06/19/2006
Students recognized for going above and beyond
By:Jessica Selby

COVENTRY - Last Wednesday evening, eight students from Coventry High School were among the few in the state to be recognized for going above and beyond what their schools require for graduation.

Mary Barden, Aimee Constantineau, Jenny Lau, Kattina Nacci, Sarah Nessett, Caitlin Smith and Justin Smith were awarded Certificates of Initial Mastery (CIMs) by the Rhode Island Skills Commission during a special ceremony at Rhode Island College.

Certificates of Initial Mastery, according to the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals, are awarded to high school students who demonstrate their knowledge and skill through a rigorous process of academic and applied learning tasks and the successful presentation of a Capstone project to a jury of teachers, mentors and expert advisors.

"CIM is an optional academic achievement," said Donna Tobin, the chair of the English Department at Coventry High School. "Every school in Rhode Island has now been required by the state department of education to select two new means for graduation. Coventry High School selected portfolios and the Capstone project. Other schools selected senior projects, but CIM is something else."

"CIM is something that students do as an additional project, beyond the Capstone, in order to show that they can produce excellent work," she said. "Those who complete it get an endorsement on their diploma which means that they have gone above and beyond what the requirements of their school are to graduate."
Those who complete a Capstone project must pose a question, research the topic, produce a final project and present it in front of a panel. Those who wish to go the extra mile to achieve the CIM must also complete three tasks in math and three in English. Standards must be met on all six tasks and the student must also pass the NSRE with a certain grade, Tobin said.

"It certainly looks good on a student's academic record and on their college applications to obtain the CIM," Tobin said. "It is an incredible accomplishment and, in the event two kids are applying to a college, being equal in all other respects, I am sure that a college would look favorably on the student who had the CIM award versus the one who did not."

"Earning the CIM is quite an accomplishment for these students," Colleen Callahan, director of professional issues for the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals and co-director of the Rhode Island Skills Commissions said in a press release.
"They are truly the pioneers in meeting and exceeding the kinds of rigorous expectations that the Rhode Island Board of Regents has put in place for all students beginning with the Class of 2008."

Mary Barden, a senior at CHS, submitted an extension of her History Day project on Mexican-American labor leader Cesar Chavez for her Certificate of Initial Mastery. She presented her extensive research in the form of an exhibit at a number of locations including the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C., the Rhode Island Labor History Society's annual awards banquet, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 99 union hall as well as in a number of CHS history classes.

Aimee Constantineau, also a senior at CHS, collected donations from local businesses to create a number of gift baskets for the Elizabeth Buffum Chase House for battered women and she arranged for a guest speaker to come to the high school to speak to the freshman class about dating violence.
Jenny Lau, also a senior, organized a school-wide yard sale, which raised more than $600 for school equipment for her achievement of a Certificate of Initial Mastery.

Katrina Nacci, a senior at CHS, completed her Capstone project entitled "The Old World to the New" in her sophomore year. For this project, she made a slide show with pictures and captions of her various trips to Italy and France and then presented this slide show to French, Italian and history classes in an attempt to give insight to the students who needed a better appreciation of foreign culture.

Sarah Nessett, a senior at CHS, exceeded the CIM standards by organizing a fundraiser to benefit the Hasbro Children's Hospital Cancer Unit for Children.
Caitlin Smith, a senior, created, organized, wrote for and edited a student-oriented page in a local newspaper, The Kent County Daily Times, in order to meet the requirements of her CIM.

Justin Smith, a senior at CHS, fulfilled his CIM requirements through a passion he has for the outdoors. He spread the word on the dangers and potential problems with the deer population in the state.

Deanna Therrien, a senior at CHS, organized Law Day at CHS for her CIM requirements. She arranged to have several speakers in the field of criminal justice address the students, and she organized a voter registration drive.