The work of sixty talented Westside photographers in their first public exhibition, "Face to Face: Portraits by West Seattle Teens", up May 20 - May 28, 2010, in the West Seattle High School library.

TO SEE A SLIDESHOW OF SOME OF THE STUDENT PHOTOGRAPHS CLICK THE MAIN IMAGE

The West Seattle Expo is a bi-yearly student competition held at West Seattle High to showcase the work of Instructor Martha Tonkin's Photography, Marketing/DECA and Fashion Merchandising students. The Expo is the brainchild of Tonkin, who came up with the idea after completing a two-year "Project Based Learning" training for educators offered by the Seattle Public Schools in 2002. Tonkin loved the basic PBL concept of "teacher as coach, industry-expert as evaluator", and has been using this model in her classroom ever since.

In this curriculum design, industry experts interface with students as both mentors and judges, to develop interesting and complex projects which have "real-world-relevance". Tonkin teams with local industry experts to keep her curriculum continually fresh, full of current theory and practice, and stocked with state-of-the-art technology at all times.

Tonkin loves using this model of instruction, as she feels her classrooms feel more like "real industry workplaces" where kids are working on real projects, with real deadlines and real importance. The kids are free to design their own projects, work in teams and share knowledge and skills with each other, all in the hopes of "winning at the Expo"! Tonkin's Marketing/DECA students are currently managing the marketing for the WSHS Spring Musical, "Once Upon a Mattress" and in the past have redesigned marketing campaigns for local businesses, such as Husky Deli, Click!, Alki Bike and Board, and others.

For the current photography exhibition at WSHS, "Face to Face", which will be the heart of this year's Spring Expo 2010, students were challenged to master digital photography, learn Photoshop CS3, shoot 300 photos of a friend, choose their favorite 5-9 photos for a "series", and then edit, mat, hang and present these photos with an artist's statement at the Spring Expo.

Spring Expo 2010
Photo Exhibition Opening
Thursday, May 20, 2010
4:00 – 8:00 pm
WestSide Gallery

Photography Judges
Stefanie Arneson, Something Old Photography
Charlie Dees, International Academy of Design & Technology
Jenifer Flynn, Four Dogs Photography
Bryan Gordon, Photo/Video InstructorYMCA
Leslie Howle, Youth Program Coordinator, YMCA
Pat Jewell, Former WSHS Activities Coordinator
Dina Lydia Johnson, Design & Photography, Digital Genie
Jim Kennedy, Kennedy Photography
Josie Liming, Josie Liming Photography
Eileen McHugh & Michael Ward, Mithun Architecture & Planning
Mary McNeight, BGS, CCS, Service Dog Academy
Richard Walker, Richard Walker Photography
Ivan Winkler, Art Institute

Exhibiting Photographers
Isis Amen-Asia, Devin Andrews, Stephanie Archer, Dilyen Baker-Tolles, Lacey Ballard, Victor Castillo, Lenny Cheth, Kirby Davis, Taylor Dea, Mystie DeAlvarado, Adam Gaciarz, Kellen Gearon, Erick Gonzalez, Brianne Goulet, Gabby Grajales, Alyssa Harris, Jacqui Hernandez, Ivan Islas, Lauren Jeglum, Isaiah Jenkins, Charles Johnson, Isaiah Johnson, Aubrey Kaye, Alissa Kemp,Tailor Kowis , Chris Livingston, Karina Lucas, Genneva Machmiller, Travis Madison, Chris Magat, Schuyler Markey, Alec Martin, Erick Martinez-Mota, Julian McBride, Nikita Mighell, Nimo Mohamed, Rafael Morseletto, Hibo Mukhtar, Chris Nguyen, Haley Peterson, Kira Renaut, Devon Rogers, Antony Ruiz-Villatoro, Jonathan Rumbawa, Emily Savidge, Santino Tauiliili, Mary Thompson, Kelly Toal, Becky Vang, Hannah Vickers, Karli Woo

West Seattle High School Library- Gallery
3000 California Avenue SW, Seattle WA 98116
More Info? Photo Instructor Martha Tonkin
mmtonkin@seattleschools.org
206.252.8832