For many students, summer is a time to relax their minds after their strenuous school year of homework, projects, and exams. However, many schools implement summer projects to keep young students' minds sharp. Whether summer reading, research projects, or vocabulary, schools highly encourage their teachers to implement summer projects onto their students. When constructed by the teacher, summer projects allow students to reach their full potential due to is close relationship to the curriculum, the academic foundation it provides for the upcoming school year, and the equal amount of work for all students.

Firstly, teacher-designed projects are designed by those actually teaching the subject. When teachers create the summer projects for their students, those students in return are given a preview of what they will be learning during the school year. Commonly, students enter a course unsure of what exactly they will be learning. They might expect for their year to focus on one subject whereas the curriculum may only briefly cover it. When students receive teacher-designed projects, the students are familiarized with what to expect out of their course. For instance, history teachers may assign a research project of a specific time period. With specificity provided by the teachers, students gain clarity on what they will be taught in their new classes. Aside from showing students what they will be learning, teacher-designed projects also teach the students.

Because schools encourage teachers to implement summer assignments to better prepare students for the upcoming school year, these projects serve to ease students into their courses. For instance, prior to my junior year of high school I received a teacher-designed project in my AP Biology course. With junior year being my first year of AP courses, I was unfamiliar with what the class would entail. Fortunately however, the project designed by my teacher provided me a basis of what I would begin to learn in Fall and the depth of what my understanding would need to be. Although a long project, I learned vocabulary terms and studied biological processes which became useful throughout the school year in the class. Through completion of the project, although inexperienced with such high level classes, I entered the school year confident and ready for my college leveled assignments. With my understanding of the content I would be learning, I also earned time-management skills as I knew how much effort would be needed for the class. Despite as a student I found the summer assignment to be tedious, those teacher-designed projects fully prepared me for my intensive class load for my junior year of high school.

Although some may argue for the student-designed projects, unfortunately certain students may take advantage of its given flexibility. With increase popularity of sports, jobs, and extracurricular activities, among high school students, certain students may not put in all of their effort for projects they create for oneself. Where students with a full schedule may complete the project at the bare minimum, other students may design long, elaborate projects. When students are assigned teacher-designed projects, students work at the same level. By taking in account both ends of the spectrum, teachers design projects at a middle ground to create assignments with a proper, realistic amount of work doable for all of their students.

With schools having the goal to assure continued learned during the course of academic breaks, teacher-designed projects are ideal in achieving this goal. By teachers developing projects for their students to complete over break, students gain confidence in the upcoming school year. Through these projects, teachers help students develop skills necessary for their classes. Despite the implication of impeding on students' summer vacation, schools mandating teacher-design projects assure students are well prepared for their return in September.