Marblehead High School seniors shared everything from dog-training techniques to motorcycle repair, kayak building and social media marketing during the school’s annual Senior Project Gallery Walk on Friday, May 29, where nearly 170 students presented months of independent work to parents, teachers, School Committee members and Superintendent John Robidoux.
Held inside the high school field house, the event highlighted the wide range of interests pursued by the Class of 2026 through internships, creative projects, research and hands-on learning experiences.
For senior Callie Curtis, the project offered a first look into a possible career in marketing and public relations.
Curtis managed social media accounts for PowHer by Stef, a Pilates studio near Tioga Way, where she created graphics, scheduled posts and launched a new TikTok account for the business.
“Every day I was responsible for posting schedules to Instagram and I learned how to make graphics on Canva,” Curtis said. “We saw a big increase in engagement.”
Curtis plans to attend Chapman University in the fall, where she hopes to study marketing, public relations and communications.
Nearby, senior Mia Mabry introduced visitors to Moose, a Newfoundland dog she worked with during her project at Canine Kingdom.
Mabry’s project focused on dog training, socialization and understanding canine behavior. She worked with dogs of different breeds and ages, including young puppies learning basic obedience and housebreaking skills.
“I learned how to read dog’s body language,” Mabry said. “I learned a lot about dominance. I learned about the needs of different breeds of dogs.”
She said the experience also gave her insight into the behavioral challenges faced by rescue dogs.
“They can be super skittish and definitely take time to earn trust,” she said.
Although Mabry plans to study engineering rather than veterinary medicine, she said the project taught her skills she expects to use throughout her life.
“I know that in the future I will have a dog, and I figured that these skills would definitely come in handy,” she said.
Across the room, senior Arina Ruiz displayed photos of a restored 1983 Yamaha RX 50 motorcycle, a rare model she repaired during her project.
Ruiz explained that only a limited number of the motorcycles were shipped to the United States, making replacement parts difficult to find.
Ruiz said she has been interested in motorcycles and cars since childhood and viewed the project as an opportunity to deepen that interest, even though she does not plan to pursue engineering professionally.
“I’m not going into school for engineering, I’m going for social work,” she said. “But it just was just like a little side thing. I was like, ‘You know what, I’m kind of interested in it, why don’t I do it?’ And I’m really glad I did.”
The project also gave Ruiz a greater appreciation for the complexity of automotive systems.
“If one thing goes wrong, everything just falls apart,” she said. “Everything has to work together for it to run.”
Twin sisters Kayla and Avery Kroon showcased a 14-foot wooden kayak they constructed through the school’s Manufacturing and Engineering Technology program.
The sisters assembled the kayak from a Chesapeake Light Craft kit using the Marblehead High School wood shop.
“We’ve done small jewelry boxes and stuff, we’ve never done anything like this,” Kayla Kroon said.
The kayak features a fiberglass sheet beneath multiple coats of epoxy, giving it a glossy finish. Although the sisters had not yet launched it, they hoped to have it in the water within days.
The project came with unexpected challenges, including delays in receiving materials and learning to work together on a long-term build.
“I have trouble working with people sometimes because I want to do it my way, but we figured it out,” Kayla said.
The sisters also learned an important lesson about handling materials safely.
“Don’t mix epoxy with other glue,” Kayla said. “It caught on fire a couple times.
Music also had a strong presence at the showcase.
Senior Lily O’Keefe and several classmates formed a band, Boomkstick, writing and recording music.
The group members entered the project with varying levels of musical experience. O’Keefe, who normally plays guitar, picked up the bass for the band because the group needed a bassist.
“So, I just learned,” she said.
The band has recorded several cover songs and has been working on an original track. Members also planned to perform later that day at the MHS Culture Feast.
O’Keefe said one of the most valuable lessons from the experience involved teamwork and communication.
“Definitely conflict resolution,” she said about the biggest challenge. “I’m very shy. I don’t like making problems with other people, but definitely all of us learned how to raise questions and work with each other without getting into actual arguments.”
The showcase drew a steady stream of visitors throughout the day, with students standing beside tri-fold displays, demonstrations and hands-on exhibits while discussing their work with community members.
The senior project program is designed to give students an opportunity to explore interests outside the traditional classroom while developing real-world skills and independent learning experiences before graduation.
A special shoutout to Grey Collins, who spent his Senior Project working at the Current, where he has reported and snapped photos for more than two years.
