Voyager Academy High School Project Exhibition Day, November 24, 2025
4302 Ben Franklin Blvd.
Durham, NC 27704
Home of the Vikings
WELCOME!
(click here for a printable version)
We are happy that you came. Together we celebrate Project Based Learning at Voyager Academy High School.
What to ask...
To help guide you through exhibits, and to be a participant in the learning process, please feel free to ask students any of the following questions:
- What was the driving question for the project?
- What prior knowledge did you need to complete the project?
- What was the entry event for the project/how did the teacher present the idea of the project to you?
- How long did you have to complete the project?
- How did the project relate to a real world issue/topic?
- How would you change the project for future classes?
_____________________________
The Interview Project
Rm: A148
Honors Economics & Personal Finance (EPF), Baker Dennis
Driving Question(s)
Can you get a job?
Description
Join us in A148 for some Practice Interviews! You can come in and provide our students valuable practice as they get ready for their real Interview Project the next day! In that project, they will have real interviews, with real employers, with the possibility of real job offers! Or... Maybe you would like to "brush-up" on your Interview Skills yourself--come and let one our students give you a practice interview, and perhaps offer some feedback afterwards :) Together, we'll all help each other to become more employable :)
________________________________________________________________________
The Modern Pilgrimage: Exploring Society Through Creative Characters
Rm: A149
English 4 Honors, Todd Anna
Driving Question(s)
How can literature help us understand and reflect on society?
Description
The big idea or focus for our reading of The Canterbury Tales is that media and literature often comment on the social attitudes of the times. You can see this idea in Chaucer’s Pilgrims, who represent the people of his time. His use of both indirect and direct characterization of the Pardoner and the Wife of Bath gives us insight into his opinion of these types of people.
For exhibition night, you and your Round Table will discuss modern-day “characters” and, more generally, types of contemporary people. Remember that Chaucer’s pilgrims present a microcosm of 14th-century English society, and through them, he satirizes various aspects of his day's culture. Although some of his pilgrims may have been based on actual people he knew, they were not intended to be interpreted as specific individuals but as representative types. In this way, Chaucer depicts people in medieval society to criticize or flatter (in a humorous way) their flaws or strengths; consequently, Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales is a piece of medieval propaganda that pinpoints the hypocrisy and greatness of being human.
________________________________________________________________________
The Living Museum of Myth and Folk Lore
Rm: A150
Mythology , Ross Andre
Driving Question(s)
What are the oral traditions of cultures from around the world?
Description
Come take a journey around the world and explore the myths and legends of days past and present. This museum is a collection of varies myths and folk tales from around the world. Students have followed their own interests to curate this collection of tales.
________________________________________________________________________
From Page to Screen
Rm: A151
English II/ Honors English II, Greaves Evan
Driving Question(s)
How do stories communicate themes that apply across cultures?
Description
Students chose a scene from their literature circle novels, analyzed it for thematic significance, and then created a short film that addressed that same theme. The short films are in new contexts and stories separate from the source material. Students planned and pitched their ideas, wrote scripts, developed filming plans, and filmed their scenes.
________________________________________________________________________
Create Your World
Rm: A152
Creative Writing, Scott Amy
Driving Question(s)
What conditions, behaviors, and attitudes support creativity?
Description
Students have read, analyzed, and discussed The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron in order to foster their own creativity.
________________________________________________________________________
Anachronistic Civics: Visualizing Founding Principles
Rm: B118
Civics, Gatlin Steven
Driving Question(s)
To what extent can visualizing the past within the present help us redefine the enduring power, or reveal the modern challenges, of America's founding civic principles?
Description
This project challenges students to explore the enduring power and modern challenges of America's founding civic principles by visually placing colonial figures within contemporary school life. Through the driving question—To what extent can visualizing the past within the present help us redefine the enduring power, or reveal the modern challenges, of America's founding civic principles?—students will select one core civic concept (e.g., Popular Sovereignty, Limited Government, Natural Rights) and capture an original photo of a modern school scene. They will then use an AI image generation tool to digitally insert colonial figures into their photo, creating a powerful anachronistic image. The final product requires a written analysis (200 words) or presentation that interprets how the juxtaposition of past and present in their image visually represents or provokes thought about their chosen civic concept, culminating in a class exhibition.
________________________________________________________________________
Unit Circle Artistry and Mastery
Rm: B119
Honors PreCalculus, Boyer Ken
Driving Question(s)
Can I master the unit circle by thinking outside of the box?
Description
Students will cement their understanding of the unit circle by creating an artistic depiction.
________________________________________________________________________
Desmos Art Project
Rm: B130
Math 3, Gloade Christian
Driving Question(s)
How can I use functions to model a work of art?
Description
Students will use the online graphing calculator Desmos to recreate a work of art using various piecewise functions to model a picture. Students must use a minimum of 50 equations and 5 different families of functions in their artwork. Come check out the amazing final projects and have students show you how it's done!
________________________________________________________________________
Desmos Linear Functions Project
Rm: B133
Foundations of Math I and Math I, Higdon Tricia
Driving Question(s)
How can I create digital art from linear equations?
