Converse with Atlas, Eli and Elsa, all college students at Sequoyah Faculty in Pasadena, California and also you rapidly understand that “teenage voice” is greater than a highschool buzz phrase.
It’s apparent from my first 5 minutes with these juniors that there’s something thrilling and vital brewing right here. And I’m going to hear. Not simply to be educated about Sequoyah’s Social Innovation Program (SIP) or to easily toss round Protected Phases, their creating Theater Impression Undertaking, that intersects the problems of psychological well being, teachers and creativity. At the moment, these three try to develop and implement options into the common curriculum because it pertains to those essential points.
As Atlas, Eli, Elsa and myself sit collectively at a desk in Sequoyah’s highschool courtyard one afternoon, we converse about their collective imaginative and prescient, intentions, expectations, and experiences by way of their Protected Phases SIP undertaking. Every pupil’s sensible, forward-thinking concepts communicate to their unimaginable capabilities and extraordinary frequent sense. The dialogue highlights the distinctive developmental programming that Sequoyah affords. It additionally dramatically displays the up-level, essential pondering the scholars are partaking in.
After all, all through the speak I used to be catching up on tradition by way of their eyes, ears and dialogues. And, after all, they’re nonetheless youngsters. However what they needed to say positively modified my perspective about how sturdy a excessive schooler’s voice will be and why it’s vital to significantly hear.
What do they need? Nicely, that was sort of a problem to elucidate. There was positively an arc to the dialog. Every one in all these college students was so “teen superior” I made a decision to maintain their phrases intact and allow them to communicate for themselves. (The piece is frivolously edited for readability.)
The mission of SIP, as described on its web site, is “to assist college students hone the design pondering aptitudes and changemaking attitudes wanted to problem each rising and entrenched social and environmental points… [To build real-world skills] by way of creating long-term relationships with individuals – each the empowered and systematically disempowered.” And in the end create sustainable change.
Tracey: I used to be studying a bit bit about what you probably did. You’re a part of the Sequoyah Social Innovation Program. You’re at present within the Impression Undertaking stage. What does that imply?
Atlas: So, I suppose it’s simpler right here if we type of distinguish what the lead as much as it’s. So ninth and tenth grade, you’re in a bigger group, often 10 to fifteen individuals engaged on a bigger aim. And it’s extra analysis primarily based. After which in eleventh grade, you break up off into teams of 1 to a few individuals and also you’re engaged on one thing that’s a bit extra type of product-based. You’re nonetheless doing that analysis and nonetheless making these connections. Nevertheless it’s a extra particular and bigger finish aim.
Eli: I feel the Social Innovation Program is one thing that’s fairly distinctive to Sequoyah and what you analysis will depend on what group you’re in. In ninth and tenth grade, there are a variety of subjects which are principally designed across the Sustainable Growth Objectivesthat had been put out by the UN, they usually’re sort of tailor-made to focus round native points to Pasadena. So final yr, Atlas and I had been in a gaggle round LGBTQ elders and that was in our tenth grade yr. So, we’re engaged on that.
Tracey: That’s not a small undertaking.
Eli: No, it’s not. Nevertheless it’s smaller than gender, which was ours the earlier yr.
Elsa: I used to be in water security and seize. What we targeted totally on was water reuse and recycling water. Principally, taking outdated used water and reusing it for issues that don’t want completely clear first-use water. After which my ninth grade undertaking, I used to be in Zero Starvation. What we did is we organized a number of meals drives and went to native meals banks. After which we talked to the people who organized them and requested them about their course of.
Tracey: I used to be additionally studying that you just name yourselves Social Entrepreneurs. So how did this come about as your Theater Impression undertaking, Protected Phases? How does what you’re doing translate into theater?
Elsa: Nicely, to start with of this yr, we brainstormed concepts for initiatives we needed to give attention to for the remainder of the yr and doubtlessly the remainder of our highschool profession ought to we select to maintain on doing our undertaking in twelfth grade. After we had been break up into smaller teams and brainstormed concepts, Atlas and I discovered that we had a bunch of comparable concepts.
