What are Discovery Projects?

East Mountain High School embraces the importance of experiential learning as a key to achieving excellence. Students become more engaged in their learning when they have opportunities to apply classroom skills to real world situations. Discovery Projects, two week units of in-depth experiential learning that take place each May once traditional classes are completed, are a cornerstone of this principle.Each freshman, sophomore and junior completes a Discovery Project annually. Teachers develop the projects in an area of expertise, and students sign up to participate in the project they find most interesting.

In previous years, students have worked with the local Habitat for Humanity chapter to rehabilitate a home in the East Mountains, built a peace garden on the EMHS campus, studied human physiology while earning their scuba diving certification, traveled to Spain to immerse themselves in a foreign culture and language, designed their own video games and wrote and illustrated their own children’s books. Recent graduates cite Discovery Projects as among the most valuable, and challenging, components of their EMHS education.

Important Dates 2011 - 2012

Friday, November 18: 2012 Discovery Project Catalog Published
Monday, January 9: Independent Discovery Project Proposals Due from Students
Wednesday, January 11: Discovery Project Sign-Ups Held in the Morning at 7:00am
Wednesday, January 25: Discovery Project Scholarship Requests Due
Tuesday, February 14: First Discovery Project Payment Due
Tuesday, March 20: Second Discovery Project Payment Due
Friday, March 30: Applications for Volunteer Drivers Due
Friday, April 20: Background Checks for Parent Volunteers Due
Monday, May 14: First Day of Discovery Projects
Thursday, May 24: Last Day of Discovery Projects

Discovery 2011 By the Numbers

Some of the remarkable accomplishments of the teachers and students of Discovery 2011:

Ms. Binder & Mr. Langan: 1,000 miles traveled across New Mexico exploring culture and history
Mr. Chancellor: 2,500 square feet of dream homes designed
Ms. Berlin: 175 applications of stage make-up removed from faces
Ms. Kuehne: 209,343 words written
Ms. Dorwart: 173 miles paddles and 21 flipped kayaks
Mr. Wood: 362 hours of sanding
Mr. Smith: 20 mental and physical challenges
Mr. Lang: 436 miles hiked and 0 showers