CHESTERTOWN — Kent County Middle School students walked through the history of their communities when the school’s media center was turned into a pop-up museum with an exhibition focusing on the “People, Places, Stories and Stuff” of Kent County.
The effort to celebrate local history was made possible through a partnership of Washington College, the Museums of Kent and the Kent County Department of Economic and Tourism Development.
“So often when young people learn history, they’re learning stories about other places. We believe that local history education inspires students to connect more deeply to their own communities and to see where they’re from as special and worth knowing more about,” said Sara Clarke-De Reza, chair of Washington College’s education department.
The exhibits that were on display at the middle school are part of Washington College’s Digital Scholarship in Museum Partnerships project, which embeds technological enhancements in its history displays to create more immersive learning opportunities.
Michelle Cerino is Kent County Public Schools’ Title I coordinator who supports literacy and social studies.
Cerino helped organize the visit to Kent County Middle School on Feb. 6 in conjunction with National History Day.
She said KCMS students engaged directly with the historians from the county and Washington College, asking questions and making meaningful connections to their own community.
“They were able to see history, not as something distant, but as something built by real people in the places they know,” Cerino said. “The event, exhibits and activities really brought Kent County’s stories and rich history to life.”
National History Day, held annually, aims to bolster how history is taught and learned in schools throughout the country.
Learn more about Washington College’s Digital Scholarship in Museum Partnerships project at https://www.dsmpproject.net.
Keep up with Kent County Middle School at https://www.kent.k12.md.us/KCMS.aspx.