After we introduced in entrance of the entire grade afterward, a type was despatched out to ask individuals whether or not they needed to hitch one of many two teams that had been introduced, keep in their very own group, or do one thing else. That’s when Eli joined our group. And that’s the place the theater got here in.
Tracey: What had been among the different concepts that you just tossed round?
Atlas: I positively needed to give attention to psychological well being. It’s one thing that I’ve been eager about for all of SIP. And Eli as nicely, as we’d been in the identical SIP pods by coincidence in ninth and tenth grade. So, I needed to give attention to psychological well being and I knew that I used to be keen about that. I used to be like, what else am I keen about? Queer research, theater, faculty, et cetera. And so, I used to be pondering like, how can we assist younger individuals join with older individuals? Or how can we assist queer teenagers ensure that their psychological well being is being prioritized? And the factor that I landed on, that I used to be most keen about, was the psychological well being of individuals in highschool like myself who love theater.
Eli: I feel like Atlas mentioned, in our tenth grade SIP, we labored on a documentary with a university professor about like queer connection all through generations. And psychological well being really got here up in that lots to do with like loneliness and lack of connection and identical to normal worry struggles. So, I feel that basically helped us get all for psychological well being. After which making use of it to theater was a logical subsequent step. ‘Trigger we’re all concerned within the theater productions at Sequoyah in a roundabout way. So, it was identical to discovering two issues that we’re each fairly keen about and merging them collectively.
Elsa: My previous at initiatives didn’t have a lot to do with well being in any respect. What made me select to focus extra on the psychological well being aspect of the theater is I used to be contemporary out of CSSSA on the finish of initially of this yr. That’s the California State Summer season Faculty for the Arts, an intensive month-long program. We keep in dorms and we go to lessons each day. It’s multidisciplinary, so you possibly can select. You may give attention to theater, on visible arts, animation, writing, movie…
Atlas: Dance…
Elsa: And I observed amongst my studio group, at any time when we talked about theater, the dialog at all times drifted a bit bit in the direction of psychological well being. The way it had doubtlessly affected our psychological well being. Whether or not it’s why we had been simply so confused or prefer it’s simply a number of anxiousness. And prefer it’s an anxiousness inducing course of when you’ve a lot different work happening for teachers, as a result of it isn’t separated that a lot. And likewise, with highschool theater, every little thing’s a bit bit extra on a time crunch.
Tracey: Listening to you all of you, the dialogue in my head is one thing like… for me as a teen, there have been so many issues that had been normalized. Stress wasn’t even a phrase we used. However you all have a much bigger vocabulary than any person from my era by way of speaking about how you are feeling. The way you’re being affected by every little thing that you just do, your environments, your relationships. And, , gender is such a giant subject lately. I imply, I really feel like there may be a lot compounding on prime of your era of individuals. I’m undecided the way you do it. As a result of I discover that it’s extraordinarily complicated. So, I’m simply questioning the way you every individually navigate by yourself?
Atlas: I imply, I really feel just like the phrase that type of latched on in my thoughts was how do you navigate by yourself? And I feel that for me not less than, I like, I don’t navigate alone. And I feel that, particularly at Sequoyah, but additionally like on the whole, I attempt to encompass myself with individuals who I can work with, who I can bounce concepts off, who I can, like, create issues with, and identical to make it simpler for everybody to navigate issues, to have the ability to ask for assist. I feel that’s genuinely one of the crucial vital issues to me.
Tracey: Do you simply persist with your individual group? I imply, particularly in highschool, all of us sort of go to our like-minded individuals or like-feeling individuals. Or do you attempt to convey others in?
Atlas: Yeah, I imply, I really feel like I attempt to convey individuals in like I do know myself. I do know that I make errors and there are specific underlying biases. However I additionally assume that totally different views and opinions make among the most fascinating conversations. Like, I’ve mates who we barely speak about sure subjects as a result of they’re simply so polarizing for our friendship. However then, like, after we do speak about them, we’re ready, due to that connection that we have now, we’re in a position to speak about them in a way more mature, calm manner. And I feel that’s one thing that everybody ought to be capable to do. And I’m very glad that I’m in some capability ready to do this.
