About the Project: Transitions: University Ave

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This school-wide project initiated by Gordon Parks High School (GPHS) brings together photography and journalism mentors, students, teachers and historians to create a website to explore and document University Avenue before, during and after light rail expansion. To prepare for this project, students participated in cross-curricular lessons about local literature, displaced communities like Rondo, and even the statistics of construction.


Additionally, they visited with curators and historians from the Minnesota Historical Society. In art class, students learn the fundamentals of photography, and during English & Social Studies class, they studied journalism, interview techniques and sound editing.

Partners & Producers

Production Partners

  • Gordon Parks High School—Paul Creager, Project Director
  • Minnesota Historical Society—Aleah Vinick, Project Manager; Jim Ockuly, Web Project Manager; Corrie Potter, Web Designer

Producers

  • Student Producers—(See individual videos)
  • Gordon Parks High School Production Teachers—Tom Davies, Randy Starr, Kathy Kelley, Maya Park, Ted Johnson
  • Community Partners—Metric Giles, Va-Megn Thoj, Ed Ballard
  • Journalists-in-Residence—Catherine Squires, Heidi Chung, Samantha Steinbring
  • Photographers-in-Residence—Tobechi Tobechukwu, Bethany Khan

Supporting Partners

  • University of Minnesota School of Journalism
  • St. Paul Almanac
  • Aurora/St Anthony Neighborhood Development Corporation
  • Public Art St. Paul

Project Overview Videos

(Top: Year Two; Bottom: Year One)
 
 
Made possible by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through the vote of Minnesotans on November 4, 2008. Administered by the Minnesota Historical Society.