What is the Exhibition of Learning?

Unicycles, poetry trees, and henna tattoos are rarely in the same room at Oakton High School. It only happens once a year: during the Exhibition of Learning. You’ve most likely heard the name before, or its acronym, EOL. However, your teacher may have mentioned something along the lines of “you’ll learn all about that later.” If it’s your first year at Oakton and you’re still a little confused on what the mysterious EOL is, or why we do it, you’ve come to the right place. A few common questions about the yearly event are answered below.

What is the Exhibition of Learning?

The Exhibition of Learning is an annual event at Oakton High School where students showcase what they’re passionate about. Students, teachers, administrators, and others get to walk around and enjoy everyone’s projects. “The EOL is very much about show-and-tell,” Mrs. Hovanec, one of the Oakton teachers in charge of the event, said. It’s the best show-and-tell ever: in years past, crowds have gathered around students playing their drums, or ukuleles, even. One person handed out homemade bath bombs, another showcased her very own greeting cards. This year, it’s scheduled to happen during the week before spring break.

What does it have to do with me?

Students are what the EOL is made of. If you’re a freshman or sophomore at Oakton, you are supposed to contribute your own project. It doesn’t have to be difficult or complicated: all you have to do is come with a visual (like a trifold) and talk about what you’re passionate about, and what you’ve learned from it. You can even bring in a project you did in school earlier in the year, as long as it was one that you were very excited about that stuck with you. Juniors and seniors can participate, too, but it’s not required for them. Don’t be nervous about it; you don’t get graded on your project, and it’s a lot of fun to walk around the exhibits on the actual day.

Why do we do it?

It’s a rare chance to see the unique talents of peers. You will most definitely learn something new about your friends, or talk to someone new that you never knew you had something in common with, as a result. It’s also a chance for you personally to show everyone what you do outside of school, that there is more to you than just studying and grades. “It is my deepest hope that everybody in the school has something they want to show, something they’re proud of, something they love,” said Hovanec.

The Exhibition of Learning is nothing to be worried or stressed about; it’s something you can look forward to in the weeks before spring break.