Eli: I feel, , this world with all of the issues that we have now to navigate is the one one which we’ve ever been part of. So, it may really feel like lots. However that’s additionally sort of all we all know being in highschool and being concerned in all of the issues we’re concerned in. So, I personally attempt to take the trail of what can we make simpler for ourselves? And I feel a kind of issues is, if we will scale back stress in a single space, then that’s an excellent factor to do. And , if we will scale back stress in theater, which is a manner that we specific ourselves, specific our creativity, we will make {that a} extra total optimistic expertise quite than one thing that we’d like to do however discover laborious to do due to sure limitations or sure stressors.
Tracey: What sort of limitations?
Eli: We’ve been speaking about this lots. We’ve interviewed plenty of totally different individuals. The one which got here to thoughts for us personally immediately was the time dedication that theater takes up. So, for us in our faculty, theater is constructed into our elective block, which is on the finish of the day.
It’s 45 minutes lengthy, which isn’t sufficient time for a rehearsal. Particularly whenever you’re engaged on a musical. So, we find yourself each day staying until 4:30. We now have two hours of rehearsal and that’s eight hours of rehearsal per week, which nonetheless isn’t fairly sufficient whenever you solely have ten weeks or typically even eight or 9 weeks of rehearsal. The time dedication blended in with different faculty commitments and different exterior exercise commitments is lots.
However as we’ve explored this subject, we’ve additionally realized that one other issue is emotional – how a lot theater takes from an individual emotionally. It takes a giant emotional toll since you’re spending all day inhabiting a personality and attempting to dig deep into that character and attempting to make actually significant artwork. However then having to go dwelling and write your historical past paper after that may be fairly difficult. Or having to go dwelling and examine to your math quiz can really feel like an actual disconnect.
Tracey: It looks like it must be very compartmentalized for you. And I think about that’s a manner that you just handle the time commitments. However how does that have an effect on your creativity?
Elsa: I speak about this a lot. I got here from one other faculty. And homework wasn’t a giant factor. Like if we ever did have homework, it solely took about like 20 minutes. Even much less, perhaps as a result of it was a number of vocab assessments, studying definitions of phrases and spelling assessments. And I felt so inventive in that point as a result of I bought to discover various things. After which I got here [to Sequoyah] and it was such a giant soar as a result of we got like 20 pages of studying each evening and we’d have to do that massive MLA format writing project on the finish of each two weeks. After which there was a lot math homework each day. And that was such a giant shift for me. I hadn’t actually been skilled in that.
I do assume Sequoyah has given me abilities that I positively would have struggled with afterward had I stayed in that [other] setting. However I did discover a decline in my creativity. I felt lots much less impressed and I’ve extra bother arising by the concepts. When the issues that I loved that saved me motivated in my lessons turned such an out of college requirement, it made me sort of not have any alternative to determine myself, exterior of college.
Tracey: That’s a stress in itself though it’s a requirement. So, do you name yourselves a pod or what do you name your group, the three of you?
Atlas: Technically we’re a like a “staff” I feel is the phrase they use. After which our staff is inside a bigger [SIP] pod which is like 5 – 6 different groups of 1 to a few individuals. After which Kevin Delin, the college’s physics instructor, can be our SIP Advisor who type of manages our pod.
Tracey: You every have a lot in your plate. You’re being inventive. You’re doing social justice. And, you’re simply regular college students coping with all the identical issues as your friends. And also you’re additionally making a program the place you do that type of peer-to-peer, counseling? Is that the correct phrase?
Eli: Nearly. We need to have an area for individuals to have the ability to actually share with somebody who can like give you options for them. Or simply hear them and simply be there for no matter they want. You realize, I feel one thing that’s hectic about theater, particularly at school, is it’s a really actor and director [driven] relationship that goes hand-in-hand with the scholar and instructor relationship. And it may be tremendous laborious for college students to really feel like they’ll speak to a instructor and for actors to really feel like they’ll speak to a director. So, we need to assist bridge that hole by having college students have good relationships with the director and that may be a conduit for concepts.
