The Form Is completed their first self-eSTEAM project on Friday 9 July. It was a whirlwind experience as we condensed an eight-day interactive project with outings and guest speakers into a five-day research task with webinars and online quests.

The inspiration for this project came from the 2016 film Hidden Figures. This biographical drama follows the story of a team of female African-American mathematicians who served a vital role in NASA during the early years of the U.S. space programme (IMDb) without much regard or recognition. Our starting point or essential question was : Can you identify and research a woman in Africa who has made a significant contribution to society and who inspires you to make a difference in your community?

The women selected as research subjects by the individual students ranged from Marsha Cox to Zozibini Tunzi, and from political stalwarts to environmental activists. What a privilege to be reminded of the fantastic wealth of talent, ingenuity, determination and passion of the women in Africa! Most special of all were the students who wrote about the ‘real’ hidden figures that work tirelessly within their communities without much praise or recognition. It was wonderful to be able to honour these women and to share their stories.

Many of these biographical stories, along with illustrations and embedded videos, will be shared on our digital library platform to be enjoyed by everyone in the St Mary’s community. We encourage you to read through some of the projects when they are shared on the digital library.

JANE MCMURRAY
HOD: CULTURALS