Who determines what’s successful in the classroom? Who leads the curiosity? In Baltimore Speaks Out (BSO) workshops, the common answers to these questions break from the status quo. Student curiosity leads the creative process, intentionally subverting common educational hierarchies, which often position teachers as the sole experts. During introductory media classes, BSO students play, explore, and problem-solve, as teachers provide initial skills to help set them up for success before moving into a support role. Students are enthusiastic and engaged when they get to lead their own creative process. 

BSO workshops are conducted each academic year at partner schools/locations, providing students with media literacy, teambuilding, public speaking, community service, and digital media skills. This year our program is being offered at Baltimore Design School, Calvin M Rodwell and Mount Royal EMS. 

Learn more about some of the projects our middle school students are working on and how these projects invite students to lead and play.

Photo Walk 

Students learn the basics of photography including composition strategies, rule of thirds, framing, and different types of photography (e.g. portrait, environmental, conceptual, abstract). They review how to make images focusing on light and DSLR camera basics. From there, youth are ready to experiment with what they’ve learned through photo walks. 

This exercise gives students a hands-on opportunity to interact with their school environment in a way that highlights their own creativity and practice the foundational skills learned. At the end of class, students gather in a circle and pass their cameras to see what other students captured. This strengthens our community, and celebrates their brilliance.

Photo Walk photography by BSO students at Mount Royal EMS.

Light Painting

Students experiment with DSLR camera settings to explore the way light is recorded.

Camera shutter speed, aperture, and ISO can be changed for specific photography goals. Fast shutter speed captures fast motion without blur and small aperture settings create a blurred background (bokeh). By lowering their shutter speed and using colorful lights, students work in teams to draw in space and create an image. This project was inspired by DariusTwin aka Darren Pearson.

Light paintings rely on communication, playfulness, and teamwork. Students behind the camera and those holding the lights work together to create. Youth review their photos and work together, in a choreography to make adjustments that develop the image they imagine.

Light Paintings by BSO students at Calvin M Rodwell and Baltimore Design School.

Lego Printing

Participants explore how art and technology come together by connecting printmaking with animation. By using Lego plates and dots, students design images, turn them into inked stamps, and transfer them onto paper, similar to traditional printing methods. This not only allows them to refine their work but also teaches that even mistakes can lead to exciting results. Lego printing connects to stop-motion and 8-bit style animation, by using limited repeated shapes to indicate characters, places, objects, and lettering. Students explore how to use the simplest shapes to create movement and complex images.

Lego Prints by BSO students at Baltimore Design School.

Abstract Photography

Students embark on a creative journey to capture pictures that highlight shapes, colors, and lines, but not discernable objects. They are challenged to take photos in a way that doesn’t reveal where they are taken —no obvious clues allowed. The lesson kicks off by exploring 10 different techniques to create unique photos, emphasizing the playful and experimental nature of abstract photography where settings can be tinkered with. In the assignment featured, you’d never know that students were in a library!

Abstract Photography by BSO students at Calvin M Rodwell.

Stop Motion Animation

Participants create and understand the illusion of movement to create clips of stop motion animation. By taking sequential photos of drawings on white boards and creating clay puppets, students incrementally alter the image to create sequences. Animations can be abstract or narrative, so there are few limitations in what can be created. In today's technology, animation is everywhere and stop motion is an easy way to figure out how some their favorite media is created. Students explore the process of creating moving image frame by frame as well as prop fabrication for physical assets.

Animations by BSO students at Baltimore Design School.

Dream big with us!

Youth in our classrooms explore the world through self-directed projects, as they develop skills in photography, animation, printmaking, design and more. Building a space where youth can develop playful plotlines and use advanced equipment is an important part of our approach.  

This fall, we expanded our middle school programming to a third site. Your gift will help support the effort, so we can engage 90 BSO students this year. To help support this dream, we’re raising $45,000 with the help of 150 community members. 

With middle schoolers, it can feel like anything is possible. Dream big with us this fall and make a gift today!

MEET THE AUTHOR

Beth Holladay is a Baltimore-based artist and teacher with over a decade of experience with community arts programs, art education, and freelance photography. After receiving her MA in Art Education from the University of Louisville, she led a public high school art program by initiating community partnerships, diversifying the curriculum, and creating avenues for student work to be exhibited in local galleries. She uses her experience and expertise in graphic design and photography to engage students and community members in art projects focused on inclusion and social justice. She maintains an independent art practice of hand-cut collage.