CEL Showcase 2025

From Philadelphia to Dubai

In a groundbreaking first, SCH Capstone students held their on-campus Showcase and our CEL partner school in Dubai, Arcadia British School, simultaneously held its own, dubbed "Launchpad." Arcadia students presented projects focused on addressing critical global issues, including climate change, educational inequality, sustainable fashion, and the application of AI in the beauty industry.

Read, watch, and learn about the winning projects, nonprofits, services, and apps our students (and the Arcadia British School in Dubai!) have worked so hard to develop.

What is CAPSTONE?

All SCH sophomores take our CEL Capstone course—a unique, self-directed project to design a product, service, nonprofit, technology, invention, or creative entity. With the support of CEL faculty mentors and access to specialized studios, students bring their passionate ideas to life using the business, design, and technology skills learned in previous CEL classes.

2025 Capstone showcase winners!

Below are just a few of our winning projects from this year's Capstone Showcase at SCH and Arcadia.

SHANXI LIFESPARK

The Dr. Sands Entrepreneurial Mindset Award Awarded to the student or student team whose project embodies all four entrepreneurial pillars: Resiliency, Opportunity Seeking, Resourcefulness, and Creativity. In addition, this prize considers commitment and execution. It is awarded to a student or student team that truly went above and beyond expectations.

Winner: Shanxi LifeSpark | Nonprofit

Richard '27: Shanxi LifeSpark aims to support Black Lung Disease patients in Shanxi, China by raising public awareness and providing essential medical equipment like oxygen concentrators and ventilators. The organization also partners with local artists to help them market traditional crafts such as Lihou Cloth Tigers and aluminum art, using profits to fund healthcare for underprivileged BLD families. Together, we can illuminate their struggles, spark life through art, and light the path to health and dignity.

Every day more than 6 million mining workers in China suffer from BLD due to exposure to excessive amounts of dust and ash at their workplace and inadequate workplace protection. Their struggles, their health issues, and the reality of their workplace environment left a huge impact on me.

Richard '27

Shanxi LifeSpark Initiative Capstone Showcase Winner 2025

FRAGRANCE FAN

The Dr. Sands Entrepreneurial Mindset Award Awarded to the student or student team whose project embodies all four entrepreneurial pillars: Resiliency, Opportunity Seeking, Resourcefulness, and Creativity. In addition, this prize considers commitment and execution. It is awarded to a student or student team that truly went above and beyond expectations.

Winner: Fragrance Fan | Product

Ryleigh and Penelope '27: Fragrance Fan is an innovative and portable fan that allows someone to change the fan's fragrance to whatever the user wants. One’s phone battery powers our fan due to the sleek design that seamlessly plugs into your phone and fits in your pocket. The fan also comes with grills made of wood that smell like various plants and flowers. Our product fixes the issues of people needing a refreshing breeze, and our replaceable grills remove the lint build-up that occurs in most fans.

Ryleigh and Penny embodied the CEL mindset—creativity, resilience, and teamwork—while designing their fragrance fan, a sleek yet complex mini fan with a scented wood grill that plugs into a phone or laptop. Through countless iterations, precise 3D modeling, and hands-on problem-solving, they created a product ready for market, all while balancing sports, setbacks, and plenty of laughter.

Juliet Fajardo, CEL New Media Studio Faculty & Resident Architect

Capstone Showcase Sands Award Fragrance Fan 2025

Akhtar & Co

Mehrish got the Tenacity Award in Dubai Arcadia Capstone Showcase 2025

Winner: Tenacity Award | Mehrish '27

Akhtar & Co is a nonprofit organization committed to enhancing lives by providing accessible immigration legal services. We focus on offering immigrants from economically disadvantaged countries transformative opportunities to either pursue higher education at UK universities or embark on professional football careers. Our mission is to eliminate the financial obstacles that often accompany the hiring of immigration attorneys, facilitating a more seamless transition for individuals aspiring to a better future in the UK. Through our affordable and empathetic support, we enable individuals to forge improved lives in a nation abundant in technology, resources, and opportunities. Together, we pave the way for hope, achievement, and a thriving new beginning.

Watch Project Video

Concept

Alia and Talia won the People's Choice Capstone Showcase in Dubai

Winner: People's Choice Award | Alia & Talia '27

Concept is a social enterprise founded by Alia Fakih and Talia Zekisson, one that designs homes fitting each individual's requirements and preferences by merging architecture and psychology. We begin houses with a custom blueprint made to your exact specifications. Our dedication goes beyond design to include giving back. Every project contributes to the construction of homes for families in need, which are done in collaboration with neighborhood charities and projects. By emphasising locally sourced materials and sustainable building practices, Concept not only builds houses but also builds communities, making a difference and guaranteeing that every home is genuinely yours.

Watch Project Video

Memoria

Winner: The Young Entrepreneur Award | Ishaan '27

Studying can be a treacherous task. But only if your not sure how to study effectively. Memoria makes studying significantly easier for students, allowing them to ignite their full potential. This scientifically - backed learning platform transforms how students study, using proven methods like active recall and spaced repetition to help the conquer their dream grades. Memoria is perfect for schools and tutoring centres, offering tools for setting weekly homework, tracking progress, and providing engaging lesson material. Each student gets a personalised profile powered by an intelligent algorithm, eliminating the stress of planning and letting them focus solely into actually learning and revising. With our subscription-based model, Memoria makes effective studying simple, accessible and impactful.

Watch Project Video

capstone Showcase Projects

from
Springside Chestnut Hill Academy
to
Arcadia British School

SCH Academy
Arcadia

SCH Academy

SCH + Headstrong CEL Capstone Showcase 2025

Care Club

A babysitting platform for SCH babysitters and parents looking for high school babysitters.

Services

Drone Drop

Drone drop is a medical supply delivery system designed to get medicine such as epi-pens and bandages to patients.

Products

Perspective

An animated short film that addresses the reality of teenage emotions from the point of view of a teenage girl, Isa.

Media & Design

ProMark Golf

Our golf ball marker business is dedicated to creating high-quality, visually striking markers that stand out on the course.

Media & Design

The CAm and Friends Podcast

This podcast helps younger adolescents balance the struggle of academics, social and emotional stress, and athletics and extracurricular activities.

Media & Design

The Athletes’ Untold Stories

A podcast where we interview high school and collegiate athletes about their recruitment process and early sports experiences.

Media & Design

SCH + Headstrong

Working with the Headstrong Foundation, we are hosting a lacrosse clinic at SCH.

Nonprofits

SCH E-Sports Proposal

Bringing eSports to SCH.

Media & Design

Sleep Deep

A smart sleep mask that would help people gain a better quality of sleep nightly.

Products

Arcadia

These showcases underscore the effectiveness of the CEL curriculum in fostering entrepreneurial spirit and equipping students with the skills to develop impactful solutions to real-world problems.

Ed Glassman, Director of CEL at SCH

Mr. Glassman attended both events, witnessing firsthand the impressive work of students on both continents.

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CEL Showcase 2025

From Philadelphia to Dubai

What is CAPSTONE?

2025 Capstone showcase winners!

capstone Showcase Projects

from Springside Chestnut Hill Academy to Arcadia British School

from
Springside Chestnut Hill Academy
to
Arcadia British School