Students will tell the real story of Noyo by creating a short documentary (10-15 minutes in total) about its history, current culture (daily student life), and hope for the future (including the transition to the new school site and what that means to them). They will build a shared collection of interviews (with current/past students, staff, and passionate community supporters) and footage of day-to-day student experience (a mix of video and photographs). The goal is to lift up real voices, images, and stories for a documentary, while focusing on asking good questions, listening closely, working together, representing people fairly, and encouraging students to develop a stronger sense of agency in shaping how their community is understood. Through reflection and group critique, students test assumptions, look for patterns across different perspectives, and identify a central theme/story. The experience helps students build belonging, see that their voices are part of Noyo’s story, and understand that they can help shape what Noyo is becoming.

Students will learn to ask strong questions, interview people with care, listen closely, and notice good follow-up questions. They will collect and study real evidence from their community through notes, photos, audio, video, and observation, while learning to tell the difference between assumptions and lived experience. They will look for patterns, different viewpoints, and missing voices so they can help shape an honest and thoughtful story about Noyo. They will also build skills in teamwork, reflection, and ethical storytelling as they explore Noyo’s identity, daily life, changes, and future. They will also have the opportunity to take a supportive spot lesson that will focus on the editing/finalizing of the documentary.

By the end of the Design Lab, the class will have an organized collection of real source material and a shared sense of the story they want the documentary to tell, including key themes, overall story/goal, and next steps for production. Each student will also have portfolio-ready evidence showing how they helped investigate, document, and shape Noyo’s story. This work will then support a public documentary shared with students, families, alumni, and staff during Homecoming and the transition into the new building. Students will begin the process of editing and finalizing the documentary with the option of taking an additional spot lesson to develop those skills.

Open with a short gallery of documentary clips, archival images, and candid photos of school life, then ask students to sort what feels like stereotype, surface perception, lived experience, and unanswered question. Follow this with a “story walk” through current spaces and transition areas where students capture quick photo, audio, or written noticings about what outsiders might miss and what feels essential to Noyo. Bring the group back to build a collective wall of tensions, truths, surprises, and hopes, then identify the first people they need to interview to bring the story to life. Close by introducing the real audience for the documentary during Homecoming and the move into the new building so students begin as community documentarians with a public purpose.

Host a Homecoming/community premiere in the new building where the finished documentary is screened for students, families, alumni, staff, and invited local community members, followed by a student-led talkback about what they discovered, whose voices shaped the story, and what they hope Noyo becomes next. Turn the event into a gallery-style experience with still photographs, short written story excerpts, interview quotes, archival images, and “before/now/next” displays from the move so guests can engage with the wider body of evidence behind the film. Invite featured interviewees and community partners to attend as honored guests, and include space for audience reflection—such as response cards or a community story wall—so the exhibition becomes part celebration, part listening session, and part collective transition into Noyo’s next chapter.