Every project began with a boy’s interest, was mixed with expert faculty guidance, and produced a tangible project. The “distinctive seniors” spent their final month at Woodberry excused from classes so they could devote their full attention to their projects. “I would recommend that everyone make a ukulele,” says Graham Goldstein ’16 of the project he did with classmate Garnett Reid ’16.  He says he learned not only how to make an acoustic instrument, but he also learned to work with another person and to deal with frustration. The pair not only created ukuleles, they also documented the process in a film with background music provided by Garnett, and then gave a live performance with original lyrics about their Woodberry days. 

 

Each boy credited the success of his project in part to the dedicated assistance of the project advisers.  “I want to give a huge thank you to my mentor, Ms. Rachel Strahan,” says David Willis ’16.  With the help of Ms. Strahan, a graphic designer in Woodberry’s communications office, David produced a full-color commemorative magazine, Cigar Smoke, for his graduating class.  By doing hours of interviews and writing pages of profiles, David says he learned to appreciate the stories of his classmates.  His advice, “Talk to the seniors.  They have a lot to tell you.”

 

 

Ben Debnam and Robin Kay designed a robot using a Raspberry Pi, a 3D printer, a motor controller, and small motors.  They designed the robot’s chassis, printed it, and coded the robot using Python.  Advisers:  Matthew Keating and David McRae

 

Graham Goldstein and Garnett Reid built ukuleles from a kit, recorded footage of the process, produced a film, and composed and performed a piece on the new ukes. Advisers:  Colin Gay and Denis Houyoux

 

Darby Henagan and Spencer Goodwin built a small motor vehicle. Adviser: Cameron Aubin and Denis Houyoux

 

Jimmy King did a project on haptic technology, which uses digital responses to simulate a sense of touch.  Advisers:  Cameron Aubin and David McRae

 

Iain Leggat wrote, directed, and produced three short films on the theme Boy Meets Girl, each in the style of a famous director.  He interpreted the styles of Wes Anderson, Woody Allen, and Quentin Tarantino.  Adviser:  Connor Marr

 

Caleb Rogers interned with the Woodberry Forest communications office and produced several news stories for the school’s online publications, helped create a video for the alumni and development office, planned for the expansion of The Oracle, and researched academic summer programs.  Advisers:  Jacob Geiger, Jennifer Dowling, and Greg Guldin

 

Shep Sims explored soft robotics.  He designed and 3D-printed molds, cast them with a silicon material, and used air to inflate and deflate the products so they would perform tasks like grabbing, walking, or swimming.  Adviser: Cam Aubin

 

Jared Thalwitz wrote two one-act plays about a satirical comedy writer who gets involved in politics, government, and criminal justice. Advisers:  Connor Marr, Brent Cirves, and Ted Blain

 

David Williams explored the night sky through astrophotography, producing photographs of deep space objects using a telescope, camera, and an equatorial mount to produce multiple exposures stacked in photo processing programs.  The resulting photographs allow viewers to see space nebulas and galaxies not normally visible.  Adviser:  Erik Born

 

David Willis designed and produced a commemorative magazine for his classmates and their families to be distributed at graduation.  Advisers:  Rachel Strahan and Ashley Denison