Description
Students draw an image using diagonal, vertical, and horizontal lines. Students write and enter linear equations into Desmos.com to recreate their image digitally. Come check out their amazing creations.
________________________________________________________________________
Don't count your chickens before they hatch!!
Rm: C113
Physical Science, Honors Chemistry, Fortkort Lori
Driving Question(s)
How do eggshells protect the developing chicks?
Description
Students have expressed a desire to hatch chicken eggs and learn more about the chemistry of the eggshells. We invested in three incubators and we are learning how to use them. The eggshells contain a vital element which is calcium. We also will be learning more about this element and the compound it makes with the carbonate ion since calcium carbonate is the main ingredient in eggshells.
________________________________________________________________________
Newsies!
Rm: C114
Honors Musical Theatre 1 & 2, Honors Dance 3, Technical Theater, Paradis, Gates Molly, Chance
Driving Question(s)
How do I immerse an audience in a fantasy world?
Description
Approximately 58 students worked tirelessly together from August-November to put on the musical Newsies on November 13, 14, 15. Stop by to see our highlight. reel and to interview cast and crew members about the process. Newsies forever!!
________________________________________________________________________
Anatomy, You’re Pregnant! What to Expect When You’re Expecting
Rm: C115
Honors Anatomy and Physiology, Punt Amelia
Driving Question(s)
How can we learn about a pregnancy to learn about the reproductive system?
Description
Anatomy students updated their pregnancy journal each week to learn about each month that “their baby” was developing. Students are currently bringing in items and asking for donations needed to support moms and even dads at a local pregnancy resource center in Chapel Hill (Pregnancy Support Services).
________________________________________________________________________
Ologies! Interview A Scientist Podcast Style
Rm: C115
Honors Biology, Punt Amelia
Driving Question(s)
How can we use real scientific communication skills to investigate a scientist’s work and share their story through a podcast or interview?
Description
When asked to name careers in science, most people think of doctors and chemists. But there are scientists around the world that study everything from bleach to lizards! In this project, students listened to three episodes of the podcast “ologies”, where the host sits down and interviews different scientists. After reviewing these episodes, students created their your own. They could either interview a local scientist and record the conversation or research and predict how a famous scientist would answer their questions. Students also heard from a local scientist, Dr. Feldman, that studies leaf miners.
________________________________________________________________________
Whodunnit?
Rm: C116
Forensic, Williams Althea
Driving Question(s)
Who Killed 29 year old Margie McGregor?
Description
Students will take part in creating a murder scene. There are so many clues and it's the person that you may or may not think that it is.
________________________________________________________________________
Building a Website Through American History
Rm: D121
Honors American History, Tardieu Christian
Driving Question(s)
How to use technology and website design to educate and communicate main events in American History
Description
Students will create a website exploring key periods in American history. Each page (or tab) will include curated content, visuals, and primary sources that reflect the major events, people, and ideas of that era.
________________________________________________________________________
Building a Website Through American History
Rm: D121
Honors American History, Tardieu Christian
Driving Question(s)
How to effectively communicate, educate, and teach American History through technology and website design?
Description
Students will create a website exploring key periods in American history. Each page (or tab) will include curated content, visuals, and primary sources that reflect the major events, people, and ideas of that era.
Students must build a website on weebly.com (or another website building platform) focused on American History featuring things learned from class. The website will contain a tab one for each historical period listed below. Each tab/section should contain:
Overview of the Period (1–2 paragraphs)
Timeline or Custom Visual
5 Key Events with brief explanations
3 Key People with bios and historical significance
1 Primary Source (image, document, speech, etc.) with analysis
Interactive Element (quiz, poll, audio clip, short video, etc.)
________________________________________________________________________
Messages in Art
Rm: D122
World History, Morris Lauren
Driving Question(s)
How is art used to share messages?
Description
Students created photo collage and descriptions of art used by an Absolute Monarch, art used by a non-Monarch from this time period (1750-1914), and themselves!
Collages can be hand drawn or photographs, but it does need to be in color. Each image will also need a description that explains the message of each portrait and how that message is conveyed.
________________________________________________________________________
Cola Taste Test Marketing Research Activity
Rm: D123
Marketing, Patterson Altrenna
Driving Question(s)
What type of information is used in marketing decision-making?
Description
Guest will participate in a Cola marketing research exercise where each participant will taste 3 different brands of cola to see if they can determine the Coca Cola brand.
________________________________________________________________________
Gracious! What Are the Teens Upto?
Rm: D126
Spanish II, Spanish I, Chavis Tiffany K.
Driving Question(s)
How do the interests of teens in Spanish-speaking countries compare to those of teens in our Spanish I class?
Description
While practicing the many uses of the verb GUSTAR, students wondered what teens in Spanish-speaking countries like to do in comparison to their own interests. After researching "¿Qué les gustan hacer los jóvenes" (in Spanish-speaking countries), our students sought to compare the activities of los jóvenes (teens) in los países hispanohablantes to those of their Spanish-learning peers. After categorizing the results, the students wanted to now show the comparison and the contrast via graphs. This project had many moving parts, including: a showcase of the activities via SLIDES, a brochure inviting teens to a destination excursion that includes various teen-centric activities, a bar graph of the comparisons/contrasts, and written and oral interpretation of the graph data.
