Just when things seemed to be going smoothly, they hit an unexpected roadblock.
The school administration got wind of the testimonials Noah had recorded and raised concerns about student privacy. The principal called Ella, Noah, and Maya into his office.
"This is a sensitive topic," he said. "While I admire your passion, we can't allow anything that might compromise student confidentiality."
Ella argued, "We've gotten consent from everyone who participated."
"Even so," the principal said, "we have to be cautious. I suggest you revise your project to exclude these interviews."
After the meeting, they sat in the library, deflated.
"This is ridiculous," Noah muttered. "They're trying to silence the truth."
Maya added, "But if we don't comply, they might disqualify us."
Ella sighed, her mind racing. "We'll figure out a way to keep the heart of the project intact without the interviews. We have to."
Determined not to let the setback derail them, the trio brainstormed alternatives.
"What if we turn the testimonials into written narratives?" Maya suggested. "We can display them anonymously, like an art installation."
Noah lit up. "And I could create voiceovers for some of them. I'll tweak my voice so it's unrecognizable."
Ella nodded, her excitement growing. "We could pair the stories with abstract photos to symbolize the emotions they're describing. That way, it's still impactful but completely anonymous."
Over the next week, they worked tirelessly to implement the changes. Maya helped rewrite the testimonials into poetic narratives, while Noah recorded the voiceovers. Ella's photography added a haunting beauty to the final product.