The North Carolina Graduation Project is a performance-based graduation requirement for all high school seniors for the entire state. The project identifies the need for a more holistic approach in terms of what the school district and what we as a community believe to be academic achievement for public school students. The vision of the graduation project is for students to develop and nurture a topic that they are passionate about within their community that will continue throughout their high school experience. They are graded on four components which is a research paper, product, portfolio, and an oral presentation. Using these four requirements leaves a large area of creativity for the students to develop as they evolve with their project. The North Carolina Graduation Project is not only demanding more from their students by allowing them to become active learners in their own experiential education experience, but it is also demanding more from community members, and parents to become more involved because it is only with them that this project can be successful.

The mission is to provide a multi-disciplinary program that prepares students for 21st century careers by giving them community based involvement. The hope of this project is for the students to connect content knowledge, acquired skills, and work habits to real world situations and issues.

The North Carolina Graduation Project began with the incoming ninth grade class in 2006 so it is to early to discuss results and accomplishments, but we should all keep an eye on what will transpire in 2010 when these projects reach full fruition and the experience of the students, teachers and community are made public.