Our second participation seminar this school year was themed "The First Step". From October 7th to 11th, 2024, a total of 44 students from Röntgen High School, Elsa Neumann School, and Sophia Brahe High School spent a week at the wannseeFORUM. This seminar was particularly suitable for students who are involved in school activities, such as student government or extracurricular clubs.
Construction process of the chain reaction workshop
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Click here to see impressions from the seminar on Flickr.
Monday began for everyone with a joint plenary session. We started with introductions and an overview of the seminar. In the school groups, we first gathered information about student participation. Are there any student-led projects? Who organizes them? How often does the student council meet? Are there any issues they would like to address? The three schools were able to talk to each other and share tips and suggestions. We discussed in detail "the first step"—the initiative needed to initiate change.
The school groups then divided themselves into five workshops through a democratic process: digital photography, chain reactions, comics, rap, and (dance) theater. In these groups, the students worked together with the artists throughout the week on an artistic project about the theme "The First Step." On Friday, the finished products were presented and admired in a large exhibition.
Exhibition of the digital photography workshop
The digital photography group first learned the technology and operation of digital cameras. The group then split into smaller subgroups, each creating its own photo series. These series covered topics such as teamwork, popularity contests at school, the first step into the wannseeFORUM, and a series on sexualized violence and initial steps toward raising awareness. They then presented their photo series in an interactive exhibition. (Click here to see the results on Flickr.)
In the new chain reaction workshop, students were able to build their own structures that triggered a series of reactions with a single touch. They used everyday materials, upcycled them, sawed, and experimented with water. The focus was always on taking the first step that triggered something else, which in turn triggered the next step. Sometimes a station in the middle needed a little push, a second attempt, and things didn't always go according to plan. This approach allowed them to explore the topic and apply the processes to projects both in and out of school. (You can find some photos on Flickr.)
In the rap workshop, everyone worked together on a song. Each participant wrote their own lyrics on the theme, which were then combined. The group filmed a music video together and performed live on the presentation day. (Click here to watch the video on Vimeo.)
Performance by the dance theatre workshop
The dance theatre workshop translated their own associations with the theme of "taking the first step" into a performance using text and movement. They depicted commonality, taking the first step within a group, and articulated what they understood by it, such as civic courage or seeking help.
In the comic workshop, a story was collaboratively developed, drawn, and written. At a joint reading on Friday, they presented their work and then distributed the comics. The story is about a ghost who is bullied, a ghost who takes the first step to stand up against the bullying, and an unfinished task that connects them both. (Click here for the comic.)
After the impressive presentations from all the workshops and a review of the week, it was time to say goodbye. We thank all the students, teachers, and guest lecturers who made this wonderful and valuable week possible and look forward to seeing you all again!
