On Monday, October 27, senior Mia Lee successfully defended her Capstone project, “The Better Days Project, ” before a committee of faculty and administrators.

“The Better Days Project” began as an exploration of functional medicine and evolved into a far-reaching study of intentional living. What started as curiosity about health and wellness grew into a deep personal journey focused on the connection between habits, values, and balance.

Through her research, experiential learning, and community contributions, Mia discovered that success and well-being are rooted in living intentionally: aligning daily actions with personal values to create sustainable growth and “better days.”

A key part of Mia’s Capstone was experiential learning that brought her ideas to life. She earned her 200-hour yoga teacher certification, gaining discipline, confidence, and the ability to guide others through mindfulness and movement. A summer of study at Oxford University in England challenged her to practice intentional living in a new environment, building routines and independence while studying neuropsychology and conducting research on habit formation and decision-making. Her findings, which are being submitted for publication, explored how aligning habits with values can strengthen character and promote purposeful living.

Mia also brought her learning home to Athens Academy through two significant contributions. First, she organized a yoga event in partnership with Highland Yoga, giving her classmates the chance to experience mindfulness and balance firsthand. Second, she designed and built an original app, Align: The Better Days Project, a digital tool that helps users plan their weeks, track habits, and practice gratitude—all centered around intentional living. Together, these initiatives extended her Capstone’s impact beyond personal growth, offering tangible resources to her school and community.

In reflecting on her journey, Mia notes that her Capstone became “more than a school project—it became a way of living.” Through hundreds of hours of research, practice, and creation, she learned that living intentionally is not about perfection, but about awareness and alignment.

Her project stands as an inspiring example of how curiosity, courage, and commitment can turn a high school experience into a lifelong philosophy for growth and purpose.

The Capstone Project is an opportunity for Upper School students to explore a passion via four criteria: research, mentorship, experiential learning, and an outward contribution. Each student submits a research paper detailing an aspect of the project, and they defend the project before a committee of faculty and administrators, similar to a Ph.D. oral defense. Students whoseprojects are approved by the committee receive the Capstone designation at commencement in May.