Through many of the traditional cultural experiences we partook in during this module — a temazcal (sweat lodge), limpia( soul-cleansing ceremony), and meditation in the mountain forests of San Jose — I learned that connection with myself is an aspect of connecting with nature that is very important. I’m thankful for being given the opportunity to look inside myself.
-Class of 2024 Student Noah D.
For his first-ever personal project at TGS, CM1 Student Noah D. used his previous experience playing bassoon to answer the following driving question: “How can I convey knowledge of musical chords and national anthem history through a bassoon performance?”
Noah’s final project includes an audio recording of him playing the French and United States national anthems on his bassoon and showing the chords presented in each anthem. He also studied and provided information about each song’s history, intent, and meaning.
Art is such a big part of Oaxaca’s culture and its diversity is what makes it so unique. We had the chance to talk to artists who make art for a living, and it has been in their family for 5 generations. We also had the chance to talk to newer artists who may not depend on it for an income. It has been a very interesting experience to take in all the different perspectives of these artists, and learn about how they all coexist in the same place.
-Class of 2024 Student Keetah B..
Driving Question: How might we convey the intersection of local arts and economy through documentary filmmaking?
What were your goals for this module? How did you achieve them?
During the AyAyAyAyAy module, my goals were to improve my filmography skills while gaining an in-depth understanding of art and economy here in Oaxaca.
Through this module, we were filming and editing for hours at a time, so I improved my filmography skills through constant practice and analyzing what I did wrong and how I could improve it. We also got feedback from local videographers, which was very useful when using Premiere Pro for the first time.
During both the weXplore and back at the main residence, the experiential learning really helped me feel like I understood Oaxacan art. We even got to take part in making the art and talk to the artists. I now have a greater understanding of the relationship between art and economy, art and politics, and art and culture. I feel that I have also learned about how vital artisanship is here and the perspective more modern artists have of artisans.
What new things did you learn about yourself?
I learned more about my filming style and what I can improve on when filming. I also learned that I’m a perfectionist, especially when it comes to editing.
I learned that my perspectives of what art is and the motivations people have for art don’t always align. I also learned how people’s perspectives of art itself might change depending on why they do art.
Driving Question: How might we convey the intersection of local arts and economy through documentary filmmaking?
What were your goals for this module? How did you achieve them?
To inform others about local artists in Oaxaca relating to art and the economy.
What new things did you learn about yourself?
Throughout this module, we learned multiple different things: From how art and economy in Oaxaca are changing to learning how to edit and film our very own documentary. This module also tested our limits, as it was very demanding no matter how interesting, and we can say that we are very proud of our final result.
What are your big takeaway lessons from this project?
Our biggest takeaway is how the art industry has evolved here and how that impacts the artists here in Oaxaca, and how there is more openness to expressing oneself through art.
Driving Question: How can I have a powerful impact on English and Hindi speakers through a bilingual album?
Project Overview: For his mastery project, Vansh creating a bilingual hip-hop album. The lyrics, sung in English and Hindi, reflected the various personal experiences Vansh has had in his life. In the final tracks, the vocals and the instrumentals sit peacefully beside each other with neither fighting for center stage.
What were your initial goals for this project? How did they change over time?
Initially, I wanted to finish an album within two years, but the more I learned about the process, I realized that being a good singer/instrumentalist was a completely different set of skills than transferring that quality onto a laptop. Because I did everything on my own, musically, I had to produce, arrange, record, play, mix, and master the track all by myself. I also had to learn elements of photography and videography, such as cloning and color grading.
Lastly, for marketing purposes, I also had to teach myself how to run an ad campaign and reach out to people kindly and ask them to listen to your music. I was not familiar with almost all of these processes, and learning all of them – at different levels – made me realize that I had to change my goals. I still ended up making many songs, but I didn’t finish any of them because mid-way through the project, my goal became to release a single before graduation. I definitely think I accomplished said goal.
What are you most proud of?
I’m really proud of the single I ended up creating because it’s a transition to a journey I’ve always wanted to embark on and marks the end of my impactful time here at TGS.
What are the biggest lessons you learned through the process of your mastery project?
I learned how much knowledge there is on the internet and the difference having a supportive community, like TGS, makes when one is pursuing a project of this magnitude.
Driving Question: How can I utilize my knowledge of Mayan mythology to create an original piece of Mayan artwork?
Project Description: For this personal project, Noemie set out to demonstrate creativity by creating an art piece inspired by Mayan culture. The piece was based on experiential research Noemie performed during her time in Tulum, Mexico.
Driving Question: How can I learn about music theory and teach others by analyzing Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata?
Module Overview: For this project, Diego learned about music theory by researching chords, scales, and sheet music elements like clefs, staff, accidentals, and dynamic markings. Diego then analyzed and played Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata to identify the elements used in this song.
Project Reflection: “I didn’t feel this project was work. I thought it more like a hobby, just one more day doing what I like. I learned many things that I didn’t know about the theory, even though I have been playing the piano for several years now. It is the first time that I have shown many people what I can do or play, and that’s really exciting to finally share.”
Driving Question: How can I address some of the present threats to global health while promoting human rights and social progress?
Project Overview: In this module, students were introduced to the foundations of global health. They learned about basic concepts, measurements, and determinants of health, and a number of key perspectives for considering global health issues.
For her project, Estelle explored water scarcity in Honduras, which leads to a lack of basic sanitation and clean water for up to 1.8 million people. Non-communicable diseases in Honduras attributed to water cause a DALY rate of 4,540 per 100,000 people. Disease spreads through contaminated food and water tanks, and poor management, climate change, and political unrest worsen the issue.
Project Reflection: “Exploring the niche of environmental global health opened my mind to so many new areas of interest in this field. I thoroughly enjoyed this module and felt like the skills will be very applicable to other modules.”
Driving Question: How can I use photography to raise awareness about our human behavior’s impact on the environment?
Project Description
My personal project this term is a photography project about human behavior’s impact on the environment. While wondering why we are not acting as urgently as we should for the climate crisis, I found people often see the crisis as a distant challenge, both in time and in space. Through this project, I wanted to raise awareness about the impact of our daily and individual actions on the environment, and ultimately, bring people closer to the challenge.
Reflection:
“My main takeaway from this project is that, no matter how global any challenge is, the individual action will end up making the difference.”
Driving Question: What are the unique properties of a meal/dish from my culture and how can I share that with the world?
Project Description: This module was about exploring my culture and highlighting our unique characteristics. They could be from language or family to religion and traditions. I was looking for a dish that is important to me and represents a big part of my culture. My final product for the project is a video explaining the importance of my dish, pan de muerto, and how to do it step by step.
Project Reflection: “I enjoyed learned about my culture and the origin of many of my traditions. Baking pan de muerto and recording the process was challenging and exciting at the same time. I learned how to communicate in a simple and interesting way.” -Marily
Driving Question: How can I address some of the present threats to global health while promoting human rights and social progress?
Project Description: My project is a policy brief about the Malaria situation in Congo. It includes its nature and magnitude, the most affected populations, the socio-economic consequences, and the potential solution to reduce the burden. The policy aims to convince the finance Minister of Congo to invest in solutions for Malaria.
Project Reflection: “I enjoyed hearing from my peers how the health care systems function in different countries. A challenge was writing in the concise and precise way required for the policy brief.” -Sofia W.
