Watkins Mill will host its third annual Middle Years Program project fair on December 15, celebrating students who completed a culminating personal task for the program, which introduces students to International Baccalaureate ideas.

Students take this opportunity to choose a topic that interests them and put it on display for friends, family, and Middle Years Program judges to see.

These students put in a lot of effort and time to make their project a success and are often very proud to show of their hard work.  A few of the students include sophomores Natasha Bowers, Yahayra Madrid and Anai Rivas.

Bowers will be presenting a home made comic book about other comics. “I chose this project because I feel like comics today, sure they are in pop culture, but not a lot of people read them,” Bowers said.  

Madrid focused her project around bringing attention to homophobia, immigration, Islamophobia, and other forms of discrimination.  Preaching acceptance, Madrid is looking to create a safe environment for many students.

Rivas’ personal project was about siblings.  Rivas, who has a sister of her own, chose this project because “people always compare [her to her sister].”

Although students are given many months to prepare their projects, the task is a very challenging one and teaches students to balance their school life with their project.  “I have learned how to be more balanced in my schedule, like balancing the MYP project and my actual homework and trying to integrate the project into my daily life and school,” Bowers said.

Each student completing the project is given a “mentor” to help them with problems that may arise throughout the process.  These mentors are staff members from the school, including teachers, supervisors, or coaches.  

Madrid, who is sponsored by English and film studies teacher Jamaly Allen, said, “Allen would help me organize my schedule, when to do the project, and give me feedback on the monologue.”

With the project fair quickly arriving, expectations are high and the students are sure to deliver, so come to the Media Center on December 15 from 7-8pm to see all of these students’ accomplishments.