COMMUNITY & EQUALITY AT THE CORE OF EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION
Helsinki Media High School
Diversity is not just about how things are, but also, and most importantly, about how they are presented in the media, educational institutions, and elsewhere in our culture.
ATAÁ collaborated with Marmori Ry and Helsinki Media High School to implement a music project to strengthen the school's values and increase a sense of belonging and cohesion. Helsinki Media High School is one of the largest high schools in the Helsinki area.
The school project was conceptualized by ATAÁ and implemented with Marmori Ry. The inspiration for the project came from the duo's time spent in the different academic institutions in the United States where they experienced a strong sense of community identity. The aim of the project was to strengthen collective identity built on shared and commonly defined values. Through cooperation and shared goals, the project was able to strengthen student and the staff appreciation for diversity and promote inclusion and equity.
“Media High School had the honour of doing a wonderful multicultural music project, ‘Media High School Says WE’ with ATAÁs Wanda and Naomi Holopainen during the 2019-2020 school year. The project aimed to increase cooperation between the participants in the project and strengthen equality throughout the school. The music project applied and highlighted the school's values in its internal communication and within the songs produced. The values were justice, responsibility, humanity, education, willingness and ability to learn, and community. The project was an excellent opportunity for all of us to experience something new!”
— Sirkitta Seppä-Nummijoki, Helsinki Media High School Music Teacher