Lexington High School offers students an opportunity to take initiative through independent study programs, self-driven projects that allow students to delve into a specific field of interest while earning course credit.
For example, juniors Kabir Gokarn and Christopher Yoo take part in independent studies at LHS. Gokarn, alongside his teammate Nathan Cunningham, participated in independent research through the LHS science fair. Their project investigates the effects of post-exercise cooldown techniques, especially in the context of track.
“While LHS-offered classes are what got us interested in the topic in the first place, the science fair has allowed us to be more specific with what we learn. We can research the physiology and biology of running and athletics specifically, building upon our core knowledge that we learned in class,” Gokarn said.
Alongside also participating in the science fair, Yoo is a member of Peanut Butter and Jelly, an a cappella group, for which he also received academic credit. There, he explores music composition pertaining to small ensembles. Yoo praises the camaraderie found within the group.
“This experience is distinctly unique as it allows members to learn from each other and join a community of other singers,” Yoo said.
While these initiatives are primarily student-driven, teachers continue to play a crucial role in supplying inspiration and project-specific advice.
“Different teachers in the science department helped us in different ways. Our main resource for the project was our former biology teacher who helped us develop ideas for the project and guide us through the official approval process,” Gokarn said.
Although the projects demanded substantial extracurricular hours, seeing the project come together and obtaining results was gratifying.
“Once the first day of experimentation was complete, it felt as though we were finally seeing the payoff for all the hard work that we had put in to organize it,” Gokarn said.
Yoo found the presentational aspect of the science fair to be the most satisfying.
“My favorite moment in the science fair was presenting my findings at the various levels of the science fair. It was so interesting seeing the perspective of experienced scientists and researchers, and their input helped me further develop my ideas for future endeavors,” Yoo said.
Yoo and Gokarn recommend taking advantage of independent studies to all students.
“I would say that you should find something that you are truly passionate about, and that you would want to investigate in your own time regardless of there being a project around it,” Gokarn said.
