Virtual reality field trips from one organization are seeking to give underprivileged students more access to art education. With more than 18,000 students served so far, their newest experience focuses on some of Arizona’s Indigenous artists.
Act One, the nonprofit behind the initiative, created the program in 2021 to help students remain engaged and combat closures from the COVID-19 pandemic. Emmanuel Class is the field trip operations manager.
“They didn’t get to grow up as a community looking out for each other so now, they’re relearning that. Now, they’re relearning the ability to be in shared spaces together," Class said.
In their newest VR experience, Class said the project is meant to be educational and also a symbol of hope and representation for Indigenous students.
It was built in collaboration with 18 ASU arts and engineering students. Skye Lucking was the creative director. She said that the partnership with Arizona State University allowed students to get hands-on experience with immersive media.
“If you’re supporting Act One, you’re not only supporting Title I schools, but through our ASU partnership, you’re also supporting these knowledge workers of the future," Lucking said.
The program is offered at no cost to Title I schools, but other schools can reserve the experience, too.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to an editing error, this story has been updated to correct the attribution of a quote from Skye Lucking.
-
For several months, the district has been trying to agree on where to make cuts. TUSD is projected to have a $25 million budget deficit by 2030. -
On Tuesday, Fortify AZ said it was dropping its own proposal that was an alternative to the much stricter limits being pushed by the Arizona Education Association and Save Our Schools Arizona. -
Transfer QB Brendan Sorsby will enter the NFL supplemental draft, ending a legal fight over the college eligibility of a player who had acknowledged betting on sports — including his own team. -
62% of agriculture producers in AZ are American Indian. Expert wants to reorient them to help tribesA new study out of the University of Arizona measures the scale and economic output of tribal agriculture in Arizona — and it’s big. -
Arizona lawmakers wrapped up their 2026 session early Saturday morning; adjournment came about a day after they approved a budget for the new fiscal year, but not before a lot of back-and-forth over Empowerment Scholarship Accounts, or school vouchers.
