Vanguard Academy graduating class finishing senior projects

Vanguard Academy in Broken Arrow is getting ready to graduate its first group of students who have been there all four years. Before they get their diplomas in May, they're finishing their senior projects.

This is not your normal class schedule. For students like Taren Diaz at Vanguard Academy, this project-based curriculum suits their learning styles.

"I learn best by doing."

Taren's final senior project is all about fashion.

"I was designing through October. I started with one design, and then I had to iterate that design, do it again, and then do it again until I had six designs," Taren said.

Colorful designs that have now been turned into prototypes and will later become clothing for a runway.

"Taking a 2D design and making it 3D is a lot harder than some people think because suddenly you go from these lines that just work to figuring out how to make this line work in a moving space," Taren said.

While it's been a huge undertaking, Taren's teacher is impressed.

"Taren is an amazing student, has always been a huge supporter of Vanguard and the things we do on our campus, and their dedication to their work in the class has been outstanding," said Andrew Darrow.

Some students are going off to college, others are starting a job, but all are using these projects as a launchpad to think about their next steps in life.

Taren's dream is to become a costume designer.

"My family is a family that does costumes. So it's been with me forever. I really want to go into the movie industry and get to work and create costumes."

So while it's not your regular curriculum, it'll prepare these students for what they want their future to look like.

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