Internship #14

*My mentor picture will be posted tomorrow morning when I get back in the office*

Lauren Popp, Education Programs Coordinator, The New Children's Museum, Downtown San Diego.

Interview Highlights:

What is your favorite type of art/artist/gallery?

Throughout the interview Lauren mentioned artists that worked with more material items, rather than just paint. I asked if she preferred those to paintings and she said she likes "to be immersed in a space with a piece of art." Some of her favorites include Tara Donovan who is currently showing at MCASD. She also mentioned she favored the work of controversial artist Eduardo Kac.

Where have you travelled and where do you wish to travel?

Lauren has been to Mexico, France, Switzerland, Germany and Spain. She wishes to travel more and wishes she went abroad for a year or two to teach English. She has plans to potentially go to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. She mentioned that she thought it was "valuable to stay in one place for a longer extended time."

Do you have any regrets in your career path?

Growing up, Lauren had a pact with her best friend in college that if they didn't have jobs by the time graduation came around, they would move to Ireland for a year or so and become nannies. All for the experience. Lauren said "it doesn't do you any good to regret, so I don't regret not going, I just wish I could have split myself in two after college to do both things. Have a job, and go travel."

How did you choose your major in college, since you mentioned you were a dancer prior to being a museum educator?

Lauren was always very college driven, she danced throughout her life and through college, worked with choreographers and started college as an English major. Her sophomore year in college, she called the Art History professor Mary Vidal and asked why she would want to be an Art History Major. Mary said that art history is literature, visual art, science, history, politics all in one, and if Lauren wanted to be surrounded by beautiful things all her life she should major in Art History. She took one of the classes in Impressionism and was sold. She changed her major and has been dedicated to being an educator of Art History.

Internship #13

Post 3 Pictures.

These blogs are getting harder to complete with the end of internship approaching because I have so much to do, so if one isn't up very early, that's why.

My desk is my primary base for the day, I do my blogs for NCM here, try and balance the school work we get with my internship work here as well. You can see I'm working on the Podcast Project since GarageBand is on the computer and my script is out on my desk.

"AEH Conelrad Device" is another Teen Studio installation, and I spent a lot of time assembling those little IKEA chairs, and thinking of possible safety restrictions. I spend a lot of time in Teen Studio.

My notepad, since I wasn't able to get a picture of my mentor since she was ill is the most important thing in my internship. I take it home with me and I always have it with me, it helps me remember everything since I have terrible memory. It remembers dates and deadlines and ideas for me like a good little notepad.

Internship #11

Please post a summary of your week at internship. What were the highlights? What were the challenges? What was memorable and why?

Well, this week I was sick on Friday, and we didn't have any internship on Monday due to MLK day. I spent a lot of time at the computer researching podcasts to finish my project and I spent some time researching green ideas for a camp NCM is doing during the week. I FOUND POLAR TREATS! They are so cute and they symbolize how global warming is drowning polar bears and they're edible! Kid friendly of course. Some challenges I had were I really didn't feel well toward the end of the week, and it was kind of tough to be running around doing everything I needed to be when I felt under the weather. But Tuesday I'm having a meeting with Margaret and Lauren! And Friday is my Panama meeting and the POL and a guinea pig show. So I'm foreshadowing an excellent week!

Sidenote: I am really upset that I missed my site visit with Sarah and Sabrina though :( I was really excited to show them the show and everything I'm working on/doing. :( :( :(

Internship Pictures!

I had a request to put more pictures in here, so I figured I would make a post dedicated solely to pictures of my internship. There is some of my work I've done, some of the museum it's self etc..

My newest favorite installation in Teen Studio. Currently writing a blog for it for NCM.

Typical desk for me.

Assembling stools from IKEA for the newest Teen Studio installation.

You know, being business casual and whatnot.

This is "Missing Links" by Felipe Dulzaides. It's a huge jumpy.

Entrance Animal Art sign.

"Toy an Horse" by Marcos Ramirez Erre. You can go in it's belly!

One of our Art Studio options is to create your own Birdhouse.

The Fundreds installation was just replaced, but this is what it was prior, idea by Mel Chin.

One of our own installations "Animal Sounds!"

Oh and just a shoutout to Diana's advisory, my favorite advisory for actually reading these things and making me take pictures for everything!

