For teacher and Skirball Teacher Advisory Council member Claudia Felix and her students from Montebello Unified School District, a visit to Jack Kirby: Heroes and Humanity did not end when they left the galleries. The exhibition followed them back to the classroom, where Claudia adapted her original lesson plan and invited students to create their own superheroes in response to real-world issues they cared about. As teachers continue to balance ambitious learning goals with limited classroom time, Claudia’s story shows how a museum visit can become more than enrichment; it can become a catalyst for student voice, critical thinking, and civic imagination. What began as a school tour became a student-centered learning experience rooted in identity, civic responsibility, creativity, and the power young people have to imagine change. 

When you first brought your students to the Jack Kirby exhibition, what did you notice about the way they responded to the artwork, stories, and themes in the galleries? 

When my students entered the Jack Kirby exhibition, the energy in the room shifted immediately. Students were not just looking; they were analyzing the pieces with more detail than they normally do with traditional museum art. I overheard their conversations as they described the artwork to one another. They seemed hooked, moving together from one frame to the next. A few students even returned to school and began creating their own sketches inspired by our visit. 

You shared that the exhibition inspired you to shift your original lesson plan and invite students to create their own superheroes. What changed for you as an educator after seeing your students engage with the exhibition, and how did that shape the project back in the classroom? 

Students repeatedly mentioned the artwork and historical connections from the galleries. I decided to build on their experience by changing my original project plans and allowing them the option to create a superhero project. 

This showed me that my students were able to absorb complex ideas, make important connections, and find deep personal inspiration in history and in the cultures that surround them when they could identify with the material. By allowing their natural interests to guide my instruction, a regular lesson became a student-centered learning experience. 

Many of your students created superheroes who responded to real-world issues such as poverty, homelessness, pollution, and other challenges they care about. What did their projects reveal about how they see themselves, their communities, and their ability to imagine change? 

Their projects showed that they are aware of the difficulties around them, but they also have the empathy and imagination to envision change. They realized that portraying themselves and their communities demands extensive knowledge of the issues and an understanding of the importance of civic responsibility. 

You described the Skirball visit as an experience that made students feel welcomed, valued, and excited to keep talking about what they had seen. What do you think made this visit especially meaningful for them? 

Students felt valued and respected by all staff and employees. They said they felt like VIPs and felt privileged to be in such a beautiful space. The surroundings provided them with a sense of independence in a protected environment. They returned to school eager to share what they had learned, long after our visit.