For the Resilience TTG, I dedicated 115 hours to Thespians, pushing myself through the challenge of working in props and set for the first time last semester. This dedication required me to persevere through variousstruggles, such taking on extra hours to contribute to the project, collaborating with different people, or adapting to changes in the production schedule. Each experience strengthened my ability to become resilientin the face of a challenge, helping me understand the importance of determination and perseverance. Additionally, I did a 15 minute mindfulness walk. This practice targeted grounding yourself with your senses, focusing on pointing out what you saw, heard, and felt. During these walks, I focused on my surroundings, which ultimately enhanced my resilience. This TTG has significantly contributed to my growth in determination by ensuring I put in more hard work to achieve my goals and remain flexible to change, while also keeping in mind to take time for myself so I can contribute my best efforts.
For the Critical Thinking TTG, I did the third task: The Trolley Problem in which debated a question of ethics, as well as writing two sagas of my own musical based off of EPIC: The Musical (Official Concept Albums). This was challenging for me because I sometimes struggle to think critically, and the lighting and sound design, as well as blocking and other aspects of props and set crew really helped me explore different aspects of theatre and improve my script writing. These tasks required me to think deeply about the consequences and effects of my creative choices, both in the narrative and in the theatrical elements that support it. I learned how different components contribute to the overall message and impact of a production, which made me think on a less superficial level when considering the effect it would have on stage. This TTG has helped me identify the importance of critical thinking in the creative process and has shown me how to approach storytelling with a more analytical mindset. I hope to use this mindset more in script writing and essays to bring more structure and consideration into my work.
For the Creativity TTG, I retold the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice in the form of prose prompted by Ocean Vuong’s “Eurydice” and wrote a poem based off of one of my own short stories, “Sunflower”. I think that I expressed myself the most within this category as I am a writer with an appreciation for art. The most difficult part was probably sticking to the tasks—my inspiration for some of my work don’t exactly fit any prompts. However, one thing I struggle with as a writer is effectively creating based off of prompts and solid plans, an issue I remedied with these tasks, as well as improving my ability to create pieces based off of others from different perspectives or styles. This TTG really helped me push my comfort zone and explore different styles and ways of writing, ultimately helping me improve as an artist. I would like to apply some skills I refined with these tasks to other stories or poems, and even essays when applicable, continuing my exploration of writing and art.
For the Communication TTG, I created a personality quiz for task # 14 on JotForm, as well as asked Mr. B if I could allot my Assistant Stage Manager hours into a task as well. Both these tasks require me to build my communication skills in different ways: The quiz allows me to practice indirect communication to survey others, and the ASM work involves communicating between cast and crews, as well as keeping the cast in time and discussing blocking with directors. This TTG is crucial to building connections with my peers, effectively communicating with others, and aiding problem-solving in an efficient way. These skills will be applicable and equally essential outside of school, especially important in interacting with social situations as well as professional ones. Ultimately, I hope to be able to apply this TTG in more areas with my extracurriculars, especially should more opportunities arise in Thespians or theatre/writing related projects.
For the Collaboration TTG, I completed a group art zoom for the 8th collaboration task, a rewrite of a piece of literature with AI (# 15) and two unofficial tasks: Launch Day prep for the science projects, and music coordination as Assistant Stage Manager for the Little Shop of Horrors musical. These tasks all required collaboration with others in the form of working together with my peers to effectively complete a task or reach a goal. Whether that task be arranging an artwork in the correct order, learning how to use AI and it’s place in collaboration with people in school and work, working with other students to organize material for the science project, or helping to manage music and blocking for the musical, these tasks have shown my ability to collaborate in many different ways. My belief is that these tasks help train different skills needed for collaboration as a TTG applicable to many parts and different stages of life—and will aid me in collaborating effectively with others later on, both in professional settings such as a workplace environment, and casual ones. Regardless, the ability to collaborate is an important skill to master and greatly beneficial to one when learned.
Short poetry-prose (30 mins)
Sunflower by Charlotte Hung
She bought the plant two Mondays ago
A sunflower that sat on the windowsill
It’s leaves already beginning to droop
Yellow petals scattered in the rich soil
She would turn the flower towards the room
“Doesn’t it really brighten up the place?” she asked
But it’s a sunflower, and it turns to the sun
Breaking its neck to strain at the window
Last week she asked me why it did not grow
If she was watering it too much
And she changed the soil twice
Unwilling to believe her sunflower needed the sun
Three days ago I noticed half the petals were gone
And the flower was facing the sun
But a day later it’s facing me again
Another petal falls to the freshly turned soil
But yesterday the flower was in the shade
So I moved it back to the windowsill
Because it’s a sunflower
It needs the sun to live
Today the sunflower is on the ground
Half buried under soil and clay shards
She will blame the cat, but it’s not his fault
She shouldn’t have put it on the table anyway
She laments over its death
But buys another one quickly
And I do not have the heart to tell her
That it’s a sunflower, and it turns to the sun
Assistant Stage Manager: Directing the backstage, communication and coordination between actors and backstage, overseeing rehearsals (1.5 hrs)
Three things I can…
See: trees, the sky, the fountain
Hear: the wind, people the fountain
Feel: cold, leaves, the ground
Thespians 60 points, practices resilience
Prose by Charlotte H
Inspired by Ocean Vuong, “Eurydice”.
Creative Learner Task #1