________________________________________________________________________
The VAHS Art Gallery Walk: Understanding the Principles of Design
Rm: E124
All Art Levels, LaVette Kelly
Driving Question(s)
How do artists strategically use the principles of design (balance, rhythm, contrast, pattern, etc) in order to "catch" the viewer's eye and draw them into and through the artwork?
Description
Students will lead parents and visitors on a gallery walk, discussing how artists (including themselves) intentionally select the principles of design (balance, contrast, emphasis, movement, pattern, rhythm, unity, variety) to achieve specific visual effects in order to catch their viewer's attention.
______________________________________________________________________
Telling Migrant Stories
Rm: E135
AP Human Geography, Hambrick Sarah
Driving Question(s)
As a human geographer, how would you most effectively articulate the experience of migrants in pursuit of traveling to a new location?
Description
Students, working in groups of 2-3, will choose 1 of 4 options: create a video, write a journal series, write a newspaper article, or make a comic book to encapsulate the journey of struggle for a fictitious migrant based on their research and understanding from class study.
________________________________________________________________________
States Road Trip Project
Rm: E135
US History, Hambrick Sarah
Driving Question(s)
As a travel agent, how would you "sell" people on visiting the state you researched?
Description
Students are researching different states around the U.S. and creating a poster, a write up, and a brochure to show how enticing it would be to visit this state. These elements all promote how they, as the representative travel agent, would convince others to visit and enjoy what this state has to offer.
________________________________________________________________________
Clever Cooks Cafe': Served Fresh by Remarkable Students Rm: E136
Driving Question(s)
How can we build independence, creativity and community by designing our own high school cookbook? Description
Since the beginning of the school year, our class has practiced cooking together every week as part of our functional daily living and vocational skills routine. Each week, students learn to shop for ingredients, follow visual recipes, measure ingredients, use kitchen tools safely, communicate steps using verbal language or AAC, and work together to complete a dish. This routine has helped students build independence, confidence, and real-world skills in a fun, meaningful way. We also prepare coffee and tea and practice soft skills while working our student run Viking Café on Wheels.
________________________________________________________________________
The "Most Dangerous" Board Game Project
Rm: E140
English 1 , Patterson Darryl
Driving Question(s)
How can a board game help players understand how conflicts influence choices, morality, and survival?
Description
Design and create an original board game that explores conflict: both the types of conflict in The Most Dangerous Game and the ways we navigate conflict in real life. Your game should be fun to play, but also thoughtful in how it uses conflict as a central theme.
________________________________________________________________________
Después de nacer
Rm: E141
Spanish 2 - 4th period, Price Deja
Driving Question(s)
How can we use the past tense in Spanish to describe our upbringing?
Description
Students used the preterit and imperfect tense in Spanish to create a recollection of their life. Students chose a timeline, collage, poster, or children's book to portray their lives visually. The bar graphs located nearby are a compilation of results from monolingual and bilingual community members from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Take a look at some of their childhood activities!
________________________________________________________________________
Chill Mode Activated
Rm: GYM
Health/P.E. , Kehoe Alexandra
Driving Question(s)
What is stress, how does it affect the body, why are stress reduction strategies important and what are your own strategies to reduce your stress?
Description
Students will utilize their knowledge of stress to create an informational video explaining what stress is, how it affects the body, the importance of stress reduction activities and their personal recommendations for stress reduction activities while incorporating video editing techniques and various props.
________________________________________________________________________
Changing the World Through Sport
Rm: GYM
Sports & Culture , Huff Mike
Driving Question(s)
Does sport have the power to change the world?
Description
In a May 2000 speech at the inaugural Laureus Sports Awards, Nelson Mandela (former president of South Africa) stated, "Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire, it has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope, where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than governments in breaking down racial barriers. It laughs in the face of all types of discrimination."
In this project, students had the opportunity to research and present examples of how people have used sports to make a positive impact on the world.
________________________________________________________________________
Balance, Speed, Agility… Activated!
Rm: GYM
Strength Training I/II, Kehoe Alexandra
Driving Question(s)
In order to increase physical/athletic performance, one must develop their skill related fitness components. Therefore, what are some exercises one can utilize to improve these skill related fitness components?
Description
Students choose one of the skill related fitness components (i.e. power, speed, reaction time, balance, coordination and agility) and create a video demonstrating various exercises to improve it, provide an explanation of how to do each exercise, provide the allotted amount of sets/repetitions and/or rounds/time intervals for each exercise, explain how each exercise improves said component and define the component.
________________________________________________________________________
Name That Tune!
Rm: Lobby
Year 2 Band, Puhala Max
Driving Question(s)
What makes a piece of music recognizable?
Description
Test your knowledge of popular songs by playing "Name That Tune" with our Year 2 Band students! Since August, our musicians have been hard at work learning brief 5-second snippets of well-known music, and now they are ready to share their songs with you. Stop by to listen and try your hand at naming as many as you can. Candy rewards will be given to those that can "Name That Tune" the fastest!
________________________________________________________________________