By the final years of high school, something begins to change. For many students, curiosity gives way to routine. Learning becomes increasingly focused on completing assignments, preparing for exams, and earning grades. The sense of wonder that comes so naturally in childhood (remember that feeling?) can slowly be replaced by simply getting through the next semester. Recent research highlights some of the challenges students face in today's classrooms. According to...
Read MoreAncient ruins by day. Contemporary museums by night.
Mexico offers students a term alive with color, creativity, and connection. During their time here, they will call Oaxaca home, a city where Indigenous and contemporary cultures meet through art, food, and story. Walking its cobblestone streets and lively markets, students will experience how tradition and innovation continue to shape daily life, all at a pace that reflects the tranquilo spirit woven into Mexican culture.
Through projects on identity, design, and heritage, students will learn from local artisans and storytellers how Zapotec and Mesoamerican legacies live on today, with Oaxaca’s vibrant art scene inspiring them to create work of their own. Time spent beyond the city will reveal Mexico’s vast landscapes and regional diversity, inviting reflection on how place and culture are intertwined.
Whatever direction their projects take, the term will reflect Mexico’s spirit of openness and spontaneity, where learning grows from curiosity, connection, and joy.
Planned Projects
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How can students use their understanding of architecture through time to design a context-informed structure?
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How might students create harmony between human activities and biodiversity in Oaxaca, Mexico?
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How can students convey the intersection of local arts and Oaxaca’s economy through documentary filmmaking?