Grade 8 Keystone Project is Truly "Global in Reach"

On June 3, members of the Class of 2029 presented their Keystone Projects to friends, family, and faculty. Now in its third year, the Keystone Project is a bridge between the Grade 5 PYP Exhibition and the Grade 10 Project, and is the culminating activity for Middle School students. 

This project required the students to reflect on and then take action on the idea of global thinking and action, relating to the last part of the WIS Mission: "global in reach." They started with a research question and conducted field studies during their grade-level trips to Paris or Madrid. A bilingual presentation and product were shared with attendees at the Keystone event; this year’s topics covered an array of subjects from climate change to public transportation to gender equality…and much more. 

Elise Stephenson, Director of the PDC at WIS, was very impressed by the event. She reflected, "it really represents so much of WIS's mission and values in one project. The inquiry questions—which are really thoughtful—are rooted in their own travels on their language trips. Their field interviews are with individuals from across the world; some of them sat down and interviewed principals and heads of school. There is strong research integrity—they have had a lot of support with the research process itself. The projects are inclusive of many themes and the students' own interests, rooted in inquiry and wanting to know more about the world."

Congratulations to the students for their engaging and thoughtful presentations—and on being so close to completing Middle School!