Ballou Senior High School

Critical Exposure worked with a group of students in collaboration with the creative writing class at Ballou SHS. The students wrote “I Am From” poems reflecting their lives and the communities of which they are a part. Students then decided to focus their advocacy efforts on getting a more clear lunch & food policy at their school. Right now, security guards throw away food that students bring in if they deem it to be unhealthy, but there are no signs posted or materials distributed to let students know what they can and can't bring in. Students met with an Assistant Principal to share their concerns.

SEE PHOTOS

--

Critical Exposure worked with Kelley Givens' Photography One class during the 2010 - 2011 school year in exploring issues surrounding the school's campaign, The New Ballou.  The New Ballou is a plan that is invested in improving Ballou SHS in a variety of different ways.  Students in this class discussed their thoughts on the New Ballou and photographed improvements that they wanted to see. Students specifically identified the school's bad reputation, the poor quality and small number of lockers, and inconsistencies with the security guards and the front-door policy. In order to address these issues, students wrote a letter, accompanied by their photos, that was eventualy turned into a large poster. They delivered this poster to the principal so that he would be confronted with their opinions and be forced to take them into consideration. 

SEE THE PHOTOS