It’s that time of the year again! On April 15th, the seniors ended classes and began working on their senior projects. Senior projects are a four-week period in which students get to work off-campus on a project of their choice, most often choosing between an internship, self-directed project, or a combination of both, so long as they work for a combined thirty hours per week.
Past projects include interning at UNM’s neuroscience lab, working at bakeries, helping out at Meow Wolf, and even putting on a full fashion show. Senior projects vary wildly. Here’s a couple being undertaken this year:

Ainara Vecchia ‘24 is well known around campus for her talents in the arts, both performing and visual. She’s taken years of drawing and painting classes, and is a member of the Thespian troupe. Her senior project is to paint a mural on the shipping container out by the bike park, an image of a charger galloping across a blue background. She came up with her project after designing this year’s senior gift, a colorful mosaic that will be installed near the senior patio.

Another notable project this year is by Bella Sanchez ‘24, a wonderfully talented actor and choral musician, who also happens to be the president of SAGA. SAGA is the sexuality and gender alliance, and is a safe space for queer students. Bella’s project is creating a website listing queer college resources, as well as elements from gay pop culture and profiles of queer seniors.

Other projects this year included writing a musical, working with solar panel design, learning how to cook, working with surgeons, throwing a dinner party, glassblowing, and creating a music video.

Every year, Academy seniors continue to impress the wider community with their talents as showcased by many of their projects. This year’s graduates are no different, and they’ve set an impressive role model for future classes. Congratulations to the Class of 2024!