Portfolios of Distinction

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Student portfolios recognize student’s progress and provide an opportunity to curate, revise and present academic work to an audience beyond the classroom. Students selected for the symposium refine critical thinking, research and communication skills through this process, gaining experience that supports continued success across a range of academic contexts.

Shelly Mantegna, Director of Advanced Curriculum

A person's hand is holding an open book while a laptop computer sits on a desk in the background.

Showcasing Advanced Learning

Created in 2025 as part of Blair’s move beyond traditional AP classes, Portfolio Symposiums are invitation-only presentations in which select juniors and seniors reflect on and share the culmination of their yearlong work in Blair’s advanced curriculum. Designed to support a dynamic, student-centered model of learning, the symposiums highlight outcomes that matter most: student agency, higher-order thinking, reflection and metacognition.

Drawing from Blair’s 60+ advanced courses, students chosen for the strength of their portfolios present at key points in the year to faculty judges, engage in thoughtful and scholarly dialogue, and respond to inquiry about their learning. Those earning the “Portfolio of Distinction” honor demonstrate not only academic excellence, but also a clear understanding of their unique approach as learners—and how that approach thrives in Blair’s innovative classrooms.

The rigorous process of earning the Portfolio of Distinction honor is based on a system of criteria that ensures students demonstrate deep reflection, intellectual rigor, and the ability to connect their academic work to broader disciplinary thinking and future goals. The chart below outlines the key standards used to evaluate these presentations.

Criterion What a Portfolio of Distinction Demonstrates

Clear Thesis & Coherent Presentation

 The presentation, whether narrative or argumentative, articulates a clear thesis about the student’s learning and supports it with substantial evidence drawn from coursework and academic experiences.  
Intentional Decision-Making The student reflects on the choices they made in their academic work and explains how those decisions shaped the quality, direction and outcomes of their learning.
Connecting Prior & New Knowledge The presentation demonstrates how the student’s current work builds on prior experiences, skills and habits of mind developed across years of learning.
Transcendent (Disciplinary) Thinking The student situates their work within the values and methods of specific disciplines—demonstrating what it means to think like a historian, scientist, writer or scholar in a given field.
Understanding Personal & Community Impact The student reflects on why their work matters—to themselves, to a community they belong to, or to a broader cultural or intellectual conversation.
Future-Oriented Reflection The portfolio connects past learning to future goals, showing how the student’s academic work informs the learner, citizen or professional they hope to become.

Portfolio of Distinction Awardees


Portfolios of Distinction are a rare honor awarded to only a small number of students each year.

Members of the current class include:
 
  • Bella Biondo
  • Derek Chen
  • Sarah Henckel
  • Ashley Hur
  • Jenny Ke
  • Taeri Kim
  • Eugenie Kwon
  • Naomi Limann
  • Tess Mella
  • Brandon Wells
  • Cat Zhang