Our OneSchool Global North America region recently concluded its annual Regional Senior Exhibition Competition, showcasing the talent, ingenuity, and self-direction of our graduating students.
After two years of preparation, eight finalists, selected from hundreds of seniors across the continent, presented their TED Talk-style capstone projects to a panel of educators and community business leaders.
Elise, a student from OSG Rochester, was among the top three winners, impressing the judges with her presentation titled “The Power of 
Simplicity: The Secret to Happier Customers and Smarter Systems.”
The Regional Senior Exhibition Competition is the culmination of a two-year, student-led research and presentation initiative embedded in OneSchool Global’s “Business Competencies” course. This program is designed to build both academic and real-world workplace skills. It challenges students to select a topic of passion, craft a research question, conduct interviews, write a formal paper, and deliver a public presentation.
“This project embodies what we mean by ‘life-ready’ learning,” said Kristen Jakala, Sub-Regional Director of Teaching and Learning. “Our students walk away not only with sharpened communication and research skills, but with confidence – having spent two years taking ownership of a topic that matters to them and learning how to express that to others.”
Each finalist began their journey by presenting at their local campus before opting to enter the competitive track. From there, district-level winners were selected by regional principals to represent their areas in the finals, which featured students from across North America, including the Caribbean, Canada, and the United States.
Topics ranged from the effect of interior design on productivity and the psychological barriers behind public speaking to the appraisal value of a house’s curb appeal and the influence of digital branding – highlighting the breadth of student interests and the real-world relevance of their work.
The judging panel for the finals included a mix of internal educators and external business professionals, each bringing a unique perspective to the evaluation process. In addition to a scored presentation, students also fielded live questions from the panel to demonstrate subject matter fluency and critical thinking.
“This competition highlights the heart of our educational mission: empowering students with the tools, mindset, and independence to thrive in life and work,” added Kristen. “Every student who participated should be immensely proud of what they’ve accomplished.”
The Senior Exhibition Competition is a great example of OneSchool Global’s commitment to preparing life-ready graduates. By combining mentorship, autonomy, and real-world relevance, the program equips students not just to succeed in school, but to lead with confidence far beyond it.
OSG in the news
We were thrilled to see Elise’s project recognised in a feature story on Gener8tion ROC local news! Generation ROC – check out the clip below.