Academic Concentration Projects Culminate in Final Presentations to the Community

The array of topics studied was quite diverse, from Global Studies student Emma C., who researched the correlation between women’s fashion and the French feminist movement, to STEM students Catherine J., who learned website development and created a site tailored to Foxcroft’s math curriculum that students can use for extra practice, and Caroline M., who researched the neuroscience of dreams. Animal Science student Cecilia M. researched the effects of climate change on dolphin populations, while fellow Animal Science concentration students Ella S. and Lilia S. studied sustainable fishing and the treatment of animal osteoarthritis, respectively. 

Not all projects involved research, as was the case with the Arts Concentration students. Marlow B. created Good Day Foxcroft as a club her sophomore year with the mission to inspire people to see the world with a new perspective through good community-based stories that make people glad to live in our area and attend our School, and Maeve M. focused a photography project on the evolution of the image by creating a series of ten handmade boxes to depict the progression of history, technology, and culture during each decade of the 1900s. Each box featured a photo taken with a time-accurate camera and artifacts to depict the decade.

Concentrations can have profound impacts on the students involved. "The concentration program has meant so much to me over my time in Foxcroft and it has allowed me to make lifelong connections," shared Maeve M. "Thanks to my concentration, I have met so many fantastic people in all different aspects of the photography community. This sense of community that I have gained as a result is unparalleled and has opened so many doors for me. I have met such incredible people who have become trusted mentors and provide constant support through my work." Emma C. shared, “My highlight was definitely presenting to my board of advisors. I had so much fun answering questions and being able to share what I had learned. I really enjoyed sharing my passion for my topic with those equally excited to hear what I had to say.” 

Students were also keen to share lessons learned and offer advice to underclassmen considering concentrations. “Try your best to choose a topic you are genuinely passionate about (easier said than done), but it is vital that your research actually intrigues you and is something you are curious about,” recommends Caroline M. “This will make it a lot easier to complete, and you will be excited about your project!” Catherine J. echoed these words, saying, “I wish that all the Concentration students can figure out what they are passionate about as soon as possible and dedicate the rest of their time to the actual project.” 

Serving as a mentor for the Concentration program can also impact the faculty members who work with students, as Video Production Teacher Ginny Riley shares, "A highlight of being a concentration mentor for me was getting to see hard work pay off. It was fun to watch an idea grow, be implemented, and even though there were fewer episodes this year, it was fun to see how ingrained in the community Good Day Foxcroft became so quickly. When Good Day Foxcroft won the club impact award at the end of its first year, it solidified what we all knew — that Marlow was leaving her legacy with her concentration."

Congratulations to all of this year’s Concentration graduates and mentors on their hard work! If you did not attend in person or via Zoom, videos of their presentations are attached to this article. 

Below is a list of the Concentration graduates and their topics. 

Animal Science
Cecilia M. ’22 — Dolphin conservation
Lilia S. ’22 — Treatment of animal osteoarthritis
Ella S. ’22 — Sustainable fishing

Global Studies
Emma C. ’22 — Fashion and history

STEM
Catherine J. ’22 — Math and computer science
Caroline M. ’22 — Neuroscience

The Arts
Marlow B. ’22 — Videography
Maeve M. ’22 — Photography