The Driving Question

How can we use mathematical concepts to create visual representations that capture the essence and diversity of Brazilian music?

The Project: Visualizing the Numbers in Music

In response to this question, Huxley developed a computational and cultural exploration of music, transforming sound into data-driven visualizations that reveal its hidden mathematical structures while honoring its cultural roots.

The Conceptual Goal

Huxley challenges the idea that music is only what we hear, proposing instead that music exists across multiple forms such as video, sheet music, and MIDI. His goal was to redefine music as a combination of human experience, cultural identity, and structured patterns.

Mathematics & Technology

Using Fourier transforms and programming, Huxley converted audio signals into numerical data. These numbers were then analyzed and translated into visual representations, allowing patterns like rhythm, melody, and harmony to be seen rather than just heard.

Decoding the Visuals

The resulting visualizations communicate multiple musical elements simultaneously:

• The central spectrum represents the frequencies present in the sound.
• Color indicates root notes and tonal shifts.
• Texture reflects noise levels and rhythmic complexity and spiral shapes and spacing reveal drum patterns and timing structures.
  

Cultural Context & Meaning

To ground his project in lived experience, Huxley explored the deep cultural significance of music in Brazil:

• Music as Identity: In Brazilian culture, particularly in Bahia, music is inseparable from daily life, history, and spirituality.
• Spiritual Foundations: Through Candomblé, an Afro-Brazilian religion, rhythm becomes a form of connection between people and deities (orixás), each associated with specific musical patterns.
• Celebration & Community: Events like Carnival demonstrate music as a collective expression of joy, resistance, and cultural pride, where rhythm and movement unify communities.

Final Product

The project culminated in a presentation combining cultural analysis, mathematical modeling, and interactive visualizations.
Huxley demonstrated how computational tools can uncover the structural patterns of music while maintaining its human and cultural significance.

The Summative Reflection

He concludes that while there are “numbers in the music,” music itself cannot be reduced to data alone. It is ultimately defined by the people behind it—their experiences, emotions, and cultural contexts—making music both a mathematical structure and a deeply human expression.

The Driving Question

How can I design and create a mobile app for my NGO that allows us to educate people and easily engage followers and volunteers?

The Project: Connecting Communities Through Code

In response to his driving question, Sarfo developed a mobile application aimed at addressing digital isolation among youth in Ghana.

Despite widespread access to smartphones and technology, many young people lack access to relevant, accessible information about their communities, their country, and the wider world. Sarfo identified this gap not as a lack of tools, but as a lack of connection.

The Core Idea: His solution was to design an app that:

• Shares curated news and global trends in a simple format
• Promotes local and international events with accessible registration
• Creates a digital hub for community interaction and knowledge sharing
• Provides access to free learning resources and courses

By using tools already present in users’ daily lives, the project focused on accessibility rather than complexity.

Design, Development & Iteration

Sarfo’s process followed a structured cycle of learning, designing, building, and iterating.

Learning the System:
He began by identifying his target audience, youth aged roughly 16–24 in Ghana, and researching the devices they use. This led him to select technologies that would allow cross-platform development for both Android and iOS within a limited timeframe.

Designing for Impact:
Through multiple iterations, Sarfo refined his UI/UX approach, moving from text-heavy, unclear layouts to a more intuitive and visually engaging interface. His design principles focused on simplicity, consistency, clarity, and efficiency, ensuring the app would be easy to navigate and meaningful for users.

Building the App:
Using React Native, he developed the app from scratch, managing authentication systems, data storage, and version control.

Iterating Through Feedback:
Sarfo created a structured feedback system using shared documents where testers could report issues and suggest improvements. This allowed him to continuously refine the app, addressing bugs, improving usability, and adapting features based on real user experience.

Challenges & Breakthroughs

The development process presented both technical and creative challenges.

Technical Obstacles:
Debugging complex code and resolving “mysterious bugs”
Managing authentication systems
Maintaining code stability and accessibility across devices

Design Challenges:
Translating ideas into clear, user-friendly interfaces
Balancing functionality with simplicity
Through persistence and iteration, Sarfo moved from early prototypes to a fully functional application ready for user testing, marking a significant milestone in both technical skill and problem-solving ability.

Final Product: A Platform for Access

The final app serves as a centralized platform where users can access news, events, and educational resources while connecting with their community.

