Eighth-Grade Quest Project

The Eighth-Grade Quest Project is a long-standing milestone in the Nueva experience, offering students the chance to deeply explore a personal passion. Introduced over two decades ago (originally called Recital), Quest empowers students to engage in self-directed learning that often sparks continued interest through high school.

Throughout the process, students apply design thinking to explore possibilities, make decisions, and navigate challenges. They select a topic, create a detailed project plan with monthly goals, and work with an adult mentor outside their family who has expertise in their chosen field—developing key project management and independent learning skills along the way.

The experience culminates in Quest Night, a festive community event where students present, perform, and discuss their work with families, mentors, and peers.