Youth Partnerships

MNHS partners with diverse organizations to create in-depth, meaningful learning experiences for young people that help them develop career and life skills. The Mazinaakizige: American Indian Teen Photography Program welcomed six American Indian high school students who investigated historic and contemporary images of American Indians, learned digital photography, and created a gallery show to interpret the theme "Powerful." The opening was held at the Two Rivers Gallery on Dec. 9, 2016, with the gallery donating the space, announcement postcards and frames for the prints. The student show will also be displayed at Minneapolis Central Library starting Feb. 8, 2017 and the Minnesota History Center and Mille Lacs Indian Museum & Trading Post in spring and summer 2017. The Summer Technology Workshop highlights career readiness through a community-identified assessment of technology skills needs. Students explored the Google suite of tools and web design through immersive opportunities held at the Minnesota History Center and Saint Paul College. Students explored Latino representation in the historical record and identified topics for future in-depth research. They created 10-minute documentaries and websites. The goal of the Teen Advisory Council is to increase a teen presence and voice at MNHS. The council works with community advisers such as the Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs to create teen-produced programming for MNHS family day events. Students learn about the history of the community and issues surrounding diverse narratives. They create original programs and performances (such as spoken word and webinars) with guidance from community advisers and MNHS staff. Students learned about what it means to be a Minnesotan and how to present those narratives in a museum setting. This year staff worked at Mill City Museum to develop Waariyan: Somali Youth in Minnesota, which encouraged Somali high school students to explore their identities as Minnesotans through food, storytelling and cultural resources. Using oral histories, video editing software, historical research and career-readiness curriculum, students compiled research into a cookbook to be published by MNHS Press in 2018.