Internship #10

This is my desk for the major part of my morning, I have read and researched "green activities" for our summer camps green week.

Sometimes I really wonder when I'm here how people can sit at a desk all day. I don't really sit at a desk all day, I have different activities I do at intermittent times in the day, but sitting here from 9-6 would kill me! I think it's a really good helper in showing me what I don't want to do.

Some questions I'd like to ask my mentor would be-

1) How did you decide what you wanted to do when you were younger since you have mentioned you used to take dance classes?

2) Why didn't you pursue being a teacher, since you were a teaching assistant earlier?

3) Do you pull a lot of your educational program ideas from your past educational experiences?

4) Do you feel like growing up all over America helped in understanding other cultures?

From these questions I plan on asking more branched off questions, but as of now those 4 are what I could come up with without seeming redundant from my past interview.

Mentor Questions

Where did you grow up?

I’m an air force brat, so I grew up all over—born in Omaha, Nebraska, lived in Ohio, Alabama, and Santa Maria, California.

Where did you go to school?

I did my BA at the University of California, San Diego, and my MA at the University of California, Riverside.

Do you have any interesting educational experiences?

I loved my programs at both UCSD and UCR. Something that really sticks out for me is work I did as a grad student in several Riverside High schools. I taught a course called “podcasting in the arts” and really loved working with the high school students.

Where did you work before NCM?

In college I worked for Trader Joes while doing internships at UCSD and the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. After college I worked for MCASD, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., as a Teaching Assistant at UCR.

Do you have any siblings?

Yes, I have one brother who is 25 years old.

If you could move anywhere where would it be?

I can’t choose one place! Here are a few of my top choices: New York City, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Chicago, Spain, France, Sweden.

What do you wish you had done after college but haven't/didn't?

Taught English abroad for a year or two, or backpacked around South America.

What do you want to do before you die?

I want to speak Spanish fluently, live in New York City for at least one year, visit artist Donald Judd’s museum in Marfa, Texas, travel to (just to name a few places) India, China, Russia (where my family is from), Japan, Thailand, Peru, and Croatia, and become an expert seamstress.

Internship!

What new appreciations (for who? of what?) have you gained through internship that you did not have before? How did you develop these appreciations?

I have a new appreciation for everyone who works at a museum. I did not in a million years think it would be this hard to run a museum! I also have a new appreciation for my mentor Lauren. She is the person that so many people go to because she seems to have all the answers and ideas. I really developed these by just watching and listening to what people say about her when I tell them she's my mentor and listening in on what people say about the attendance of the museum, all the artists etc.. I have also gained a new respect for the people who staff the floors, they have to stand out there monitoring the safety of children all day and they all love it.

Internship Project Description

First, provide a complete & detailed project description.

For internship I have two projects I need to accomplish. I need to come up with a podcast proposal for NCM, so that we could potentially have a weekly podcast aimed at whatever age group I choose to propose it about. My second project is the "Bi-Weekly Blog" which I still feel should be named "As Told by Hallie". I have to write 2 blogs a week about anything I think should be written about and try to attract people to read it and come in to the museum. You can see my first blog about Fundreds here; http://www.thinkplaycreate.org/blog/?p=1096

Project description

Internship site: The New Children's Museum

Department: Education Programs

Project Title: The Bi-Weekly Blog and Podcast Proposal Project

General Description: A twice weekly blog about anything concerning the museum, and a proposal for the museum to make weekly podcasts.

Learning Objectives: The one thing that I need to learn that should help me a lot in my future is how to propose things. I don't know how to make a proposal or an offer, aside from bartering merchandise. I am really good with persuading and writing which thankfully are the main staples of my projects.

Organization/Company Objectives & Benefits: With both projects, we can gain appeal and hopefully draw more people into the museum who weren't likely to come in in the first place.

Schedule:

Blog- twice weekly, so it will finish when internship is over, and I do it Mon/Tues and Thurs/Fri of the week.

Podcasts- that will hopefully be done by the start of next week to the middle of next week. Most of my time this week will be spent on that.

Academic Skills: The skills necessary to the completion of my projects are mostly Humanities based. Lots of writing, and in my first blog for NCM I used the news story layout. I have a lot of appealing to do in my blogs and especially in my podcast because the goal is for it to be approved.

Technical Skills: Lots of researching and compiling. Also, familiarizing myself with all of the programs I have to use.

