text: a 16 - 20 page paper on a subject of your choice. Because I can do mine on the physics and mathematics of a diabolo (similar to a yo-yo), and I spend a lot of my free time invested in this object anyway, I've never looked forwards to a project so much in my life (not to mention I love math and problem solving)! I started last summer by doing some experiments, and have since been leaning towards the math side to discover new math (like the calculus in a Lagrangian) and push myself, actually using what I've learned in school. The opportunity for involvement and motivation offered by student-designed projects (especially during the summer) is great enough that I believe it would be worth it for teachers to adopt in place of more traditional assignments.