text: One reason why summer projects should be student-designed is the fact that it fosters creativity. Giving students the freedom to learn about topics that interests them far outweighs the notion of just finishing an assignment. In my high school experience, I tend to remember projects that I was truly interested in, rather than the monotonous ones designed by teachers (that solely get work out of you). Projects are meant to be engaging, so that later down in life you can recall the learning experience. This difference proves that creative work fosters quality rather than quantity. Furthermore, a teacher-designed project inhibits a student's potential to express their creative mindset. By receiving a topic and a guideline on how one should complete a project, a student becomes mentally set on pursuing that one path, disregarding all other options. This mental block of creativity can be harmful to a growing teenager as the advancement of society is dependent on creative thinkers which student-designed projects help create.