Best Foot Forward

As the semester begins to pick up the pace, Independent Study and Mentorship students are busy prepping for milestones in their mentorships by completing projects ranging from planning a worship service to analyzing musical theory. One student in particular has put her best foot forward, literally. For her Original Work project, FHS Senior Brianna Heath made a prosthetic leg from start to finish for Candy Paquette, one of her two mentors. “It was nerve-racking, to be honest,” Brianna said when asked about what the process was like. “My mentors would tell me what to do and then I would do it on my own, but the pressure was on because Candy is both a prosthetist and an amputee –she knows everything, but they were there for me every step of the way and I learned so much.” Local prosthetists Gary Strobeland Candy Paquette, guided her through the entire fabrication process, from creating the mold to finalizing the adjustments. “Seeing something I made that gave someone the ability to walk again… is amazing. As a prosthetist, I have the opportunity to really impact people’s lives.” Brianna’s prosthetic leg is one of the many fascinating projects being done in ISM this year, but that diversity is exactly what ISM is all about. “It’s a year-long immersion into something you’re truly passionate about,” Brianna said. “It doesn’t matter if it turns out to be your future career – it’s a series of incredible opportunities that have no limits at all. Who else can say that they’ve made a leg for an amputee before they’ve graduated high school? Designed a building? Planned the local news? I couldn’t have done any of this if it hadn’t been for Coach Goff and the ISM program.”

Story written by: Brianna Heath, 12th Grade, ISM student

Program allows Frisco ISD high school students learn beyond the classroom

The ISM program has exposed me to the world of journalism. By interviewing several journalists in varying positions at multiple businesses, I have been able to enrich my experience through having conversations with professional journalists.                      By Mikaela Cannizzo/ Frisco Insider 10:28 am on May 17, 2014 | Permalink

Even with rigorous coursework and jam-packed schedules, motivated students strive to accomplish their goals and aim to learn about potential career paths through a variety of resources available in Frisco.

There is a multitude of AP classes and career exploration opportunities at the CTE center offered by the Frisco Independent School District, challenging students to plan for their futures.

Additionally, the Independent Study and Mentorship Program (ISM) is a class offered by all six high schools in Frisco and it gives students the opportunity to explore career options. This course provides students with the means to learn about a topic of their choice and to acquire professional experience in a specific field.

Deviating from the curriculum-based system heavily enforced in schools today, ISM allows students to learn professional etiquette, improve communication skills, and create their own work and product through the guidance of a mentor.

A formal application and an interview process are required to be admitted into this program. Through this system, driven students are able to put their habits of hard work into action as they pursue potential career paths.

The first semester of the program emphasizes independent research and learning through contacting professionals and setting up interviews.

Following the interview process, students typically ask one of the professionals they interviewed to be their mentor. The second semester of the program includes going to weekly mentor visits, completing an original work assignment, and developing a final product.

A final presentation night in which ISM students showcase display boards and portfolios with work from the whole year and give a comprehensive speech in front of family, friends, and mentors concludes this program.

On a personal level, the ISM program has exposed me to the world of journalism. By interviewing several journalists in varying positions at multiple businesses, I have been able to enrich my experience through having conversations with professional journalists.

Most of all, ISM gave me hope for my future. Uncertainty and stress regarding college majors and future professions can be overwhelming for sixteen and seventeen year old students.

The beauty of this program is that it has let me explore a world that wasn’t confined to the walls of a classroom. Without set criteria, I was able to learn about something that interests me and acquire my own individual experience in a field that I will be pursuing in college.