Graduation Defense Preparation
Salutations (2-3 minutes):
Mastery of 21st Century Skills (Work Samples):
Financial Plan (5 minutes):
Conclusion:
Q&A:
- Student is dressed in professional attire
- Male
- Long pants - no jeans, no holes, no frayed hems
- Button down collared shirt – no sleeveless
- Tie
- Shoes - no sneakers or slippers
- Long pants - no jeans, no holes, no frayed hems
- Female
- Long pants or long skirt (knee length) – no jeans, no holes, no frayed hems
- Button down collared shirt or blouse – no sleeveless
- Close-toed shoes – no sneakers or slippers
- Long pants or long skirt (knee length) – no jeans, no holes, no frayed hems
- Male
- Greetings
- Student introduces him/herself, first and last name and hands a copy of their resume to all (have 10 printed)
- Student introduces each member of the group to the panel, including relation to student
- Student introduces him/herself, first and last name and hands a copy of their resume to all (have 10 printed)
- Student explains the purpose of the graduation defense
- Demonstrate growth
- Demonstrate preparedness for life beyond high school
- Demonstrate growth
- Student thanks panel for attending
- Tell us about yourself
- What you were like growing up? Where did you grow up? What made you choose Kihei Charter? How long have you been a student at KCS? What inspires you?
- Include best experiences, stories, classes, etc. that impacted and/or shaped who you are and the way you learn.
- Show off your Extra Curricular Activities
- Include best experiences, stories, classes, etc. that impacted and/or shaped who you are and the way you learn.
- How are you different now then you were as a 9th grade student?
- Challenges you faced in high school and how you have learned to overcome them
- Organizational skills
- Interpersonal skills
- Peers
- Teachers
- Parents
- Siblings
- Peers
- Organizational skills
- Challenges you still face and your plans to continue to work on them
- Challenges you faced in high school and how you have learned to overcome them
- What you were like growing up? Where did you grow up? What made you choose Kihei Charter? How long have you been a student at KCS? What inspires you?
Mastery of 21st Century Skills (Work Samples):
- Mastery of 21st Skills
- Explanation of how you have grown as a learner in regards to the 21st Century skills. Do NOT list each skill individually, rather give examples of projects or work samples that you can reflect on where the skills are evident. Also address your internship experience here.
- Explanation of how you have grown as a learner in regards to the 21st Century skills. Do NOT list each skill individually, rather give examples of projects or work samples that you can reflect on where the skills are evident. Also address your internship experience here.
- How are you going use skills and what you have learned to achieve future goals and aspirations?
- Overview (Where, how long, mentors name, etc)
- Share memorable experiences
- Share learning experiences that you will use in the future (time management, promptness, hard work, etc.)
- Final thoughts and what you feel you got out of the internship
- Share memorable experiences
- Introduction to project
- Inspiration for project
- Why this project
- Value to you
- Value to community
- Value to you
- Outline major goals of project
- Outline major tasks for project completion
- Inspiration for project
- Growth throughout project in 21st Century Skills and academic content*
- What did you learn by doing this project?
- 21st Century Skills growth*
- Academic Content growth*
- 21st Century Skills growth*
- What did you learn by doing this project?
- Clear documentation of project progress
- Each stage of the project is supported with visuals as you speak
- Videos
- Photographs
- Tables, charts, graphs
- Videos
- Each stage of the project is supported with visuals as you speak
- Conclusion of project
- Take away message for audience about the value of your project
- Take away message for audience about the value of your project
Financial Plan (5 minutes):
- Post high school plans
- College/Job
- Where
- College/Job
- Budget for first year after high school
- Housing
- Utilities
- Internet and phone
- Food
- Transportation
- Health insurance
- Income
- Tuition
- Describe in detail your future plans and goals.
- Housing
- What makes you ready for college/career?
- Perseverance/grit
- Realistic view of life after high school
- Goals/passions
- Perseverance/grit
Conclusion:
- Leave panel with a take-home message about how great you are
Q&A:
- Confident responses to panel questions
- Eye contact
- Logical and thoughtful
- Provide specific examples to support your responses
- Willing to say “I don’t know” or “I haven’t thought about that yet” when that answer is the best answer
- Respectful
- Ask for clarification if you do not understand
- Answer as well as you can even if you think the question is silly
- Ask for clarification if you do not understand
- Eye contact
Graduation Defense Rubric (click to access)
Financial Plan
Graduation Defense Reflection (click to access)
Tips from the Class of 2017
Make sure to rehearse-in front of people
Its okay to be nervous
Casual, not so formal
On note cards, write questions so that you can answer them in conversation
List all talking points to streamline
Practice in the shower???
Not as intimidating as I thought
Ask for questions between topics
Have a successful website to be able to follow/flow
Don’t be afraid to show off your personality
Slideshow of pictures mandatory
Add internship to rubric
Let them know its not super stressful/not gonna graduate
Let yourself be vulnerable
Bullet points of topics
Tell your family/mentor to ask guiding questions to increase engagement
Increase financial plan
Note cards OR paper
Walk around
More time in advisory to present in front of peers
More practice, especially for modified schedules
Not as scary as it seems
Support group
Encourage extracurricular
Practice to yourself 5-10 times with note cards
Save tangible work samples
Pick passionate assignments
Be aware of time
Prepare websites early
Build resumes over time
Financial Plan
Its okay to be nervous
Casual, not so formal
On note cards, write questions so that you can answer them in conversation
List all talking points to streamline
Practice in the shower???
Not as intimidating as I thought
Ask for questions between topics
Have a successful website to be able to follow/flow
Don’t be afraid to show off your personality
Slideshow of pictures mandatory
Add internship to rubric
Let them know its not super stressful/not gonna graduate
Let yourself be vulnerable
Bullet points of topics
Tell your family/mentor to ask guiding questions to increase engagement
Increase financial plan
Note cards OR paper
Walk around
More time in advisory to present in front of peers
More practice, especially for modified schedules
Not as scary as it seems
Support group
Encourage extracurricular
Practice to yourself 5-10 times with note cards
Save tangible work samples
Pick passionate assignments
Be aware of time
Prepare websites early
Build resumes over time
Financial Plan