Huntingdon Area
High School
Senior Symposium
2021-2022
Project Contents
Overview and Grading
Graduation Project Checklist
Section 1 - Portfolio Content
Section 2 - Career Research/Visual Display
Section 3 - Interview
Interview Tips
Graduation Project Grading Sheet
Overview
Members of the Class of 2022 are expected to complete a graduation project as part of the
overall graduation requirements. The project includes a career portfolio and mock interview
with evaluators from the community.
Please use the checklist on the next page to assist in making sure that all items and details
are included in your career portfolio and during the interview process.
Grading Guidelines: 100 points possible (60 points to pass)
Section 1 - 25 points
Resume
Transcript
Performance Activities
Section 2 - 25 points
Career Research Display
Section 3 - 50 points
Mock Interview on Senior Symposium scheduled day
Graduation Project Checklist
Section 1 - Portfolio Content (25 points)
__________ Half-inch or Inch Binder
__________ Section 1 Resume (10 pts)
___________ Section 1 Transcript (5 pts)
__________ Section 1 Performance Activities (10 pts)
Section 2 - Career Research/Visual Display (25 points)
__________ Career Research using websites for information to be used on your display
__________ Tri-fold or Powerpoint displaying important information about your chosen career
Display must include: work activities, education/training, skills/abilities, wages, job outlook
Section 3 - Mock Interview (50 points)
You will be evaluated on the following aspects:
● INTRODUCTION
● DRESS
● BODY LANGUAGE
● VERBAL SKILLS
● VOICE
*Please dress professionally and conservatively as per guidelines! Examples include:
○ Suit and tie
○ Pants (dress, khakis, chinos) with blouse or dress shirt
○ Skirts or dresses (must be appropriate school length)
○ No flip-flops
○ No jeans
SECTION 1- Portfolio Content
❏ Resume (10 pts)
○ Education
○ Work Experience
○ Achievements or Skills
○ Activities
○ References
❏ Transcript (5 pts)
○ (Guidance Department will provide one week prior to Symposium)
❏ Performance Activities (10 pts)
○ Include 5 projects/assignments that you have completed throughout your
high school career. Describe in a few sentences why you are highlighting
each (what you liked, what you learned, challenges faced, etc).
SECTION 2 - Career Research/Visual Display
❏ Display facts for your current career choice
(Create a tri-fold or Google Slides presentation to display details)
○ Information can be found on sites such as:
■ https://www.onetonline.org
■ www.educationplanner.org
■ https://www.careeronestop.org
■ https://www.asvabprogram.com
○ Content Details should include (10 points total - 2 points each)
■ Work Activities
■ Education/Training Needed for the Career
■ Skills/Abilities
■ Wages
■ Job Outlook
○ Visual Display Appearance (5 points)
■ All content details included
■ Clearly organized
■ Neat
○ Presentation of Visual Display to Evaluators (10 points)
SECTION 3 - Interview
❏ Mock Interview Process
● Introduce yourself
● Display Career Choice presentation and explain
● Evaluators will interview with questions and discussion
(see possible interview questions and tips listed below)
Common interview questions:
1. Tell me about yourself.
2. In your school or personal life, what are you most proud of and why?
3. What is your greatest strength? What would you like to improve about yourself?
4. What is the most difficult situation you have ever faced? What did you learn from
that experience?
5. What experiences throughout your high school career do you think have helped
prepare you the most for your future?
6. If I asked your teachers about you, what would they tell me?
7. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
8. Why should I hire you?
9. Why do you want this job?
10.How do you handle stress and pressure?
Interview Tips for Teens: How to Get a First Job
By: Amy Culver
5 tips to prepare for your first interview:
1. Don’t be late!
First impressions matter. Even if it isn’t your fault, your potential employer isn't okay with tardiness. It gives the impression
that you aren’t reliable and that you don’t value others’ time.
But seriously. You could lose a part-time job if you're as little as two minutes late.
Don’t waste all of your hard work! Practice your route the day before the interview. This will help you determine the best
time to leave on the day of the interview.
Get to your interview 15 minutes early. When in doubt, leave a little earlier.
2. Dress up
We get it. Some teens don’t want to come off as too stuffy or overdressed in a job interview.
Sure, jeans and a t-shirt are comfy, but they don’t give the best impression.
Regardless of what you’ll be wearing at the actual job, dress up. It’s okay to be a little casual, but leave the flip flops at
home.
Instead, wear business casual attire.
Unless you’re applying for an office support job or a prestigious internship, a suit is probably too much.
Wear khakis and a nice, collared shirt. A tailored top and knee-length skirt are also a good choice.