Tracey: How do you create these relationships and conversations, peer-to-peer?
Atlas: I really feel like inside our group there are some days the place like, it’s a Friday afternoon. It’s been a protracted week and we’re identical to one in all us is exhausted. The opposite two will typically like, choose up that slack, or say, “Hey we’re right here if you happen to need assistance”. And we’re all mates and we had been mates earlier than this and so I feel it’s simpler for us to speak, “I’m actually drained however I’ve an enormous undertaking due on Monday.” And so, we attempt to talk as a lot as doable.
Tracey: Nicely, give me an instance of the dialog round somebody who says, “I’m actually feeling confused, I’m feeling so beneath strain, I don’t know what to do. I’m frozen.”
Eli: I feel I’d begin it by sort of unpacking what precisely the stress is as a result of we’ve talked about compartmentalizing issues for time. But additionally compartmentalizing issues so you possibly can actually give attention to one facet of what you’re confused about. It will probably assist.
So, , if you happen to’ve bought a math quiz and a science undertaking and an essay due all on the similar time, , I’d say, “Let’s undergo them one after the other. Are you able to get an extension in your essay? Can I enable you examine to your quiz?” And I feel tackling issues one after the other is actually useful to have the ability to have a look at the massive image and say, “Oh look, I really completed one thing.” As a result of when one thing is so massive and staring you within the face, it may be actually overwhelming and actually laborious to know the place to start out. So, breaking it down I feel is an effective first step.
Tracey: As a part of this system, are you anticipated to jot down about your course of and create information factors?
Elsa: We now have this app. It’s like a tutorial Instagram. So, each time we have now an interview or we go someplace or mainly something that’s associated to a SIP undertaking, we make a submit on there. We embody just a few photographs. We write a abstract. We select just a few classes about what we’re specializing in for that, whether or not it’s defining issues, views, nurturing options or collaboration. Then studying outcomes, which is what we’re graded on. Additionally, issues that assist us focus what we’re doing that day. That’s sort of our timeline. From there you possibly can both construct a second which is the submit, or create a journey to attach all of your posts. After which all of them line up.
Eli: And that’s actually our inward dealing with sort of progress tracker. That’s obtainable for everybody in our grade. And we will all have a look at one another’s and provides individuals thumbs up and touch upon what they’re doing.
Tracey: Sort of like an early Fb…?
Eli: Yeah. After which on the outward dealing with edge, we have now web sites. These are our official journals of our course of. For those who have a look at any of ours, we have now totally different pages about who we’ve interviewed and our progress factors and our proof of idea. After which, particularly for us, what we need to implement is a recurring program at our faculty within the theater program, which would offer a particular place for one pupil to be a student-faculty liaison between the forged and the director. And that will be a place that occurs each single yr for each single present – and it could in all probability be a pupil who wasn’t a member of the forged.
Tracey: Like having an Fairness rep…
Eli, Atlas, Elsa: Precisely. Yeah.
Eli: We talked to Brett Webster at CTG (Heart Theatre Group) and he informed us all about all the Fairness reps that labored, particularly with the kids who had been doing “A Christmas Story” at that time. And we had been, like, “that sounds nice.” We had been of their follow rooms whereas they had been rehearsing.
Tracey: Inform me what you’re keen on about doing this.
Atlas: I really feel that SIP, on the whole, is an superior program. And I feel part of that’s the connections that you just construct even together with your different classmates. Like having performed SIP with Eli for the previous three years, and seeing him and different individuals each week, constructing one thing and studying one thing collectively I feel is likely one of the most partaking and gratifying issues for me not less than. In addition to simply speaking about a difficulty that you just care about. As a result of there’s a diploma of alternative as to what SIP group you get put in. And specializing in a difficulty that you just actually care about and you could interact with is, I feel, tremendous fulfilling.
