When Students Direct Their Own Learning, Everyone Wins

Tower Projects at USM celebrated 10 years this spring. Open to students in 4th, 8th, and 12th grades, the groundbreaking program lets students pick what they want to study, helping them gain real-world skills in the process.

When she was 3 years old, Rachael Schneck ’22 was diagnosed with a language disorder. “Other than a few basic words, I really couldn’t talk until I was about 5,” she said. As she got older she realized that her disorder made her different from other students. But, with support from her parents and her speech language pathologist, she began to see that difference as a strength. “Even though it might take me longer to finish an assignment, it’s helped me to be more diligent in my work. We need different-thinking people in the world. It’s how we come up with new ideas.”

By the time she reached Upper School, Schneck embraced her learning difference and wanted to explore it further. Enrolling in the Tower Project course her senior year allowed her to do just that. Tower Projects are semester- or year-long projects available to students in 4th, 8th, and 12th grades, and are based on the students’ own interests and curiosities. During the course, students meet with teachers and mentors to define and refine their topic, conduct research, create presentations, and stay on track throughout the project. By the end, they have developed and deepened their confidence and competence in many skills—research, writing, problem-solving, public speaking, and more. In 2024-25, Tower Projects celebrated its 10th year. 

Schneck spent her senior year conducting research on neurodiversity, and even interviewed her own speech language pathologist to learn from an expert in the field. “It was amazing to have this full-circle moment and to go from being a child and having no idea what my schooling would even look like, to now, talking to her about how being neurodivergent has made me a better person. It was really amazing.”

Tower Project utilizes experiential learning, which is a cyclical process of research, application, and reflection. It gives students autonomy and choice, encourages risk-taking, and provides flexibility. “It’s their opportunity to tell their teacher what they feel is important for them to learn,” said Laura Blanchet, Lower School Academic Resource Center math specialist and one of four original Tower Project founders. “That ownership drives this project for the kids. It’s why we see such success in their projects, because the students want to invest time and effort into them.”

At the end of the project, all students—even those in 4th grade—submit a research paper and give a presentation to the USM community and members of the public. Schneck remembers being most nervous about the question-and-answer portion. What if someone asked a question she couldn’t answer? “To this day I still remember, someone asked me about the genetics of neurodiversity. I explained that, based on my research, it’s believed that neurodiversity is what drove some people to explore the world and expand civilization. I was thrilled that I remembered important information from my research. The presentation was a test of my knowledge, but also a reassurance that I knew what I was talking about.”
After graduating in 2022, Schneck enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she is pursuing a communication major and studying the science of hearing and talking. She chose the major initially because she had a strong understanding of the field. “But as I took more classes, it felt like I was continuing my Tower Project research. I realized I am very passionate not just about neurodiversity, but about helping people who were like me 
as kids.”

Many thanks to the following current and former teachers who originally implemented Tower Projects at USM: Laura Blanchet, Kate Gay, Rebecca Schwartz, and Dr. Laurie Schleicher.