Remember to do the “shake test” before you leave home. Jump up and down and wiggle in front of the mirror to make
sure you're appropriately dressed. When in doubt, cover up. Be careful if you’re interviewing at a retail store. You don’t
want to wear clothes with a competitor’s logo. So if you’re interviewing at Hollister, don’t wear your Abercrombie shirt.
3. Prepare, prepare, prepare
A hiring manager can tell when you’ve prepared for the interview. You’re able to answer questions and even come off as
more confident. Show that you’re hireable by preparing ahead of time.
Know an overview of the company’s history and what it sells. Remember the name of your interviewer and research them
on LinkedIn. This shows that you have an interest in the company and the job.
Come with at least three follow up questions to ask your interviewer so it isn’t a one-sided conversation.
But when we say prepare, we don’t mean you have to write a script.
Be yourself! Job interviews are your chance to show employers what it would be like working with you. Show your real self
so they can hire the real you.
This means you’ll work at a job that values your true self, so it will be more fun to work there!
4. Watch your body language
Everybody gets nervous in job interviews. The key is to not show that you’re anxious.
Do you have any nervous tics? Do you rub your arm, jiggle your foot or fidget with a pen?
Notice these behaviors so you don’t drive your interviewer crazy.
Sit still during the job interview. Sit up straight, maintain eye contact and have a firm handshake.
Even if you feel like a nervous wreck, you want to look calm and professional.
5. Practice interview questions
Employers use your interview answers to gauge how successful you would be at the job. That’s why it’s so important to
practice job interview questions beforehand.
Start practicing a week before your interview.
Here are some of the most common questions you’ll encounter as a teen interviewee:
“Tell me a little about yourself.”
This question is tricky. They aren’t asking about your pets or hobbies. Employers ask this question to get a high-level view
of your skills, interests and experience.
Use this question to answer your plans for the present and the future. Keep your answer brief and relevant to the job to
make a good impression.
“Why do you want to work for us?”
Even though the real answer might be “because I need money,” it’s a chance to explain why you’re a good fit for the job.
Why did you apply to this specific job? Do you admire the company? Are you a regular customer?
Answer the question to emphasize the talents that you could bring to the team.
“What extracurricular activities do you participate in?”
Now is when you get to talk about hobbies and clubs.
But don’t go off on a tangent! Choose no more than three activities.
Each activity you list should reflect a skill the employer would find valuable.
If you’re president of a Spanish club, that would be a great way to talk about your language and leadership skills.
“Why should I hire you?”
This is the interviewer asking why you’re the best choice out of all the applicants. It’s a hard question to answer, but it’s
your chance to sell yourself and make a great impression.
Look at the job description and identify which duties you would excel at. Tie that into your answer to show that you’ll not
only fulfill the job requirements but exceed them.
Student Name: __________________________ Interviewer Name:___________________________
Career Choice: ________________________________
Criteria
10 points
7 points
3 points
1 point
Score
Introduction
Enthusiastic
greeting. Friendly.
States full name
Greets the
evaluators
States full name
Dull greeting
States first name
only
Does not greet
evaluators or
introduce self
Unfriendly,
uncourteous
Dress
Dress is
professional,
appropriate, clean,
and pressed.
Clothes are clean
and pressed, but
not appropriate.
Clothes are clean
but too casual.
Clothes are not
clean or
appropriate.
Body Language
Is confident and
enthusiastic.
Firm handshake
Consistently makes
direct eye contact
with the interviewer.
Is relaxed and at
ease during the
interview.
Firm handshake
Often makes eye
contact with the
interviewer.
Is extremely
self-conscious and
nervous.
No handshake
offered
Avoids eye contact
with the interviewer.
Verbal
Skills
Uses vocabulary
appropriate to
position. Uses full
sentences.
Uses vocabulary
appropriate to
position but not
always full
sentences.
Mostly uses full
sentences but uses
slang.
Answers with one
word and often
uses slang.
Voice
Good rate of
speech. Effective
volume and
inflection.
Rate of speech is
usually appropriate.
Volume and
inflection varied.
Rate of speech is
sometimes
slow/fast.
Low/Loud volume.
Monotonous tone.
Too slow/fast.
Total Interview Score
Overall Score Rubric
Section 1: Portfolio: ______ Resume (10 points)
______ Transcript (5 points)
______ Performance Activities (10 points)
Section 2:Tri-fold/Google Slides: ______ Content Details (10 points)
______ Visual Display Appearance (5 points)
______ Presentation of Visual Display (10 points)
Section 3: Interview: _______ Total Interview Score (50 points)
Total Score: ________________ (60 is passing; Note:Each student is required to show a Portfolio and Tri-fold to pass)
Check One: __________Pass _________Revise
General Comments:
