The IB Student Association’s annual Project Captivate is coming to DM on Wednesday, May 18 after school in the library.

And all students are invited.

“Project Captivate is an event that allows people to speak their minds and talk about things they’re passionate about,” said Deputy Coordinator Morgan Taylor (11), who is part of the effort to organize and host this year’s Project Captivate.

“It allows people to present without the boundaries or the limits usually offered by school presentations or other types of strict performances,” Taylor said.

For Taylor and others working to make Project Captivate a reality, the event is a chance to give other students the opportunity to share what they’re passionate about to the school.

“Especially in our generation, kids have a lot they want to say,” Taylor said. “And instead of saying it randomly across the street, Project Captivate gives them a platform to talk about the things that they care about.”

But it’s not just students speaking about what interests them. Project Captivate also offers students opportunities to sing, do a comedy routine, or even perform a monolog. And last year, Improv also participated in Project Captivate.

Captivating during COVID-19

Project Captivate was one of the DM events that occurred last year, despite COVID-19.

“Was the auditorium filled? No—we were in the middle of a pandemic,” Taylor said. “But I liked being there and seeing all those people here who were putting in their work to do these presentations.”

Despite the limited audience and difficulties planning, Taylor says he was able to learn from being part of the Project Captivate Committee last year.

“Especially in a time when we were so separate because of the pandemic, we really had to work together,” Taylor said. “I think that being there and putting the event together taught me a lot about adapting.”

‘Very low-key’

Last year’s Project Captivate occurred in DM’s large auditorium. This year, things may look a bit different.

The event will be scaled down and happen in the library instead—but Taylor says above all, he is glad the event will still occur.

“Even though Project Captivate didn’t happen the way we wanted it to this year,” Taylor said, students “should still all have the opportunity to do something they’re passionate about and have that expression.”

“The show must go on, whether or not things go perfectly smoothly,” Taylor said, “because that’s just kind of how life goes.”

“It’s going to be very low-key,” Taylor added.

2023 and beyond

As Project Captivate Coordinator next year, Taylor plans to continue the tradition of Project Captivate.

“This event originally came from a bunch of IB seniors wanting to just get together and talk about things they care about,” Taylor says, and Project Captivate has continued to capture that spirit.

Taylor plans to bring that spirit in full force into 2023’s Project Captivate.

“Hopefully, next year, it will be a very large performance event where attendees can expect coming and having, really, a variety of shows,” Taylor said.

But even this year, as Taylor says, “the show must go on.”

If you would like to attend, Project Captivate will occur on Wednesday, May 18 after school in the library.