Hoover SABE (11th)

Overview: Art and cultural heritage preservation are essential to a sustainable future, preserving our history, and enhancing our spiritual well-being. Students worked with BACC to renovate a WPA era sculpture, “Girl Reading” in our library, or Taylor Guitar to build guitars from rejected components.

Project Initiation: To launch our project, students were given a scavenger hunt list of questions to answer as they rotated through different stations where they were introduced to industry and community partners, Taylor Guitar and Balboa Arts Conservation Center. Each rotation provided them context for the project, how they would be working with each partner, and what they would be learning in their academy classes.

Project Exploration and Development: In their English and history classes, students studied how art and music can be a form of protest for social justice. They also learned about the conservation methods being implemented to make guitar building a sustainable industry, from the cultivation of raw materials to the finished product at the factory. They then wrote about the influential nature of music and the impact the industry has on the environment. They also learned about the process for conserving, preserving, and restoring different art mediums, and how the environmental impact, as well as the valuation of a piece, play a key role in determining the process. The culminating product was a guitar they built in Fine Woodworking, from parts Taylor Guitar donated, and the restoration of "Girl Reading".

Project Revision and Exhibition: Students were able to showcase their guitars and share about the steps in building them through presentations. Students also worked with the BACC members to assist in the restoration project. Students will participate in the CCTE Showcase, in May 2023 to demonstrate their outstanding projects.

Teachers and Subjects: Arturo Gonzalez-Fine Woodworking, Angela Hummel-U.S. history, Amie Savino-ELA, Julie Millen-AP Language, Larry Kaplan-Chemistry

Industry Sector: Building and Construction Trades