text: By allowing students to choose a topic that is compelling to them, they will be driven to complete the project with their best effort. Students will also have the option to choose a possible career path and research it throughout the summer. With their research and project, students can essentially "test drive" their intended career, instead of waiting until college to discover that they are completely uninterested in their major. For example, one student may desire to become an elementary school teacher. In her project, she decides to research how to become a teacher and the skills that the profession requires. After completing her research, she creates a binder of lesson plans that correspond with her state's standards of learning for her grade of choice. Consequently, she discovers that she truly has a passion for teaching and is reassured on her career choice through this student-designed summer project. The skills that she learned, including her lesson plans, can be used if/when she decides to become an elementary school teacher. While students are allowed to explore professional realms through student-designed summer projects, the possibilities are endless.