text: Student-designed summer projects encourage important values such as responsibility and time-management, which will help students in the long run. When teachers assign projects, students are limited by the specific guidelines given to them. Students need to understand that there is learning outside of plugging information into a strict mold just for a grade. For example, my neighbor was really struggling with several concepts in school when he was younger. He had a learning disability, and couldn't understand why things the way they were, but his teacher just kept piling worksheet after worksheet, expecting everyone to learn the same way. When he got accepted to the 'spectrum' program for gifted and talented, he was exposed to a completely different type of learning. In this class, they don't have strict rubrics or guidelines for assignments; they only gave a deadline and a broad topic for projects. He excelled in this program, and he was given the chance to explore a type of learning different than the regular system of just completing worksheets that he was used to. Learning is a spectrum, and he was allowed to explore this spectrum to find out how he learns best with his independent project work. Having students complete a project independent of teachers allows students to explore more than their school curriculum can offer, and can bring out excellence in any student.