Tracey: So, you get to go full throttle on these points in these teams…
Atlas: Yeah. And it’s one of many few issues that runs all year long. It even goes an entire month after the common lessons have ended on the finish of the yr.
Tracey: Now that you just all have created this theater undertaking, will you keep it up or transfer on to a unique topic, as an illustration?
Elsa: Yeah, in ninth and tenth grade it’s a must to do totally different initiatives. However eleventh grade is whenever you start to create your individual. Then you possibly can select to both keep it up that undertaking by way of twelfth grade or you possibly can give you a brand new thought in twelfth grade, though that’s strongly not really useful. Or you are able to do an internship with both an organization or a company that follows your pursuits that can assist you construct that have.
Ninth and tenth grade is all about studying the right way to attain out to individuals and the right way to draft a proper e-mail; the right way to be respectful; the right way to interview. One of many assignments is the right way to make an interview Zine after which in terms of the ultimate two years of highschool, it’s extra about really doing stuff. Then you possibly can both select to hold it on or place it in a extra actual world [scenario].
Tracey: For those who had been going into the world at present, what would you do? Primarily based in your theater undertaking and what you’re keen about?
Elsa: I’m actually passionate concerning the sciences and appearing. One thing I’ve at all times needed to do is forensic sciences. I simply assume it’s heavy, however I feel it’s cool. And I feel I’d do fairly nicely. After which, on the entire different aspect, is appearing. I really like appearing. I really feel like these previous few years I’ve been in a position to actually dig deep and actually turn out to be extra in tune with myself and actually discover ways to totally specific issues. So, I’d like to pursue that.
There’s a feeder firm, Lineage Performing Arts Heart, which is related to the college by way of internships. I’d like to go work with them. I’ve additionally at all times needed to have my very own theater firm in some unspecified time in the future or a bit area. My mates’ dad and mom had a theater area referred to as Bootleg Theater and it was actually cool. I liked going there and serving to out.
I really feel like Lineage is one other place to dig deeper, to achieve extra information in a extra lively function than I did once I was lots youthful and simply hanging out. If I ever find yourself really creating my very own theater firm and main that, then I may at all times take this info and the Sequoyah expertise to implement my very own norms that I create in that area.
Eli: I feel I’d do a inexperienced internship. We name them “internSIPs.”
Tracey: I like that.
Eli: I’m a giant fan of puns as these two will let . As a result of we’ve labored with CTG and we’ve talked to them by way of this undertaking, I feel an internSIP at CTG could be superior. There are a number of logistics, like you’ve to have the ability to get there each day. And it’s in downtown, so it could be a tough internSIP. However I feel that will be a spot that I’d like to get a extremely deep understanding {of professional} theater. I feel that will be an superior alternative.
Tracey: The method behind the scenes or the method on the stage?
Eli: In all probability the method behind the scenes. We went into their little workplace proper throughout from the Ahamanson and the Mark Taper discussion board and the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion the place they make all the massive selections. So, , identical to offering our companies to them in no matter cool manner they want.
Atlas: Yeah, I imply, my reply is similar to Elsa’s. I’ve labored with Lineage a bit bit. I’ve performed some volunteering for them and I simply love everybody there. They’re all tremendous pleasant and I feel realistically that’s in all probability what I’ll do subsequent yr. But additionally, there are a bunch of different actually cool neighborhood theater applications just like the Unbiased Shakespeare Firm (ISC). I’ve been on their mailing listing for ages and due to faculty, journey, et cetera, I’ve by no means been in a position to take part in one in all their volunteer applications or one in all their internship applications. And, I feel if I may choose anybody to work with, it could both be Lineage or the ISC.
Eli: I imply, I feel past that, like highschool theater is highschool theater. However highschool theater can be artwork. And we’re making artwork. And , that’s not one thing that must be sacrificed as a result of we even have six hours of college a day. So, no matter we will do to create the most effective artwork is what we must always do. As a result of we’re artists.
Tracey Paleo is a voting member of the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle and the Editor-in-Chief of Gia On The Transfer. She beforehand served as Editor at FootLights Publishing.
