Written by Ms. Ferreira, MYP Coordinator and English Language and Literature teacher
What makes a school community feel like home? At OIA, we believe it begins with understanding the people around us. As part of our Sparking Curiosity approach, students are taking their learning beyond the classroom through Humans of OIA, a Service as Action project exploring the relationship between culture and identity. Inspired by Humans of New York, students are listening to the stories of people within our own school community and discovering how culture, language, traditions, experiences and relationships shape who we are.
Working in pairs, students interviewed members of the OIA community, including teachers, parents, support staff, receptionists, cleaners, mentors, school leaders and older students. Rather than simply collecting information, students listened with curiosity and asked questions that revealed something meaningful about each person’s story.
Their conversations explored questions such as: Where do you come from? What traditions are important to your family? What languages do you speak, and what do they mean to you? Has moving to another country changed your identity? What makes OIA feel like home?
Through these conversations, students looked beyond assumptions and discovered how identity can be shaped by many different experiences. They heard stories about culture, family, language, traditions, migration and belonging, developing a greater appreciation for the different perspectives within their own school community.
“This project helped me learn more about my mentor and understand his background. His stories inspired me to become a teacher” – Prisha MYP2
The project also placed multilingualism at the heart of learning. Students discovered how languages can be much more than tools for communication; they can be closely connected to identity, family, memories and a sense of belonging. By hearing how different members of the OIA community experienced and used language, students developed a deeper understanding of how languages can act as bridges between people and cultures.
Prisha and Satvik with their Humans of OIA poster they created
Students then transformed their conversations into visual profiles of their interviewees. Each Humans of OIA profile included a portrait, a short biography, selected questions and answers, and a memorable quote that captured an important part of the person’s story. Students also reflected on what they had learned about culture and identity through the experience. The project gave students ownership over both the questions they asked and the stories they created. Learning became active, personal and connected to the people around them, while their work contributed celebrating the many experiences and perspectives that make up the OIA community.
“I learned how to work with Canva and use templates” – Satvik MYP2
The completed Humans of OIA profiles will become part of an exhibition that will be showcased at our OIA grand opening event October 28th.
This is where Service as Action becomes more than an assignment. Students are using their learning to contribute to the culture of OIA – to help others feel seen, valued and understood. At OIA, we want students to understand that every person has a story worth hearing. By listening to those stories, making connections and sharing what they discover, our learners are helping build the community they are part of.