Students investigate questions and create explanatory performances

A new student group has formed at Charlotte Central School in which students are asking big questions and then performing the results of their inquiry. “We research for answers and when we are done, we create a performance to explain our findings to our peers,” said founder Deirdre Higgins. The inspiration for the group came from fellow students Grace Zappala and Emma Metzler, who were wondering why people kick.

They did what every good research scientist does: They asked some of their friends, Deirdre Higgins, Apryl Tuiqere, Kenna Hutchins, Lydia Donahue and Rebekah Lucia, for help. “Immediately, we all wanted to take action,” said Lydia.

As the students thought of more questions, they realized that there were also many other people who had similar curiosities, and so their group, Mysteries of the World, was formed. Their recent projects and presentations have included discovery about feelings, such as anger, sadness and confusion. In these presentations, the students talk about physical traits for the feelings, and then “we usually talk about how in your mind you can have strong feelings, too,” explained Grace.

Upcoming presentations will include eye color, nationality and government branches. Their homeroom teacher, Katie Fraser, says, “It is 100 percent student driven, and they all work together.” The crew plans to share videos of some of their performances on a safe platform once they find one.