From Brainstorm to Brilliance: Capstone Project Deep Dive

At Atlas School, we are committed to providing a hands-on learning experience. Our unique education style sees our students actively applying the technical and professional skills they’re learning with various projects, assignments, and group work.

The pinnacle of students’ experience is their capstone, a single project that represents the culmination of what they’ve learned leading up to graduation. We’re pulling back the curtain on what our capstone project entails, and how it benefits students as they prepare to enter the workforce.

‍What is the Capstone Project?‍

Our Capstone project is the ultimate showcase, incorporating the technical and soft skills that are practiced throughout the program. Students work in small groups, often across specializations, combining their individual knowledge to create a comprehensive final product. This project pushes students’ technical skills to their limits, and it shows in their work. The end result can range from websites to mobile apps, and even artificial intelligence systems. 

Several groups have the opportunity to partner with local businesses on real-world projects, magnifying their exposure to professional workspaces. The collaborative nature of this project touches on project management, problem solving, and communication skills that are key to being successful as a professional.

Can You Pitch It?

After a week of ideation and brainstorming, teams come together for their first major checkpoint, Pitch Day.

Each team is given several minutes to introduce their project, the inspiration and purpose behind their idea, describe the skills they will practice, and establish a schedule of work that will be followed throughout the project. With limited time to present, students need to find the perfect balance between being informative and concise. Students have the opportunity to practice and receive feedback from their instructors as they progress.

The pitching process encourages students to be intentional in selecting their tasks, so they can create ambitious projects that are realistic to achieve within the time they have. Once their pitches are set the real work begins.

Lights, Camera, Demo Day!

The vast majority of the work is done in the weeks following Pitch Day. Students’ regularly scheduled Peer Learning Days are dedicated towards building out their projects and receiving guidance from their instructors and peers. Groups routinely meet and work outside of class time to ensure their ideas are fully-fledged and meet the expectations set for the project.

Once projects have been fully developed, focus shifts to Demo Day. Similar to Pitch Day, students are expected to create an in-depth presentation describing their project, the tools they used, and reflect on their experiences throughout the process. However, instead of presenting to their peers, we open up Demo Day to friends, family, local employers, and the Tulsa technology community. 

After the presentations, attendees can explore the projects for themselves during an exhibition hour, where they can interact with the programs and meet with the Demo Day participants. This environment provides a platform for students to engage with potential employers and celebrate their accomplishments before graduation. We are always proud to celebrate the success of our students, and can’t wait to see their diligent work highlighted in upcoming Demo Days.

From Orientation to Demo Day: Explore Your Future With Atlas

We strive to provide an educational experience that is preparing students for all the rigors and challenges that come with being a technology professional. Want to learn more about how Atlas can help you achieve your goals?

Schedule a meeting with our admissions team or email admissions@atlasschool.com to discover our programs and community!