Freshman Cycle Of Socialization - Mask Project

Cris Sporl - Feature

During this fall semester the freshman explored socialization and what it means to have a
personal Identity. The Mask Project is a staple project for all Animas freshmen! Exploring the
concept of identity through the lens of sociology and the study of human beings who are socialized
into their culture through a variety of social forces.
What is my identity? How has my identity been shaped by family, friends, schools, sports,
religion, and the media? How much personal choice really goes into shaping our identities? How
does my vision of my identity match with what the external world sees? This project was taught by
the freshman humanities teachers, Genevieve Buzan, and Cameron Elder. Cameron had this to say
about the objective of the project, “The masks symbolize this idea that in whatever environment
we're in whether we're with friends or our family or in a professional environment we put on different
masks to the world, these masks the freshman are creating show a piece of who they are or what has
created them to the world. ”. Genevieve had this take away, “I hope that this sociology unit creates an
awareness of the lens through which they'll experience the rest of high school and their lives. - The
Mask should represent how socialization has impacted and it might be negative and it might also
incorporate how students perceive themselves”
How can I, as an individual, break the harmful cycles of socialization and reinforce the
positive cycles of liberation? With art resources, freshmen were asked to answer these questions with
a physical creation of a symbolic mask. As well as a personal reflective essay on what these
questions mean to them. Their beautiful work is to be presented in December in one of the freshman's
first professional exhibitions!
A mask that represents your identity and the formation of that identity, demonstrating your
socialization and how your identity has been shaped by outside forces. But also, how have you been
liberated or are now shaping your own identity today? Creation of the mask started off with great
student teamwork of getting each class member's face plastered. Cameron described the process, “So,
the masks are made by plastering the face, so someone would lay down usually on a desk and then
with some mechanisms to let them breathe we put plastic wraps over their skin, and then the strips of
plaster that we use need to be wet with water and then placed on the face. You kind of smooth them
in and make sure that all the features are showing and it takes about half an hour to lay on all that
plaster and let it harden enough so it forms a mask, then it can be taken off, perfected and decorated.
It's really fun how they will be displayed at the exhibition, all 60 of the freshmen will have a chance
to have their masks in one space together but the logistics of how that's going to look aren't together
yet”. With the freedom of supplies they went on to create beautiful representations of their personal
identity. What will they include? Artistic symbolism of what has affected their identity: family,
friends, schools, sports, religion, the media, and who they are as a person! A student from Cameroon
first hour Humanities, Lacy Ruggiero had this take away, “As a freshman you know coming into a
new school and you're trying to find yourself, and from this project I feel it will help me find myself
better and give me a guide of who I'm becoming. - Well, I'm still working on it but I have three topics
that I'm going to put into my mask. One is about my dyslexia and how it has greatly impacted me,
and how it is being a girl in our society and how it's very weird these days, also my economic class
and how I get opportunities that other kids don't, understanding how that's definitely greatly affected
me.”. The creation of these pieces of representative art really require teamwork and support from
fellow students. Genivive mentioned a favorite takeaway as a teacher. “I've been impressed with how
different students have responded to different sections of the project, students coming from diverse
backgrounds that certain topics will resonate more. I just it was really cool for me to see it in action
because it's such a broad unit”
 What should the freshman walk away with? This project is a great thing to open freshman up
to teamwork, physical/artistic creation, reflection, and understanding others identities, understanding
everyone has their own path that got them there and different surroundings that have affected their
personal identity. Cameron expressed what she wants her students to take away, “I think what's most
important for me that they take away is this idea of being curious about the things that were told, -
This project is really about looking at ourselves and what from the world around us has impacted the
way that we either view ourselves or the perceptions we have on the world, and so that sense of
wanting to know more, and just developing curiosity about the world is really important to me.”
Look forward to the Freshmans mask project at the December exhibition!