FAFSA form (fafsa.gov). A letter of recommendation is a document that assesses the qualifications of a person (usually a student). A letter of recommendation can be written by anyone like a teacher or employer, but the letter cannot be written by friends or family.
The mock interviews will be conducted in December 2024 and January 2025.
A service learning project reflection is a typed essay with three or more paragraphs. The paragraphs should be about what the project was about, what was learned from the project, and how it affected the community.
The 12 annotated work samples must have two samples from 9th and 10th grade, four samples from 11th and 12th grade. Each sample must be from a different class.
Although the workload may seem daunting, knowing what is required for each assignment can make it easier.
“I didn’t really know what to do, but a template made it easy,” said senior Anthony Stecchi.
