Senior Projects Celebrate Unique Student Interests

On May 21, the Class of 2026 shared their senior projects in a day full of diverse presentations. Seniors dedicated the past three weeks to an independent project of their choice, ranging from creative pursuits to deep-dives into new topics or skills. In 20minute blocks, students presented their work individually or in small groups to classrooms brimming with their peers and families. Students also had the option to create video presentations for a showcase that ran in the Kurosawa screening room. 

For many seniors, this Crossroads tradition was a chance to focus their time on a budding or previously unexplored personal interest. Across the breadth of chosen topics, students challenged themselves to manage the structure of their three weeks to reach their project goals within the short timeframe.

Austin Goldstein, a student with experience performing improv comedy, stepped out of their comfort zone to try standup for the first time. In their presentation, Austin opened with a quick “tight five” set before delving into their research and writing process. They discussed navigating the fluidity of the artform, describing, “the cool thing about standup–it’s different every single time. My set was different two hours ago.” 

With a technological focus, Lucas Odero and Hudson Roberts exhibited the horror video game they had spent the last three weeks intensively coding and debugging. The presentation culminated in a live playthrough of their game, in which a protagonist has to collect keys to escape a scary room before getting attacked by a monster.

Across the Alley, Ella Orango and Ella Ward presented their project “Surviving Kindergarten Pt. 2” in which they joined Crossroads kindergarten classes to embrace the joys of childhood while exploring their interest in working with kids. In an exchange of gratitude, kindergarteners joined the presentation and shared what they loved about having Ella and Ella in their classroom.

Jaiden Gohill, Theo Tierney and Connor Weinhouse recounted the road trip they took up the California Coast to experience the state’s history, geography and natural environment firsthand. Everywhere they stopped, the students made an effort to chat with people they encountered and often asked them for a piece of advice for someone graduating from high school. Wisdom they received included: “Go out into your community and meet people, get to know your neighbors and talk to the people around you. If you support your community, your community will support you.”

Other seniors pursued topics that centered craftsmanship. Alfred Bloomingdale built an electric guitar, while Emma Becerra wrote and illustrated a children’s book. Both students expressed their interest in continuing to refine their projects even past the end of the official three week timeframe. 

Another hand-crafted work came from Amy Diaz who constructed a wooden bench for the Crossroads community. Amy spearheaded the process from design to execution: purchasing materials, cutting components and fastening the bench together using power tools. Reflecting on the process of her senior project, she explained, “There are so many creative people at Crossroads, and I never really thought of myself as one. This project showed me how creative I can really be.”