"The people at Midland help me through my bad days. They share my values, they are willing to laugh at themselves, and above all the share a love of this school." ~Frances King `09 (Whitman)

Being a senior at Midland means balancing several responsibilities at the same time. In addition to keeping up with classes, seniors serve as prefects and heads of jobs, demanding--and authentic--duties (see the Leadership page for details). Our philosophy is to give our seniors more than they are comfortable handling, the idea being that getting through the senior year at Midland prepares you for any future challenge.

Senior Thesis: Satisfactory completion of a senior thesis is a graduation requirement for all Midland seniors. The project represents the culmination of seniors' education within Midland's academic program. Embodying the values of self-reliance and personal responsibility central to Midland's philosophy, completing these projects and papers is the most focused learning experience Midland students enjoy during their high school careers.

During the fall semester, students complete general readings in their topic of choice and submit a written proposal to the faculty for approval. Senior Thesis class meets regularly during the spring semester when students are researching their topics in depth, preparing final papers and projects, working with community members during Experiential Week, and planning and delivering talks that discuss their research and findings.

Experiential Week: As part of their work toward completing their Senior Theses, each senior spends one week interviewing or interning with experts who are working in the senior's area of interest. This off-campus experience is designed to give each student specific and concrete insight into their thesis topics and career interests.

Senior Symposium: Every spring, as the senior thesis experience draws to a close, each senior gives a professional-style presentation to the entire school community about their senior thesis topics. Students prepare and deliver talks and answer questions about their research in progress.