Skip To Main Content

Keeping Up With: SIS Seniors Max, Chris, Dash and Henry

Keeping Up With: SIS Seniors Max, Chris, Dash and Henry
Teddy Porter, '25, & Brayan Tenesaca, '25

This week, we are checking in on Max Rainville, Chris Lopes, Dash Knuff, and Henry Rexford to hear more about their SIS projects.

Max Rainville's SIS project centered around his love for soccer and curiosity about the referee's viewpoint. Divided into two parts, Max's SIS has expanded his understanding of the game. In the first part, Max obtained his CT referee certificate and now actively referees games throughout Fairfield County. With approximately 25 hours dedicated to reading and attending classes, he has learned the complexities of officiating, from handling passionate parents to positioning himself effectively. Mastering signals like calling offsides and substitutions, Max gained a deep appreciation for the vital role referees play. 


The second part of Max's SIS involves volunteering at a camp in the Danbury Dome. There, he assists in organizing drills and ensures the kids remain focused. This experience honed Max's skills in managing groups and fostering teamwork. Max's SIS project has significantly impacted his daily routine, requiring a new schedule to meet the five-hour project requirement. Juggling referee duties and helping at the Danbury Dome camp has become vital. Max now enjoys the freedom to structure his day independently. However, he is still adapting to this newfound flexibility while keeping busy with referee classes and camp assistance. One surprising discovery during Max's SIS project was the widespread shortage of referees. This realization led him to officiate up to six games in a single weekend. The scarcity underscored the importance of his chosen project and fueled his continued exploration of the referee's role. Max's SIS project has delved into the captivating world of soccer refereeing. Obtaining his referee certificate and contributing to the Danbury Dome camp has expanded his knowledge, skills, and perspective. As Max adjusts to his new routine and positively impacts the soccer community, his SIS project is an enriching and fulfilling experience.

Chris Lopes chose coaching and officiating soccer as his Senior Independent Study (SIS) project. With 17 years of soccer experience, he wanted to explore the sport from different perspectives and understand the responsibilities of coaches and referees. Throughout his SIS project, Chris has coached young players aged 4-10 alongside Coach Kevin Malta at the Danbury Sports Dome. He also officiated numerous soccer games during the week. This hands-on experience gave him insights into the challenges referees face and the scrutiny they endure.


Helping young players develop their skills and nurturing their passion for the sport exceeded Chris's expectations and has brought him immense joy. Despite not adopting new habits, his daily routine shifted. Officiating games left little time for socializing or relaxation, but he appreciated the luxury of sleeping in on weekdays and being free from academic responsibilities. Weekday hikes and beach trips became regular activities. Chris recommends picking a friend as a project partner for SIS to enhance the experience. Chris is grateful for the SIS project he chose. For Chris, choosing the right SIS project transformed the graduation requirement into a genuinely rewarding experience.

Dash Knuff for his SIS project chose to do digital marketing for his music. This is where he learns how to promote his music through social media. He runs two instagram accounts where he posts his music twice a week. The reason why he chose to do this for his project is because his dream is to be a music artist and he wants to learn how to promote his music. Some things that he has learned are time management skills and the fact that to get views he doesn’t have to go over the top with editing. He has noticed that videos where he doesn’t do as much editing tend to get more views which he will keep in mind in the future of his career. His day is a lot different now because he now wakes up at 5:30 every morning. He goes to the gym with Henry Rexford, and then at 9:00 he begins working on his music. After he does this he takes a bit of a break and then goes back to his studio to mix the music. He mixes the music to make everything sound better and not out of order. From doing his SIS project, he has learned how disciplined he can be. 

Henry Rexford decided that for his SIS project he wanted to compare stoicism to modern positive psychology. The reason why he chose this for his SIS is because he took philosophy in junior year and he liked the idea of stoicism. His dad also studies these topics which also gave him a reason to pick this topic. For his SIS he has already completed an online course about his topic. He also works out and takes an ice bath everyday. He has been practicing the ideas learned from these topics and he has continued to study them. He also has been meditating and going on mindfulness walks everyday. Another thing that he does is read and listen to podcasts that are related to the topics he is focused on studying. Some of the things he has learned are, well-being, happiness, life satisfaction, mindfulness meditation, positive emotions, etc. Henry has learned a lot of important skills in his SIS that he will use in the future. He has realized that his schedule is a lot different now compared to when he normally is in school. He is able to decide when to work and how long he wants to work for. He wakes up and goes to bed earlier than usual and he is a lot more productive than he usually is. Some things that he has been missing are social interactions at school, but he is very satisfied with his growth as a person. 
 

More WiNK Articles

No post to display.