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)