A Glimpse

<A link to Kyle's reflection on the evening added at the end of the post>

Last night was a big night for my husband.  Each year since he started a new project based learning program at his high school they have a big expo in the spring.  It’s a chance for the studio students to show off their projects and practice their presentation skills in front of their families, friends, teachers, and people from the community.  I have been to several and continue to be impressed by what students are capable of doing when you let them explore their skills and interests.  For example some of the projects I saw last night included a safe driving application for smart phones, an academic social media site (built from scratch by 15 year olds, amazing), team building programs including interactive modules, a novella piggy backing off Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, short film tutorials for advance placement world history topics, and an LED programmable bumper sticker.  These kids are learning and applying market research, product design, coding/development, website design/maintenance, script development, film editing, and presentation skills.  They were honest about the challenges of overcoming the obstacles they encountered and they were passionate about their projects.  Even though they were graded last night on their projects several plan to continue to pursue and advance what they created.  Some of the presentations I saw are products and services I would be willing to purchase especially if they were refined and moved out of beta stages. 

At the end of the night the students had a closing ceremony.  They had several current students and soon to be studio graduates speak briefly about what the program has meant to them.  The recurring theme was that through the program they had surprised themselves with how much they are capable of and that they were inspired to keep growing their confidence and skill sets.  This was more than just a class.  It was a safe place to push the boundaries of their capabilities with teachers who helped guide them but didn’t get in their way.  It was a safe place to fail and try again.  It was a place where they learned the frustration and the potential of working with others.  The lessons learned about working in teams will serve them well throughout college and their careers. 

As they spoke they thanked my husband and his team teacher for dedicating the last 4 years of their careers to the program.  Their words brought tears to my eyes.  It is not often you get to see the people you love through someone else’s eyes.  I got a chance to do that last night and I saw what a huge impact he has made in the lives in those kids and it made me incredibly proud.  They made them each a card and I cherished getting to read their words to him.  Some were silly but some were incredibly sincere and great reminders of the lasting impact of the program on the lives of the students.

Last night was also a big night because next year my husband will be moving to a new school to pursue an exciting and challenging opportunity.  I know it was a bitter sweet night for him.  He is excited about what is to come but sad to leave behind something he built with such passion and pride.  It takes a great deal of courage to walk away from something good in pursuit of something even better.  To push yourself outside of your comfort zone for the greater good of yourself and your field.  This is where Kyle inspires me the most.  He knows when to play it safe and when to take a risk.  I truly believe that what he built in the studio is just the beginning of the amazing things he will do throughout his career to enrich the education and lives of his students.  

Here is Kyle's reflection on the expo: http://theartofforgetting.com/2014/05/09/my-final-studio-expo-a-reflection/