G10 Personal Project Exhibition

Every year, the Personal Project stands as the culminating experience of the Middle Years Programme. It is a chance for students to take everything they have learned across subjects, the skills they have developed, the values they have absorbed, and the learner profiles they have grown into, and channel all of that into something personal. Something they own. At its heart, it is a project about independence, inquiry, and growth.

In recent years, the Personal Project has grown into something more than just a curriculum requirement. It has become a cornerstone of the MYP experience at Concordian. It gives students a rare opportunity to be fully in charge of their learning, to explore something meaningful to them, and to create something real based on what they discover.

This year’s Grade 10s, the Class of 2027, embraced that opportunity. Over the course of many months, they chose topics that mattered to them. They researched, reflected, built, prototyped, revised, and pushed themselves through every stage of the process. It was not always smooth sailing. There were setbacks and stalls and the occasional crisis of confidence. But that is the point. That is learning. And on March 13th, it all came together at the Personal Project Exhibition.

From the first bell until the last, our students stood at their booths and presented their projects to waves of students, staff, administrators, and parents. They fielded questions, explained their ideas, and shared the journeys that brought them there. Some of them even did it in heels, despite my advice to the contrary.

With their smart business casual outfits and near-professional display setups, it was easy to forget that these were MYP students. The room had the energy of a trade show, with students proudly presenting the results of months of hard work and deep thinking. It really was a fantastic day. Of course, none of this happens in isolation. Behind the scenes, a huge amount of support and coordination made the day, and the entire project, possible.

I am incredibly grateful to our maintenance, IT, and events teams, who helped us transform the space into something truly special. I want to thank our school leadership for their belief in the value of the Personal Project and their ongoing support for the time, resources, and flexibility that allow it to flourish.

A heartfelt thank you goes to the 48 supervisors, one for each student, who mentored and encouraged their mentees through every phase of the journey. I also want to acknowledge our team of examiners, who read through a stack of reports and provided fair, thoughtful assessment so that students received the marks they had earned.

I am especially thankful to Ms. Diane, who laid the groundwork and prepared me to take on the role this year. And to Ms. Rachel, our MYP Coordinator, who was there every step of the way with guidance, clarity, and reassurance. Her support made a world of difference.

Finally, to the Class of 2027, thank you. It was a real privilege to walk through this process with you. For both of us, this was our first Personal Project. For you, it was also your last. I wish you all the best in the Diploma Programme and beyond. I truly look forward to seeing all the fantastic things you go on to do.

Mr. Brian Gannon

Personal Project Coordinator