text: Required summer projects should be student-designed because when students are in control of their project, they are able to express themselves and an interest they may have through the assignment. Teachers, when designing the project they assign, may feel that by providing parameters and a rubric for an assignment they are helping the student out. In reality, they are just limiting the student to think in the way the teacher thinks. On the other hand, when students design the project, they are better able to express a passion they would like to share with others. For example, a project that requires the student to read a book and do a report on the character symbolism simply becomes a chore in the eyes of the student. This student may have a passion for nature and animals, yet there would be no way for them to express that passion within the confinement of a literary analysis project. If the student were able to design the project by his or herself, it would immediately become less of a chore as they would have the freedom to do the project on something they love, be it nature, music, art, athletics, science, or any other topic of their choice. It is almost guaranteed that a student will put more effort into a project regarding a topic they are interested in. When students have a say in their assignment, it no longer feels like a pointless task forced upon them by a superior; thus, the quality of the project will likely be higher as they will feel motivated when the assignment allows them to express themselves.