Student Guide

To earn your graduation cords, you must complete just one approved project in each of the following four areas over the course of your high school career:

• The Scholarly Seal (Blue): Advancing cultural learning and academic exploration. (e.g., writing a research paper, creating an educational display).

• The Service Seal (Green): Contributing to the community through active outreach and volunteering. (e.g., volunteering at a Feis or Highland Games, organizing school outreach).

• The Cultural Seal (Red): Engaging deeply with the traditions, arts, and practices of Celtic culture. (e.g., competing in traditional dance or music, creating visual arts).

• The Leadership Seal (Gold): Strengthening the society through initiative, mentorship, and positive influence. (e.g., serving as a chapter officer, mentoring a younger student).

Because you have until your senior year to finish, you can pace these four projects out. Here are two "Cheat Codes" to help you earn your seals:

• The "Double-Dip" Rule: We want to recognize the hard work you are already doing! Are you already writing a research paper on Celtic history for AP World? Submit it for your Scholarship Seal! Are you already competing with a local Irish dance academy or pipe band? That counts for your Culture Seal!

• The "Project Overlap" Strategy: If you are highly ambitious and planning a massive event, a single, extensive project may qualify for multiple seals simultaneously. For example, if you organize a community-wide Irish Dance workshop (Culture) where the entry fee is a donation to a local food bank (Service), and you manage a committee of five students to run the event (Leadership), you could earn three seals for one event. Note: To earn multiple seals, your work must be evaluated as "Exemplary" by your advisor.