Every year, Mr. Lopilato showcases the creativity and cultural knowledge of his students by curating an exhibit with his Anthropology and Cultural Studies classes. Through this annual project, students turn his classroom into an immersive museum. Students’ creations, from written work to visual art, reflect diverse cultures and experiences of teen life. The exhibit explores themes of what it means to be a teenager and highlights issues important to the contemporary teen.
Teachers from other classes bring their students to visit the exhibit, allowing students to experience a truly captivating gallery. Most students leave the revamped classroom feeling inspired. Junior Sofia Rubin visited the exhibit last year with her AP US History class. “It was truly amazing,” Rubin said. “I walked into that classroom tired from my previous classes and walked out exhilarated.”
The exhibit was so extraordinary that this summer it received recognition from prestigious outside establishments. Mr. Lopilato founded MoCAT (the Museum of Contemporary American Teenagers) in 2017, aiming to represent the teen experience through art. This past July, MoCAT partnered with the Smithsonian to display the B-CC Anthropology and Cultural Studies students’ work at the annual Folklife Festival. The festival took place at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and had a theme of “Youth and the Future of Culture.” With this opportunity, thousands of people got to experience B-CC students’ art. Themes ranging from social hierarchies to school-wide lockdowns were presented through the perspective of bright and creative Barons.
