Looking Through Their Eyes

Kevin, one of the members of SOIL, is in charge of a photo project they call “Looking Through Their Eyes.” A group of 10 or so kids is each equipped with donated digital cameras. The kids have 1 or 2 days with the cameras and are asked to take pictures of:

What makes you happy?

What makes you sad?

What makes you angry?

What do you like about your community?

What do not like about your community?

After a couple of days Kevin meets with the group of kids, they all share their photos and have a discussion about the five questions asked. They explain their reasons for taking each photo and Kevin notes each student’s response. Kevin prints out hard copies of the photos and then gives each of the participants a copy of the photos they took. When Kevin delivers the hard copies the kids go nuts. They are so excitement to see their own work. Kevin presented a slide show of a previous project and I was amazed at the photos and work these kids had done. They all are able to see what the major issues and problems are in their communities. What makes them angry or sad? Pictures of polluted drinking water, piles and piles of trash on their beaches, sick and homeless people on the streets, parents and family without jobs. What makes them happy? Their mom, dad, brother, a plate of food, when their dad can find a job.

Watching the slide show and reading all the direct quotes from the kids was really moving; seeing something like this helps to realign your priorities in life and puts everything into perspective.