Graduation is less than three weeks away, and seniors at Freeport High School have plenty of things to think about and to do. Nevertheless, 50 of them are spending a good portion of their spring on senior projects.

English teachers Becky Peterson and Michelle Leavitt are guiding the students, who are working on their projects out of class. It all comes to fruition from June 1-4, as students, parents and the general public congregate at the Freeport Performing Arts Center for senior projects presentations, from 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. each day.

Some students worked in small groups for their senior projects, others went solo. All were required to produce a final paper, including a summary of the project, an ongoing journal and field experience. It’s a rigorous process, but one students embrace, Peterson said.

“It’s a really cool opportunity that kids have here,” Peterson said. “They talk about it all year. It’s a pass-fail opportunity and it shows up on their report cards. It goes on their records.”

Senior projects require students to exhibit a skill set, Peterson said.

“We’re trying to get students motivated with something that has interest to them,” she said. “It is a lot of coordinating on their end.”

Participating students must be passing every class, and cannot drop a class. Senior projects begin with a proposal, and students must document time spent in a log and journal. The final paper is to include the proposal, a description of the project, goals, a detailed methodology and a time line.

Peterson said that students this year came up with a great variety of concepts for their senior projects.

One group of students is organizing an anti-bullying campaign. Others will make a motor work in a truck where it doesn’t fit right, another group plans to implement sustainable agricultural practices and one student, Lilly Smith, is arranging an art show at a local garden nursery, with donations to benefit the high school’s arts program.

Smith, who would like to be an art curator, has planned her mixed media show, complete with entertainment and refreshments, to take place at Shady Glen Nursery, on 215 Main St. in Freeport, at 5 p.m. on June 2.

“I have a love of art history,” Smith said. “I wanted to do something to show off some local work, and to see how art curating works. The theme is ‘Growing Up in Maine.’ I’ve got some student work and some others, like Jerri and William Stone, who own Shady Glen.”

Smith went far afield to begin her senior project. She visited the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, where she consulted with Katie Getchell, the deputy director.

“I interviewed her,” Smith said. “I asked her what makes good art, and what she looks for in interns. I was looking to find a way to dip my toes into this field and gain some advice. I want to go into arts management.”

Smith, who will attend Bishop’s University in Sherbrooke, Quebec, this fall, got help from art teacher Kimberly Medsker-Mehalic with her project, as well as from her parents, Diane and Todd Smith.

“Hopefully, I’m going to be able to learn what it takes to put on a show, and learn what’s behind the scenes at an art show,” Smith said.

Alana Franklin, Madison Fleenor and Pamela Ferreras organized the anti-bullying campaign, which they entitled “Roots of Change: Organizing an Anti-Bullying Campaign.”

Franklin, Fleenor and Ferreras worked with The Root Cellar, a Portland organization that seeks to unite the community through service, spiritual guidance and interaction.

“Specifically, they will be working with inner-city youths and their families,” Peterson said. “Their main task is to organize an anti-bullying campaign where the children in the community will be exposed to coping mechanisms and alternate methods of resolving disputes.”

The four students also plan to make a video, which will document their project, and they hope it would be used to raise funds for The Root Cellar in the fall.

“From my perspective, the project I’m supervising is very exciting because of how excited the girls are,” said English teacher John Stivers. “They’ve already done a great job of documenting their activities and pictures of kids they are working with and love the activities. The girls are loved, as well. I think it’s making a big difference in a short period of time.”

For their senior project, Hailey Sylvain and Mackenzie Ackley are creating “What Wikipedia Can’t Tell You About Chickens.” Sylvain and Ackley are researching and implementing sustainable agriculture practices. They will raise poultry and grow vegetables from seed. They also will visit Empty Pockets Farm in Turner, Wolfe’s Neck Farm in Freeport and Laughing Stock Farm in Freeport.

Their community give-back will include hosting field trips for the children at Daisy Daycare in Freeport to teach children the basics of raising animals and importance of agriculture.

“They got their first tomato and texted me a picture of it,” said English teacher Margie Chalmers. “They are so excited. There is a sense of ownership; this is their project and their design. I’m their cheerleader. I see them in charge.”

Austin Dodge, Cameron Balzer and Jay Therrien are working on what they are calling “C10-454 Project Build.” The three teens are looking to put in an oversized motor – 454 cubic inches – into a small, 1970 Chevrolet C10 truck. Basically, Dodge, Balzer and Therrien are putting a motor into a truck it doesn’t belong in and making it functional.

According to their proposal, the challenges of this build are going to be constructing a drive shaft, as well as fitting motor mounts that will function with the size of the truck compared to the size of the motor going in.

“The boys are so dedicated to the project,” Chalmers said. “It’s exciting to see them doing something they are into, and it’s awesome. They are very proud of themselves.

“Even though they are doing something they know and love, they are hitting problems they have to work out. They found a major problem with the brakes, and they had to revisit the problem, and they had to talk it out. The problem-solving piece, the setbacks, and figuring out how to overcome the setbacks, is equally as valuable [as the project itself]. It’s real life. The point of the project is to learn how to figure these things out,” Chalmers said.

Hannah Williams’ project is based on training her 6-year-old Labradoodle, Emma, to become a therapy dog. Williams is working closely with Sandra Pond, owner of Classic Paws, a nonprofit organization. The three-month project, which Williams started two months ago, will culminate with Williams and Emma visiting a community where therapy dogs are needed. Williams is hoping that Emma will pass her Canine Good Citizen test by the end of this month.

For her senior project at Freeport High School, Hannah Williams is training her 6-year-old Labradoodle, Emma, to become a therapy dog. Courtesy photo