FALL 2017 American Folk Art Museum Teen Leaders Wednesday, October 18-Wednesday, June 6, 2018

Join  

American Folk Art Museum Teen Leaders! 

Wednesdays

W. 10/18/2017-W. 6/6/2018

4-5:30 PM

GPA impacting

Credit bearing 

(1 art history credit)

THIS IS A YEAR-LONG COMMITMENT. 

The Teen Leader Program begins on Wednesday, October 18th, 2017 at the American Folk Art Museum. 

Ms. MacNeil will interview all interested, eligible students and will select up to 6 students who are eager to commit to this program.

The Teen Docent Program at the American Folk Art Museum teaches NYC high school students about the museum’s collections as well as careers in the arts through extended observation of exhibitions, hands-on activities, in-depth conversations, private curatorial tours, panel discussions, artist talks, and exchanges with other museum teen councils. Students gain public speaking and research skills, as well as work collaboratively to design their own tours of the museum based upon themes they develop together. Teen docent graduates are eligible to apply for paid summer jobs at the American Folk Art Museum, leading camp programs in the galleries.

Teen Leader Program American Folk Art Museum

Requirements and Expectations

High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors are eligible to become teen leaders at the museum. Through weekly one and a half hour sessions, students learn about the museum’s exhibitions and careers in the arts, hone their public speaking skills, and give tours to other teenagers around the city. As partners, schools will receive free tours led by teen leaders for their high school students.

What commitment must students make to participate in the Teen Leader Program?

• Attendance

Attend all weekly sessions, and make up the work for missed classes. Classes will run on Wednesday afternoons from 4:00-5:30 pm, beginning on October 18th, 2017 and ending in early June 2018. When you miss a session because you are sick or have another school commitment, you must complete a make-up assignment.

• Curiosity and Engagement

Participate in discussions, activities, and projects. Interaction with your teen docent colleagues will greatly impact your experience at the American Folk Art Museum. Ask lots of questions!

• Tours

This is your culminating project; designed and developed by you for an audience of your peers. These tours will be for other teens from your high school and around the city, and will comprise a significant part of your grade.

What are some of the perks of being an AFAM teen leader?

• Public speaking skills

Hone your public speaking skills by engaging other teens in looking at and discussing works of art in the galleries.

• Free admission

As a teen leader, you will get a museum ID. This ID will allow you free access to the museum during open hours. In addition, the ID will also get you free admission to most museums in New York City and beyond.

• Special Field Trips

Explore art in New York! When possible, we will visit museums, galleries, and other institutions in the city that relate to our collection. Occasionally there are films or other trips that are relevant.

• Behind-the-Scenes and Museum Careers

Learn about how exhibitions are put together and what it takes to run a museum. You will meet a wide variety of museum staff and learn about their jobs and how they got those jobs. The museum has a variety of departments, from curatorial to special events (the people who plan parties!). There is also an education department, a publications department, an accounting department, and a development department, among others. You will also meet the director of the museum.

• Curatorial Insights

One of the most special perks of being a teen leader is access to the curators. Curators are the people who research artists and develop exhibitions. They decide what works will be on view, design exhibitions, and write about works of art. You will have special tours with the curators and have an opportunity to learn about their jobs.

• Summer Job

All students who successfully complete the teen leader program are eligible to apply for a paid summer position to lead tours for day camp groups in the galleries. Those who are hired undergo special training to learn how to work with young children and conduct art- making workshops. Only those with commendable attendance and participation in the Teen Leader Program are eligible to apply.

What do we require from schools participating in the Teen Leader Program?

• School Credit

All students who participate in the Teen Leader Program must receive school internship credit for their successful completion of the program. Some schools choose to award this credit as community service credit; others offer art credit. The type of credit awarded is flexible, but we feel it is a crucial component to a student’s success in the program. When students include the Teen Leader Program in their regular course load, their commitment to the program increases. This higher level of commitment impacts students’ attendance and engagement in the course.

• Staff Liaison

Each school participating in the Teen Leader Program must designate a liaison or contact person for museum staff. The museum’s director of education maintains communication with this liaison throughout the school year. The liaison will receive weekly updates on student progress and attendance, and information about any field trips we take during program sessions. In addition, the liaison helps troubleshoot any problems that arise.

• Tour Audience

Each school that participates in the Teen Leader Program is invited to visit the museum for a tour led by a student from the school. Teen Leaders do practice tours with their class, then lead final tours for credit toward their culminating assignment. We request that schools endeavor to provide a small audience for these tours. As teen leaders gain confidence and prepare for their tours, the director of education will work with the school’s staff liaison to work out the details of these visits.

• Student Scheduling

In order for students to participate in the Teen Docent Program, they must be able to attend the weekly sessions. Classes run from 4:00-5:30 pm on Tuesdays from October 2015 through May 2016. Occasionally schools make special arrangements so a student can leave a few minutes early to make it to class on time.

Museum Location

• Two Lincoln Square (Columbus Avenue + West 66th Street)