ADVANTAGESOF THECREATIVE MINDINTEENSANDYOUNG ADULTS

By Ross Lesslie

For the documentary project at Freestyle Academy of Communication Arts and Technology

Introduction: ImadethisbookforadocumentaryprojectatFreestyleAcademyofCom-municationArtsandTechnologies.Ourassignmentwastomakeawebsite,photodocumentary,andaudiodocumentaryandtowritearesearchpaperwithapartneraboutsomethingthatrelatestoourlivesinourareatoday.Mypartner,Carly,focusedoncreativityinyoungchildren,whereasIfocusedoncreativityinteensandyoungadults.Wetookpicturesandinterviewedpeople,tocreatethisdocumentaryaboutcreativity.Enjoy

Foreword: Ifyougiveaboredpre-schoolstudentapieceofpaperandapencil,youwillprobablyendupwithperhapsnotabeautifulpicture,butacreativedrawing,ormay-bethechild’sfavoritecartoon.Ifyougiveateenagerapieceofpaperandapencil,mostteenswouldn’tdrawanything.Iftheydiditwouldbemorelikelytobescribblethananactualdrawing.Afewteenshowever,wouldsitdownanddrawandintricatedrawingofsomethingintheroom,ormaybeevensomethingintheirhead.Whyisitthen,thatthemajorityofteenscannolongerbeentertainedbydrawingapicture?Isthereanadvantagetobeingabletodrawapicture?Dotheseteensdobetterorworseinschool?Havebetterorworsesociallives?Aretheyinanywaymentallydiffer-ent? To find the answers to some of these questions, we decided interview a few high schoolstudentswhoreallystoodoutfromthecrowdsinthattheyarecreative,imagi-native,andcanentertainthemselveswithwhateveryougivethem.

Monicalikestohavefriendsoveratherhouseafterschool,andenjoysmakingupartprojectsorhangingoutwithherparentsandyoungersister.Shedreamstobeanartistandalwayshasdone.Whenshegrowsup,shewantstobecomeagraphicdesignerbecauseshethinksthatwayshecangetherideasout,becreativeandartisticandmakemoney.WhenIaskedMonicatosingasongforme,sheaskedmetosingabeatforhersoshecouldmakeupalittlerapabouthowshewasfeeling.Thepictureshedrewwasalittlesketchofmewithlittledetailsthatreflectedonthingsthathadhappenedtousrecently,andourenvironment(Monicaownsatarantulathatcreepsmeout).EvenalthoughMonicalovedtheblissignoranceofbeingyoung,herlifeisgreatandsheenjoysitmorenow.

ThefirstpersonIinterviewedwasMonica.Monicaisthekindofpersonyoulooktwiceatwhenshewalkspastyou.Thecombinationoftheweirdyetnotdistastefulclothes,thecontentsmilesetuponherattractiveface,accentedwithjewelrymakesherstandoutinacrowd.She’sthekindofpersonyoucanseesell-ingherartworkinthestreetsofamajorcitywithoutthinking“hippie”or“weirdo.”WhenyouhaveaconversationwithMon-ica,itisimmediatelyapparentthatyouaretalkingtoanextremelybrightyoungwoman.Shehasadeeplevelofthinkingandofteninterpretsthingsbeyondtheirapparentmeaning.Monicahasa4.0highschoolGPA,andwillbegoingtoUCLAartschoolasanundergraduatestudentnextyear.

Right:Monica’sselfportrait

Below:Monicalookingupfrommakingatie-dyet-shirt

Left:Monicalettingmeintoherroom.

“Idon’tlikepeopleteachingmethings,Iwanttolearnbymyself.”

Above:PictureMonicadrewacoupleofyearsago.

“IalwaysknewI

wantedtobeanartist.NowIwantacareeringraphicdesign,thatwayIcangetmyidea’soutthereandmakemoney.”

Left:Picturemonicamadeforhernegativespaceas-signment.

Monicaposingnexttohercarwithfridgemagentsonthehood.

Above:OneofMonica’smostrecentprojectsforherstudioartclass.

WhenWillgrowsuphewantstogointothemusicbusiness–preferablyproduction,andhewantstohaveahappyfamily.Thesonghesangformewas“Alive”byPearlJam.Hedidn’tdrawapictureforme,buthedidtellmeastoryabouthowhedislocatedhisshoulderlastweek.Willdoesn’trememberpreschooltoowell,buthe’shappyenoughnowthathewouldn’tgoback.

MysecondintervieweewasWill,whowouldn’tlookoutofplaceataLedZeppelinconcert.Hairdowntohisshoul-dersandagreenbandanaaroundhisheadreflectfairlyaccuratelyonhispersonality:Willisintoclassicrockandplaysthegui-tarinhisfreetime,keepingthingsmellowandjusthangingoutwithfriends.Healsoenjoysdebatesandlettingotherpeoplehearhisopinions.Heisveryfocusedandstrivestoaccomplishhisgoals.WillhasstraightA’sandisboredwithnormalHighSchool.

Right:Willplayingasonghewrote

Left:Tuning

Right:Willtellingmeabouttheinstrumentsheplays

Christieenjoysdoodling,sing-ingcountrysongs,andlyingonherbedstudyingbiology.Shesangherfavoritecountrysonganddrewmeapictureoftwoelephantswhowereholdingtrunks.Herstorywasaboutsomethingfunnyherfriendhadsaidthenightbefore.Whenshewasinpreschool,Christiedreamedofbeingagymnast,becauseshelovedjumpingaroundonthetrampolineanddreamedofhavingpeopleapplaudingherattheOlympics.Nowshewantstogotomedicalschooltobecomeanurse.Shewouldreallyliketobeapartof“Medi-cinssansFrontiers,”soshecangotothirdworldcountriesandhelppeopleinneed.

ThethirdpersonIinterviewedwasChristie.Christieisextremelyout-going,lovestolaugh,lovestomeetnewfacesandgetsalongwellalmostevery-one.Christieisextremelyambitious,anddoesn’tstoptryinguntilshehasachievedherambitions.Christieenjoysspendingtimewithherfriends,drivinghercar,andmakingthingsoutofclay.Shehasa4.0GPAandisgoingtoUCLAMedicalSchoolnextyear.

Below:Christiepullingaface Nextpage:Christiesmilingforthecam-

Left:Christieglazinghermostrecentpot.

Right:Chrisitethrowinganewpot.

Above: Christie with one of her finished projects

What’sthesolution?Everybodywehaveaskedsaytheyenjoyedpreschoolbecausetheyenjoyedthefreedom.Itseemsprettyclearthatthebestwaytogetthecreativeandimaginativesideoutofpeopleistospendlesstimeintheclassroom,moretimediscoveringtherealworld.Moreart,lessreportcards.Unfortunately,thisdoesn’treallyhelppeoplewhoaregoodatmathandlearnfromteaching,butdoesn’tthatkindofeducationalreadydominatethesystem?Childrendon’tneedmore time in preschool, but more field trips, maybe art on Fridays, not just in elementary school, but beyondelementaryschooltocontinuethecreativethinking.