Lung Health News, Fall 2007 / Winter 2008
Thirty-six teens from an urban high school near Los Angeles focused their camera lenses on air quality and along the way empowered themselves and others to consider how each action we take, both individually and as a society, impacts our environment. Their efforts resulted in an inspirational book titled “The Air We Share: Student Photo Essays Exploring Air Quality in Southern California.”
The James Munroe High School students were part of a 10-week workshop offered by L.A. Theatre Works through its Arts and Children Program, which integrates science, English, humanities and the arts. The American Lung Association of California sponsored the project, providing information and expertise on air pollution issues.
Students worked in groups of two or three and were given the opportunity to choose their own topics related to indoor or outdoor air quality. Rick Nahmias, artist in residence for L.A. Theatre Works and a photo documentarian, instructed the teens on how to tell a story with pictures. The results were amazing.
The book features artistic photographs that show a variety of powerful images depicting both air pollution and clean air solutions along with captions that capture our attention. For example, a stylized shot of tailpipes in “The Truth About Cars” tells us vehicles emit air pollution while the words explain that “about two-thirds of the carbon monoxide emissions come from transportation sources.”
“The students really rose to the opportunity,” says Maggie Bourque, education director for L.A.Theatre Works, who presented the weekly workshop sessions with Nahmias. “They did very impressive work in a short amount of time.”
REAL LIFE LESSONS LEARNED
The students learned real life lessons about air pollution and the work being done to improve air quality. They were treated to a “virtual field trip” that brought air quality experts and activists into the classroom to talk about the issues.
The American Lung Association of California arranged for a screening of “Who Killed the Electric Car?” complete with a question-and-answer session afterward with Chelsea Sexton, the former General Motors EV1 technician featured in the film.
“It made me think about what I’m breathing in and what we’re doing to the environment,” says Julie Kaiserian. She and partner Ani Keshishyan were given a complete tour of the ventilation system of an airplane by a Southwest Airlines mechanic for their photo essay “The Air Inside an Aircraft Cabin.”
Some of the students even participated in the American Lung Association of California’s news conference
to release its State of the Air: 2007 report, which grades cities and counties based on smog and particle pollution levels.
“A lot of these kids are at risk and don’t get opportunities like this to be able to find their voice this way,” says Kelly Hancock, an English teacher whose class participated in the project along with economics teacher Maura Draheim’s class. “It was a great experience.”
