English Students at Crown Point High School Chronicle Local History
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Book it: The lessons that senior English students learn at Crown Point High School speak volumes.
English teacher Debra Ciochina began a project in 2000 whereby each senior in her Advanced Placement class researches and then writes about a topic in Crown Point history. The papers are compiled into a book that is published locally‚ with 300-400 copies produced and sold for $15 apiece.
“This is a way to get kids engaged in authentic research about their hometown and also get them communicating with interview subjects in Crown Point who are often much older‚” Ciochina says. “It is a time-consuming and exhaustive project‚ but we have four excellent books to show for all the effort.”
The books are titled Crown Point Legacy Project for the years 2000‚ 2001‚ 2003 and 2004. A book for 2002 was not scheduled because of class restructuring at CPHS during that school year.
“The students start compiling their information and begin interviewing people in late September‚ and the book is available to the public around Thanksgiving – in time for the holiday season‚” Ciochina says. “Once the publishing costs are paid‚ the profits go toward college scholarships for the seniors who have researched and written the best chapters.”
Ciochina says the first three books primarily covered Crown Point landmarks‚ history‚ organizations and famous people‚ but the 2004 edition featured a specific theme.
“We did a 50-year perspective for 2004 that involved the students’ interviewing 20 current community leaders and comparing those leaders to people who held the same jobs in 1954‚” she says. “For example‚ one student spoke with the mayors from 1954 and 2004‚ who both described their respective jobs and tenures. The same went for the other leaders‚ which made for a very interesting book.”
CPHS students handle almost all aspects of each book project‚ including designing the cover‚ taking digital photos‚ locating the people to be interviewed‚ and organizing the layout of the book.
“Perhaps the greatest offshoot of this project has been putting some of Crown Point’s more elderly citizens with some of our brightest high school seniors‚ for the purpose of producing great stories‚” Ciochina says. “That has been a true bonus.”
CPHS student Aubrey Bonhivert‚ who graduated in May 2005‚ says that even though the senior English project was demanding‚ it was well worth the effort.
“It was a huge relief when the whole (2004) book was finally put together‚ and it was a great feeling of accomplishment‚” Bonhivert says. “Doing research exposed me to all sorts of resources I didn’t know existed‚ and also provided me with a new perspective toward Crown Point.”
Story by Kevin Litwin
Photo by Stephen Cherry
