Samohi’s diverse learning methods were on full display during the 2023-24 school year, including another strong year for the school’s Project-Based Learning (PBL) Pathway.
At Samohi, PBL students participate in internships and engage in interdisciplinary projects aligned with their interests, receiving a Samohi diploma alongside real-world experience upon graduation. PBL students’ various interests were broadcast to friends and Samohi staff on May 30, as the pathway unveiled its “PBLxTalks” speaker series.
The “TED Talk” style video project was the culmination of a Senior Thesis Project, where students created a project of their choosing that helped an identified community. Students created and presented an official project proposal and pitch, implemented their project, then shared their findings via the videos.
“Over the last four years, I’ve had the privilege of seeing (students) grow in terms of their interest … they changed a lot along the way, as most young people do, and that’s really what our program is about,” PBL Senior Advisor Amy Tsang said at the PBLxTalks event at Barnum Hall. “Finding who you are, what you’re interested in, (and) continuing to build that.”
A total of 13 students presented their projects at the event, showcasing the different paths they took to achieve their goals. Senior Giovanni Banda taught others about the history of Santa Monica through an internship at the Santa Monica Conservancy, creating a walking tour for students that went through the historic Shotgun House in Ocean Park, historic Dogtown and other landmarks.
Other students branched out to social media, such as Nefertari Perez Figueroa, who created the S.T.I.T.C.H. inclusive fashion campaign aimed at creating change through the body neutrality movement. Figueroa’s main audience for the campaign was middle schoolers, who often feel insecure from mental and physical changes coming during that life period.
“What I’ve come to realize is that with the pressure of society to look a certain way … these feelings of insecurity get pushed even more, and (students) feel very overwhelmed during this time,” Figueroa said. “Because of this, I’m pushing to help students focus on values that are … mindful about what the body can do instead of just how it looks.”
Other multimedia-inspired projects included Veniamin Marholin’s video game he created for Generation Connect, a lifelike simulation of Santa Monica that rewards players for good behavior. Students also took to the scientific realm for their projects, including Felix Boulton’s internship focusing on battling lung disease at UCLA Health Sciences Lab, and Livia Herman’s time in Curacao constructing artificial corals and cleaning existing ones.
“Through collaboration and inclusivity, we can work towards solutions that to only preserve our planet, but also respect the diverse needs and perspectives of all (species),” Herman said of her PBL experience.
Samohi’s vast methods of education were also highlighted this year in the special education realm, including the successful co-teaching program. At the school, co-teaching takes place when two teachers, a general education teacher and a specialized academic instruction teacher, collaborate on instruction in an inclusive general education class for students who are placed per individualized education plans.
One pair of Samohi co-teachers is gen-ed instructor Roshni Mejia and special education teacher Jason Daglis, who alternate between several co-teaching methods depending on the day and lesson plan. Their Samohi class is unique by including “executive functioning lessons,” setting up students on how to compose emails and different workforce-related skills.
“What’s great about (co-teaching) is that if someone is presenting information and not everyone understands what’s being discussed, it’s always helpful to have another perspective in class,” Daglis said.
