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Literacy Through Photography Exhibits Open at Two Schools!

Families View Student Photography & Writing Created Through Innovative Classroom Project

A family at Merritt Educational Center steps back to view the student photographs.

At opening receptions in December, more than 100 students from Kenilworth Elementary and Merritt Educational Center unveiled photographs and writing they created during a series of classroom-based projects sponsored by Turning the Page.

The evening receptions, which were coordinated by participating teachers, began with readings of student work and short musical performances. Families and guests were then invited to view the displayed photographs and writing while enjoying refreshments.

Students learned to produce the pieces using a nationally recognized methodology called Literacy Through Photography, created by photographer Wendy Ewald. Guided by their teachers, students photographed scenes from their daily lives. The photographs then served as raw material for student writing on a variety of family-centered themes. Teachers attended a Turning the Page-sponsored 5-day training in August to learn how to implement the program in their classrooms.

A family at Kenilworth Elementary enjoys the Literacy Through Photography exhibit together.

The Literacy Through Photography projects at Turning the Page partner schools received additional support from Olympus America, the Humanities Council of Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Department of Education.

This semester Merritt Educational Center students participated from Ms. Duplancic’s, Ms. Weaver’s and Mr. Chase’s classes. At Kenilworth Elementary, students from Ms. Felder’s, Ms. Birchette’s and Ms. Nelson’s class participated. Literacy Through Photography will continue in the winter with teachers at Benning and Aiton elementary!

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