The Impact:

• Increased awareness of local and global issues among youth
• Strengthened community engagement through shared events and information
• Improved confidence and access to opportunities for young users

By transforming existing technology into a meaningful tool, the app begins to address the issue of digital isolation at its root.

The Summative Reflection

For Sarfo, this project extended beyond coding or technical development. It became a way to rethink access, equity, and the role of technology in everyday life.

What started as a passion for programming evolved into a solution with real-world impact. Through this process, he not only developed technical expertise, but also a deeper understanding of how technology can bring people together.

As he reflected, the goal was never just to build an app, but to ensure that young people are not left out simply because they lack access to information.

The Driving Question

How can I develop my understandings on the global coffee industry and its local variations through primary & secondary research?

The Project: Coffee as a Learning Journey

In response to his driving question, Halca developed a multi-year body of work using coffee as a framework to explore global systems, culture, and identity.

The Research Foundation: Beginning with a mastery project, Halca investigated five key areas: the history of coffee, production systems, seed-to-cup processes, producing countries, and the global coffee industry. Through over 20 secondary sources and primary café observations across multiple countries, he built a comprehensive understanding of coffee as both a cultural ritual and an economic force.

Systems & Equity: Expanding on this foundation, he conducted a comparative research study on coffee trade systems in Ethiopia. By analyzing traditional commodity markets alongside certifications like Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance, Halca evaluated their impact on smallholder farmers. His findings revealed that even systems designed to promote equity can carry bias, often highlighting success while overlooking limitations. This reflects core principles of industry analysis, where understanding both opportunities and constraints is essential.

Production & Sustainability: Shifting focus to Brazil, Halca explored sustainable farming practices such as agroforestry and examined how land ownership and environmental systems shape coffee production. This work emphasized that innovation in coffee begins at the level of farmers and ecosystems, not just in cafés.

Final Product: From Knowledge to Action

The culmination of Halca’s learning extended beyond research into community impact.

The Service Initiative: In Indonesia, he designed and led a coffee workshop for young adults from an orphanage, addressing gaps between education and employment. The workshop covered brewing techniques, flavor profiling, and coffee tasting, creating access to skills and new opportunities.

The Reflection: Through this experience, Halca recognized that knowledge gains value when it is shared. Coffee became not only a subject of study, but a tool for connection, access, and empowerment.

The Driving Question

How can accessible, community-driven solutions help restore polluted marine environments?

The Project: Improving Water Quality in Hawaii’s Ala Wai Canal

In response to the driving question, Kenzo W. developed a service learning project focused on improving water quality in Hawaii’s Ala Wai Canal. By collaborating with the Genki Ala Wai Project, he explored how natural, low-cost solutions can address pollution while engaging the local community.

The Design Goal

Working from a personal connection to the marine environment, Kenzo aimed to implement a sustainable solution to reduce pollution in a highly contaminated waterway.

• Creative Direction: A bioremediation approach using natural microorganisms to restore ecological balance.
• Production Process: Coordinating the creation, drying, and preparation of Genki Balls with local partners.
• Final Outputs: Deployment of over 1,000 Genki Balls and documentation of environmental impact.

Innovation & Ethics

The project highlighted how simple, nature-based solutions can drive change:

• Sustainable Practices: Use of effective microorganisms and organic materials to break down pollutants.
• Accessibility & Community Impact: A low-cost, hands-on process enabling participation across age groups.
• Environmental Responsibility: Focus on natural, long-term restoration methods.

Field Research & Immersive Learning

Kenzo grounded his project through direct engagement with his local environment:

• Ala Wai Canal: A heavily polluted waterway impacted by sewage runoff and unsafe bacteria levels.
• Genki Ala Wai Project: A key partnership supporting implementation and learning.
• Community Collaboration: Over 30 volunteers contributed to producing and deploying the Genki Balls.
  

Final Product: A Community-Based Environmental Intervention

• The Assessment: Successful production and deployment of 1,000+ Genki Balls.
• Academic Component: A collaborative, hands-on initiative involving local volunteers.
• The Summative Reflection: Featured on Hawaii News Now, expanding awareness.

The Summative Reflection:

Kenzo recognized the power of accessible, natural solutions in addressing complex environmental challenges, highlighting the impact of community-driven action.