The Whole Spiel
Spring 2022 Education Internship Projects
March 7, 2022
Internships provide important opportunities for students to translate their educational insights into real-world projects. Opportunities to participate in the development of a new museum are that much more valuable.
Education staff and interns meeting to prepare interpretive programs, February 2022
We are pleased to be hosting two interns in our Education Department. In addition to traditional assignments, assisting with ongoing public programs, and being trained as a tour guide, these interns are assisting with the development of two key interpretive components for the new museum—discovery carts and the community action lab.
The Discovery Cart program provides opportunities for visitors to engage with objects from the collection in a hands-on setting in conjunction with facilitated questions. The development process requires choosing themes and stories from the galleries that utilize images and objects from an education collection that we can touch and explore. The education and content teams then work together to interpret these objects and stories and develop questions to inspire engagement and an opportunity for reflection.
The Community Action Lab offers experimental and experiential programs that encourage social action. Visitors will actively take steps as changemakers and leave the Museum feeling empowered with tangible next steps. Preparations require creating, developing, piloting, and evaluating a lab program for intergenerational families and/or school groups that expands on stories from the galleries and encourages visitors to connect with one another and the objects in a different way.
Introducing the Interns
Max Miller received her B.S. from Appalachian State University in Elementary Education, with a minor in History, and is currently a graduate student in George Washington Universities Museum Education program. She will be helping create discovery carts for visitors to be used throughout the museum.
“I have always found the power of a museum to be one of the best educational tools outside of a classroom. I am thrilled to be a part of the Capital Jewish Museum team because of my connection to Judaism and the history that can be taught about the Jewish influence in the Washington, DC area. I am excited to work with every member of the staff to help create an exciting museum to add to the collection of prominent museums in the DC”
Hally Silberg received her B.S. from the University of Michigan in International Studies, with a minor in Urban Studies, and went on to teach in Israel and New York City. She is now a graduate student in George Washington University’s Museum Studies program, with a concentration in Public Engagement, and is helping create unfacilitated activities for the Community Action Lab.
“I am excited to be working with the Capital Jewish Museum team! I am passionate about museums as sites for positive change that help create a brighter future. I believe they have the power to inspire and bring us together. I look forward to collaborating with my team members to create inclusive programming based on Jewish values that highlight stories of Washington, DC’s Jewish community and their important contributions to society.”