Collaboration—Skills and Opportunities: I'm also apart of the Teen Advisory Council here at the museum, so I can tie in a lot of what I do in my internship to what I do with TAC.

Exhibition Plans: My exhibition plans are all going to be displayed online and on the NCM Blog or website hopefully. I will probably be exhibiting my first podcast through Quicktime.

Next, provide a summary of your week.

I really enjoy coming to the museum like I actually work here and I make a contribution even in the slightest bit. I met some challenges with the blogs because I got to a point where I really just did not know what to do with them, I was so confused about what I should write about then I had to dig in to what I would want to read and thought, lets market the idea of coming here as a teenager! I would describe the first week as getting into a pool very slowly and then deciding its not worth it and doing a huge cannonball in. The first couple days were like a stick your toes and feet into the pool and get used to it, or at least try. You see it doesn't work so well and you figure okay well move it or lose it I need to get started on everything I don't have time for being nervous around other working people and you jump in and you're immediately surrounded by a 9 to 5 job and actual tasks that someone who worked there would have. It is such a cool feeling to fit in with an actual museum!

Interview Internship!

I'd really love to learn more about Lauren and how she ended up here, and since she's been filling me in on her current project here at the museum I'd love to know in what other ways I could help her out with anything. I'd probably end up interviewing her in my office on a Wednesday or on the floor since we're closed Wednesdays to the public somewhere in the afternoon.

Some big ideas are:

How did you get to your position?

Have you had this position at any other companies?

How did you find out about NCM?

I'd love to learn more about those questions because I would potentially be interested in her position when I'm older or something in the education department. I love the atmosphere here!

Internship #4

1. What academic skills could you use on the job?

I can use all of my blogging skills from Randy's class, my editing skills from Chris's class and my math skills from Darren. (very minute math!)

2. What forms of collaboration could you use in a project?

I'm pretty sure this question is asking me if I could combine mediums? I can combine mediums in an expressive way of how I have worked throughout my time here, even though it's only been 5 days.

3. What technical skills can you use at your internship?

Lots of blogging already on top of the 4 weekly blogs for school, lots of web searching and podcasts, and combining information.

4. What new things can you learn while working at your site?

I can learn to be more work oriented, and obviously how to dress more business casual! I'd love to still see as I stated in previous blogs how the bigger picture comes together with so many people.

5. How can you exhibit, showcase or otherwise share your work?

I can put it up on my blog, youtube, email it to people, have it travel by word of mouth, see if I could display it somewhere, anything really.

6. How can your work or your skills & abilities help your company or organization?

In the last blog I answered this question. But, I think I can bring a new teenaged perspective to this company. I can bring new ideas that they maybe didn't think of, I can do lots of things with computers and computer programs etc...

Internship Project Ideas

1. What skills would you like to develop at your site?

I'd really like to develop more skills in the areas such as being able to create a proposal to market a certain idea to a group of people, and I'd also really like to just see how people work in a larger company. How people seamlessly work together is pretty cool!

2. What interests do you have regarding the work done at your site?

I really am interested with how they find all of the artists. I'm interested in how they come to finding them, do they go to the artist or vice versa?

3. What needs can you address (needs your mentor has, your company has, etc.) based on your skills and interests?

Video Editing and Blogging. A lot of programs my mentor and company has they aren't as experienced in them as I am, because of HTHMA, so I have been testing out new programs and am giving my mentor a demo of iStop sometime in the future. Also, with being a teenager, I provide a whole new outlook on things, a younger perspective so I think that could help out a lot as well.

Internship #2

What have you actively done to start off on the right note?

During the two days we have been at internship, I have been extremely courteous to all of the staff members, trying to contribute my ideas as much as possible and to not be a nuisance to them. I've been silently watching on the sidelines watching the flow of the office and I feel like I now know enough to be able to start co-existing in the same office as everyone else. I absolutely love interning there. It's only been 2 days and I'm already upset that it will be over so soon.

What have you actively done to create interesting opportunities for yourself?

I created my own project pretty much that was adapted at the same time as my MYO Teen Council project was. So now, I've taken it upon myself to get as much of everything as I can done before internship is over, and concentrate on mostly the Teen Event we are planning. I've already found a band to play at it, and I've also been actively looking for more entertainment acts.

