Summer projects are a burden that take away students time during the summer to relax and hang out with their friends and families. A lot of schools struggle with what to assign as summer reading or projects because they want the students to learn but don't like when students turn in sloppy work that they completed the week before school starts. School systems wonder whether student-designed projects will adhance students learning throughout summer break. Although some may believe otherwise summer projects should be student-designed because students know how much time they have over the summer and students will have a greater benefits from them.

Summer assignments should be student-designed as students know how much time they have over the summer to spend on school work. Last summer my friend Generic_Name was very busy as she had a leadership role at a summer camp for two weeks, she camped for a week, and she had volleyball practice everyday in August. As the first day of school was approaching Generic_Name realized that she still had to read a book and answer questions on it for school. Many students, just like Generic_Name, have very busy summers and often have trouble finding time to complete those boring teacher-designed projects. If summer projects were student designed, students could create a project that fit into their schedule rather than long projects that took away from their time to themselves. Another example showing that summer projects should be student designed is my cousin Generic_Name. Generic_Name lives in California and last year her school started a new initiative where they left summer projects in the hands of the students. The students designed a project where everyone had to create a presentation showing what they did over the summer and how those activities impacted them. With this project, Generic_Name didn't have to go out of her way to complete it as she just had to take photos and journal about the many things she was doing over the summer, which made this project fun and easy for her. The students at her high school created this project as they knew it wouldn't take away from the students time to relax, go on vacation, and hangout with their friends and families. In the past, Generic_Name would never complete her projects as she simply didn't have the time to do it because the teachers were assigning reading projects with long packet that analyzed the assigned book. Overall, students brains will be better stimulated over the summer if their projects are student-designed because they will be more motivate to find time to complete the projects.

Students will have greater benefits from student-designed projects as they can chose what subjects they need to work on and they can create projects the interest them. My cousin Generic_Name struggles in math but excels in English. While she was in middle school and high school the projects she was assigned over the summer were all reading projects, which were easy for her. She would have benefited more if she could have chosen to complete a math packet that would prepare her for the next grade level. Instead, year after year she completed the same reading packet that had no effect on her. Emily is similar to all students as everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, so if students are required to complete a summer assignment it should be something that will actually increase their intellectual abilities by strengthening their weaknesses. Another example of student-designed projects having greater benefits is my friend Generic_Name who really enjoys photography. Last year, Generic_Name high school, in Arkansas, let each student create their own summer project to present to their homeroom class the first week of school. Generic_Name decided to a presentation on the history of photography and share photos she took over the summer which benefited Generic_Name as she grew her photography skills so that she could impress her classmates with the photos she took. It also allowed her to advance her photography skills as she was inspired by photographers from past time period and she read their tips and tricks. Generic_Name summer project shows that students benefit more from summer assignments when they are able to design them rather than when teachers design projects that won't individually benefit each student. Overall, students do not benefit from projects that don't spotlight their interests and needs.

Some may believe that teacher-designed p assure learning over break because they believe that teachers know what students need to do stimulate their brains. While this reasoning is understandable, it is false because when students are able to design their own projects that focus on their interest and needs they are more likely to benefit from them and they are more likely to put aside the time to complete them. Two years ago, over the summer I spent a week on my dad's boat, I spent a week at summer camp, and I hung out with my friends. All those activities took up the majority of my summer. Summer went by so fast and before I knew it there was a week until school started and I still hadn't read the book we were assigned. If my summer project would have been student-designed I could have made it so that it fit my needs and interest. By doing so I would have continue to learn throughout the summer rather than over two days at the end of break. All schools should have student-designed projects if they actually want students to learn over break and turn in well done projects.

Student-designed projects are more beneficial to all schools systems. Before schools started allowing student-designed projects teachers were receiving either no projects or sloppy ones. The future with student-designed projects will benefit teacher and students as students will come in ready to learn with effort filled projects. Students know how to create a project that will fit their interests and the time they have available over the summer.