Project Overview

Seventh and eighth grade students at Santa Fe School for the Arts and Sciences in Santa Fe, New Mexico created this book as part of a yearlong expedition called “Be the Change” with the guiding questions of “Can one person change the world?” and “Can one person make a difference?” 

Many students were confident that the answer was yes, and went on to consider “What kind of person would do that?” Students each completed a research project on a person who helped change the world. Students did extensive research, watched documentaries, wrote reports, and then dressed up as that person and personified that person at the celebration of learning. Presentations were made to their classmates and filmed as well.

One of the outcomes of this expedition was a student-led community-wide literacy campaign. The students recognized their power as citizens after learning about courageous activists and their strategies and “were never daunted by the fact that they were teenagers.” Their initiative resulted in a program called  “Hooked on Books” and is found at: http://nmallianceforliteracy.org/ .