People Who Change the World

Yesterday marked the passing of Nelson Mandela, one of the great leaders of our time. When the world loses such a leader, the effect is palpable. While the sixteen year-olds of OS29 may not fully understand the context and impact of this loss, they intuit that someone important is gone. I find that when I reflect on the passing of a person I admire, someone who has inspired me to be a better, kinder, and more compassionate person, I start to look to the people around me to fill the void. Fortunately, I am surrounded by inspiration. 

One of the reasons I choose to work with teenagers is that they are unabashed in expressing their passions, desires, and fears. There is a raw honesty to the way teens tackle the obstacles in their lives. The population we work with at Oxbow is particularly inspiring, given that these teens have made the deliberate choice to express their ideas and experiences through art. OS29 has a lot of spirit, and many of our students are budding activists. Recall one of our first blog posts this semester--in the first week, a student said, "I make art because I have things to say." I was struck by the simultaneous simplicity and profundity of this statement.

When I walk around the studios and look at OS29's Final Projects in progress, I am hit with intense awe and gratitude--awe at the unbridled potential these teenagers are learning to harness, and gratitude for the positive work I know they will do throughout their lives. Mr. Mandela's death reminds me that I am surrounded by activists here at Oxbow; these students give me the assurance that we're headed in the right direction. On behalf of the whole Oxbow community, I am thrilled to invite you to share in a celebration of the accomplishments of this class--looking forward to seeing you at the Final Show next weekend! (Check out the Oxbow website for info on the Final Show Open House.)                                                                                     
- Lenora