The final bell on the last day of school is a sound that is rejoiced by students and teachers alike. This bell is the signal to the beginning of summer break. While this break is usually filled with vacations, sporting events, and sleeping late, there is another key element that represents summer break for many students: the project. This project is incorporated into the summer break to assure that students continue learning. In many schools, this project is teacher-designed, resulting in uninterested and procrastinating students. In addition, many teacher-designed projects do not foster creativity. These negative results of teacher-designed summer projects can be reversed by allowing student-designed projects. Student-designed summer projects allow students to choose a topic that they are interested in, be creative, and enjoy learning.

By allowing students to choose a topic that is compelling to them, they will be driven to complete the project with their best effort. Students will also have the option to choose a possible career path and research it throughout the summer. With their research and project, students can essentially "test drive" their intended career, instead of waiting until college to discover that they are completely uninterested in their major. For example, one student may desire to become an elementary school teacher. In her project, she decides to research how to become a teacher and the skills that the profession requires. After completing her research, she creates a binder of lesson plans that correspond with her state's standards of learning for her grade of choice. Consequently, she discovers that she truly has a passion for teaching and is reassured on her career choice through this student-designed summer project. The skills that she learned, including her lesson plans, can be used if/when she decides to become an elementary school teacher. While students are allowed to explore professional realms through student-designed summer projects, the possibilities are endless.

When students have the option to be creative with their project, this captures the interest of many artistic students. Teacher-designed projects are mostly straightforward, and have clear right and wrong answers. As a result, there is minimal room for creativity and originality. However, student-designed projects give students the ability to create an interesting and creative project, that captivates not only their attention, but the teachers that will evaluate it the next school year. For example, a student who is very creative may choose to design a project that showcases ways to use recycled materials in art. This project not only uses their artistic and creative abilities, but it also incorporates scientific and environmental strategies.

Student-designed projects allow students to enjoy learning. Some students who may dislike school, may discover a new found love of learning when they are given the opportunity to create the framework of their project. Students are more likely to enjoy a project on a topic that they have a passion for rather than a topic that is simply assigned to them by a teacher. Responsibility skills are also developed as a result of student-designed projects, since they not only are required to complete the project, but they also must develop the project. However, some teachers dislike student-designed projects since there is no clearly set standards or grading rubric, which results in a lengthy grading period. While this can be true, teachers can create an overall rubric that addresses the key elements that each project must include, no matter the topic.

As a result, summer projects should be student-designed. This project style not only results in increased student involvement, but it also allows them to explore subjects that they may not have been able to otherwise. Student-designed projects also assist in the development of higher-level thinking, organizational skills, and responsibility skills; all of which are necessary in the professional world. Students are not only enjoying their topic, but they are also continuing to learn, which is the overall concept of summer projects. With student-designed projects, the possibilities are truly endless.