text: In school, students are rarely able to show their creativity and passions through the set curriculum. Students' identities are set based on whether, how well they do or do not do in school. Teachers do not get to see their students' strengths outside of how, "book smart" they are. Student-designed projects, however, would be able to change this. Through student-designed projects, students would be able to show a different side of them self. A side that shows their passion for helping others, who do not have the same opportunities as them, rather than reading a book written by Shakespeare, or a side that likes to learn about the environment, and how to protect our Earth, rather than writing an essay about politics. Students will feel better if they know that their teachers and schools are genuinely interested in them. Students need to know that they are cared for and that someone is interested in seeing them succeed. Students are so much more than what they show during school. There is potential in everyone, but students can not show it when they are trapped. Students need to feel reminded that smartness and intelligence is not just based on grades or scores.