What is our Project System?
Projects are the heartbeat of Vita Consilium Conservatory. Instead of worksheets and passive learning, students are constantly engaged in designing, building, and delivering meaningful work. Every student keeps 3–6 active projects at all times, balancing leadership roles with supportive contributions.
Major Contributor Projects
- These are the projects where a student plays a central, driving role.
- They are larger in scale, often lasting several months.
- Outcomes extend beyond personal learning to impact the wider community or serve a real audience.
- Examples: directing a performance, launching a small business, conducting original scientific research.
Key Features:
- Require significant time, resources, and commitment.
- Eligible for recognition when completed at a professional standard.
- Students typically maintain 1–2 major contributor projects at a time.
Major Projects:
- High-impact, community-facing, or professionally significant outcomes.
- Duration: 3 to 9 months.
- Require sustained effort and planning.
Minor Contributor Projects
- These are projects where students take on supportive or exploratory roles.
- They provide opportunities to gain new skills, experiment in unfamiliar fields, or contribute to another student’s major project.
- Examples: running lights for a show, assisting in a peer’s engineering build, helping with community outreach.
Key Features:
- Shorter in duration and lighter in responsibility.
- Allow for breadth and skill development across disciplines.
- Students typically maintain 2–4 minor contributor projects at a time.
Minor Projects:
- Smaller in scope or limited in audience impact.
- Duration: 1 week to 3 months.
- Valuable for skill-building, experimentation, or support.
Professional Standards
At Vita Consilium, projects are evaluated on a three-tier system, with Tier 3 representing professional-level work. Only projects that meet this standard earn recognition as Feathers, which are added to the student’s ceremonial wings. This ensures that every Feather is a true marker of mastery.
Tier 1
First Attempt
Our only expectation on a student’s first attempt is the do their personal best work
Tier 2
Later Attempts
Each time a student attempts a similar project, our expectation is they improve their
Tier 3
Feather-Worthy Attempts
As a student’s work approaches professional quality, they are eligible to receive feathers for exceptional, professional level work.
Why It Matters
The project system teaches students how to:
- Plan and scope ambitious work.
- Collaborate and lead effectively.
- Deliver outcomes that meet professional expectations.
- Reflect, adapt, and grow from real-world experience.
This system ensures that by graduation, students have a portfolio of meaningful, professional-level projects that demonstrate both skill and character.