Lawrence High School Students Intern at the Addison

A student at Lawrence High School’s Performing and Fine Arts Academy recently expressed to her humanities teacher David Meehan, an interest in interning at the Addison Gallery. So with some planning between Mr. Meehan and the Addison’s education staff, she and nine classmates with a similar interest in museum studies began a six-week internship. Now four weeks into the program, this talented group of students has arrived each week with eagerness and motivation.

Because the interns were particularly interested in working with younger students, they have worked directly with school groups in the galleries. When fifth graders from Lynn came to see Birth of the Cool, the interns toured the exhibition with the students, engaging them in conversations about what they thought about what they were seeing.

After the visit, one of the interns, Meaghan, described the experience, “When we had group discussions, they all had their own ideas on what they thought was cool and what the word cool even meant.” Jeremy added, “I made some funny comments and related everything they were seeing to things they know. I also taught them some things they didn’t know.”

Julie and I are enjoying hearing
the interns’ impressions of how we work with students, and the interns have offered some suggestions for how we can make school visits even more effective. It is always helpful to us to have a fresh perspective.

In their last few weeks at the Addison, the interns are meeting with other Addison staff members, talking with artist-in-residence Carroll Dunham as he installs the exhibition of his prints, and synthesizing all that they have experienced during their Addison internship.

Amy Freedberg
Education Fellow