Virtual South Africa Artist-in-Residence

An outstanding virtual artist-in-residence program created an opportunity for 58 of our Upper School students to learn new digital art techniques, challenge their world views through ongoing interactions with a young visual storyteller from Soweto, and develop their own visual styles through experimentation with the power of text and image over the course of two months. Although we're quite eager to return to in-person travel opportunities, those trips involve far smaller groups of participants, so this virtual engagement -- enhanced by the use of Flipgrid educational technology -- permitted us to involve greater numbers of students in the engagement while establishing a relationship with artist Njabulo Hlophe that continued to grow and enrich all parties involved over the weeks.