Generic_Name, a sixteen-year-old high school student in Washington, is required this upcoming school year to have done a summer project on who were the founders of the Latin language a topic she heavily dislikes but, she must do. Generic_Name like many students are given projects during the summer to help keep their brains functioning and ready for the next school year. Summer projects can be very beneficial to the students increasing their brains critical thinking and challenging themselves to think outside the box. In most cases with schools the projects are designated towards the students created by the school or the teachers themselves. Although most of the time projects are created by teachers, summer projects should be student-designed because it allows a student to be more creative, gives themselves a topic that interests them, as well as creates independence within the student.

Students can access their more creative side when given their choice of what to do with their project. To illustrate, Generic_Name, a talented Spanish-musician, has his summer book project due by the first day of the new school year and he decides to turn his book report into a song with him singing and playing the guitar. When Generic_Name is given the choice of what to do he decides to combine the world of literature with the world of music to create a masterpiece. If projects were student-designed it would allow them to show their work with an artistic twist. In addition, Generic_Name a discouraged student that enjoys sketching and painting picks to do a project on Abraham Lincoln by doing a portrait of the president. Indeed, Generic_Name adds her own interpretation of what she thinks the project should be by showing off her skills. If Generic_Name was assigned the project by a teacher she probably would not have been motivated to even attempt the project but since she designed it she put in the effort. Thus, if projects are student-designed they give the students the ability to add their own twist while giving them motivation to give it a shot.

Furthermore, summer projects can be more fun and enjoyable for students when they have a topic that interests them. For example, Generic_Name, a student at Generic_School, dislikes history class but enjoys the units of World War 1 and World War 2. Although Generic_Name is not a fan of history since he can choose his project he has the ability to talk about The World Wars. When the opportunity is given Generic_Name can still make the most out of his project if he gets to design it. In addition, Generic_Name, a high school student and aspiring doctor, receives a project from health class and chooses to do a demonstration on what to do in an emergency situations. Generic_Name decides to to do a project on a topic that combines his admiration for doctors with his health class. Given the possibility to design Generic_Name can show his interest for his desired occupation and learn more about what future knowledge and actions may be required for the occupation. Therefore, student-designed projects allow students to find something they have an interest even when for a class they are not so fond of as well as discover occupational interests.

Finally, Independence is strengthened within an individual when students have the ability to design their own projects. To demonstrate, Generic_Name, an average student, attends Generic_School and receives a summer project due on his first day of eighth grade while doing the project over the summer he learns to better manage his time and take responsibility. Without Generic_Name being able to design his own project he would not have managed his time or taken as much responsibility than if it was assigned to him from his teacher. Students can pick up good characteristics and better learn on their own when they get to make the calls. Moreover, Generic_Name, a procrastinator, is given her choice of a science project for the summer and learns to take initiative when she gets to do the project herself. If Generic_Name was not able to choose the type of project she would not have spent the time to look at it because she would have felt forced to do a specific thing. Also she learned to take initiative to do her work because she had more freedom when she was able to design it. In conclusion, students will learn life long skills to their benefit as well as how to be more independent when given the freedom to make their own decisions in their projects.

To conclude, when students are given a summer project it should be designed by the students for the purpose of developing passion within their work, taking on topics of fascination, in addition to introducing a new level of independent growth. Many artistic twists and passions are added to the project in addition to motivation to why they should complete the project when they remain student designed. Furthermore, this builds freedom to do what their minds want when they are not fond of the subject as well as bring in ideas of desired occupations. Moreover, the freedom given to the student builds desirable characteristics and independence within the individuals. If schools choose to do teacher-designed summer projects students will stay unmotivated, continue procrastinating, never expanding outside the box, and ultimately never introducing what they truly can do.