By TORY DENIS
WESTMINSTER, Vt. — Seventeen graduates in the Class of 2018 at the Compass School are participating this week in Graduation Portfolio Roundtables, a prerequisite for graduation.
One of the students taking part on Tuesday was Lucas Saunders, 17, who gave a presentation to a group that included peers, teachers, advisers, school Director Rick Gordon, an invited community member, and his parents and grandparents.
Graduating seniors must also complete a Senior Project. For Lucas, this was the restoration of a 1992 pick-up truck, with written documentation and photos through blog entries during the year.
While a student at the grade seven through 12 alternative school, he has visited Cuba through a school program, spoken at the State House, completed an engineering project, run a small business, among other accomplishments.
Lucas is attempting to collect the 500 petition signatures that would enable him to run for governor of Vermont.
The 90-minute roundtables allow participants to review a student’s work, engage the student in discussion, and determine if the student is ready to graduate. Having community members on the panel lends integrity to the portfolio process by bringing in an outside perspective, Gordon said.
The Compass School graduation ceremony is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday, June 3 at the school.
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