Books such as "To Kill a Mocking Bird" and "The Crucible" are commonly used as summer reading books for people in High School. After finishing the book, students are required to write an essay or do a project on a text that they did not understand or were not interested in. If these projects were student lead, the enjoyment and completion would rise. More students would be able to show what they learned in a way that is significant and meaningful to them and, they will want to complete it.

This summer in English, the class was tasked with reading " In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote. After completing the book we were required to write an outline, make a character chart, and write an analysis on the second half of the book. For myself, the second half was the hardest part to get through. It was full of analyses about the characters that I , at the time, was unable to fully understand on my own. When it was time for me to fully sit down and write my paper I hit a road block. Writing down everything I learned when it all went in one ear and out the other was very difficult. Not only was that part of the book not enjoyable, but the assignment attached wasnt engaging either. I ended up word vomiting over the paper in a way that somewhat made sense. I was already at a disadvantage not knowing the material but when the assignment was not engaging it made my experience worse. If the project was geared more toward the individual rather than a "one size fits all" project then the submissions wouldn't be full of fluff.

Audio, Visual, and Kinesthetic are different ways that people learn. When given a project over the summer, depending on the assignment, how the material is learned is irrelevant but how the project is completed needs to be done exactly as the directions display. This becomes a problem with the different ways people take in information. A teacher might be a visual learner themselves and ask the class to do a project geared toward visual learning. When a student who learns through touch is given this task, it sets them up for difficulties along the way. Some people may say that this struggle is necessary and shows growth within the individual but in the long run it does a larger disservice to the student than increase their problem solving skills. Students should be able to create their own projects that suit their style of learning and are fun for them to display.

Lastly, summer break projects should be fun. To celebrate the end of a book, or a given assignment it should be well, a celebration. Allowing students, with teacher approval, to create their own projects start to finish based on the material will have an eventful outcome. Listening to the same project repeatedly becomes boring after a short period of time. Allowing students to customize adds a unique touch to an otherwise boring project. Overall it leaves the classroom with students loving what they are learning and the teacher with the satisfaction that everyone understands the given information.

During summer break the teacher and their students have not met yet. Neither parties are able understand how each other operate. If instead of a "one size fits all" project the teacher left the design in their students hands, then they will get a better understanding of the class. Projects in general are not always fun especially if you do not understand the given information. Summer assignments should showcase how the individual person learned over the brake and what the material means to them. With student-designs the project becomes unique and feels less like a obligation.