As Senior Independent Studies continue, the Class of 2026 uses their final weeks of Wooster to explore passions that extend beyond traditional academics. This week, we investigated the projects of Kathryn and Ellie, who are using their time very differently while still reflecting the individuality and ambition of their pursuits.
For Ellie, that passion takes shape through craftsmanship and creativity, combining restoring a vintage double bass with fashion and product photography work at a local consignment shop.
She has been playing the upright bass for over ten years and plans to continue playing throughout college. Because professional-quality basses can be incredibly expensive to have repaired, she decided to take a more hands-on approach and repair the instrument herself.
Working alongside Mr. Johnston, one of the performing arts teachers, Ellie is repairing a double bass from the 1940s, which has been unplayable since she bought it. Together, they will mend the neck and bridge while also fixing issues in the varnish. She will learn luthier skills, the specialized craftsmanship required to build, repair, and restore stringed instruments, throughout the process.
“I’ve been playing bass for almost ten years now, so I was really interested in learning how it actually works,” Ellie explained.
She has also been working at Taylor’s Design Consignment in Newtown. She has been helping with everyday responsibilities around the store, but her main role has become photography.
When the store needed assistance building a website and creating a social media presence for the growing business, Ellie stepped in, using the photography skills she had gained as a hobby. Since then, she has learned about fashion and product photography to design promotional material for their online platforms.
“I’ve taken thousands of photos of items and the store environment,” she said. “It’s been really cool seeing my work actually used for the business.”
Ellie’s SIS demonstrates how the project can allow students to pursue multiple interests at the same time, all while developing practical skills for college and beyond. Studies like hers highlight the flexibility of the experience and the combination of creativity with real-world experience.
Kathryn is another example of this, as she decided to use her Senior Independent Study as an opportunity to explore entrepreneurship while simultaneously pursuing a personal athletic goal.
Kathryn has been working at Confessions Curated Clothing, a new local business owned by Wooster parent, Mrs. Porter. Here she has gained firsthand insight into what goes into launching a business from the ground up. Through the experience, she is learning about the behind-the-scenes aspects of entrepreneurship, including business planning, organization, customer engagement, and the daily responsibilities required to operate a retail store.
Her role has been especially hands-on. Kathryn has taken part in managing the store’s social media and marketing efforts while also helping plan and coordinate its opening event. Through these responsibilities, she has gained experience in branding, promotion, communication, and audience engagement while developing a stronger understanding of the collaboration and adaptability required to kickstart a new business.
Beyond gaining experience in entrepreneurship, Kathryn added another challenge to her SIS by training for and completing a half marathon. While the business side of her project focused on creativity and business skills, her athletic goal pushed her to develop discipline, consistency, and stronger time management.
Balancing both challenging pursuits seemed to be one of the most valuable parts of Kathryn’s project. Between managing responsibilities at the store, maintaining a training schedule, and balancing other commitments, she began to realize that many of the same skills required to prepare for a half marathon also apply to launching a business.
“Between time at the store, training for the half marathon, and tennis practice, there is a lot for me to get done each day,” Kathryn explained.
We can’t wait to hear more about the senior class’s SIS projects during their presentations next week!
Eve '27
Advanced Journalism
Scarlett '27
Advanced Journalism
