PYP Exhibition Showcases Students’ Passions

On 8^th June 2015, the Year 5 students at the Aga Khan Academy, Mombasa held their PYP Exhibition. This was a presentation of weeks of hard work by the students, teachers, and parents, as well as members of the wider Mombasa community.

As Isla Gordon, Principal of the Junior School had stated in her experience with other PYP schools around the world, the Exhibition has traditionally dealt with important global issues such as global warming and deforestation, but oftentimes, they are disconnected from what the students are actually passionate about. At the Academy, however, the students were encouraged to identify their own passions before beginning their projects, and each one was focused specifically on something the students could actively engage with both academically and emotionally. 

Indeed, the sheer variety of students’ passion projects at the Exhibition showed how close to their hearts some of these causes are. They explored diverse issues, covering everything from their personal cultures to environmental degradation in their local areas. Some of the projects included an investigation of classical Indian dance and its place in international dance culture, stereotypes in the fashion industry, and highly problematic social phenomena such as videogame addiction and gender discrimination in sports. The process also allowed for students to work under different members of staff as mentees, and learn important skills such as teamwork, academic honesty, and effective research methodology.

The guest of honour at this event was a role model for our students – someone who followed their passions and achieved their goal through hard work – Chef Ali ‘L’Artiste’ Mandhry. Growing up in Mombasa, he had to overcome gender stereotypes to follow his dream of becoming a chef, and eventually got through several obstacles to become a respected celebrity chef and an international representative for the Kenya Chefs’ Association.

The Year 5s then spent a week in Tsavo on a class camping trip to celebrate their hard work and achievements during the Exhibition, and also spent time engaging in activities from team building to environmental awareness, which will come in useful as they move into the interdisciplinary learning model in the MYP.

The Exhibition culminated with the entire Year 5 cohort at a special Graduation Assembly held on 15^th June 2015, which was attended by parents as well as the wider Junior School community. The special guest for this ceremony, Mr. Paul Davis, gave an inspiring speech about how the Year 5s can go on to nurture their leadership potential as they transition into the Senior School, which was made extra special and relatable to the students by his use of Harry Potter analogies.

Congratulations to the Year 5s! We look forward to seeing all your action plans take shape, and following your passions through the MYP, DP and beyond!