By Student Guest Bloggers Grace M. and Henry P. Contributors: David R. and Mrs. Muhich
Students enrolled in International Baccalaureate programs across the world end their Primary Years Program, or PYP, with the Exhibition. Exhibition looks different around the world. 
Here at Mackintosh Academy Littleton, we do Exhibition in the sixth grade. For the Exhibition, the sixth-grade class must create a central idea and three lines of inquiry. This year the class came up with: “Evolution of modern-day communities creates new problems, opportunities, perspectives, and responsibilities for the future” for the central idea.
Students write a six to eight page research paper on their topic of interest. This is the first time students have written a paper of this magnitude. After the paper, students came together for action projects. Action is where students apply what they have learned, take responsibility, and make a positive change on the world.
This year Exhibition had two large groups for action. The energy group made a solar-powered phone charger and a bike-powered phone charger. The beautification group had several projects. They created a pollinator garden, made reusable bags, painted the school’s gaga pit, made Littleton “Go Strawless for a Day,” and picked up trash at the Carson Nature Center.
At the end of the Exhibition, students communicate their learning through a sculptural and interactive presentation. These presentations mark the transition from PYP to MYP for the sixth-grade students. This class spent several days perfecting their designs.
After the students made individual displays, they came together to make one big presentation on all they did together and the transformation that took place. Then they presented it with student-made t-shirts, love, kindness, and care. This year’s Exhibition taught the sixth graders to become leaders instead of simply learners. The newly crowned “X Perts” are Grace M., Henry P., Piper S., Aviva S., Jacob K., Madhav K., Alex G., Joseph C., Braeden S., John N., Lucas L., David R., Deniz S., and Hazel K.
Students have found this the be a transformational event.
“At times it felt stressful but in the end I felt a great sense of accomplishment.”- Piper S.
“Exhibition has given me the tools to be successful in school and life” – Aviva S.
“Exhibition has given me a new perspective on the world”- Grace M.
“Exhibition has given me the opportunity to explore my interests in new deeper and exciting ways”- Henry P.
“It was daunting but it turned out to be a fun and creative experience”- Jacob K.
“ Exhibition was very fun and very relieving”- Madhav K.