Bethesda-Chevy Chase students impress Smithsonian secretary
Recently, Bethesda-Chevy Chase (B-CC) High School students created a pop-up display about teenagers' lives today, and the issues they face.
Their museum generated news coverage and stirred up plenty of buzz on social media, all of which caught the attention of an expert on museums—the 13th secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, David Skorton.
Students from B-CC installed exhibits and murals in an empty spot on Wisconsin Avenue, trying to show visitors what being a teenager is like. In their pop-up space, which was only open for a limited time, they covered topics from ride-share harassment, to gender fluidity. After reading about the project in ‘The Washington Post’, Skorton decided to visit. He has tried to visit as many galleries and museums as he can since taking over the post at the Smithsonian.
He was reassured at what he found, saying that he enjoyed seeing the teens' work, and how they handled the difficulties of presenting information to visitors. He also said he was pleased that young people were interested in sharing their stories in many different ways, using both traditional and newer options such as the pop-up format. Skorton is satisfied they are expressing themselves in ways he found powerful, and demonstrating the importance of arts to the nation.
Events like this give visitors a chance to create holiday cards with an important message as the background.
Their museum generated news coverage and stirred up plenty of buzz on social media, all of which caught the attention of an expert on museums—the 13th secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, David Skorton.
Students from B-CC installed exhibits and murals in an empty spot on Wisconsin Avenue, trying to show visitors what being a teenager is like. In their pop-up space, which was only open for a limited time, they covered topics from ride-share harassment, to gender fluidity. After reading about the project in ‘The Washington Post’, Skorton decided to visit. He has tried to visit as many galleries and museums as he can since taking over the post at the Smithsonian.
He was reassured at what he found, saying that he enjoyed seeing the teens' work, and how they handled the difficulties of presenting information to visitors. He also said he was pleased that young people were interested in sharing their stories in many different ways, using both traditional and newer options such as the pop-up format. Skorton is satisfied they are expressing themselves in ways he found powerful, and demonstrating the importance of arts to the nation.
Events like this give visitors a chance to create holiday cards with an important message as the background.