Project Location/Destination: Out of town - Los Angeles area, California
Faculty Leaders: Matt June & Gretchen Metzler
Dates: Monday, March 13 - Friday, March 17
Cost: $2307
Special Considerations:
See below.
Objective
Explore how Presidential Libraries and Museums seek to preserve the history and advance the legacies of their subjects now and into the future.
Description
The U.S. presidency is arguably the most exclusive club in U.S. history–a group of just 46 members, only six of whom are still living. While in power, presidents and their administrations make a profound impact - defining their era and reshaping the world. But what happens after a president leaves office? Who controls access to Presidential documents? How is the history of their administration preserved? How is their legacy communicated to future generations? On this project week we will visit the sites of three presidential libraries to evaluate how each library seeks to preserve and portray their president in the face of competing visions for the institutions. We will begin our journey in Chicago with an exploration into the upcoming Obama Presidential Center. We will spend a day learning about the current plans and dive into the process and controversies associated with bringing this presidential center to our city. We will continue our presidential examination in southern California by first visiting the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library (Simi Valley, CA) and concluding with the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum (Yorba Linda, CA). At each of these existing libraries/museums we will go on guided behind-the-scenes tours, explore new or upcoming exhibits, and meet with the archivists and historians working to preserve historical records that tell the story of each president. Students will also have the opportunity to explore files held in each archive and experience the process of archival research. With ample opportunities to explore Southern California, including trips to Santa Barbara and Orange County, students will also consider how presidents both shape and are shaped by their places of origin as well as how presidential centers seek to capture those local connections.
Student Requirements and Expectations
Students will be expected to fully engage with library and museum content for at least 3 consecutive hours a day. Further, we will be traveling approximately 1.5 hours a day to get to each site, requiring a willingness for regular road trips.
As a group, students will develop a list of recommendations for the Obama Presidential Center to consider and draft a letter to the Obama Foundation outlining their conclusions.
About the Faculty
This project allows Mr. June, US History Teacher, and Ms. Metzler, US Librarian, to combine some of their professional passions – the U.S. Presidency and libraries of any sort. Together, Mr. June and Ms. Metzler will draw on their individual areas of expertise, including experience researching in libraries, archives, and museums, to enhance student experience with three U.S. Presidents and their libraries.
Special Considerations
Accommodation considerations - Students will be expected to sleep in shared accommodations.
COVID related information - Some venues may require proof of COVID vaccination or negative test. Students are encouraged to travel with this information and provide it, if required. The presidential libraries & museums we will be visiting may require masking depending on local transmission rates. Please contact the project leaders or School Nurse with any questions or concerns.
Scheduling (Out-of-Town) - This project will have time commitment outside of the M-F (8-4) typical school week. Please note that there is an expectation that students are able to attend the whole time the project is running.
Supervision during the day - Students might be unsupervised for short periods of time during the course of the day.
Supervision while sleeping - Students might be unsupervised for extended periods of time during sleeping hours (hotel, hostels, etc.).
Transportation considerations: CTA - Students will take the CTA with faculty.
Transportation considerations: Latin faculty - Students will be transported by Latin School faculty