I started the digital art program at JHS 278 Marine Park during the 2023-24 school year. This entailed developing Stop Motion animation curriculum which included the history of animation, flipbook creation, storyboarding, background and puppet creation, and collaborative filmmaking. Icebreaker activities and surveys at beginning of the program helped me learn more about students and how they collaborate with each other while building community overall. I facilitated collaborative filmmaking through assignment of roles. Given roles were suited to students’ strengths and interests. The roles included writer, storyboard artist, character designers, set designers, several layout artists (who compose the shots), and director (who takes the shots). Roles would shift naturally when necessary. When filming concluded, I edited the videos using my personal software programs: Adobe Premiere Pro, Photoshop, and Audio Hero. We have a celebration with drawing games and a Q/A with the filmmakers for the last day of the program, where the final videos are revealed to the group.

This after school program introduced students to the Japanese art of origami. Through folding color and pattern paper into animals, flowers, geometric forms, and functional objects, students developed fine motor skills, patience, spatial awareness, and a deeper appreciation for origami. I provided a variety of types of origami instructions and video tutorials to students that ranged in difficulty. When students were stuck on a step, it was important they sought out assistance from each other- not only from me. This program promoted mindfulness, creativity, and community through hands-on learning and collaborative projects. Below you can see some of the group’s origami arranged together.