What have you actively done to advance the interests of your mentor and/or site?

Well, this question kind of confuses me and doesn't make sense to me, so I'm going to talk about how I feel like I've made a good impression on my mentor and her fellow employees. Firstly, I believe very strongly in respect and broadcasting it as much as I can, I'm polite to everyone I meet, I try to finish every task that I am given within a good amount of time and to the best of my ability, I am prompt and on time and I try and look deeper for more and more options of work I can be doing. I have already been to a meeting with most of the staff that works closely with my mentor Lauren, but I have worked closest with Darci, our Events Coordinator. She is super nice and has great ideas for the teen events. I always try and make my perspective heard because I am coming from a younger age group, which I feel could be beneficial to the museums teenage range of museum-goers.

What can you do in the immediate future to improve yourself and your experience in the above areas?

I feel like the speed that I am going, and since I have been related to the museum for such an extended amount of time, that I am a good intern, and I think that really taking on more tasks and doing work that carries on to after internship ends could help. I really do feel like my experiences at school with blogging have helped me with my internship since I have to have a bi-weekly blog.

Internship Day One

My First Day at The New Children's Museum as an Education Programs Intern!

This is my desk area in the corner of my office, you can see

my little friend in the corner left of the bookshelf. I have my

own name plate as well. :)

This is the lil' fella on my bookshelf!

I did this for a lot of the day, I was cutting out "Fundreds" for

our upcoming Teen Studio exhibit. Learn more about it at

www.fundred.org!

Teen Studio is empty?! I have never seen it like this,

it almost looks lonely! Weird.

Questionare!

1. When did you wake up?

I woke up at the round time of 7:45

2. What did you have for breakfast?

I didn't have breakfast, it makes me feel nauseous eating as soon as I wake up, so I snacked throughout the day.

3. How did you get to internship? How long did it take? How did it go?

My mom took me and of course had to try and take a short cut and was stubborn and lost and so I got there 2 minutes early instead of the 10 I was anticipating. It took 15 minutes, when it could have taken 7!

4. What did you do when you first arrived at internship? Who did you see? Who did you talk to?

I saw one of the girls who works in resources, and my mentor Lauren. She showed me my office which I had previously worked in and then she took me to the terrace level which is where the most important people to the director work, (so they can be within a doors distance away) and I met everyone who worked there, like the Events Planner, the Technical Genius Gavon and I also attended a meeting! :)

5. Where do you work (in the company, in the building, etc.)? What is your area like?

I work in "the Basement" which is the LL of the building next to a couple other people. My office is technically the biggest one in the museum too! :) My office is filled with art supplies and art done by little kids and a computer and desk and my own extension number!!!

6. What did you do for lunch?

Pretty much sprinted to Horton Plaza and met up with Libby and Faith who intern at a Law Firm and NBC for lunch, then sprinted back to the museum and finished most of my work.

7. What did you do during the afternoon?

I cut out Fundreds, researched podcasts, and came up with a new project idea that is extra for internship.

8. What type of work do you see yourself doing in the next few days?

I'm going to be helping with the workshops with the kids on the days that we have field trips coming in, I'm going to be helping set up Teen Studio, I'm going to be hopefully proposing my Teen Event Night to my mentor and the Events Planner.

9. What do you feel prepared to do? What do you think you'll do well?

I'm prepared to do it all! My schoolwork has helped tremendously with speaking on camera, stop motion videos, speaking in public and blogs!

10. What are you going to need to learn to succeed at your internship?

iStop and probably learning how to work in an office all alone, it's weird not having anyone within talking distance of me!!

11. What makes you excited about working there?

The people there are all sooo so nice and genuinely interested in the museum which is great, they all have spectacular ideas and the opportunities excite me as well.

12. What makes you nervous about working there?

It kind of makes me nervous because I am the only intern there, which I feel like people will take advantage of having someone below them be able to do some of their grunt work and not being able to finish all of my projects.

13. When did you get home? What was your afternoon/evening commute like?

I got home at 8pm because I went to work after internship. But the commute from internship was nice as well, the museum is closed on Wednesdays to the public so outside was very calm and warm and I waited for my dad to pick me up outside of the museum and watched all the people work in the museum on cleaning it and tidying for tomorrows open day!

So excited to be there, I can feel that there's going to be some great things coming from this!