Month: May 2016

826DC is thrilled to celebrate Linda Maxwell and her Museum Academy Program (MAP) at the Anacostia Community Museum as valued Community Partners this month! Thanks to their invitation and support, our volunteers recently lead MAP students on two fun-filled writing adventures related to a current exhibition, Twelve Years That Shook and Shaped Washington: 1963-1975. 

The mission of the Anacosita Community Museum is to enhance understanding of contemporary urban experiences and strengthen community bonds by conserving the past, documenting the present, and serving as a catalyst for shaping the future. Their education department offers 12-15 programs a month that are designed to stimulate your creativity, provoke discussion and debate, and promote discovery around current exhibitions.

We asked Linda Maxwell, MAP’s Project Director, to tell us a little more about the partnership.

826DC: How did the partnership come about? How has it grown?

Linda Maxwell: “Since 2006, I have worked as an Education Specialist for the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum.  I coordinate and develop public programs, teacher workshops, and serve as the Project Director for the museum’s out-of-school-time initiative Museum Academy Program (MAP). We wanted to integrate more literacy and reading in the MAP; and I thought the offerings 826DC provided would be a great opportunity to do both.

“Since our first 2 workshops with 826DC were such a success, Ms. Khorsand and the 826DC team are always welcome again to work with our Museum Academy Program students.  The students (and staff) were absolutely thrilled to receive the first book of published poetry based on Anacostia Community Museum exhibition called the 12 Years That Shook a Poem.  I was very impressed with the work Ms. Khorsand did with our students. They were engaged throughout the workshop, and she did an excellent job incorporating our museum’s exhibition as part of the program activities (and also provided us with lesson plans!).”

826DC: Tell us more about a memorable experience with one of your students.

LM: “There are so many memorable experiences I have from working with our students in the MAP.  One of my most memorable is seeing how each student has grown academically, socially and physically to become great students.  Our MAP has partnered with the Savoy Elementary School’s performing arts dance group called the Savoy Players.  During this year’s Black History Month program at Savoy, one of our shyest students performed. I was truly impressed watching her performed, she has grown to become a very poised and confident young lady.”

(Source: http://anacostia.si.edu)

May volunteer of the month Pack Landfair would like to meet Waldo someday. Yes, that Waldo. At least that’s what he told a group of third through fifth-graders during last school year’s Newspaper Club, held every Wednesday afternoon at Tubman Elementary. For the past 2 years, Pack has served as a mentor to the students in Newspaper Club as they learned the ins and outs of publishing a paper, from lead to layout.

“When I was in college in the early 2000s, I became a huge Dave Eggers fan and decided I would volunteer at an 826 when I grew up” says Pack. “The kids are what make it fun – watching them learn and grow, and being part of such a positive environment.”

Development Assistant Rita says: “When Pack misses a week of Newspaper Club, all the kids notice. I think he’s the most memorable volunteer for them because he engages so well on their level.”  Last year, members of the newspaper club chose to feature Pack in the inaugural edition of The Tubman Toad. See below for the student interview we couldn’t possibly top, and read the full issue here.

We congratulate Pack and thank him for his incredible service! Be on the lookout for more fantastic pieces from the student journalists at Tubman as they publish their second edition this Spring.

To the Moon and Back with Pack 

By The Tubman Toad Journalists

Meet Stanley Woodrow Landfair IV, also known as Pack, who lives on H St NE in Washington, DC and has been on TV. He has two older sisters, Monica and Jennifer. His dad lives in California, where he used to spend his summers, and during the school year he lived in Virginia with his mom.

Pack has curly, light-brown hair, green eyes, and wears a navy shirt with Army shorts that he bought at Goodwill by Costco. He’s 32-years-old.

When he was young, he had an American flag mailed to him that was flown over the U.S. Capitol on his birthday. He explains, “It’s the cheapest way to get a really nice flag.” His favorite color is burnt orange and he wears a ring from the University of Texas, where he went to school. He loved to play baseball and also liked to wrestle and much more!

Pack likes all kinds of music and used to live with musicians. When he was young, he liked to put helium balloons in people’s cars for their birthdays.

“I just want to make a living and enjoy myself and have fun,” he says. When asked about other fun things, Pack added he would like to go to space and said, “I’d like to be buried on the moon.”

He wrote a book about trying to look for a job by driving on his motorcycle around the country. He enjoys watching Seinfeld, a comedy show. His favorite book that he likes to read is Waldo. “I’d like to meet Waldo.”