On September 6th, the IB Seniors at Diamond Bar High School held the long-awaited International Baccalaureate (IB) Exhibition to showcase their personal experiences, reflections, and projects as part of the IB Program. The event aimed to inspire the upcoming cohort of IB juniors by offering them a firsthand look at what the IB journey entails and to provide a space for questions and mentorship.
With the retirement of former Theory of Knowledge (TOK) teacher Dena Lordi, the event this year was organized by Civics teacher Gizelle Lopez-Jaime and her new TOK class. Having made preparations from the beginning of the academic year, the event was held in Lopez-Jaime’s classroom to reinitiate the IB seniors and introduce the new juniors of IB to the program.
“The goal of the exhibition was to show the IB juniors what the exhibition would be like. We also used that time to meet the juniors and hold a Q and A,” senior Faith Makahaube said.
Having participated as a panelist, she described the exhibition as a success but stressed that its effectiveness depended on whether the juniors took valuable lessons from the event.
Throughout the exhibition, IB seniors displayed personal items tied to their journey of knowledge and growth. These items ranged from academic projects to objects representing personal achievements or life lessons learned during their time in the program. For many seniors, this exhibition was an opportunity not only to showcase their work but also to reflect on the challenges and responsibilities they faced while navigating the rigorous IB curriculum.
Senior Kristen Chea, who also participated in the event, reflected on the importance of the exhibition in fostering both personal growth and connection between students.
“At the IB exhibition, seniors were able to display their personal items and how they were related to knowledge, giving us IB seniors a reflection showing understanding knowledge and skills that are supposed to stimulate change or contribution to the future generation or IB juniors,” Chea said.
She emphasized that the exhibition allowed seniors to share their experiences and offer advice to the juniors, many of whom may feel intimidated by the challenges ahead.
“I was a bit just expecting a lot of questions from the juniors as I know IB might seem scary to them, and I think it was our duty to make them feel welcome and at ease.” Chea said.
The exhibition also served as a platform for the seniors to demonstrate their independence and responsibility as learners. For many seniors, this was a moment to pause and consider how far they had come, as well as how they could pass on their knowledge to those following in their footsteps.
“The goals of holding the exhibition were to provide students with a plausible opportunity to display and reflect on independence and responsibility for our own learning,” Chea added.
The IB exhibition has long been a tradition within the school’s IB program, and for the seniors, it marked an important chapter in their IB journey. It was clear that, for these seniors, the exhibition was more than just a display of their work—it was an opportunity to celebrate their growth, share their wisdom, and contribute to the ongoing legacy of the IB program.
Lopez-Jaime, acting as the TOK teacher and a core event organizer for IB, has plans for other projects like the recent exhibition. This semester, the TOK class will be collaborating to create a philosophy newsletter discussing their findings on the subject of knowledge.
Many juniors expressed their gratitude for the insights shared by the seniors. The exhibition not only gave them a glimpse into the demands of the IB program but also provided reassurance that they were not alone in their journey. With seniors ready to offer guidance and support, the IB juniors are now better prepared to tackle the challenges that lie ahead.