ForWords teachers and artist-in-residence partner with Banyan each semester to create an integrated studies program, connecting global issues with classes in English, History, Science, and Physical Education. For example, students read the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, studied a particular country such as Rwanda or Haiti, and wrote, edited and re-wrote research papers. They then created scripts for plays that highlighted human rights’ problems in their country of focus. The research papers and the plays were presented to community and families.

ForWords OutLoud is our Saturday program. High school students work together with FWLL staff and artists in residence learning about how the arts such as poetry, music, literature, drama, and visual arts inform us about human emotions and critical issues. Students write, read, perform, learn how to use digital technology in order to create and write their own performance pieces.

Students work with ForWords master teachers and artists in residence on Communication and Digital/Technology Literacies as well as researching, planning, analyzing and editing their writing.

Students created a digital and written project, focusing on an aspect of “health” important to them. Students read “The Circuit” – the story of Panchito’s life in Central California and his family’s experience as migrant workers – and compared their life journey to his. Students created digital maps of their life journeys, wrote about the challenges they face, the dreams they embrace, and then presented their projects to the community.