Definition: A portfolio is an organized, purposeful collection of student work that exhibits the student's effort, progress, and achievement in a variety of areas while in high school. Pictures, documents, awards, term papers, projects, sample homework assignments, etc. are collected during the four years of high school and then organized into a binder to attractively display skills and achievements.

Purpose: Portfolios are becoming more and more popular and in some cases are a required component of application or interview processes. By examining a portfolio the interviewer can learn more about the applicant's skills than by simply looking at a report of grades. Unlike the information from a "snapshot" assessment (like a test) taken at a point in time, a portfolio functions more like a photo album containing a variety of photos (items) taken at different times and in a variety of contexts. It is this "over time" quality that makes portfolios so well-suited to documenting development, growth, and improvement.

Organization of The Portfolio:
1. Use a medium-sized binder with plastic insert sheets.
2. The cover should reflect individuality and should include a title and student's full name.
3. The first five pages should be as follows:
1st page: Copy of cover. (title, full student name)
2nd page: Table of Contents. (items listed with page numbers)
3rd page: Resume. (Education, work/volunteer work, interests, include dates)
4th page: Personal Profile Sheet. (available in A - 71, completely filled out)
5th page: Autobiographical Sketch. (goals, hobbies, why you are who you are, religious
involvement, volunteer experiences, etc.)
4. The remaining bulk of the portfolio will consist of three major sections each with a divider page (cover sheet) & tab:
1. Academic Skills
2. Personal Management
3. Teamwork
5. Following each of the three divider pages there will be five to eight artifacts giving support for each skill. Each of the artifacts will be in TEA format (title, evidence, analysis).
6. Near March 1 of the senior year (specific date to be announced each year) a Portfolio Review Committee will review the portfolio to give feedback. Near April 1 of the senior year the final evaluation of the portfolio will be made.
7. To complete the portfolio requirements, students will need to have a minimum of 55 points with no sections having a rating of "0", "1" or "2". (See Portfolio Assessment sheet for more details). Revised July 1, 2004
The following is a list of suggestions of items that may be included in the three main sections of your Portfolio:

Science - Math
- one or two of your favorite (well - done) labs, homework assignments
- well written term paper or book report(s)
- report of a large science project you've completed (include pictures),
such as botany research with Andrews University
- report on a project you entered in the EXPO or other competition
- element report from summer study guide for Chemistry
- ask for a certificate when you have a perfect test score
- Algebra II or Physics: representative page from your journal to show
personal management

Social Studies
- term paper or book report(s), such as code of ethics paper (government
class), contemporary government issue paper (government class)
- report on a large social study project you or your cooperative group has
completed (include pictures), such as US history project
- project you entered in the EXPO or other competition

Religion
- picture and brief summary of a mission trip (abroad/local) or of a
chapel program you made a presentation in
- term paper, or book report(s), philosophy of life statement
- report on your participation in a Bible class activity
- such as witnessing, nurture class,
- page report describing how your religious commitment affects your life

English/ Modern Languages
- term paper or book report(s)
- some of your original compositions, or speeches
- one or two good homework assignments (business letters etc)
- project you entered in the EXPO or other competition
- for journalism students - copies of your newspaper projects
- picture and paragraph about your participation in a Spanish or German
tour
- for Spanish classes - photographs of 3 dimensional projects, skits
presentations, videos, portion of Spanish portfolio

The Arts
- if in a music organization a list of concerts/tours you have
participated in (include pictures of involvement)
- include your role in group (solos, section leaders, parts sung, or
instrument and position
- repertoire of songs
- include if you were student director or officer in group
- what years you have attended music clinics (Lake union)
- if private lessons - include repertoire, years taken, recitals
- if technology a picture of and report of some of your items you've made
- samples of photography, drafting, computer art, printing
- list (and pictures) of experiences, such as personal auto care etc.
- thought papers, plans, project evaluations, slides, video
- project(s) you've entered in the EXPO or other competition
- visual arts - slides or pictures/copy/or original of your drawing, 3 -
dimensional project or painting you have done
- a critique of your work(s)
- ribbon(s), certificates(s) or other awards for your work

Home Ec., Health & Physical Fitness
- Your reaction paper to the empathy belly
- report & pictures on project(quilting, clothing) you have worked on
- list of your participation in physical fitness activities (include pictures)
- for foods class, picture and menu of meals you (your group) has made
- child development: pictures of nursery school, baby report plan for
nursery school activities

Business/ Computer Applications
- keyboard certificate (words per minute)
- accounting certificate - top grade in accounting
- business - report of group project, small reports, portions of the
group project for marketing (photos)
- computers - sample spreadsheet, database, desktop publishing
printout of powerpoint presentation, webpage

Work Experiences
- list of where you have worked (for pay or volunteer) and dates of
working experience, and brief description of your responsibilities
- a letter of recommendation from your boss (assuming you've done a
good job working)

Community Service
- list and a brief explanation of projects that you have participated in,
your role in it, such activities as community service days, trips abroad
- for a major project, such as SOW, etc include a paragraph or two
of your participation in the event and the benefit you gained from it
(include a picture or two of it).
- any offices you have held, or committee membership positions etc. with
a brief description of your responsibilities
- if it is a big project you have done or office you have held get a
letter of commendation from the organizer (assuming you've done
a good job working)
Suggestions for a Attractive Portfolio:

1. Everything should be neat & typed.

2. Where I have made a recommendation of "include a picture", do not feel you would have to do so. However, a picture is worth a thousand words, and makes the portfolio much more attractive. Use color photos when possible.

3. To show the significance of portfolio inserts, each entry should show - TEA.
T - Title (To identify the skill)
E - Exhibit or evidence (Show the picture, certificate, essay, etc.)
A - Analysis (The date of this item. A brief sentence or two to show what we should learn from this exhibit... what skills does it show? why you have included it?)

4. Carefully select exhibits:
a. not too many of any one kind - show range of accomplishments. However it your emphasis is going to be science for example include more in this area.
b. display your responsibilities and skills from school, home, work, community and church
c. keep asking yourself: why am I including this? will the viewer understand why this is included? etc.

5. Look at your portfolio from an employer's viewpoint. Try to include examples of successful accomplishments of each of the following employability skills that employers look for. (See sixth page for more details).
Academic - writing, speaking, listening, reading, mathematics, science, technology
Personal Management - responsibility, problem solving, organizing, flexibility, initiative, career development
Teamwork - team communication, responsiveness, awareness, team membership (contributing, leading, following).

6. As you develop your portfolio do self assessments of it. Also have your friends and parents assess it. If you have a friend (or friend of the family) who is an employer ask them to assess it for you. With numerous assessments you will have a well done portfolio.


Do make sure to include ANY items or copies of items that you have had published in such things as the Nettle, newspapers, competitions etc. Place these published items in the appropriate category of which they belong. Also include any awards/certificates received during Awards Assembly, NHS induction ceremony (or other gatherings). Make sure you include any perfect attendance awards etc. Include letters of thanks, recommendation or commendation if appropriate for each section of your portfolio.

For very important or valuable documents or original work it is recommended that you use photocopies of these and store the originals in a very safe place.