text: Without the guidelines and restrictions of a teacher-designed project, students are free to research on their own and create unique summer projects. Assignments given by teachers during the school year usually have a certain set of guidelines and restrictions to ensure that a teacher receives the same type of work from each student. While this may be useful in some situations, it does not encourage independent learning and thinking. Without the basis of guidelines set by a teacher, a student is free to use the project in any way they want and learn about any topic. For example, in biology, I designed a project that determined the effects of humidity on callus tissue production in plants (callus tissue is a tissue that heals cuts in a plant's exterior). This topic was not discussed at all in class but the student-designed layout of the project allowed me to research into any science topic I want and come up with an entire unique project design. Since I was learning this subject independently, I conducted my own research and designed my own experiment, allowing me to gain valuable skills in project-design (a skill that can be useful in the real world too). This student-designed project not only allowed me to research an entire new subject, it also helped me learn valuable skills in project-building and experimentation as I was free of teacher restrictions. Student-designed projects, thus, encourage independent learning and thinking among students.