Hi everyone, I’m Jayden! I am currently a junior at Olathe High School and have been given the opportunity to be an intern for the Smithsonian National Youth Leadership Team this spring and summer. I am involved in a wide range of extracurricular activities, from cross-country to serving as a student lobbyist with West Slope Youth Voice. I spent much of February preparing/competing with my projects for Futures Business Leaders of America and National History Day, all while fighting through two straight weeks of illness. I have loved history from a young age and still enjoying history-based reading today. I was beyond thrilled to learn that Pinhead was offering history internships this year, and so far I have nothing but positive things to say about my internship.
My internship partners students from Smithsonian-affiliate organizations across the country with scholars, teachers, policy experts, and activists to take part in a national conservation movement. The work focuses on important events in America’s past and how they connect to the nation’s present and future. This program is museum-centered, as it is directly run through the Smithsonian National Museum of American History (NMAH).
Our responsibility as student interns is to engage with historical narratives, topics, designs and conservations in order to advocate for what we believe, as students, is important to keep discussing today. As someone who hopes to pursue a career in advocacy, I have enjoyed this program immensely. With our active input, the NMAH will produce video and educational content during our intensive week in Washington DC. That content will also be used to host regional summits in communities across the country and in classrooms nationwide.
In my internship, we meet bi-weekly through Zoom. So far, we’ve had two meetings. The first session was centered on practicing important elements of historical inquiry using the Question Formulation Technique, and we practiced this though two objects: Nipsey Hussle’s gold chain with Diamond encrusts and a sculpted portrait of Malcolm X, as well as a lehenga costume worn by Nina Davuluri in the Miss America 2014 pageant.
To close our session, we reflected on the upcoming 250th anniversary of our country. We shared our thoughts, questions, and feelings about this milestone and what it means to us as students. I don’t remember exactly what I said since I had a 102-degree fever during the meeting, but I do remember mentioning how important it felt to recognize the continuous struggle and hardship people have faced in fighting for a better life in America. After this discussion, we were shown the official branding for the museum’s 250th anniversary exhibition titled, “In Pursuit of Life, Liberty, & Happiness.”
Nipsey Hussle’s chain and Nina Davuluri’s Miss American 2014 lehenga
Official Smithsonian Logo for the 250th Anniversary
The second session featured a guest speaker, Megan Howell Smith, the head of Experience Development at NMAH. During the meeting, she shared blueprints, designs, and objects for the 250th anniversary installation. One artifact she mentioned that stood out to me was the Gunboat Philadelphia. Built in 1776, this gunboat played a role in the American Revolution before eventually sinking from a cannon. This is the only surviving naval ship that was recovered from the Revolutionary War. Over time, the wood has begun to shrink and the iron fittings have started to disintegrate, so conservationist are working to restore it, including college students from Texas A&M.
Exhibit of Gunboat Philadelphia before it was closed for conservation efforts
I was also surprised to learn that the main colors being used for the 250th installation are yellow, teal, and pink, with each color representing a different word in the theme. She explained how objects in the collection are also paired with verbs to help visitors see history as something constantly changing. The exhibit will include 250 objects, each meant to represent an opportunity for visitors to see themselves within the full story of the United States.
Even though it’s been a busy and hectic month, I’m incredibly excited and grateful for the opportunity to connect with awesome officials through the Smithsonian NMAH and to create further connections with other students across the US. I can’t wait to see what’s ahead!
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