Capstone Program

As part of Athens Academy’s 2022-2027 Strategic Plan, the administration and faculty discussed different ways to prepare students for the ever-changing landscape of the future. One of the goals that emerged from this process reads: “Continue to exemplify excellence in teaching and learning through curriculum innovation and professional learning opportunities for faculty by developing student-led capstone projects in each division, including internships and mentoring opportunities in the Upper School, to enable students to apply and explore concepts they have learned while also strengthening community connections.”

As they prepared for the 2022-23 school year, Capstone Advisors Nikki Chester, Kate Towery, and Allison Turney outlined their goals for the new program: “In keeping with the mission of Athens Academy and to foster the academic excellence and personal characteristics of an Athens Academy graduate, the Capstone Program offers students the opportunity to engage in a culminating project that will demonstrate their knowledge, learning and growth through the completion of a collaborative and multifaceted project.”

Students have the opportunity to apply to the Capstone Program during the spring of their sophomore year. Students work closely with their Capstone advisors and mentors to identify a project, track progress towards completion and ultimately, present and defend their project to the Capstone Advisory Committee. Defense of the Capstone Project occurs during the senior year in high school. A successful defense represents a substantial body of work, will be a highlight for the collegiate application process, and will, most importantly, be a personal point of achievement and pride.

One of the main benefits of completing the Capstone Program is to give students a directed opportunity to explore an area of interest or passion that could potentially be an area of further study at the collegiate level. Additionally, engagement in the project will organically lead students to find experts and mentors in their particular field of interest. These relationships and opportunities to network will be invaluable to personal growth and future success.

As of spring of 2025, a total of 20 students have successfully completed and presented their Capstone projects to the advisory committee, and all 20 have been awarded with the Capstone designation. In fall of 2025, sixteen members of the 2026 Capstone cohort are entering their final year of work in preparation for the defense of their project—with the 2027 group not far behind them.

Capstone 2025

List of 12 items.

Siena Avolio

Dance Movement & Analysis
Mentor: Lorraine Thompson
Renee Cargill

That's Trendy: An Exploration of Fashion Trends & Data Science
Mentor: Dr. Julie Memler
Ansley Davis

Autism & Its Effects on Neurodiversity
Mentor: Katie Ryan
Ellis Fiscus

Behind the Beat
Mentor: Bob Sears
Bailey McCurdy

When Words Fail, Music Speaks: Exploring the Power of Music through Service
Mentor: Debbie Schab
Emmeline Land

Continued Service to the Special Needs Population with a Focus on Speech Pathology
Mentor: Joseph Whitaker
Clara McLanahan

Ready, Set, Go: Exploring the Importance of Sports Analytics
Mentor: Robert Hill
Emmeline Niolon

The Gospel of Mark: A Historical, Literary, and Theological Study
Mentor: Bryan Pulliam
Marie Rutledge

On Campus Composting & Sustainability
Mentor: Dr. Anna Scott
Nina Rutledge

From Discovering to Doing: Learning to Communicate and Act on Scientific Knowledge
Mentor: Bob Sears
Alex Tally

Game Design
Mentor: Eric Bright
Rachel Wicker

Becoming a Journalist
Mentor: Tricia Edmison