The World Through Our Lens: At the 10th Grade Personal Project Exhibition

There has never been a sentence spoken more often in the past eight months than “I need an extension” till March 25th. On the 25th, the tenth-grade students had their personal project exhibition, where they presented to parents, teachers, and other students what they had worked on for almost a whole year. The Personal Project is the culminating project of the IB Middle Years Program, and the 10th-grade students spend their whole year working on it. If you have never done a personal project before, a personal project is something students choose to explore, learn about, and create. You pick something you like, learn more about it, make a product, and finally, write a report on your whole process. From flying rockets to fostering dogs, our creative students came up with amazing ideas, with the help of their advisors and Mr. Frank.

This year’s theme for the Personal Project was “The World Through Our Lens,” and the 10th graders aimed to present unique aspects of the countries and regions each student is from to highlight the importance of an international school. The Personal Project Exhibition was located in the Auditorium on the second floor of the main building. Most of the stands were located within the auditorium; however, some were located outside. Each guest entering the exhibition received a “passport” that included information about each student, where their stand was located, and the topic they were focused on.

At the exhibition, each 10th grade student had their own table where they presented their project. Each student had a different, uniquely themed trifold poster representing the concept of their project topic, specially designed by each student. The trifolds were filled with images of their process and product, showing their progress and journey in a fun way for the audience.

The auditorium was filled with audience members—not a single seat was empty—so the Grade 10 students could talk about and present the interesting topics they’d been working on for a long time. Guests spread evenly across the auditorium, moving smoothly from stand to stand and leaving with new insights into each student’s unique interests. The room was full of laughter and happy, loud conversations all around.

Thanks to the creativity of our students, the auditorium featured a wide variety of projects of all different types, covering many different themes. And even though they were all incredible, a few of them especially caught people’s eyes. Projects like building a parachute, fostering dogs and bringing one to school, building a portable chair from scratch, and making clothes really brought out the effort these 10th graders put in over the year.

The success of the Personal Project would not have been possible without the dedication and support of many staff members of the school community. Many advisors spent their time guiding the students throughout their journey. Their constructive feedback and ongoing support played an important role in helping students strengthen their work. Another key group was the Personal Project organizing committee, which consisted of many volunteer students who wanted to help organize the exhibition by creating the theme, arranging the stands and specific events, and decorating the auditorium to make the experience better. Special recognition goes to Mr. Frank, who provided consistent guidance throughout the process and remarkable patience as students navigated the deadlines and challenges along the way.

Overall, the Personal Project exhibition was a vibrant culmination of months of dedication and hard work by AIS Grade 10 students, transforming the auditorium into a space filled with creativity, culture, and innovation. As guests moved from stand to stand, engaging with students and exploring a wide range of projects, the exhibition became an interactive experience. The theme of “The World Through Our Lens” was brought to life through each display, allowing the guests to not only learn about different topics but also gain insights into the diverse backgrounds and perspectives within the student body. By March 25th, “I need an extension” had transformed from an excuse into proof of the effort behind each finished project.