Last month, VOA High School (VOA HS) opened its doors to curiosity and creativity during their third quarter Project Based Learning (PBL) Share, offering a powerful snapshot of what hands-on, student-centered education can inspire.
Across subjects including Chemistry, History, English, Social Studies, and Health, students explored big ideas through real-world connections. One project blended Chemistry and History, as students examined inventions and nuclear energy, finding connections that sparked ideas, before imaging and building 3D models of inventions of their own. These tangible creations can encourage students to think about practicality, problem-solving, and impact.
Students also honored innovation from the past, creating beautiful shadowboxes and booklets celebrating the achievements of African American inventors.
One standout project was Jackal, a student-designed task robot imagined to handle everything from household chores to homework.
Art and expression took center stage as well. Through colorful, hand-crafted poetry books, students explored the intersection of Math, English, and Art, using poems that use a mathematical sequence like haikus and quatrains. Earlier projects, including lanterns adorned with cultural symbols, highlight the rich diversity of Northeast Minneapolis and the students’ own identities and communities.
These projects embody VOA HS's commitment to project-based and experiential learning, where students can develop confidence, critical thinking skills, and a sense of ownership over their education through meaningful, real-world work. PBL Shares are more than a showcase of student’s work, they are reminders of what is possible when students are given the space, support, and trust to create.
