Earlier this year, students from the Somerville High School Local History Club, with guidance from their teacher Adda Maria Santos and the Somerville Museum, curated an exhibition, The Basement Project: Not Your Usual Basement Junk. Through objects from the museum’s collection, each student thoughtfully reflected on Somerville’s past and their experience as a Somerville resident today. Unfortunately, the show was cut short by the pandemic.

Join in over Zoom on Thursday, August 27, at 6:30 p.m. to hear about the exhibit development process and the students’ object selections, as well as their reactions to the exhibition being cut short. Panelists include Somerville High School students and recent graduates along with teacher Adda Maria Santos and museum education professional Jodie Smith.

Panelists:

• Silas Booth (2021)
• Brian Chan (alumn)
• Isaias Hernandez Rivera (2021)
• Owen Hughes (alumn)
• Alex Leite (alumn)
• Isabella Milanowski (2021)
• Esmay Pricejones (2021)
• Mozn Shora (alumn)
• Adda Maria Santos, Somerville High School history teacher and local History Club advisor
• Jodie Smith, Museum education professional

Adda Maria Santos was named this year’s recipient of the William Spratt Award for Excellence in Social Studies by the Massachusetts Council for the Social Studies. The award, presented annually to one outstanding Massachusetts High School educator, recognized Adda’s work with the students of the Somerville High School Local History Club including The Basement Project exhibit.

Jodie Smith is a Somerville resident and museum professional with expertise in school-aged education and archival history research. She supported the Somerville High School students through object selection, content development, and label writing for the Somerville Museum’s Basement Project exhibit.

This event has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the human endeavor. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Zoom Event Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89062549754?pwd=WUlzRURxUnRETkpNSjJ3L1hCRmQ5Zz09