This summer, B-CC students, who along with teens from around the DMV make up the Museum of Contemporary American Teenagers (MoCAT) team, will present the “Totally Teen Summer” exhibit within the featured program, Youth and the Future of Culture, at the Smithsonian Institution’s annual Folklife Festival in Washington, Along with the Smithsonian Institution, MoCAT has partnered with American University and Kennedy Center Education to “be the definitive celebration, exploration, and exposition of American teen culture past and present.”
The exhibit will recreate a high school hallway on the Mall, where, according to the MoCAT website, “teenagers will present performances, discussions, and demonstrations that explore topics as varied as ‘third spaces,’ social media, fashion, slang, and coming of age.” The “Awkward Stage” will feature performances, the “Counselor’s Office” will exhibit content on youth mental health challenges, and individual lockers will reveal artifacts of the past and present. Since 1967, the Folklife Festival has been an international exhibition of living cultural heritage presented at the National Mall, however this is the first time in its history that reflections on youth experience have been at its center.
MoCAT, established in 2017, has developed several projects over the years focused on sharing an authentic glimpse of American teenagers’ lives. Junior Noah Grosberg was introduced to this exciting project by Anthropology and English teacher Mr. Lopilato. Grosberg has been working on this exhibit since the fall of his sophomore year alongside juniors Simone Pulerwitz-Waisbord, Sofi a Guyer, Ben Katz, and Logan Moran.
Grosberg shared, “I’m excited for the festival but also nervous, because it’sa big deal with thousands of visitors.” Over one million visitors regularly gather each summer to attend the free performances, workshops, demonstrations, and other activities on offer.
Grosberg and Pulerwitz-Waisbord are building a mini-golf course on the Mall that explores teen issues and third spaces. Their primary goal is to highlight the significance of these third spaces in youth culture and to recognize the impact that teenagers have had on the world.
To check out this enriching exhibit, head to the National Mall from July 2-7.
