As the weather becomes warmer at the end of June, students eagerly leave their schools excited for the start of summer. However, in most school districts, summer break doesn't mean a break from school work. Many school districts require students to complete an assignment over the summer to assure they continue learning . Over the three month break, students must complete one project. This project should be about a topic of their choosing. Allowing students to complete a project on an area of their interest, rather than a topic assigned by the teacher, the work will be of higher quality, have a stronger impact on students learning, and be more enjoyable for both the teacher and students involved.

When students complete a project on what interests them the most, the quality of their work is dramatically increased. The students are willing to do more research on a topic they enjoy than a topic assigned to them. Someone who spends time playing music outside of school will be more interested in discovering the impact of music on their community, than researching the rain patterns in the state of Florida. Over time, the work each individual puts into their project will be more meaningful and have a stronger impact on their learning. A student may go out to a museum related to their topic, or interview a neighbor that is specialized in a specific area. The knowledge gained from students completing their project is important, but each student will learn new skills beneficial to their unique life in the future. When school rolls back around again in August, each student will have a more enjoyable time sharing to their classmates and teachers about the topic they spent time lots of time learning more about over the break.

Some people may argue that all students should complete the same exact teacher-designed project over the summer. While doing so may make it easier for teachers to grade by simply using a rubric and checking off all areas complete and marking off areas not included. However, when the school year begins, most people involved won't be interested. Classmates listening to the project will not be focused on the student presenting, since they also completed the same project, and the teachers grading will quickly get bored from hearing the same thing over and over again. The entire objective of having an assignment for students to complete over the summer, is to ensure they are still learning. If students aren't interested in the topic they are working on, the impact of the project and knowledge acquired will not be as great. The impact will be much greater if students are completing a project on something they enjoy.

Allowing students to have a more enjoyable summer that is still filled with learning is important. Students that are required to complete a project over the summer should be researching about a topic they enjoy, rather than one assigned by a teacher. When students complete work that is important to them, the final product will be of much higher quality, have a stronger impact on the students learning and future, and be more enjoyable for the teacher and all students involved.