The School Yard for Everyone
Boston International Newcomers Academy (BINcA), is a vibrant Boston Public High School dedicated to serving immigrant learners from over 40 nations. We were thrilled to bring the globally recognized Inside Out Project to BINcA, creating a powerful combination of personal stories and impactful imagery. This initiative has brought joy to a lively community space for our students and staff, extending a warm welcome to our neighbors and civic leaders alike.
Bringing this Inside Out project to Boston ignited first the enthusiasm of our Aspen Challenge Team. This dedicated group of eight students had already embarked on a mission to revitalize the South and West sides of our school, transforming a neglected, litter-filled lot into a green and inviting space. Through their collaborative efforts in planting, building, and art projects, they successfully created a beautiful park for everyone to enjoy, aptly named "A School Yard for Everyone."
A School Yard for Everyone
The Inside Out Project at BINcA began with sixty wonderful photo portraits of our 11th and 12th-grade students. These portraits were skillfully captured by our friends Flori and Alondra from I Learn America, a process that unfolded alongside the students' development of their personal narratives. During their spring break, the hardworking members of our Aspen Challenge team, along with other eager student volunteers, joined Flori in a powerful act of community art, pasting these striking posters along the West and South exterior walls of our school. The Monday morning return to school was met with awe and excitement as the vibrant display sparked a desire within everyone to participate.
The famous Inside Out Photobooth parked in the school yard.
Fortunately, they did not have long to wait! The iconic Photobooth truck from the Inside Out Project rolled up to BINcA the following Thursday, setting up in the courtyard outside the gymnasium. We were honored to have Dr. Brandy Brooks, the executive director of Higher Ground Boston, a champion for collaboration between communities and schools, be the very first to have her portrait taken. What followed was an inspiring afternoon as 190 members of the BINcA community – students, staff, dedicated volunteers, our City Councilor, and our State Senator – stepped into the photobooth.
Dr. Brandy Brooks, the executive director of Higher Ground Boston.
Throughout the afternoon, our students eagerly pitched in, transforming from subjects to active participants in this global art movement. They climbed ladders, collaborated in teams, and pasted portraits, clearly enjoying being part of something larger than themselves and delighting in seeing their own faces and those of their friends proudly displayed. Our school walls now beautifully reflect the diversity of our community, showcasing everyone from the principal to the custodian, the 9th grader to the senior, the social worker to the soccer player.
Hardworking volonteers!
Impressed by the energy and dedication of our students, the Inside Out Project team invited them to contribute to the Wake Up the Earth Festival in Jamaica Plain on Saturday. A dozen BINcA students embraced this opportunity, explaining the project to those waiting in line, assisting at the photobooth, and, of course, adding more posters to the vibrant display at Stony Brook Station. They even had the memorable experience of photographing the Mayor with her daughter!
BINcA students Pasting @Stony Brook Station.
On May 15th, we proudly celebrated the official opening of The School Yard for Everyone with a joyful ribbon-cutting ceremony and a special farmers market. City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune eloquently spoke about the power of student action in shaping our city and commended our team for their unwavering dedication and hard work. The inspiring Inside Out activation served as a catalyst, empowering our students to realize their vision of organizing and beautifying this shared space. Our students have gained invaluable lessons in teamwork, extending kindness to strangers, and welcoming new friendships.
Grand opening of The School Yard for Everyone.
These days, the entire BINcA community loves spending time in our revitalized schoolyard, and our neighbors feel warmly invited to stroll through. The children from the elementary school's after-school program joyfully explore the space, excitedly discovering their friends and teachers immortalized on the walls. Our students are filled with pride in being part of this impactful project, sharing their faces with the world. As one student put it, "Our school is actually cool now!"